UHMW spacers for deck hardware?

[GWB]

I need to make some spacers for deck hardware and thought UHMW would be perfect. My only concern is that it might weep "oily stuff" that would compromise any future paint job in the vicinity.

What think you?
Thanks for any help

[jehardiman]

Use NSF UHMW cutting boards. They don't leach. I have used them several times. UHMW brearing material may leach depending on what they are impregnated with.

Curious as to why one would want something slippery and to which caulk won't well adhere as a deck hardware spacer. If the primary motivation is ease of removability, I get it.

[GWB]

Was going to use butyl tape for sealing. Its more of a putty than a caulk....
Do you think that would work?

What else can I use....wood simply wont do as it means maintenance, something I don't like to do unless I absolutely have to do it

[Landlubber]

If you are going to use a plastic, try King Starboard, it is an excellent product, unlike all others.

http://www.kingplastic.com/

[Hunter25]

Starboard is HDPE

The reason for the spacers is that you want a winch at a different angle than the surface to which it will be mounted, for example?
I build these things up out of laminated fiberglass, myself. One could also use a thickened resin, fumed silica and polyester, then paint or gelcoat... or epoxy, fumed silica, and wood flour (for thixotropy), form the needed shape, coat with neat resin, paint, or if matching gelcoat on an epoxy part, coat with SB112, then gelcoat. Epoxy parts made this way are less brittle than poly. A machined hunk of teak is a nice alternative and grayed 30-year-old teak will look much better than any dang plastic.
This Starboard stuff is commonly used - I have used it but have gotten out of the habit as it is heavy, expensive, slippery, warps, and mostly, it stains. It is easy to route a nice shape and will look good for some time until it yellows and stains when hydraulic fluid or something gets on it. To each their own but I feel that parts made from this say "I was quick and easy to make" and not much else.

[jehardiman]

Originally Posted by mark775

Curious as to why one would want something slippery and to which caulk won't well adhere as a deck hardware spacer. If the primary motivation is ease of removability, I get it.

Originally Posted by GWB

Was going to use butyl tape for sealing. Its more of a putty than a caulk....
Do you think that would work?

What else can I use....wood simply wont do as it means maintenance, something I don't like to do unless I absolutely have to do it

GWB, you are correct, never use "caulk" (which is used to fill up a space in a seamline), use bedding compound for deck hardware. DOLPHINITE is what I have used. It is non-hardening, non-adhesive but tacky, will be watertight and easy cleanup.

While Mark is correct that if you have the time and the skill it is better to build in a winch base out of the base material, especially in new construction. However, in most aftermarket installs, the cost-time-strength benefit is not there. Given that most spacers are thin wedges to offset the mould draft, strength is not a real issue if you use a proper backing plate. And with 15+ years on them, I have yet to see a UHMW spacer/shim weather or stain like ABS or Nylon or polycarbonate or split like teak will when made thin. <shrug> To each his own, YMMV.

[Landlubber]

Starboard is HDPE....agreed, but in Australia, it is only one of two products available that are HDPE, but with a totally different appearance and characteristics.

HDPE is used as chopping boards, it is totally different to the HDPE of King Starboard..one is opaque, one is white, one goes to crap in the sun the KS does not.

There is a difference.......a big one.

[jehardiman]

lubber makes an important point; UHMWPE is not the same as HDPE. And there are a lot of fillers that alter the propertries so make sure of what you are getting. UHMWPE is used to make Sprecta lines and rigging.

http://www.ticona.com/tools/document...PEres72dpi.pdf

[TollyWally]

I like Mark's methods when doing stuff for myself. When I can do it I've made declevity blocks, mounting pads etc. out of glass. I hate penetrations over dry space and relying on bedding etc. for a seal.

When I do stuff for myself it's not that cost is no object. Nothing could be further from the truth but the solution doesn't have to be cost or time effective. In this case the customer understands!

I use UHWMWPE frequently, there is a place in town that manufactors and supplies the stuff. They used to have an absolutely wonderful boneyard. They moved into a new building and upgraded and improved their facilities. They still have an interesting boneyard but it is nothing like when it was a overlooked area in a forgotten corner whose primary function was to reduce the waste stream not pay for itself.

TollyWally, is that the place off South Tacoma Way?
Got a fun story about Starboard, maybe could go on the boatbuilding mistakes thread...
I spent almost two winters in the engine room of the Marjorie Morningstar, I think it was. Everything was "perf" (perforated aluminum) over sound insulation, polished stainless, white Awlgripped bilge and piping and not-too-structural brackets, battery boxes, spacers, shelving, etc. made out of Starboard. A month or so before delivering to the owner, a co-worker caught a spinning 1" quarter round router bit between his ring and middle fingers - a mess. In the confusion, someone left a PVC primer pint open and of course it got kicked getting our guy to stop flowing and to the hospital. To this day, that boat must have large swaths of purple (and maybe some red!) in the engine room. We replaced the obvious but didn't have time to remove everything! In fairness, that stuff will stain almost anything. Blood will, too.

[TollyWally]

Yep,
We sure know each others neighborhoods well. Actually there are 2 places real close to each other. Keltech which is a retail supplier and custom manufactor and the other place whose name escapes me but who are closer to Tacoma Screw. Both places have boneyards but the second place use to be golden. It's still a good place for a good deal but nothing like the old days.

Thanks, sometime I'll need some for less than the price of gold for doing commercial boat trim.

[jonr]

UHWM is great for reducing friction to almost teflon levels. But you can do better for other applications.