Re: [Paddlewise] blown out footpeg

From: Gabriel L Romeu <romeug_at_erols.com>
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 10:16:52 -0500
Steve Cramer wrote:
> 
> >  I changed my
> > footpeg location this year  and temporally postponed the problem but plan on
> > installing aluminum footbraces this spring. Northwest Design Works
> > (available from NOC)  as well as Yakima make aluminum footbraces.
> 
> Hmmm. A couple of days ago, Ralph was advising keeping your tent poles
> with aluminium ferrules in a waterproof bag to prevent corrosion from sea
> water and sea air. Now folks are putting aluminum footpeg rails in.
> Actually, I think prijon boats come with them. I don't know much about
> aluminum, but is there an inconsistency here?

I was a bit confused by Ralph's posting myself, experience having shown
me that aluminum ususally oxidises to a certain point and stops- in
normal conditions that is.  In fact anodizing is an electical process
which accelerates and intensifies the oxidation process to a deeper
level (a few microns), protecting the metal with a very hard aluminum
oxide surface(the substance often used for sandpaper) usually impervious
to further degeneration.
However, if aluminum is in contact with a dissimilar metal, steel,
copper or brass, and immersed in a saline solution, this will cause a
similar electrolytic reaction as anodizing and corrode the aluminum to
complete disinigration (if applied long enough) which I suspect could be
fairly quick on a thin walled aluminum tube tent pole.  I would believe
this could happen quickly with steel flanges or locks on the poles.
I havn't any personal experience with ocean water and aluminum, so I
hesitate making any truly authoritive remarks.  I have replaced my
footpegs with aluminum ones I have machined myself (extending them for
my abnormally long appendeges), and hope they don't fatigue at an
inoppurtune time...
If anyone is interested in more research on this, I will ask on a very
informative metalworking newsgroup.  
gabriel l romeu
http://members.aol.com/romeug     studio furniture
http://members.aol.com/romeugp    paintings, photos, prints, etc.
http://members.xoom.com/gabrielR  a daily photo journal

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Received on Sun Jan 24 1999 - 07:15:21 PST

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