rack bars (advice)

[hrock]

well i have i petzl rack and it is grat apart from the cost of a new set of bars. so i was thinking has any one tried making them or beter still tryed making them out of other things stanless or just steel (hevy) but what are the other problems eg friction coafishant, heat capaserty and conductiverty.

i think the petzl ones are made of duralumin

info

duralumin
Related: Metals

(doorăl´yemĬn, dyoo-) , alloy of aluminum (over 90%) with copper (about 4%), magnesium (0.5%-1%), and manganese (less than l%). Before a final heat treatment the alloy is ductile and malleable; after heat treatment a reaction between the aluminum and magnesium produces increased hardness and tensile strength. Because of its lightness and other desirable physical properties, duralumin is widely used in the aircraft industry.

 

[paul]

You can buy racks in the US with stainless steel bars: see On Rope 1, Inc.

They sell replacement Stainless Steel bars but presumably they may not fit your rack.

 

[Mine Explorer]

I've heard of someone that made a set of bars out of stainless - they didn't wear, but they didn't give much friction to the rope either!

I'm sure one of the rack users I know has the first bar stainless and the rest ali. There's a member of out club that always makes his own rack bars out of aluminium, so it can certainly be done - don't know what grade he uses though.

 

[SamT]

Id say if you were using gritty ropes a lot and hence wearing your rack out - get yourself a 'Simple' from petzl. Either that or get yourself one of the cheaper racks from Caving supplies.

Also - try Ebay - 'Stops' come up regular on there - and if they are going cheap - even if they are a bit worn - you can just use them till they are completely worn out.

 

[danthecavingman]

Someone told me last weekend that caving supplies had stopped making racks. Not sure if it's true but a shame if it is.

 

[hrock]

well i havent seen them 4 sale in a wile and the shops i talk to cant get the bars 4 them ether.

 

[Cave_Troll]

its possible they fell foul of the CE marking regulations

 

[danthecavingman]

Surely Nick Williams could sort that out!!!

 

[hrock]

his sugettion was get a load of rack bars mad up in china and sent over get inof done and they could be cheap.