Tip for fastening 1-inch strap

It took me a while to figure this one out, so thought that I would share it. I have some 1-inch nylon strap (the kind used to hold the bimini top down on small power boats) and needed to put it through a connection and then fasten it permanently to itself. Tried rivets, but the cloth is too soft to hold. Thought about a sewing machine, but that is a big hassle. Finally came up with the bright idea (I thought it was bright, anyway) of using a pencil soldering iron to burn a hole through the two pieces to be fastened to each other (it melts right through that nylon) and then use some Chicago bolts from Ace Hardware (65-cents a pair). Works like a charm. So thought I would pass it on. You have to have a pencil soldering iron, of course, but IMHO every boat should have one for emergency use.

John

I keep a stiching awl on board. Great for any thing to do with canvas or sunbrella stuff.

takes a bit of practice but it sure can come in handy.

SD

That's a great idea John.

Forkliftt said:

That's a great idea John.

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Thank you, Steve. Kind of pathetic, actually, that I have to go to a forum to get some praise for my bright idea. In a perfect world I would have a first mate who would do that, but all I have is a dog and, although Sam worships me as the source of food, these nuances of boat maintenance tend to be wasted on him.

John

jwnall said:

Thank you, Steve. Kind of pathetic, actually, that I have to go to a forum to get some praise for my bright idea. In a perfect world I would have a first mate who would do that, but all I have is a dog and, although Sam worships me as the source of food, these nuances of boat maintenance tend to be wasted on him.

John

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Sam sounds like a Hell of a good dog!

How's the cleanup coming along John? And did you get the A/C running right?

Doug

Dougcole said:

How's the cleanup coming along John? And did you get the A/C running right?

Doug

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Oh yes. Everything is just fine. And just in time to enjoy the best time of the year in these parts. We may even escape any hurricane activity! How is your new boat doing? And where is it docked, since I'd like to swing by and look it over when I get down to Carrabelle.

John

Good news on your boat, John.

We still don't have the boat home yet, believe it or not. Last week I brought it down from Sebastian through the OWW and up to Clearwater. My plan was to cross from Tarpon to C'belle on Thursday, but it was blowing like stink and raining, so I left it at Clearwater Basin Marina.

The weather was bad pretty much the entire trip, it rained nonstop for 3.5 days. It was absolutely snotty getting across Tampa Bay despite one of those NOAA forecasts I have come to love: "10 knot winds except higher near thundershowers." The entire Florida peninsula is blanketed in thundershowers, why bother giving a wind forecast as if they don't exist?

I've got to go down to Tampa for work next week, so I'm going to leave it there and stay aboard for a few nights in lieu of a hotel room. Hopefully, I can get it back home the following week.

We have a slip lined up at C-Quarters.

Doug

I've been selling fasteners for forty two years and had never heard the term "Chicago Bolt". If you had said Barrel Nut or Binding Post I'd have known right away what you were talking about. I learn something new on this forum every day.

This is what I use to put loops in light webbing.


It's called a threading plate. This one is made by Suncor who makes a lot of useful fasteners, buckles and hooks for use with webbing.

Webbing Hardware | Cam Buckles

Keep an eye on Karen!

Yeah, the boat is probably safer in Clearwater right now than at home in Carrabelle. Either way, I won't be making the jump until the middle of the month. Karen will be long gone by then, and hopefully one of her wicked stepsisters won't have reared her ugly head.

We are USUALLY pretty safe up here once we get into November and our waters cool off.

jwnall said:

Kind of pathetic, actually, that I have to go to a forum to get some praise for my bright idea.

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No it's not... I do it all the time. If it's pathetic, at least you're not alone.

Greetings,
Mr. jwnall. "my bright idea." I detect sarcasm where there shouldn't be any. Many times a solution to a problem leads one to think outside the box. Now that you mention Chicago bolts (Cb), that fact is now in my "outside the box" file. I was aware of Cb's although I never knew they were named that but had forgotten about them as a fastening option. As I said, now on file. Thanks.

HopCar said:

I've been selling fasteners for forty two years and had never heard the term "Chicago Bolt". If you had said Barrel Nut or Binding Post I'd have known right away what you were talking about. I learn something new on this forum every day.
http://www.suncorstainless.com/webbing-hardware

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Interesting that you should say that, because I had never heard the term either. In fact I didn't know any of the terms for such a thing, but had seen them and could visualize them. I tried googling to find out, using all sorts of descriptive terms. Finally it gave me a link http://www.boltdepot.com/fastener-information/type-chart.aspx which had a picture of one, so took the picture in to Ace Hardware and the guy found them (although of course they had still a different name -- pillar and post.
.
John

Dougcole said:

We are USUALLY pretty safe up here once we get into November and our waters cool off.

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Yup. Usually. But I have lived in this area since 1962 and the worst hurricane that I can remember in all that time was Hurricane Kate, which came ashore at Mexico Beach on November 21, 1985 with 100 mph winds!

I doubt you need any help in bringing your boat over, given the built-in crew that you have available, but if you do need some help I will be glad to volunteer.

John

Mountain Home in the Fall

Just got back last night from a week's stay at my Sedona home. There's nothing like the high country in the Fall.

Whoaa!!! Talk about thread creep! Welcome back home, Walt. Did you shoot that lynx at the Sedona Zoo?

John, I never heard the name Chicago Bolt either, so I looked it up and learned something. What I don't understand is that you looked it up and had the golden opportunity to introduce us all to the terms Sex Bolt and Mating Screws and you passed on it?

Just the words Sex and Bolt used together have my undivided attention. Am I alone here?

here's the photo

FlyWright said:

Whoaa!!! Did you shoot that lynx at the Sedona Zoo?

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The BOB CAT was photographed at Stoneman Lake, about 25 miles south of Flagstaff. And yes, this is a very fine example of thread creep for which I sincerely apologize.

1) Canadian Lynx
2) Bob Cat

I didn't know they have a zoo at Stoneman Lake! Very cool!!

(Sorry for the errant sideshow, John.)

FlyWright said:

John, I never heard the name Chicago Bolt either, so I looked it up and learned something. What I don't understand is that you looked it up and had the golden opportunity to introduce us all to the terms Sex Bolt and Mating Screws and you passed on it?

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I was a teacher until I retired, and my goal was always to point the way to the Valley of Learning, rather than to actually take them there myself. The journey itself is part of the learning process.

John

Greetings,
Mr. jnwall. Education is also about lighting a fire, not filling a bucket....