Where to find hinged tiller arm

[MarkInBoatshed]

I am helping my son with the revamp of his 57-year-old Swallow, subject of another thread:

http://www.woodworkforums.com/f32/1952-swallow-class-project-96932/

I am looking for a hinged tiller head / tiller arm, not sure what to call it, hopefully within Australia:

The photo shows the one I am replacing. Only doing that so we can have an upward hinged model.

The hinged ones I remember have a brass collar attached to the rudder stock with a solid bronze casting coming forward with a 45 deg sloping face, facing upward.
A bolt through the casting attaches a solid bronze fork, within the arms of which the tiller is bolted.
The rear end of this fork has a 45 deg face, facing downwards.
The tiller can hinge upward to at least vertical, but cannot fall below (approx) horizontal because the complementary 45 deg faces meet.

Does anyone know where I can buy one of these?

The rudder stock diameter is 25mm.

Cheers
Mark

[Daddles]

I can't help specifically, but my first thought would be to go to your local chandlery and ask there, even if you can't get the right thing for the restoration, you'd be able to get something that'd work while you're trying to replicate the original.

Richard

[m2c1Iw]

Might pay to talk to these blokes they may be able to help.

Wooden Boat Shop (http://www.woodenboatshop.com.au/)

[Dave Brewer]

Try here-
Woodcraft Boats - Home (http://www.woodcraftboats.com.au/index.htm)
Cheers,
Dave.

[PAR]

It wouldn't take much to turn that into an upward hinged rudder stock clamp. Bronze (what that is) is easily welded.

Cut the two tiller arms off the side of the forward clamp piece. Cut the one of pieces removed and weld it back on so it forms a ledge, sticking out from the top leading edge of the forward clamp piece. Now you have a place for a hinge, which your new tiller can be attached.

If looking for a simpler approach, then again cut the arms off. Next rotate each arm 90 degrees then re-weld them so they stick straight up. Drill a hole (or use one of the existing ones) for a pivot bolt, then cut off the excess portion of the arms, so they don't stick up above the tiller.

Both of these methods will produce a rudder stock clamp that will permit the tiller to pivot up. One is hinged (not very strong) and the other is the traditional pivot bolt setup and very strong. Other then welding rod, you don't need additional materials.

[MarkInBoatshed]

Thanks everyone. I checked all the sources, and for your info these are:

The Boat Locker, Mona Vale, Sydney. Goods on consignment, helpful people
New Page 7 (http://www.boatlocker.com.au/)
Marine Exchange, Peter Gossell, also helpful
Welcome to The Marine Exchange (http://www.marinexchange.com.au/)
Wooden Boat Shop (http://www.woodenboatshop.com.au/) Thanks m2c1Iw, checked their online catalogue, no luck.
Woodcraft Boats - Home (http://www.woodcraftboats.com.au/index.htm) Thanks Dave; I know Ian Smith and am a great admirer of his work.
Briggs Marine, Melbourne, cast many good bronze items but not mine
MARINE PRODUCTS, BRASS BELLS, HARDWARE FITTINGS, BRIGGS MARINE - Quality Cast products guaranteed (http://www.briggsmarine.com.au/)
D H Porter & Co, Sydney are more in the line of propellers, shafts, etc but Glen is very helpful
D H PORTER - Propellers, Prop-Scanning, Boat Shafts, Couplings, Precision Marine Engineering (http://www.dhporter.com.au/)

No luck anywhere, though the older guys knew the fitting I was after.

Thanks Par for your suggestions; I am having a bronze plate brazed across the first third of the arms, to make a stop, so the tiller cannot hinge down any further. I will build plenty of 'fat' into the tiller stock above and below the arms and hinge it off the outer hole; there will just be a rebate where it connects with the plate on its upper end.

The forum resolves another challenge!

With thanks,
Mark

[PAR]

Tell them to weld it, not braze it, it'll be much stronger and you'd be surprised how much torque this must tolerate.

[MarkInBoatshed]

Thanks yet again Par, have organised for welding.