MrHixxx 0 #1 January 20, 2004 Hey Folks, I am looking for info concerning grinding the large ring of a 3 ring. I have seen a few rigs where the interior of the ring has been ground for what I assume would be more clearance in a release situation. Nonetheless, this would remove the cadmium plating exposing the steel underneath to the elements. Can this cause embrittlement with just common exposure to air? I know it can happen with hardware that is being replated if it is done incorrectly. thanks, Hixxx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NightJumper 0 #2 January 20, 2004 I don't know about embrittlement, but does any manufacture allow this? I know one that doesn't for sure. And since this is an alteration it would require a Master rigger. I know of an issue going on right know where the plating was flaking off and damaging the webbing and the rings and webbing had to be replaced. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,027 #3 January 20, 2004 QuoteHey Folks, I am looking for info concerning grinding the large ring of a 3 ring. I have seen a few rigs where the interior of the ring has been ground for what I assume would be more clearance in a release situation. Nonetheless, this would remove the cadmium plating exposing the steel underneath to the elements. Can this cause embrittlement with just common exposure to air? I know it can happen with hardware that is being replated if it is done incorrectly. thanks, Hixxx No, it will not lead to hydrogen embrittlement unless you have a source of atomic, not molecular, hydrogen* . But it doesn't sound like a good idea anyway. *Steel cylinders are used for compressed hydrogen just fine. The kinds of things that charge the steel with H and embrittle it are plating or arc welding with damp electrodes, both of which lead to free H atoms. (I was a metallurgist in a previous existence).... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
base698 19 #4 January 20, 2004 Well maybe your hardware is just brittle because of your ultra gaseous nature. Come to think of it I shouldn't have brought my rig in the packing room... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darkwing 5 #5 January 20, 2004 Hydrogen issues asside (I agree with Kallend) grinding a ring as you describe sounds like a REAL bad idea to me. I'd seriously like to hear some justification from whoever did it. -- Jeff My Skydiving History Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 643 #6 January 20, 2004 Grinding or sanding a ring to remove rough edges is no big deal, as long as you do not remove significant amounts of material. Removing the cadmium or nickle-plating may increase the risk of corrosion, but will not increase the risk of hydrogen embrittlement. Hydrogen embrittlement is only a problem when you heat hardware hot enough to burn webbing. So it cannot be done to a complete harness. Hydrogen embrittlement used to be an issue when it was fashionable to chrome-plate hardware (i.e. Capewell canopy release). I have not seen any chrome-plated hardware in the last 20 years. Besides, modern polished stainless steel is prettier than any form of chrome-plating, and far more durable. The key point is: if you want to chrome-plate hardware, take it to a metalurgical shop that specializes in plating aircraft hardware. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
councilman24 37 #7 January 20, 2004 Was is truely ground or simply polished by long term friction from the webbing, either riser or harness? I've never heard of anyone "grinding" on a ring.I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MrHixxx 0 #8 January 20, 2004 It was ground. The bottom of the interior of the ring is a no contact point for webbing and it is ground there. There are grooves in the steel from the filing, just enough to open the ring a little more. -Hixxxdeath,as men call him, ends what they call men -but beauty is more now than dying’s when Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 643 #9 January 21, 2004 QuoteIt was ground. The bottom of the interior of the ring is a no contact point for webbing and it is ground there. There are grooves in the steel from the filing, just enough to open the ring a little more. -Hixxx >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Sounds like sloppy workmanship. Any time you leave a sharp edge in a groove, you focus all the force on a tiny piece of metal and vastly increase then chances of a crack. The good news - Hee! Hee! - is that is easy to predict where the crack will start. Why did buddy feel the need to grind/file the ring to begin with? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
