View Single Post
  #16   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
Gunner Asch[_6_] Gunner Asch[_6_] is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 10,399
Default Steel vs. kevlar cable, breaking strength vs. working load?

On Thu, 01 Sep 2011 07:41:26 -0700, chaniarts
wrote:

On 8/31/2011 3:39 PM, DougC wrote:
For a project I can use either kevlar cord or thin steel cable.

The breaking strength for a given diameter (at least in the small sizes)
comes out very very close to each other: in one instance, .31" steel
cable was rated at 184 lbs, while .3125" kevlar cord was rated at 175 lbs.

Everywhere that sells the stuff usually gives the breaking strengths of
both, but not the working loads.

From other places online I gather that the typical rated working load
for steel cable is 20% of the breaking strength. Is this assumption
reasonable?

And what is the % for kevlar rope? The same, or higher or lower?

(-I know that there are other factors like kevlar's higher price, lower
abrasion resistance ect, but those aren't significant in this instance-)


doesn't kevlar rope stretch under constant loads? there are many
different kinds of synthetic ropes used in boats in place of rod or
cable rigging.


Ive had poor luck with Kevlar rope in my sailboats here in the desert,
particulaly during the hot summer months. Rig tight and a half hour
later..stuff is slack.

Spectra...good stuff..and it too will stretch a smidge..but nothing like
kevlar


Gunner

--
"The danger to America is not Barack Obama but a citizenry
capable of entrusting a man like him with the Presidency.
It will be far easier to limit and undo the follies of an
Obama presidency than to restore the necessary common sense
and good judgment to a depraved electorate willing to have
such a man for their? president.. Blaming the prince of the
fools should not blind anyone to the vast confederacy of
fools that made him their prince".