Stainless Chainring?
 

Anyone know if its possible to get a Stainless Steel 1/8" chainring for 144bcd (5 arm)?
I know surly makes some but they don't seem to make them for 5 arm 144 (unless I'm wrong).
Also, is there any use to going Stainless on the chainring (anyone else running one)?

I've been very happy with machined Al. I'm not sure why someone would go stainless.

Find some one with a cnc machine

Surly's website says they don't make the 144mmBCD for 5-arm.

Why would someone use stainless?
Surly says:
Stainless chainrings are tougher than aluminum chainrings. For single-speed and tandem timing chain applications, where the wear isn't shared between 2 or 3 chainrings, our stainless rings will outlast and outperform aluminum.

I've got a CNC mill glomarduck, but I'm not going to bother if it won't make much difference. Not a trivial project, I must say, and the end result isn't cool enough to justify that kind of time, says I.

Why not if I had a cnc I'd make so much stuff. Also I do need to find some one with a cnc for a non bike project.

so, I only have so much spare time for fun projects. a stainless chainring is much less cool than some of the other things I have in mind.

well, where the chainline is nearly perfect, the wear is much less than in a derailleur system. people doing lots of miles on Rohloffs have to replace their cogs fairly seldom.

For jumping or other abuse I could see it, but then why are you using track or old campy cranks?

alright sounds like i have no need for SS chainring, nor for a SS cog
thx all

Yup. A 750cc racing motorbike generating 120hp uses alu for the rear cog (the big one) and heat treated steel for the front (the small one). These last approx 20,000 miles on a perfect chainline. I believe that a human generates 1/12th of an hp.
Don't believe for a second that skidding generates more force that whacking the throttle at 5,000 rpm.

I never used this but it looks interesting....
http://www.emachineshop.com/

I am 100% sure that a custom chainring would be prohibitively expensive. I don't even know if special heat treating would be required.

Nice thing about the emachineshop is that you get a quote upfront.

They are a lot thicker - I've worn the teeth out of many a chainring/cog.