[Antennas] Texas Towers Aluminum Tubing, A Warning.

[George, W5YR]

Curious - I ad up a full-size 1/4 wave 40 meter vertical for several years
made from tubing from Texas Towers. They said nothing about NOT using it
for a vertical. I had none of the problems you descibe with the tubing and
it was all telescoping to the next size, etc.

Guess times and tolerances change!   <:}

73/72/oo, George W5YR - the Yellow Rose of Texas         
Fairview, TX 30 mi NE of Dallas in Collin county EM13qe   
Amateur Radio W5YR, in the 56th year and it just keeps getting better!
QRP-L 1373 NETXQRP 6 SOC 262 COG 8 FPQRP 404 TEN-X 11771 I-LINK 11735
Icom IC-756PRO #02121  Kachina 505 DSP  #91900556  Icom IC-765 #02437


Jim Hill wrote:
> 
> Their drawn aluminum tubing telescopes but the tolerances are tight.
> Imperfections or particles can cause the tubing to jam, preventing it from
> telescoping further or taken apart.
> 
> I purchased a Butternut/Bencher HF2V, but the bottom section was too short
> for a chimney mount. Butternut increased the strength by using two
> telescoped tubes, so I purchased two 6' Texas Towers tube sections of the
> same diameters. When I telescoped them, I noticed it took more and more
> force as I continued to insert the inner tube. I decided to remove the
> inner tube and inspect the surfaces, but as I attempted to separate them
> difficulty continued to increase and the tubing finally jammed. I cut off
> the remaining tube and carefully checked the outer surface. I could feel
> some scratches, so I sanded it with 600 grit sandpaper, cleaned it with
> paint thinner, lubricated it, and inserted it in the other end.  I also
> filed the ends to remove any burrs.
> 
> I'm not sure what happened. Were there particles inside the larger tube, or
> upset metal caused by small surface scratches?  The problem reminded me of
> copper pipe fittings jamming when put together.
> 
> I contacted Texas Towers a few months earlier about using their tubing for
> temporary vertical antenna masts.  They said "absolutely not", and I now
> know why.
> 
> I had no problems with the Bencher bottom section, but it was much shorter.
> Jim