[Antennas] Stainless Steel Conduits

[Michael Zolno]

Chuck,

I would have said yes until I attended a welding school (lincoln elec) for fun after my retirement. After the school, definitely with Rick in this, really bad fumes come from galvanized metals. Even worse is the fellow that tries to use carb cleaner or some other similar product to pre-clean chemically (turpentine, spirits, kero, etc vs soap and water or brushing action with assorted metal brush and or grinding. Those have their application but not as a welding or brazing (read any heat or flame scenario following application). That said, even grinding produces particulates I wouldn't have thought twice about breathing in years ago. Watch those sparks fly. Carb cleaner and the like allow a deadly fume that causes an incurable disease where the name escapes me. Was told at school that even the home welder must comply with fume hazards and maintain a fume extraction system, hence all the major mfg's now offer relatively low cost machines for home use ($400-500). I say relative as I don't know what a new set of lungs cost, though my guess a lot more. Just bad stuff. A quick google of welding brazing fume hazards and safety standards/practices will likely reveal most of this with relative ease. GL and keep us posted. Folks will don a set of safety glasses and hearing protection quicker than a $15 3M OSHA certified filtered breathing mask available at HD or Lowes. I don't want to speak to what I've done in the garage, welding, grinding, fabricating, etc without a thought to what would go wrong 30 years ago

Mike WH6YH 

Sent from my iPad

> On Mar 14, 2015, at 11:00 AM, antennas-request at mailman.qth.net wrote

>> On 3/13/2015 9:22 PM, charles berry via Antennas wrote:
>> You are probably right that I am looking at Galvanized Steel Conduit.  There was a time in my life that purchasing copper in any lengths was a non-issue.  My circumstances have changed and this conduit at 12? ? a foot allows me to continue building my own antennas thus keeping my mind and hands busy.  Like the man said, 'Idle hands are the Devils workshop.  That being said,
>>    - If this steel conduit offers more resistance, do I shorten radiators to compensate?
> 
> Again, velocity factor is not a function of what kind of conductor you use
> 
> 
>>    - Can this conduit be soldered with small propane torches?
> 
> Soldering or welding galvanized material is a hazardous operation.
> The fact that you ask this question probably indicates "don't
> try this at home kids".
> 
>> I'm not trying to obtain World Peace, I just want to stay in the game building antennas.
>> Thanks,Chuckn7chs