[NLRS] 3/16 inch Alu rod ?

[Dr. Gerald N. Johnson]

Fastenal probably has it in their catalog, but an order item in case 
lots because its not in their store.

A splice in the middle is the worst place to splice, it will break 
fastest. And in a yagi element thats a high current location where you 
don't want an almost good connection.

What I thought about a year or so ago was to get 3/16" brass in a 3' 
length from a farm store or hardware or hobby store and a foot of 3/16" 
ID brass tubing from hardware or hobby store. K&S Engineering sold in 
hardware and hobby stores has both, but it takes a big hobby shop to 
stock the rod in a 3" length. Then I could have used the brass tubing in 
adequate pieces to extend both ends soldered it in place. It won't stay 
as clear of corrosion as aluminum but a coat of paint will protect it.

On line, DX Engineering and Texas Towers should have longer lengths of 
3/16" aluminum. TT makes up for a decent price in the shipping.

McMaster-Carr is another source. www.mcmaster.com. They like to think 
they are selling to industrials but they take plastic. Shipping a 10 or 
12 length would be a killer. 4 or 6' not quite as bad. hauling it home 
from Discount Steel is probably the best deal.

Near here welding shops sometimes have stocks of aluminum and definitely 
have sources they can order from, usually the same places they buy their 
steel from.

There is a building supply house in Webster City, IA that has aluminum 
rod and tubing along with steel materials at quite decent prices. I used 
aluminum from them a couple years ago to  build a 2m beam. I have found 
it pays to take a dial caliper to be sure of the size, their eye and 
tape might be off an eighth of an inch which can make telescoping boom 
segments difficult.

73, Jerry, K0CQ

On 1/9/2015 4:40 PM, Jeff Pahl wrote:
>
>
> Mel-
>
> Did you try McNeilus in Dodge Center?  I'm not sure they have as small as
> 3/16, but I know I bought long lengths of Al rod from them in slightly
> larger sizes.  Their web site list Al round down to 3/16, they probably
> have it in 10' lengths.
>
> Good Luck!
>
> Jeff/K0JSP
>
> On Fri, Jan 9, 2015 at 4:35 PM, Chris Elmquist<chrise at pobox.com>  wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> On Friday (01/09/2015 at 05:26PM -0500), Melvynkc0p--- via NLRS wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> Des anyone have such a rod 41 inch long they could bring to NLRS
>> breakfast
>>> Jan 10 ? I'll pay ya. I need it for a reflector element on a 144.1 MHz
>>> Cheap Yagi.
>>>
>>> I checked Menards and my local welder supply and aluminum  distributors'
>>> It seems to be un-obtainium in Rochester. Longest I have is 40  inches.
>>> Maybe a splice in the middle ?
>>
>> Mel,
>>
>> If you strike out locally, you might consider online ordering from
>> "Online Metals",
>>
>>
>> http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?pid=6836&step=4&showunits=inches&id=195&top_cat=60
>>
>> Chris N0JCF
>>
>> --
>> Chris Elmquist
>>
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