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[TowerTalk] Mast clamp friction

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] Mast clamp friction
From: "jim.thom jim.thom@telus.net" <jim.thom@telus.net>
Date: Thu, 10 Nov 2022 10:05:48 -0800
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
<Date: Wed, 9 Nov 2022 18:38:05 +0000 (UTC)

<I use a light duty adhesive sprayed on the 'bore' part of the saddle.?
Women's hair spray works fine.

<While wet, sprinkle silicon carbide particles on the adhesive. This size
<is about like ground pepper from a pepper mill.

<Assemble and tighten down.? The silicon carbide presses into both the
<aluminum saddles and into the zinc on the galvanized mast. It will not
<slip!?? Be careful in handling the mast/saddles; the silicon carbide can
<be hard on the hands.

<73 de Steve, NR4M

##  Here is an easier way of increasing friction, esp if using a 1.875" or
1.900" OD mast with a 2.00" ID clamping setup...instead of any type of
shim.

## Down at the local store, they sell  this sticky backed tape, that has an
HD abrasive on one side (sticky on the other, with sticky back covered
with  peel off  paper).  Back side is marked off like a grid.  It came in
rolls, and sold by the foot.  It comes  in 1"-2"-3" wide rolls. I believe
it was originally intended as a non slip, non skid material to be applied
to wood or concrete steps.

##  For say a  1.900" OD mast, you require 1.900" X 3.14 = 5.97" length of
either the 2" wide, or preferably the 3" wide stuff.  With a clean mast,
the mast is then wrapped with the adhesive back tape.  There is no way in
hell the mast is gonna slip, after U bolts / clamp assy, etc, torqued down
properly.  It won't budge. Depending on type of mast clamp assy, you may
require several wraps up / down the mast, where the actual clamps are
bearing down.

## On my Tic-rings, they used the exact same stuff, but 1" wide, and 2 x
strips of it, on both sides of the.. 'trough', that the boom sits into.
Same idea, won't budge, period.

##  I also used the 2" wide stuff on my HB aluminum mast steps...for the 2"
OD x 3/8" thick  4130 heat treated chromoly, galvanized mast. Each mast
step consists of a 14" long piece of 2" x 2"  x 1/4"  thick 6061-T6 angle
aluminum. The 2" wide stuff is applied to both the (outside)  horizontal
and vertical side of each mast step. Then each mast step is clamped to the
mast with a single DXE.. 'super 2" mast clamp".   I used a single  SS
1/4-20 bolt at each end of each mast step, pointed upwards a bit, and
mating SS nylock nut. The purpose of the 1/4-20 SS bolts sticking up 1.5" -
1.75" is so when standing on the mast step, I know, and can easily feel
with my boots, where the protruding 1/4-20 SS bolts are, and no way to
accidently..put my boot 1/2 off  either end of the mast step.

## The abrasive backed material  (on both vert + horz surfaces),ensures
when standing on the steps, boots don't slip..ever, esp when wet.  With the
abrasive material on the vert surface, it provides for a better grip when
climbing the steps. IE: palm of hand on the horizontal step, with fingers
wrapped around the vert portion.

Jim  VE7RF
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