The application is a small side-arm bracket. I made it from aluminum square tubing. It got removed from the tower and I needed U-bolts for different project so I "borrowed them." Now I can't find that size again. It's pretty obvious that I'll have to settle for a different u-bolt size and re-drill the bracket. But that seems just wrong. Obviously someone made the original ones, but they certainly seem to have disappeared. Am I to assume that companies that fabricate items utilizing u-bolts must special order their needs?
And finding this stuff locally is a joke. Home Depot (18 miles away) carries two stainless u-bolts sizes. There used to be a small mom & pop hardware (20-miles the other way) that had a few more, but I haven't tried wasting the gasoline to go there and come back empty-handed. My local hardware can order a few sizes, but you've got to get a box of ten. Hence my question of a decent supplier... if one really exists. Chuck WB2EDV ----- Original Message ----- From: "Eric Lemmon" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, November 02, 2008 10:20 AM Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] Antenna Hardware > Chuck, > > The McMaster-Carr item 29605T4 is pretty close to what you want, and is > 316 > stainless. If you need something with a deeper throat, consider making > your > own U-bolt with stainless steel rod bent to shape, with the ends threaded. > I do not recommend using threaded rod, also known as "all thread", since > it > is much weaker in the throat area than a U-bolt. > > Rather than looking for a U-bolt by itself, is it possible that Tessco or > the other suppliers have an adapter, mounting plate, or fixture that will > serve your purpose? It will help to describe what you are trying to do. > I > once needed an oddball mount for a side brace on a tower, and I spent a > lot > of time trying to design it myself. I later found that Tessco already > offered a fixture that was perfect for the job. > > 73, Eric Lemmon WB6FLY >
