On Fri, Dec 18, 2015 at 8:57 AM, Tim Shoppa <[email protected]> wrote:
> I notice that the G10 insulators I have made (wire insulators, turned or > cut on my crude home tools... I don't have a tower!) start out "G10 green" > but then turn brown after a few years in the weather. I suspect this is UV > although I cannot rule out cut fiber ends absorbing something (moisture?) > and then turning brown. It seems somewhat worse at the rough cuts I have > made than on the "shiny from factory" surfaces although both turn brown. > This browning never happens in indoor G10 applications. > It's UV degradation. > > Is this entirely cosmetic? > It's structural damage. The next step is for the binder to disappear from the surface, leaving the fiber strands to stand out like a rough pair of wool socks. A coat of just about any exterior paint will protect the material. I use Rustoleum and I have some fiberglass insulators in service for over 10 years with no apparent degradation. 73, geo - n4ua > I really like G10 as a material in the workshop because it combines > toughness with being easy to work (especially the ability to punch holes in > thin sheets.) > > I have also been using the red GPO3 Electrical Fiberglass in indoor HV > applications, it is a very nice material but wears the heck out of saws or > drills that are not carbide. I might try some outside. > > Tim N3QE > > On Fri, Dec 18, 2015 at 5:59 AM, Stan Stockton <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Those look identical to the ones I made for my 8m 4 Square Towers. > > Use G10, not just any fiberglass. The G10 rod is more like $20.00 per > > foot retail, unless you do a little searching. The one thing I would > > do differently is add a washer over the machined ends of the > > fiberglass insulators to put a flat against the unturned portion of > > the insulator instead of the sharp edges from the ends of the tower > > legs. Those sharp edges can splinter the fiberglass. Also if you > > span the joint with flat G10 material (maybe 4 inches wide by 18 > > inches long by 3/8 inches thick) it will at least reduce if not > > eliminate the lateral movement. > > > > I have Fiberglas rod guying them now but for many years had four 70 > > foot towers unguyed with this setup at the base. > > > > It is interesting that a lot of hams are let's say "thrifty" but when > > it comes to having something made or making it themselves to save > > hundreds or even thousands of dollars, many will pay whatever it takes > > to buy the end product. > > > > http://k5go.com/40-meters/ > > > > 73...Stan, K5GO > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Dec 17, 2015, at 10:43 PM, Merv Schweigert <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > 20 mins work with a 5.00 fibre glass rod spun in a lathe, > > > sort of grossly overpriced exaggeration of a Rohn insulator. > > > > > >> I believe there is a slight misrepresentation here. I've never seen > > these in any Rohn catalog. Rather than > > >> calling them Rohn 25 tower insulators, I think they are better > > described as insulators for Rohn 25 tower. > > >> > > >> 73, Roger > > >> > > >> > > >>> On 12/17/2015 7:49 PM, [email protected] wrote: > > >>> ok,the station wanting the insulators for a rohn 25.there is a set > > available from ab5k.he is listing them on e-bay set of 3.look for dxer49 > on > > e-bay.I believe they are new..73 john > > >>> _________________ > > >>> Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband > > >> _________________ > > >> Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband > > > > > > _________________ > > > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband > > _________________ > > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband > > > _________________ > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband > _________________ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
