>From: K7LXC@aol.com
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
>Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1999 10:21:36 EST
>
>In a message dated 99-01-05 20:49:23 EST, JSheinb785@aol.com writes:
>
>> I coated them with X-I-M 900, a clear metal primer. Last
>> week I took them down in anticipation of receiving a new
>> tower from US Towers. There was NOT ONE Speck of Aluminum
>> OXide (that white stuff) and the product was still on the
>> aluminum. Krylon & Mosleygard will flake off.
>
>For aluminum and steel hardware, I suspect most paints can be
>applied directly to everything. DO NOT paint the Lexan KLM
>element clamps. The paint WILL react with the Lexan and result
>in fatal cracking.
>
I would like to add to this that you should be VERY careful about
approaching lexan or any polycarbonate plastic with ANY volatile
hydrocarbon solvent or paint/adhesive vehicle. Until you know
for sure that the stuff is compatible with the plastic, keep it
away!
We recently manufactured a bunch of lexan radomes to keep rocks
from damaging GPS antennas. They worked fine for a time. But
then they began breaking up and falling off. We ultimately found
out that the solvent vapors from the loctite we used on the
threads of the screws used to hold the lexan down to the ground
plane diffused into the lexan and made it very brittle.
This stuff (service removable - blue loctite) was not applied
directly to the plastic. Only a very tiny amount was applied to
the captive nut on the opposite side of the plate. The
embrtiilement extended many inches distant from the screw hole.
73, Eric N7CL
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