"I think" which means I don't know for sure, but your tubing has had a visit
from "Mud Dobbers". They are a kind of wasp that makes their nest from mud
(usually clay) and spit. The stuff hardens like rock and looks like coral.
If that's what the deposits are, soaking them overnight in water should
soften the stuff to the point where it can be pushed out. Much depends on
how much is there and whether it fills the tube, or is just a bump.
If it's a solid chunk, you can usually break them loose with a steel rod
(long drill bit) and a light tap with a hammer. If the surface needs
cleaning a number of good ways have already been suggested, such as the
shotgun cleaning brush. Another method is to take a piece of 1/4" steel or
Aluminum rod, and cut a slot starting at the end and going back two or three
inches. Then take a strip of sand paper, or emery cloth and slip it into
the slot. Do so in shch a manner that when the rod rotates the rough side
will be out. Put the other end in an electric drill and have at it. This
also works very well for deburring the inside of tubing.
They like to get into small places, one being the pitot tubes on aircraft
which is why you see so many flags hanging off the pipes sticking out of the
wings of airplanes. The little critters also plug up the vent lines to the
gas tanks. I landed one day last Fall to discover a steady stream of gas
running out of a 1/4" vent line. There are two vent lines to the tank. The
second was plugged and the first was now acting like a siphon. I took the
vent lines apart and ... there it was... a plug of stuff that looked like
concrete.
OTOH the plugged vent line could have proven to be a bit more of an
inconvenience than a plugged antenna element. <:-))
Roger Halstead (K8RI and ARRL 40 year Life Member)
N833R - World's oldest Debonair CD-2
www.rogerhalstead.com
> Hi all!
> I am finished cleaning up the klm kt34a aluminum tubing. The upgrade kit
> (m2) arrives friday.
> What should I expect in the way of headaches/curves vis-a-vis rebuilding
> the antenna?
> Weird experience:
> When cleaning out the tubes, I found two of them had a calcium like
> deposit inside. I couldn't move it with 160psi air. It took a trip to
> sears hardware to get some rod stock to "drill" out the obstruction.
> What's up??
> tnx de n3ykf
> _______________________________________________
>
> See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless
> Weather Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with
> any questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
>
> _______________________________________________
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>
_______________________________________________
See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless Weather
Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any questions
and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
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