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Re: [TowerTalk] Lube om Hose clamps

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Lube om Hose clamps
From: Jim Lux <jimlux@earthlink.net>
Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2013 06:57:15 -0800
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
On 1/29/13 6:21 AM, john@kk9a.com wrote:
I have never had an issue with hose clamps galling and I tighten mine
pretty tight.

From:    K8RI <K8RI-on-TowerTalk@tm.net>
Date:    Mon, 28 Jan 2013 14:45:58 -0500

Although NeneSeize or other lube will prevent SS clamp screws from
galling, putting lube on them is a double edged sword.


Hose clamps? A $1- $2 part? (the entire page in the McMaster-Carr catalog has no SS316 clamps over $2 each until you get up to some monster 3-4" units) Galling is something you worry about when you need to repeatably install and remove the part, or where there is repetitive motion. Mounting screws going into a tapped hole in an expensive part, for instance. Steel sparkplugs going into your aluminum head.

Hose clamps aren't really intended to be reused. They're a install once device (much like a metal zip tie)

If you install the hose clamp, and 10-20 years from now, you decide you want to take the antenna down, you get out the hacksaw or dremel tool and cut the clamps off, and say, "well. $0.10/year for each clamp. an excellent deal"

An exception would be for things like field day antennas or portable ops.. but there, there's other factors in play.. and non-optimal clamping is part of the game. If it's a once a year thing, yeah, hose clamps might the way to go, so might a wrap of duct tape. If it's a portable rig that you're going to put up and take down once a week or month then you need a different clamping technique.

I've been casually designing a portable moonbounce/satellite ground station, and this is something I've been looking at for a number of years. The clamps used on surveyor's tripod legs are a nice example of a rugged, quick, fairly strong clamp. Toggle clamps of various types as well. I haven't found a source for off the shelf bayonet or sleeve type locking collars (think about air hose fittings or quick disconnect hydraulic fittings) that match typical tubing sizes.
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