Has anybody used the dx eng super duty saddle clamps for attaching a boom to
an AL plate ???
These are the real heavy duty clamps that consist of 2 x mating solid, textured
A356-T6 saddles... 1/4" thick SS backing plate
and a pair of armour plated G-8 bolts.
Normally these clamps are used on the mast.. and flat out won't slip on a mast.
They only come in 3 x sizes.. 2" 2.5" and 3"
I see no reason why they couldn't be used on a boom as well. I have some
spare 3" super duty saddle clamps ... and a pair of em on the F-12 340N
would be preferable VS 6 x regular saddle clamps [ 3 per side] .
The reg clamps look just like muffler clamps..except SS.. and have solid 1.25"
wide
A356-T6 saddles. They are also a lot longer than regular muffler/ u clamps.
This scheme of using a single super duty saddle clamp on each end of my 8" tall
x 17" wide x 3/8" thick 6061 T6 plate also makes for tilting the boom
a LOT easier. My vertical plate is 8" wide x 14" tall [also 3/8" thick]
Vert plate is held to mast with a pair of 2" dx eng super duty mast clamps.
The original F-12 double plate idea is superb. The only drawback is.....
IF the stock Horz U bolts [esp the inner ones] are too close to the vertical
plate.... the
horizontal plate will not tilt very far down.
In my case... the F-12 340N boom must be able to tilt down at a gross angle.
BTW.... I also found a new use for the dx eng super duty saddle clamps. I
use ONE of em for each of my new mast steps.
The 2" variety are exactly 2" tall........ and mate with my 14" long 2" x
2" x 1/4" thick 6061 T6 Al steps nicely.
Tested on the grnd... I can support my entire body weight.. just by compressing
the 2 x saddles.., with my bare hands.... with NO bolts, backing plates or
steps at all !
They won't rotate.. and they also won't slide down the mast.
I applied 2 x strips of that 1" wide adhesive backed non skid material you see
used on boats, [ we used tons of it on Putnam rolling ladder's at work] to
the top of each
step. I also applied one strip of it to the side of each step [vertical
portion of the angle AL step] . The idea here was so my fingers won't slide
off the
vertical portion. I also installed 1/4-20 SS hex head bolts + mating
SS ny-lock nuts.... one at each extreme end of the step. Then you
can..'feel'
where the end of each step is right away. 1/4-20 bolts are 1" long.. and
stick up 3/4" above each step. End result is... you can stand on em for
hrs....
without wrecking ur feet..since they are 2" deep [ and 14" wide] I chose
14"... cuz the mast eats up 2".. leaving 6" per foot.
On a 3" mast... I would make em 15" wide... [and 2.5" tall on the vert
dimension of the angle AL...to mate with the slightly larger 3" super clamp.
Cost for each step was $32 for each super clamp.. + $5.00 for the pair of
G-8 bolts... + cost of 2" x 2" angle. [Local metal place had loads of it]
I feel safe on these things.. and nothing to rust.
Later........... Jim VE7RF
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