[TowerTalk] thimble gap too narrow

Stan Griffiths w7ni@teleport.com
Mon, 9 Jun 1997 02:34:14 -0700 (PDT)


>Hi Folks,
>
>The thimbles I got from Texas Towers and Hill Radio come down to a narrow gap,
>too small for the thimble to slip over a turnbuckle or shackle. I need a 
>practical idea for increasing the gap from around 3/16" to 7/16". The 3/8" 
>thimbles are made of thick metal and are extremely stiff. 
>
>Regards,
>Pete
>KS4XG
>
>(Hill Radio came through with my special order of Rohn parts. I'm very
>satisfied with their prices and service.)

I found the easiest way to deal with that problem is to clamp one side of
the thimble in my bench vise and bend the other side away from it with a
pair of pliers.  This opens the jaws up "sideways" and you close them the
same way after the turnbuckle is installed.  You can then squeeze the
thimble jaws a little tighter by rotating the thimble 90 degrees in the vise
and closing the vise on them.  Sometimes a little of the galvanizing flakes
off in this operation but I have never regarded that as a significant problem.

Stan  w7ni@teleport.com


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