[TowerTalk] 3/4" Hardline Connectors A SOLUTION!!!

[Robert Shohet]

Dear TT'ers,

I am pleased to tell you that I believe I have found a great solution to the
3/4" hardline connector problem that all of us have faced.  After spending
about 2 1/2 hours in the Home Depot plumbing department last night (UGH!), I
found a 1/2" to 3/8" Female Brass Pipe Reducer,
(threaded inside on BOTH ends), SKU #552712, UPC Code #48643-07255 for $2.23
each.

Although the reducer is not as physically long as the 1/2" copper adapter
the HD also sells (which is threaded on only ONE end), this brass reducer is
threaded on both ends, meaning:

You thread the 3/4" CATV hardline and screw it into one end, you can screw
the PL258 right into the OTHER end!  No more torches, etc.  If you do want
to solder the pl258 to the brass adapter you should be able to do it with
normal solder.

I am interested to know what you think about this.

Questions....

I know that Copper does fine outside in the Wx.  I am assuming that Brass
does also.  Is this correct?

Since the CC of my 3/4" fused disc hardline is too thick, I am going to
"take some off" with Emery Cloth.  In the process of reducing the diameter I
will be also removing the CC copper plated coating.  Since the hardline CC
will be going into the PL258 (the CC really IS too thick to spread in the
pl258!), I assume that if the CC fits "snugly" there will be no need to
solder the CC to the pl258.  Is this correct?  If so, I have found a great
solution, if not, I would rather know NOW before I invest in 20 more of
these adapters.

I have not found a plumbing adapter solution for the 1/2" hardline yet, it
seems that the aluminum shield is just a tad to big for the 1/4" side of the
3/8" to 1/4" Female Brass Pipe Reducer, SKU #552216, UPC Code 48643-07234,
and can't be threaded.   A very, very close near miss.  I will go with Plan
B, the method that K1RX uses (thanks Mark!).

Note that I would have been glad to use copper reducers (which are a bit
cheaper) rather than brass, but HD did not have an inside threaded  Copper
double female  1/2" x 3/8" adapter, but a plumbing supply store might.

I have a possible solution though for adapting the thinner CC of 1/2"
hardline so that it fits snugly inside a pl258.  Use a 3/16" Delrin Sleeve
(or brass) which should fit nicely on the CC.  Since HD only had a 1/4"
sleeve which was a little too thick for the pl258, I am assuming that if you
can get 3/16" size it will fit within the pl258 "core" and should be large
enough to put over the 1/2" hardline CC so that it fits snugly inside the
pl258 (better mechanical connection).

Although I DID find a way to adapt the 3/4" hardline to a pl259 shell (and
then screw the pl259 inside), I did not like the quality of the mechanical
connection and decided against it.

73

Bob KQ2M



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