[Towertalk] Quality of Home Center "tower" hardware

[Joe Reisert]

Steve,

Here's a quicker (time wise) solution to checking materials for corrosion. 
Take a large plastic container of water and add some rock salt (like we use 
on the ice and snow here in New England-or in water softeners in San Jose 
hi). Not too scientific but it works.

Just put the hardware in the solution and see what happens. If it rusts out 
in a week, look for better hardware! You could also add some stainless 
steel hardware at the same time just to use it as a time gage. It shouldn't 
show any changes.

73,

Joe, W1JR


At 10:10 AM 7/31/2002 -0400, K7LXC@aol.com wrote:
>In a message dated 7/30/02 1:21:37 PM Pacific Daylight Time, n2mg@eham.net
>writes:
>
> > I am considering the use of pin shackles in my guying
> >  system and am wondering if anyone has any info to
> >  offer regarding the quality/durability of those one
> >  can purchase from Lowes/HomeDepot etc.  I'm concerned
> >  that they will end up rusting/corroding severely in a
> >  short time (even though they "look" galvanized).
>
>     Buy one and leave it out in the backyard for a couple of months and see
>what happens. If it really rusts, chuck it over the fence.
>
>     Generally shackles/clevises aren't the weak links in the chain so some
>surface rust won't hurt anything. If you're really concerned, get one the
>next size up. A good rule of thumb for shackle size is to double the wire
>size; i.e. 3/16" EHS uses a 3/8" shackle.
>
>     I've found virtually all shackles useful - even the cheap Chinese ones -
>and haven't had any reason not to use them.
>
>Cheers,
>Steve    K7LXC
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