[TowerTalk] telephone company non-sticky semi-solid stuff

Fri May 23 10:16:22 EDT 2003

There is also the adhesive-filled heat shrink; this stuff is usually
provided with hard-line connector kits. I have been using SPC Technology
type PHS polyolefin heat shrink at work recently. It has a 3:1 shrink ratio,
so it fits to coax connectors very well, and oozes a clear seal out of both
ends of the finished piece. When it cools, the glue solidifies, so it
doesn't get all over everything else. I have been getting it from Newark; it
is available in unshrunk IDs from 1/8" to 1.5". Newark's P/N 87N1382 is 1"
ID, for instance, and it will shrink down to 0.32".

geo - n4ua

p.s.: the telco folks I know just call that gel stuff "snot". That describes
it's annoying physical behaviors perfectly...

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jim Lux [mailto:jimlux at earthlink.net]
> Sent: Friday, May 23, 2003 12:31 AM
> To: Towertalk
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] telephone company non-sticky semi-solid stuff
> 
> 
> There is also some nifty stuff that is a plain tape that melts at a
> temperature lower than that required to shrink heat shrink.  
> You wrap the
> joint in this tape (which has no adhesive), slide the 
> heatshrink over it,
> shrink it with the heat gun... The stuff inside melts and the 
> shrinking
> outer sleeve forces it into all the nooks and crannies.  I 
> don't recall who
> makes it off hand.
> 
> Amazing stuff, we used to use it to instantly fix leaky pipe 
> fittings, for
> instance.
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Thomas Miller" <ac5tm at bellsouth.net>
> To: <eric at k3na.org>; "Towertalk" <towertalk at contesting.com>; "Jim Lux"
> <jimlux at earthlink.net>
> Sent: Thursday, May 22, 2003 8:27 PM
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] telephone company non-sticky semi-solid stuff
> 
> 
> > There are 3M splice kits for large wire(hooking up 
> motors)(might also come
> > in smaller sizes too just have not seen them yet) that use 
> this stuff.  No
> > more layers of tape for LV applications.  Just bolt the 
> wires together and
> > stick into the formed plastic tube and click the retaining 
> clip and your
> > done.  M2'd uses this stuff in the VHF/UHF antennas in the 
> matching block.
> >
> > Neat stuff.
> >
> > Tom AC5TM
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Jim Lux" <jimlux at earthlink.net>
> > To: <eric at k3na.org>; "Towertalk" <towertalk at contesting.com>
> > Sent: Thursday, May 22, 2003 10:17 PM
> > Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] telephone company non-sticky 
> semi-solid stuff
> >
> >
> > > I would guess some form of silicone gel. As you probably 
> know, silicones
> > > are available in a bewildering variety of forms, viscosities,
> > stickynesses,
> > > etc.  When wires were pulled out, did any adhere to the wire?
> > >
> > > The other possibility is something like petroleum jelly 
> (aka "grease")
> > >
> > >
> > > You might want to look at the 3M web site (http://www.3m.com/)...
> > >
> > > There are interesting things like Scotchcast 2112 Re-enterable
> Electrical
> > > Insulating Resin.  This is a two part resin that cures 
> soft, and can be
> > > peeled back.
> > >
> > > At 04:30 PM 5/22/2003 -0400, Eric Scace  K3NA wrote:
> > > >    I moved recently to Boston.  When working with the telephone
> company
> > > > engineers to install my phone service, I noticed that my
> > > >network interface unit contained an unusual, non-sticky, clear,
> > semi-solid
> > > >material ("UNSCSSM").  The striped, bare ends of the
> > > >copper wires were inserted into this material, which 
> surrounded the
> screw
> > > >clamps used to connect the wiring together.
> > > >
> > > >    This UNSCSSM flowed around the screw and wires, 
> preventing water
> and
> > > > oxygen from reaching the exposed wire.  Wires that had been
> > > >immersed in the UNSCSSM were readily pulled out, and 
> were still bright
> > and
> > > >shiny.
> > > >
> > > >    Offhand, it seems that a piece of heat shrink tubing 
> containing
> this
> > > > stuff could be shrunk around a coax connector, forming an
> > > >air- and water-tight seal.  If the connector needed to 
> be undone, the
> > heat
> > > >shrink can be clipped off and the UNSCSSM peels away with
> > > >no residue.  It seems ideal for those tricky places like coax
> connections
> > > >to SO-239 sockets on external boxes, where it's very
> > > >difficult to wrap tape around the socket in such a way as to be
> > watertight.
> > > >
> > > >    Does anyone know more about this material?
> > > >
> > > >-- Eric K3NA
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >_______________________________________________
> > > >
> > > >See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting 
> Towers", "Wireless
> > > >Weather Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free, 
> 1-800-333-9041 with
> > > >any questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
> > > >
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> > > _______________________________________________
> > >
> > > See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting 
> Towers", "Wireless
> > Weather Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free, 
> 1-800-333-9041 with
> any
> > questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
> > >
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> >
> 
> _______________________________________________
> 
> See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers", 
> "Wireless Weather Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free, 
> 1-800-333-9041 with any questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
> 
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