[TowerTalk] Inexpensive thrust bearing?

[Gary Schafer]

There is a material called "star board" that is very tough and looks
somewhat like Teflon. It is used a lot in the marine industry. It can be had
at most plastic supply houses. You could probably get some scraps from a
boat yard if you are near one. The stuff comes in various thicknesses up to
I think an inch or so. It is quite slippery so should make a good bearing.
There is no glue that will stick to it.

73
Gary  K4FMX

> -----Original Message-----
> From: towertalk-bounces at contesting.com [mailto:towertalk-
> bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Jim Miller
> Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2007 7:30 PM
> To: Clint Talmadge; towertalk at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Inexpensive thrust bearing?
> 
> And cut it through the center so you can replace it without taking
> anything
> down.  Just take off the two pieces and replace them.  Make several of
> them
> while you have the stuff and measurements handy and put them someplace
> where
> you won't lose them, haha.
> 
> 73, Jim
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Clint Talmadge" <unclebudd at bellsouth.net>
> To: <ersmar at verizon.net>; "Rob Frohne" <frohro at wwc.edu>;
> <towertalk at contesting.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2007 6:02 PM
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Inexpensive thrust bearing?
> 
> 
> > The Amateur Block was actually Phenolic. I would not use wood, as wood
> absorbs moisture and swells. That might put the "squeeze" on the mast and
> bind the rotor.
> >
> > An idea: Go to WallyWorld and get a plastic cutting board as thick as
> you
> can find. Cut it into pieces that will fit the top plate of the tower.
> Bolt
> the pieces together with flat head bolts so the heads will not interfere
> with the top plate, while the nuts will stick up in the air bothering
> nothing. Drill the mounting and mast holes and use it. The plastic will
> not
> retain moisture and will provide a smooth inner surface against which the
> mast can turn. The only "yahbut!" to the whole procedure is that the
> plastic
> may degrade in the sun.
> >
> > Just an idea..
> > Clint - W5CPT
> >
> >   ----- Original Message -----
> >   From: ersmar at verizon.net
> >   To: Rob Frohne ; towertalk at contesting.com
> >   Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2007 11:35 AM
> >   Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Inexpensive thrust bearing?
> >
> >
> >   Rob:
> >
> >        Use a block of wood.  My Rohn catalog from ca 1987 carried a
> thing
> they called an Amateur Block (P/N AB) that was intended to be bolted onto
> a
> flat top plate.  It was nothing more than a block of wood with an
> appropriate hole for a mast drilled through it.  IIRC it might have even
> been split through the diameter of the hole to allow for some slop in its
> fit around the mast.
> >
> >
> >   73 de
> >   Gene Smar  AD3F
> >
> >   From: Rob Frohne <frohro at wwc.edu>
> >   Date: 2007/03/21 Wed PM 12:06:59 CDT
> >   To: towertalk at contesting.com
> >   Subject: [TowerTalk] Inexpensive thrust bearing?
> >
> >   Hi Everyone,
> >
> >   Does anyone have a source for an inexpensive thrust bearing?  I have a
> >   plate on the top of my tower with a hole through it, and was thinking
> of
> >   putting a thrust bearing on, but the ones I found were around $50
> which
> >   for my frugal self is a bit spendy for a thrust bearing.  It seems
> that
> >   there is probably a cheaper way to do this with some kind of
> automobile
> >   bearing or a sleeve of pipe and some set screws, etc.  Does anyone
> have
> >   any advice?
> >
> >   73,
> >
> >   Rob, KL7NA
> >   --
> >   Rob Frohne, Ph.D., P.E.
> >   E.F. Cross School of Engineering
> >   Walla Walla College
> >   100 SW 4th Street
> >   College Place, WA 99324
> >   (509) 527-2075
> >   http://www.wwc.edu/~frohro/
> >
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