[TowerTalk] To pin or not to pin

[john at kk9a.com]

A better option than spray painting zinc plated grade 8 hardware is to use
Ultra-coated / Armor-coated high-strength steel (grade 8) screws.  K7NV uses
these on his rotator clamps and they work well. Besides rotator mast clamps,
I use Armor-coated hardware on my TIC Ring rotators in areas that require
high strength.


John KK9A


To:	"'Rudy Bakalov'" <towertalk at contesting.com>
Subject:	Re: [TowerTalk] To pin or not to pin
From:	"N2TK, Tony"

Date:	Sun, 28 Aug 2016 19:15:33 -0400

Hi Rudy,
A number of years ago I got a SteppIR original MonstIR with 3 full size
elements on 40M. I used a Prosistel 61D. I took Array Solutions advice and
bought I believe grade 8 bolts for the mast clamp and really torqued down
hard on them. I added a Teledyne Slipp-Knott and used hardened bolts.
No pinning. The mast is 2" 4130. It has not slipped to date. The original
boom to mast plate did slip once. Now the boom to mask plate is twice the
thickness and has more u-bolts mast to plate and plate to boom to keep it
from slipping. 

I don't think you can find SS grade 8 bolts. I sprayed cold zinc coat on the
bolts. I assume I will have a problem when I need to loosen the mast clamp.
That is the only hardware that is not SS except for the Rohn tower bolts. 

GL
N2TK, Tony