[TowerTalk] PEX tubing for antenna spacers?

[Patrick Greenlee]

Larry, I'd go to a paint store, yup a store specializing in paint and 
painting materials and equipment and ask them.  Failing that I would go 
to a ship chandler and get some UV resistant paint intended for 
"topsides"  N O T  bottom paint, anti-fouling or otherwise.   A V O I  
D  anti-fouling paint.   What you want comes in both catalyzed (two 
part) varieties and one part.  Pay attention to the thinning 
requirements such as maximum allowed thinning (never exceed) and 
recommended thinners (if any.)  Just about any color of the rainbow can 
be had.  Lighter colors won't get so hot.

Patrick          NJ5G

On 3/12/2016 11:20 AM, Larry Banks wrote:
> Thanks Patrick,
>
> My next question of course: what would you or anyone else recommend 
> for a lite colored (blue?) UV-stable / non-conductive paint?
>
> 73 -- Larry -- W1DYJ
>
>
>
> -----Original Message----- From: Patrick Greenlee
> Sent: Saturday, March 12, 2016 12:11
> To: towertalk at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] PEX tubing for antenna spacers?
>
> Don, Garden variety PEX (Cross-linked polyethylene) is not UV stable and
> should never be purchased from a supplier who stores his stock outside.
> There are however available sources of UV stabilized PEX. Not being the
> most trusting ("Trust but verify," Ronald Reagan) person I'd paint
> anything I was not sure of with UV stable paint.
>
> Patrick        NJ5G
>
> On 3/12/2016 11:00 AM, Larry Banks wrote:
>> Thanks Don,
>>
>> I guess I’ll go back to my first choice of PVC – it’s just three 
>> times heavier!
>>
>> 73 -- Larry -- W1DYJ
>>
>>
>>
>> From: Don Moman VE6JY
>> Sent: Saturday, March 12, 2016 11:37
>> To: Larry Banks
>> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] PEX tubing for antenna spacers?
>>
>> The milky white PEX tubing I have is very UV susceptible.  I used 
>> some short lengths to slip over RG 213 to protect it against chafing 
>> and it all cracked/split pretty quickly.
>>
>> 73 Don
>> VE6JY
>>
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>> On Sat, Mar 12, 2016 at 4:28 PM, Larry Banks 
>> <larryb.w1dyj at verizon.net> wrote:
>>
>>    Hi All,
>>
>>    Has anyone used 1/2” PEX tubing (normally used for plumbing) as a 
>> spacer for open-wire line or fan-dipoles?  (PEX is cross-linked 
>> polyethylene.)
>>
>>    It is cheap in 5’ lengths, easy to work, and passes the microwave 
>> oven test, so it isn’t conductive.  (The white stuff that I have 
>> microwave tested is not UV resistant, so there is a question about 
>> how long it will last outside.)
>>
>>    As it is very light weight and seems to be fairly rigid, it looks 
>> like a good candidate for this purpose.  Any experience with this 
>> stuff out there?
>>
>>    73 -- Larry -- W1DYJ
>>
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