[TowerTalk] correcting aluminum tube

[Ken K6MR]

I just repaired the boom of a F12 yagi (a neighbor, I think an XR-5) that broke in the big snow we had up here.  No problem making the damaged end round again to insert a splice piece.



What I do is put some heavy grease on the threads and on the end pieces that slide on the pressure pads.  If the piece is badly out of round I tighten, tap with a  hammer around the circumference, tighten, tap, etc. until I get what I want.



And I put a boom support on the antenna so it doesn’t happen again.



Ken K6MR



________________________________
From: Richard (Rick) Karlquist <richard at karlquist.com>
Sent: Wednesday, July 17, 2019 3:10:31 PM
To: Ken K6MR; Kim; towertalk at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] correcting aluminum tube



On 7/17/2019 12:12 PM, Ken K6MR wrote:
> If it’s a reasonable size (around 2”  or 3” or so) go to Harbor Freight and get an “exhaust pipe expander”.  Put in the bad end, tighten, and it will make the end round again.
>
>
>
> Ken K6MR
>

Has anyone verified that this actually works?
I tried to use an HF exhaust expander on 0.050" wall
Al irrigation pipe and the screw became very hard to
turn yet nothing happened to the pipe.  Did I do
something wrong?  Seems like it should have worked.

Rick N6RK