[TowerTalk] Cleaning aluminum tubing

[jcjacobsen at q.com]

Wes described his method for cleaning aluminum tubing. 
My method is: Green Scotchbrite pad and WD40, or your favorite generic equivalent of either. Keep the pad wet and just scour the tubing. (I wear old clothes and rubber gloves of some kind) Then just wipe off with dry rags. It will leave a slight coating of WD behind for protection. 

Then when assembling the tubing to complete the antenna, I take another (CLEAN/FRESH) piece of green pad, put my favorite anti-seize/conductive goop on the pad and clean the end of the tubing that is going to telescope together. For the internal piece I wrap the green pad around a dowel, or round shaft of a screwdriver to clean as best I can. The greenie leaves behind a thin film of anti-ox. If the tubing is small and the coating too thick, you WILL strip out the hose clamp b4 you get it tight enough to hold. 

That's all. 73 
Jake K9WN 
OUT