Hi All:
A few materials questions for the group. I've decided to build my DBGH w/NARODs using a single 1" ID grey electrical PVC mast (already bought), reinforced by a 1" OD wooden dowel (not yet bought). Others on this board have discussed some types of wooden dowels being subject to warping, due to being soft or fast-growing varieties of wood. Wondering if anyone can suggest a preferred wood type to find for the 1" dowel, maybe a harder wood variety or one otherwise less likely to warp with moisture.
For the reflectors, I have the ACE Hardware plastic gutter ferrules, which I plan to insert directly (snugly) into holes drilled crosswise through the PVC mast and inserted dowel. Because we tend to get snow, wind and ice storms here, I'd like to use 3/8" OD aluminum tubing for the reflector elements (which I haven't bought yet), supported by non-metallic rods inserted through the full length of each pair of the reflector halves (just like 300ohm's photo in post #25 of this thread). I'd like to have a snug fit on that, if possible, and I'd probably use small pointed screws inserted from the back center of the PVC mast, through the gutter ferrules and partially into the non-metallic rod material to hold things in place.
My check of the aluminum tubing available online finds 3/8" OD tubing with wall thicknesses of 0.0625", 0.058", 0.035" and others.
http://www.dxengineering.com/pdf/Aluminum Tubing Rev2d.pdf
Ideally, I thought that if I could find 3/8" OD aluminum tubing with 0.0625" wall thickness, that would leave a 1/4" ID available for inserting a 1/4" OD non-metallic rod. Wondering what is the wall thickness of the aluminum tubing used by antenna manufacturers (would help me determine whether 0.0625" wall thickness would be okay). I've been looking at local stores for various plastic garden stakes, orange fiberglass driveway snow markers, etc., but haven't located any size combination that I think will work. So, I'm looking for any advice about what to use. Wondering about the OD measurement of 300ohm's fiberglass tent rods, whether they fit snugly inside the reflector tubing, and where to get them. Was also checking online and found some 1/4" OD ABS plastic, acrylic and fiberglass rods, some used as tent poles or kite poles, but I don't know how much they would bend, or whether they would snap in cold weather.
http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/product.php?pid=159
http://www.kitebuilder.com/stock.htm
I'd very much appreciate any guidance from the group. Thanks in advance...