My crossboom is a light steel tube, with wooden dowel extensions, within the field of the antenna. These were turned down in a lathe and hammered/glued into the steel tube. To waterproof the ends, the wooden bits were stood in a tin of creosote for a week. I must admit that the feeders for the 2mtr beam do actually pass through the field, but as it has such a wide beamwidth, I would assume that any squint is going to be irrelevant.
Jules
Jules,
Another way to cap the tube ends with a dowel insert, is to make the dowel about 1-2 inches shorter that the tube. Center the dowel, and stand the tube vertically. Fill the top end with RTV or similar sealant. After it hardens, swap ends, and repeat the process. I have two tubes done this way, one 20 years in use, and the end plugs are still perfect, with no UV damage. Not as messy as creosote, and if you ever need to do so, you can dig out the plug with a knife.
Alan WA4SCA
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Alan P. Biddle -
jules＠g0nzo.co.uk