Stopped by Dick Arnett's after dinner to make squished PVC pipe base mounts for BSF8 SI control boxes. These are for the upcoming A-meet in St. Louis. There are 65 of them---I just put the base in approximately the right spot---these have no screws holding the base to the PVC:
The last time we made these there was complex cutting required, and we had to use four hands to open the soft pipe before squishing it. I wasn't happy with those---they deflect too much when people punch. These are simpler to make---you just heat up the pipe and squish it in the fixture which is held in a vise. No cutting beforehand. It's quicker to make, simpler, and should be much stiffer than the first batch.
When I first mounted SI bases to PVC pipe, I just screwed the bases to round cut lengths of PVC pipe (schedule 40 1/2 inch---which is called 1/2 inch but is bigger than that). That way is hard on the bases because twisting the PVC out of the stand fitting takes a lot of torque, and it all goes through a small area in the base at the two holes. The screws always loosen, and you break a base occasionally. Squishing the pipe lets me use machine screws with locknuts, and the preload holds the base against a large flat section of the flattened pipe. This lets you twist the pipe (not the base) with your fingers and greatly reduces the loads going through the expensive (about $4) and fragile base. It stays tighter and doesn't flop when you punch it. And ignoring the labor (volunteer), each is made from less than ten cents of PVC.
Had camera on wrong setting, so it's just a little image. That's all there is.
And! I got my ARDF logo fleece finally! w00t! I ordered it maybe in January or February, and shipping it from Australia to me was going to almost double to price of the jacket. So I got two radio orienteers who were going to the Region 3 championships to hand-carry it back and mail it to me from the US---I owe them a really big thank you. (The shipping cost me $10---from Australia it was about $40, I think.) And I also owe a big thank you to Marta in Australia for keeping it so long and being a good sport about it---Thank you so much. It's great. (Dick wants one next time you order them.)