Allcock Aerial handles - how to keep the cracks away

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Goose-Quill
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Allcock Aerial handles - how to keep the cracks away

Post by Goose-Quill »

As anyone who loves Allcock Aerials will know, the white handles are very prone to cracking. However, the degree to which they crack seems to vary, which leads to my questions. What causes the cracks (other than age) and why do some seem to crack much more than others - is it to do with the way they are stored and cared for, how much they're used, or is it to do variations in the original manufacturing process etc, or just luck?

Finally, I'm the fortunate owner of two 12 spoke T6 Aerials that have handles still in good condition. So the big question is, is there anything I can do to help keep them that way (I hope the answer isn't to lock them in a dark vault somewhere!) - I want to use them.

Any help from forum experts would be very welcome...
Last edited by Goose-Quill on Tue Mar 20, 2018 3:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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JW1
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Re: Allcock Aerial handles - how to keep the cracks away

Post by JW1 »

Cracking in plastics is often caused by the evaporation of the plasticisers they contain. Slowing this down will delay the onset of cracking but eventually it will happen. Storing it in cool dark places with a slightly humid atmosphere will help. Polishing it with something to retain or boost the plasticisers will also help, but here lies the difficulty, as some polishes/waxes/grease may actually act as solvents and make it worse, a search of the internet may turn up such a product, let us know if you find one please.

JW

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