Forced by college dormitory rules against nails in walls, a trip to a
bookstore more than 50 years ago resulted in the absolute best material
to keep paddles and keys from sliding on any surface. Sold originally
as white silly-putty-type stuff and called "Hold-it," today it goes by a
variety of names and colors but the product is the same. It is used to
stick pictures and other items on walls without leaving marks. You tear
off a small hunk, stretch and knead it until the molecules are broken
and the material is warm, soft, and pliable, and then put a small amount
on the bottom of each foot or pad. Even the heaviest fist cannot move a
paddle thus endowed. When you want to reposition the paddle, merely
pick it up and place it where you want. When it picks up enough dirt
and lint over time, merely knead and stretch it again, and reapply.
Makes no difference whether the feet are hard rubber, soft rubber, or
plastic. I still have about half what I bought at that bookstore in
1963, and gave a hunk to a new CW operator just last month. It is
easily removed if you eventually sell the paddle. I use it every
Saturday morning in the basement of a local restaurant to anchor my
paddle and Logikey K-5 on the urethane-surfaced dining tables while
teaching two CW classes, not to mention Field Day, Special Events, merit
badge courses, and general operating at home. Great stuff that will
outlive all of us.
73,
Kent K9ZTV
On 10/16/2015 10:12 AM, Bob McGraw - K4TAX wrote:
A good point, often the feet on a paddle are hard rubber which offers
little traction to the desk top. As rubber ages it tends to harden as
well. Those with softer rubber feet and keeping those clean to
prevent dirt and wax buildup are much more prone to stay put.
If you clean your your desk top with a furniture polish, the wax in
the polish will eventually adhere to the feet and make them less
effective in holding power. I use 91% Isopropyl alcohol {found at the
local pharmacy} and a soft cloth to clean rubber parts. All the
black that rubs off is dead rubber.
If your key or paddle happens to have hard or rigid "plastic"
feet......... replace them with something else........not plastic.
Also I find may of the new silicone stick-on pads used to protect
table tops get slick after a period of time. Just like vehicle tires,
softer rubber gets better traction.
73
Bob, K4TAX
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