On 12/18/2011 2:04 AM, Rick Karlquist wrote:
> Rich Hallman - N7TR wrote:
>> Has anyone extended an HDX-589 while horizontal the ground?
> I have extended my HDX-5106 a considerable distance horizontally
> to get to the rotator, supporting only the bottom section.
> However, I would like to be able to extend it all the way
> for troubleshooting a problem that occurs just before reaching
> full height. It is non trivial to support the sections other
> than the bottom one as they are moving.
There are adjustable height rollers that come in a wide variety of
strengths. Light weight are used with tables saws and such, but heavier
ones with single rollers can support considerable weight, or you could
make one out of pipe and steel rod for the rollers and just block them
up to the desired height.
I recently moved a one ton milling machine the full length of my shop
(bout 35') , then a 90 degree turn and 8 to 10 more feet. At that point
the mill had to be moved into place. I did all of this alone with
nothing more than 2 X 12's, 1" pipe about 4' long for rollers and a
couple of small pry bars. it did take me a good two days to do it, but
with help I could have probably done the whole move in an hour or two.
You would need a support for the rollers so they would stay in place,
yet be strong enough to support the weight. You could probably find
some old pilloblock bearings and set them on top of cement blocks or
stacks of 2X 6's or what ever strong enough to support the weight.
In some cases you might "skid" the tower sections across the supports
instead of using rollers. That takes a bit more thought though as you
don't want the sections to catch and tip over the supports.
Where there's a will there's a way, or in my case where there's lack of
ambition I'll find an easier way.
if it's close to the ground you could even use a pair of those small
tires used on hand carts that are foam filled instead of using air. Put
a pipe for an axle (U-bolted in place to the tower sections between a
pair of the tires and just let each section roll on it's own set. It
might be a bit pricey to do it that way, but they have lots of uses. I
may have to use something like that to move an entire crank up tower, or
possibly move one section at a time and assemble it in place. You'd
need a hard surface or fairly solid yard but they are good for 300-400 #
per tire...depending on the tires.
73 and good luck,
Roger (K8RI)
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