>From: John Brosnahan, broz@csn.net
>
>At 11:25 PM 10/6/96 -0400, you wrote:
>>Fellows: PLEASE!!! PLEASE!!! PLEASE!!! DO NOT USE EMT FOR TOWER
>>WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>>
>>I spent many years in the electrical supply business, and EMT Electrical
>>Metalic Tubing is just that, TUBING. It is cold rolled steel and then
>>"lightly" galvinized! EMT is made to be bent, EMT is made to be used
>>inside only!! Ask any electrician and he will tell you that EMT is
>>"Cheap" stuff and should not be used for any load handling duty. I
>>wouldn't use EMT for anything heaver than a pipe to hold my tower rope!!
As has been pointed out by others, we have a terminology problem. I have
been speaking of "thick wall" EMT, which is more correctly known as rigid
electrical conduit.
Rigid electrical conduit is thick, heavy, strong and richly galvanized.
It makes a suitable SHORT mast for LIGHT loads.
>>If you must be "Cheap" with your mast material please use at least the
>>Chain link fencing posts or top rails, at least this stuff is "Designed"
>>to be used outdoors. A trip up the tower to remove even a vertical that
>>is attached to a bent piece of mast material is no fun!!
Chain link fencing posts are pretty sturdy, but I would not use top rails
for anything structural. They bend far too easy. I've seen fences where
people have hopped over the rail repeatedly that resemble spagetti.
>Fellows: PLEASE!!! PLEASE!!! PLEASE!!! DO NOT USE CHAIN LINK
>FENCE FOR TOWER WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>
>I would even be very suspicious of chain link fence toprail! I have seen
>some
>of the stuff that is not tubing at all--just a piece of flat stock that is
>rolled
>into a cylinder and then galavanized. This sticks it together and makes it
>appear to be a welded pipe but there is no welding. Under even a modest
>load the NON-seam will just pop open. Not all of the stuff is made this
>way but unless you know what you have I wouldn't use it!
Amen.
Bill Coleman, AA4LR Mail: aa4lr@radio.org
Quote: "Not in a thousand years will man ever fly!"
-- Wilbur Wright, 1901
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