Date: Sat, 31 Jul 2010 17:01:04 -0700
From: Dan H <n5ar@air-pipe.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] cutting galvanized tower legs
On 7/31/2010 4:40 PM, Gary Slagel wrote:
> Hi guys,
>
> My triex w51 crankup folded over in a windstorm the other day. I'm going to
> have to do some cutting on it to get it all the way down and apart.
>
> What is the best way to cut this stuff? Is there a metal cutting blade I can
> put in a circular say? Some kind of metal cutting disk I can use with my
> handheld disk grinder/sander?
>
> Thanks for advice.
>
> Gary Slagel/N0SXX
> Hot Springs, SD
> http://marina.fortunecity.com/sanpedro/351
>
## I just went through this, trying to cut down an old steel clothes line
pole. The 4"/5" cut off wheels will fit an angle grinder... but were not deep
enough to cut the 1/2" bolts.
[Previous owner had used 1/2" bolts to bolt 2" angle steel to the sides of 4"
OD pipe... and the entire mess had rusted.]
## The 7 1/4" cut off wheels will fit a circular saw.. but the motor was in
the way of the job. Ended up buying a new Milwaukee brand sawzal. This
thing is built like a tank.
You can also rotate the front/back end in 45 deg increments... so you can do
cool stuff.... like cut sideways... without having to turn the unit 90
degs..and trashing ur wrist.
## The cut off wheels work... BUT... they will NOT flex. Once 1/2 way through
some material... you don't want to shift the machine a little bit side to
side... or the 3/32" thick
abrasive wheel will literally shatter and explode in your face. The bigger
the diam of the cut of wheel... the more likely the case it can shatter. I
see you can get cut of wheels up to 16"
diam... but the 10-16" variety are usually used in chop saws.. so can't shift
about. All the cut off wheels I saw from 4"-16" were all 3/32" thick. I
have seen two wheels break in the last
15 years.. and it's a real mess. You want to be wearing a full face shield
when using a 4/5" or 7 1/4" cut off wheel.
## although a sawzal with a 8-14 teeth per inch bladeS will work on tower
legs... if you have to do a LOT of cuts.... an acetylene torch would make
shorter work of the project.
If the tower legs pinch the sawzal blades.. that's no good either.
## OK.... WHY did the triex W-51 fold over ?? Was it overloaded ? What's
it rated for? Did you have a lot of mast out the top ? Where on the tower
did it fold ?
Later........ Jim VE7RF
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