Dale's method of using water has worked for me all every time. I use no hammer
at all. Just a divit in the ground...a gallon of water...and a vice-grips to
hold on to the ground rod when you get it 7-8' in the ground. I have put in
dozens ground rods in this manner. Just keep tamping down the rod....pull it
out...pour more water in the hold...and continue. I've also used salt-brine as
well....using ground up rock salt in the water. After 24 hours, the rod cannot
be pulled up without using considerable force. For FD, I use this method and
then use an old car bumper-jack with my vice-grips and a chain to remove them
in about 10 minutes.
Lee = K0WA
Dale L Martin <kg5u@hal-pc.org> wrote:
I suppose it depends on what you are sinking the rod into.
Here in the millions of years old sea bed region that is the Gulf Coast of
Texas, it's pretty easy to sink a rod one of two ways:
1. Take a gallon of water. Dig a small hole with a trowel, about 2-3"dia x
4"deep. Pour a bit of water into it. Work the rod into the wet gumbo.
Keep working it and adding a bit of water. Before you know it, you are down
7 or more feet.
2. Take an old paint can, a pipe t-fitting, a 2-foot length of 1" pipe and
some sakrete. Mix up the sakrete in the paint can to just at the brim.
Sink the pipe with t-fitting into the wet sakrete but not all the way to the
bottom of the can and let it set up. Putting a ground rod into the ground
with this method was pretty easy. Not as easy as the water method, but lots
better than hitting the top of the rod with a sledge.
73,
dale, kg5u
> -----Original Message-----
> From: towertalk-bounces@contesting.com
> [mailto:towertalk-bounces@contesting.com]On Behalf Of Jerry K3BZ
> Sent: Thursday, May 08, 2003 7:53 PM
> To: (Reflector) TowerTalk
> Subject: [TowerTalk] Ground Rod Driver
>
>
> Harbor Freight has a Fence Post Driver for $29.99.... looks like
> it would be
> great for sinking ground rods. Go to
> http://www.harborfreight.com and plug
> in 46503 in the "Search By Item Number" box... it's shown as
> $49.99, but the
> Spring Catalog #142-B shows it on page 88 as 46503-2AAA marked down to
> $39.99. Jerry K3BZ
> Note: this may be "old news"... if so, please excuse the bandwidth
>
>
> _______________________________________________
>
> See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers",
> "Wireless Weather Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free,
> 1-800-333-9041 with any questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
>
> _______________________________________________
> TowerTalk mailing list
> TowerTalk@contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
_______________________________________________
See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless Weather
Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any questions
and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
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