Find a drum recycler...
While it is not exactly what you want it is readily available...
Sonotube (tm) or other cardboard forming tubes (which as you have found
are quite pricey - sometimes they sell damaged ones which you can slice
to fit your shorter needs) can be easily removed after a pour but I do
not think that is necessary for us ham folk...
A 55 gallon drum can be had on the cheap from one of these drum
recyclers... they are in the Yellow pages... I used one once on a two
stage pour... first a large rectangle was poured below ground level by
several foot... the I had the drum guy "de-head" both ends of the drum
which I slipped over the already concreted in tower base section... I
centered the drum on the tower section and the steel drum allowed me to
easily back fill around it... The drum was easy to use as a form - only
technique needed was to crest the concrete in the middle which was a
little tough with the tower cross bracing in the way :-)
These drum guys have a tool to remove the ends of the drum - a
"de-header" - it is quick work - would not surprise me if you could get
one with both ends missing for less than 10 bucks... he may have drums
that he would otherwise have to scrap since they do not have a good end
on them so he could simply remove the bad end (usually a puncture wound)
and create a steel tube for you.
If you want to get fancy you can paint the drum some exotic color - or -
perhaps grass green :-)
Easy, Cheap - that's what I like!
Jim, K4OJ
Larry DiGioia wrote:
> I am preparing to put up a Hy-Tower. Specs call for a concrete base of
> 3'x3'x3'
>
> What I would like to do is make the base cylindrical, and have the top of the
> cylinder 1' above ground level. I want the base above ground to keep the
> connections above snow, and the round shape will help with the laying of the
> 60+ radials I am planning.
>
> I have no problem with the dimensions, I will compensate for the volume, and
> still have enough "in" the ground. What I am looking for is creative ideas
> for a concrete form.
>
> The obvious is to use the commercially available cardboard tubes, however I
> am
> finding it difficult to even get such a thing. The only quote I was even able
> to get was $200 for a 3' diameter, 12' long.
>
> It seems to me that I could do domething as simple as putting a plastic
> garbage can (mostly) in the ground, but I am interested in any other ideas
> you all might have. Thanks guys!
>
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