My $0.02 worth:
If your job is at or less than 50 feet up, and you can afford to rent a
boom lift, then it is by far the safest, easiest and fastest way to
assemble, disassemble and work on a tower, period. The lifts are rated
at thousands of pounds lift at height, so you can do really neat tricks
like unbolting the top tower section, lashing the platform to it, then
using the hydraulics to pull the section up and free from the one
below. Since it is already attached to the lift, you merely pivot away
and bring it to the ground...rinse, lather, repeat. You can take a
tower down from the 50 foot level in a matter of an hour using this
method. You can take a whole bunch of tools with zero extra effort to
height as well. Also, you have a secure place to put hardware that
isn't swinging in the wind.
Taking a 100 pound beam off a tower is trivial with a boom lift.
Position the edge of the basket directly under the boom, strap it onto
the basket with a ratchet strap, unbolt it from the mast, raise, pivot,
bring her down to the ground. Installing it fully assembled and tuned
is as easy as reversing that procedure.
After using a boom lift once, I see the value in it, both is safety (the
machine takes the load, not you) and speed (time is money). Of course,
the technique doesn't apply to taller towers and smaller budgets. Also,
the mention was made about ensuring that the machine is on solid
ground. I second that with emphasis, also, watch out for guys while
whizzing around in the bucket!!
Howie
--
*Howard Hoyt - WA4PSC
CE - WXYC-FM 89.3
UNC Chapel Hill
www.wxyc.org*
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