[TowerTalk] Hardware Question

[Dan]

Doug, I owned the 100 ft version of the same tower. I moved it 3 times over
a period of 30 yrs while I had it. In each case I assembled it or dismantled
it with me on the tower and one ground helper. During all of this work, I
did not break a single one of the many truss wire ends. I made a lever tool
for installing the wires and was able to get them on without using a "come
along". I drilled and tapped a 3/8x16 hole in the end of a 1/2 round bar
about 14 inches long. The hole was about 1/2 inch deep. I ground away the
side of the bar where the hole was located. This tool was inserted thru the
loop in the end of the truss wire and over the end of the bolt. I then
tapped the wire toward the tower with a small hammer until the wire slipped
off the end of the tool and on to the bolt so the tool could then be
removed. It is very important to not tighten the bolts on a section until
the wires and horizontal girts are in place. I actually made 2 tools of this
type, one used round bar and the other used a piece of hex bar. The exterior
should be ground so the shape approximates the shape of the eye in the
wires.
  The second part of my tower rigging kit was a gin pole made of 2 inch
aluminum tubing with a pulley at the top. Mine was 20 ft long but it could
be shorter. The lower end of it sat on a plywood shelf with cleats on the
bottom of each end which straddled the girts at a corner. I had a piece of
lucite rod mounted on the top of the shelf with a bolt from the bottom. The
bottom end of the gin pole slipped over this. A couple of long bolts with
washers would do the same job.
  In use, the shelf is placed  in the corner of the middle of a completed
section (about 7 feet down). The gin pole slips over the lucite piece and is
secured at the top of the tower  section with a short piece of rope. The
rope had a home made hook of 1/4 steel rod which could be slipped into the
hole in the end of the tower angle pieces or wires for lifting. Each of the
14 ft corner angles is raised with the rope and the bottom end bolted in
place. The rest of the construction is obvious.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Doug Rehman" <rehman at surveil.com>
To: <towertalk at contesting.com>
Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2003 8:09 AM
Subject: [TowerTalk] Hardware Question


I am in the process of taking down a 60' freestanding tower made by
Aermotor. They are best known as windmill and windmill tower manufacturers.
This is a three leg tower that is extremely similar to their four leg
windmill towers. This tower was delivered in 1957 and was one of their "TV
Antenna" towers (rated for at least 20 square feet at 85 MPH- one heck of a
TV antenna...).

The hardware is in very good shape, especially considering it is 46 years
old. It is a little tight coming apart, but I don't really want to spray
penetrating oil on each nut/bolt before removing them- I really don't like
the idea of oil on a tower I'm climbing (not to mention my hands while
climbing). To make it easier putting the tower back together, I was
contemplating soaking all of the nuts and bolts in WD40 for a day or so. Any
thoughts as to whether this is a good or bad idea?

Also, does anybody have any experience with these towers? Any tips for
disassembly or reassembly?

Doug
K4DDR



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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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