[TowerTalk] The tower base is poured BUT...

[Jerry Keller]

OK, maybe my ignorance is showing, but does anyone else think it a bit preposterous for an engineer to recommend digging a 25 foot deep hole for a tower base? If the soil content would allow augering a 25 foot deep hole only 2 feet in diameter, wouldn't it cave in long before it got that deep?  Are there even 2 foot diameter truck-mounted augers available 25 feet long?  There's something about this idea that just seems wrong... but then I'm no engineer. Any thoughts?  Jerry K3BZ
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: David Giuliani 
  To: towertalk at contesting.com 
  Sent: Sunday, October 05, 2003 12:23 PM
  Subject: RE: [TowerTalk] The tower base is poured BUT...



  The more I read about this, the more I'm liking my emerging plan to dig a
  hole with a truck mounted auger rig -- no forms, no backfilling, relatively
  small diameter surface.  We're looking at a 2' diameter hole, 25' deep.
  Relatively simple rebar for the lower 80%.  Requires <3 cubic yards of
  concrete. See "deep base for MA-550" for this thread.

  David Giuliani, WA6PXX

  -----Original Message-----
  From: towertalk-bounces at contesting.com
  [mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com]On Behalf Of K7LXC at aol.com
  Sent: Sunday, October 05, 2003 6:46 AM
  To: k1ttt at arrl.net; towertalk at contesting.com
  Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] The tower base is poured BUT...


  In a message dated 10/4/03 9:54:13 AM Pacific Daylight Time, k1ttt at arrl.net
  writes:

  > Doesn't anyone use forms any more???

      What for? I assume you mean below grade. The concrete is supposed to be
  poured into 'undisturbed' earth.

      An exception would be when the walls keep sloughing; then the forms
  would
  be necessary but you have to be real careful to backfill after you remove
  the
  forms and tamp the backfilled dirt.

  Cheers,
  Steve    K7LXC
  TOWER TECH -
  Professional tower services for commercial and amateur
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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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