[TowerTalk] Re-galvanizing tower sections

[Mike Gilmer]

I regalvanized several sections of Rohn 25 a few years

ago (the shop is literally next door to where I work).

They were remarkably accepting of my small business...

They quoted me somewhere around $0.30 a pound and 
another $0.05 to remove the old galvanizing (OK, zinc 
plating).  Took about a week.  They would NOT remove 
paint (I had none thankfully).

Once re-dipped, the sections slipped together only 
after some grinding of the zinc, and the bolt holes 
did need to be opened up (I used a taper pin - the 
same one I use to align the holes during tower 
installations).

On the outside (especially the Z-braces) there were 
zinc "razors" (drips with sharp edges) but far fewer 
than what was on the 10 sections of brand new Rohn 45 
I bought 15 years ago.  I filed all these down.

Mike N2MG


N4GNR wrote:
> I have done this and there are problems you will 
> have to deal with...
> The new galvanize will adhere to the inside walls 
> of the tower legs, and will form solid, not 
> allowing the legs to drain water. If the legs are 
> not cleared, they will freeze and "bust". A long 
> ground rod run through the legs will solve this 
> problem.. The biggest problem I encountered was 
> the legs have to be drilled out to get out the 
> excess galvanize so that the legs will slide 
> together. A drill bit exactly the same i.d. of 
> the tower leg must be used...find out the internal 
> dimension of the leg before galvanizing..
> 
> 
> And, the only other thing you need to do is get all 
> the "burrs", or stickers of galvaize off the tower 
> surfaces, or they will EAT YOUR HANDS UP!!!!
> 
> Otherwise, you can expect 20 years or so of new life

> to the re-galved tower

Julio Peralta wrote:
> > The radio club here in Tampa is putting together a

> > modest HF/VHF contest station. We have acquired 11

> > sections of Rohn 45.. It has been suggested
> > that we re-galvanize the sections to increase the 
> > longevity of the tower.

> > A question came up regarding whether the sections 
> > would fit together again after the re-galvanizing.



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