[TowerTalk] Gin Pole Mast

[VE6JY Don Moman]

First, you need to know what to ask for.....  There is no such thing as a 2"
OD pipe.  Pipe is measured by a nominal ID - what you would ask for is a 1.5
inch IPS Sked 40 or 80, both of which have   a 1.900 OD. Just the perfect
size to go thru a  1 15/16th bearing which the upper limit of bearings sold
inxpensively for agricultural bearings around here. Sked 80 is heavier wall,
with inside dieamter of just over 1.5 inch. Sked 40 will be 1.66 inches
inside.  If you mean 2" pipe then the OD will be 2.375 inches!

If you really need 2.0 inch  OD  you need to be asking for tubing.

As for  finding some 1.9 od material very suitable for gin pole, try the
scrap yard and then the "bent pile" from a local scaffolding company. Wave a
few $ around and see what happens.

Many experts here will only suggest tubing as suitable for mast,  but for
many applications good old water pipe black iron is JUST fine.  The higher
strength and better alloys like 4130  tubing is what you may need for
christmas tree stack of yagis above the top of the tower, but a lower yield
pipe  WITH a bigger diameter can make up the difference quickly, if you have
the tower and bearings etc to support it.

For this location , with 15 towers and who knows how many antennas from a 4
el 80m yagi up, I'm not sure you would find a single peice of tubing used
for any mast.  (just in the element tips).  And any mast has come from a
junk yard by the time it came to me.

73 Don
VE6JY

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jason Dugas" <kb5urq at hotmail.com>
To: <towertalk at contesting.com>
Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2004 12:36 PM
Subject: [TowerTalk] Gin Pole Mast


> I have been feverishly looking for a 12ft piece of aluminum to use as a
gin
> pole mast.  I need a 2" OD pipe.  Looks like shipping costs are
outrageous.
> I'm in the Houston area.  Have contacted Great Western here in Tx, but
they
> don't carry any aluminum "pipe", only flat bar, etc.
>
> Does anyone have any advice?
>
> Thanks for any help you can provide,
>
> Jason
> KB5URQ
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> FREE pop-up blocking with the new MSN Toolbar - get it now!
> http://toolbar.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200415ave/direct/01/
>
> _______________________________________________
>
> 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.
>
> _______________________________________________
> TowerTalk mailing list
> TowerTalk at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk