[TowerTalk] Rustoleum is the answer

[Jim Jarvis]

Neal,

Junking the thing isn't a bad idea, particularly if
you spy any physical damage.  If the rust is purely superficial,
and cosmetic, rather than structural, then I'd give it a coat of
rustoleum rusty metal primer...followed by your favorite rustoleum
color, and consider that as an end-of-life strategy.
you can touch it up, as needed.  

If there is any hint of structural weakness at any of the overlapping
joints, I would definitely junk it.  That includes pitted rust or any
flakes more than a couple of thousandths thick.  Towers are cheap.
People and medical bills are not.  

N2EA  


At 11:37 AM 3/19/2004, Neal Cox wrote:
>I have a Rohn HDBX tower that contains sections where the galvanizing has 
>failed and the metal is rusting. I've considered rust stabilizer coating, 
>"cold galvanizing", and having the sections regalvanized.
>The sections can be regalvanized at a moderate cost in the North Texas 
>area for $0.48/lb. However
>a representative for the firm providing me the quote warned that warpage 
>of the sections would probably
>take place because of the high heat involved in the process. I have 
>learned that "cold galvanizing" isn't
>galvanizing, just coating with a zinc rich paint. The rust stabilizer 
>sounds good but I wonder how it well
>it would work on a tower constantly exposed to the weather. Also, the 
>regalvanizing processs includes
>removing the old galvanizing and then hot dip galvanizing. The cost is 
>$0.16/lb to strip and $0.32/lb to
>galvanize. My Rohn HDBX32 has been up for 21 years. Any suggestions?

N2EA
jimjarvis at ieee.org