[TowerTalk] RE: Installing Tower Bolts

Terry Dunlap kk6t at pacbell.net
Fri Oct 1 15:40:07 EDT 2004


This brings up a question that I've had for a while.  It's always 
recommended that  the bolts get
tied to the rebar in a new base installation but it seems to be accepted 
practice to retrofit an
existing base for a different tower by using epoxy anchors.  These anchors 
aren't tied to the
rebar in any way and would be the same as NOT tying bolts in a new 
pour.  Isn't this a
contradiction or at least an inconsistency?

73 de Terry KK6T



At 10:28 AM 10/1/2004, FireBrick wrote:
>As a licensed mason contractor I was frequently asked to help DIY hams 
>pour bases.
>
>wire tying rebar to the bolts is a must, both around the perimeter and 
>with diagonals across the center.
>In addition, I used bolts above and below the bolt template, well tightened.
>
>Those tricks took a few minutes to prepare, but saved many minutes during 
>and after the pour.
>
>
>----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill Turini" <wtu at cypress.com>
>To: <towertalk at contesting.com>
>Sent: Friday, October 01, 2004 12:18 PM
>Subject: [TowerTalk] RE: Installing Tower Bolts
>
>
>>There was a comment made regarding welding tower bolts together at the
>>base to ease installation.  I ran into problems with my recent
>>installation and have a plan for my next tower base. :-)
>>
>>I built the base per the engineering drawings, and hung the 4' long
>>bolts from the tower baseplate per the factory recommendation. When we
>>poured the concrete into the hole, the bolts were just hanging there,
>>flapping the the breeze, so to speak. We had to halt the pour to
>>reposition the bolts three times, and they never did end up vertical.
>>
>>On the next tower, I'm going to tie rebar horizontally across the rebar
>>cage and secure the bolts to it. That way they'll end up correctly
>>spaced vertically and horizontally. As I said, they're very close, but
>>we had a problem keeping them in position during the pour.
>>
>>As and aside, the concrete pumper got "constipated" during the pour.
>>Boy, I never saw grown men work so fast to try to get it cleared! I
>>guess the thought of all that concrete in the tube and the hopper was a
>>bit daunting.
>>
>>The driver ended up calling in the firm owner and other drivers. I ended
>>up with four folks from the concrete pump firm doing the pour. My
>>contractor and his guys just stood and watched.
>>
>>Bill
>>
>>Bill Turini                         (425) 787-4477
>>IT & Facilities Manager
>>Cypress Semiconductor               Lynnwood, WA  98037
>>
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>
>>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
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>
>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



More information about the TowerTalk mailing list