[TowerTalk] Heights Tower - Separating Aluminum from Steel

[Dubovsky, George]

Jerry is absolute correct on the physical relationship required between
the steel and the aluminum for the differential expansion scheme to
work. It never occurred to me that the aluminum legs would go inside
steel sockets, what with the possibility of collecting moisture, etc.

Having said that, I have found, in 40-some years of working on antennas,
towers, and rusted farm equipment, that a couple of heating-cooling
cycles will sometime provide just enough relative movement between
pieces of assemblies to break the corrosion loose, and facilitate
disassembly. You do need to be a little careful with aluminum, though; I
seem to remember that somewhere around 500 F is the region where you can
start affecting the heat treatment.

73,

geo - n4ua

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jerry K3BZ [mailto:k3bz at arrl.net]
> Sent: Wednesday, June 22, 2005 8:09 AM
> To: Dubovsky, George
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Heights Tower - Separating Aluminum from
Steel
> 
> The aluminum legs are, I believe, inside the steel base sockets... so
if
> aluminum expands at twice the rate of steel, wouldn't heating tighten
them
> rather than loosen them?
> 
> 73,  Jerry K3BZ
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dubovsky, George" <George.Dubovsky at andrew.com>
> To: "Roger K8RI on Tower" <k8ri-tower at charter.net>;
> <towertalk at contesting.com>; "Bill Tippett" <btippett at alum.mit.edu>
> Sent: Wednesday, June 22, 2005 7:53 AM
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Heights Tower - Separating Aluminum from
Steel
> 
> 
> > And after all that soaking with penetrant, take advantage of the
> > different coefficients of expansion of the two materials. Aluminum
will
> > expand about twice what steel will at the same temp. Put a heat gun
on
> > the legs (a torch is a little too uncontrollable) and get the temp
up to
> > 250-300 F or so, then whack and bang and press or whatever, and it
> > should come on off.
> >
> > 73,
> >
> > geo - n4ua
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: towertalk-bounces at contesting.com [mailto:towertalk-
> > > bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Roger K8RI on Tower
> > > Sent: Tuesday, June 21, 2005 10:23 PM
> > > To: towertalk at contesting.com; Bill Tippett
> > > Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Heights Tower - Separating Aluminum from
> > Steel
> > >
> > > As Jerry said, soak them with penetrating oil. Have patience.
Give it
> > a
> > > good soaking, every couple of hours, and test carefully.  If they
do
> > not
> > > come loose easily, let set overnight.  They teach this in small
engine
> > > repair.  I've seen pistons bound so tight you couldn't move them
with
> > a
> > > heavy hammer.  Pour enough WD40 or other penetrating oil on top so
> > it'll
> > > run
> > > down the sides of the piston, let set overnight and you can take
it
> > out by
> > > hand the next day.
> > >
> > > Roger Halstead (K8RI and ARRL 40 year Life Member)
> > > N833R - World's oldest Debonair CD-2
> > > www.rogerhalstead.com
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > >
> > > 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
> > >
> >
> >
> >
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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.
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > TowerTalk mailing list
> > TowerTalk at contesting.com
> > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
> >
> 
> 
> 


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