[TowerTalk] How best to keep the rebar cage centered in thehole?

[Keith Dutson]

>Do NOT use the rebar in the foundation hole as an anchor point for your
rebar cage.  The ends of the rebars sticking into the dirt will eventually
corrode and follow the rest of the rebar into the concrete mass.  That could
lead to cracking, especially that close to the top of the concrete.

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Is there any empirical evidence to say this is what will happen, or just
your opinion?  The reason I ask is that I recently uprooted an old satellite
antenna base (the old 8 foot dish) that had the mast (pipe) buried about a
foot in the bottom of the hole and 1 yard of concrete poured around it.
This thing was planted in 1982, more than 20 years ago.  The pipe is still
intact below the bottom of the concrete with very little rust.  Also, the
concrete is still quite solid with no sign of cracking.

73, Keith NM5G
[snip]