[TowerTalk] Wood constructed tower

[Roger (K8RI)]

k2vi wrote:
> Would there be a way to construct a 40' wood tower, The base being 10'x10'square and the top at 5'x5' square. Probably 4x4 posts bolted together. A ladder made to climb up to the top. Sort of like a WW2 lookout tower. All pressure treated. I would love this because I can then bolt a 5' roof tower on top and maintain the antenna, feedline and rotor whenever I want with no help. As I get older i would still be able to maintain the antenna and not have to rely on others. Has anyone had if inducted this idea. Would be interested to know.
>   
Building a 40' wood tower is a relatively simple design that allows for 
a lot of variation.
Now days there are some problems such as finding *GOOD* pressure treated 
lumber. I've been using pressure treated 10 and 16' 4 X 4s for other 
applications and they've not stood up well. That speaks more for the 
quality of the specific wood and not 4 X 4s in general. I couldn't find 
any 20' 4 X 4s.  You'd probably have to go to a regular lumber yard 
rather than any of the big box stores, tell them what you want, that it 
will have to remain structurally sound for humans on top for at least a 
couple of decades.

Good quality 4 X 4's are heavy.  By using through bolts and a 3 to 5' 
overlap they are strong. Another method of reinforcement of the 
joints/overlap is with 1.4" steel straps/yokes  I haven't priced any 
recently but I'd guess a 40' self supporting wood tower of the required 
strength and quality might be a bit more pricey than a 40' 25G, but one 
whale of a lot easier to climb with a ladder built in.

I'd also use 4 X 4s for the horizontal cross braces, but probably 
pressure treated 2 X 6s for the diagonal braces.

Then don't depend on just the pressure treatment.  Give it a good coat 
of antifungal primer followed by at least one if not two coats of finish 
paint.

73

Roger (K8RI)
> tony k2vi
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