[TowerTalk] Truss clamp for 2" mast ??

[Don Moman VE6JY]

If I have a choice, I always prefer to make the truss support an
integral part of the antenna - not the mast.  Since I home build most
of my antennas I can do that, but I have modified several commercial
beams as well to allow this.

But if you have to deal with it, you can make it a bit easier.   Let
gravity tension the truss - put the beam up a bit higher on the mast,
tighten the truss and then let the beam slide down to tighten the
truss.  Or rig a pulley on the mast and use a comealaong (or the
ground crew) to pull up the truss.

I've made several clamps to support the truss and turnbuckles  as you
describe from "stuff" in the junk bin - form and drill  some flat bar
around a 2" mast in a vice -  and I have seen Sinclair clamp pieces
that would do exactly what you want.

GL with your project...

73 Don
VE6JY



On Wed, Jul 21, 2010 at 1:50 AM, Jim Thomson <jim.thom at telus.net> wrote:
> Ok... I'm not impressed with the F-12  method of securing the over head truss line to the 2" mast.
> The F-12 method consist of  looping the  1/8"  SS  truss cable  through the "U"  portion of a standard
> U-clamp.. with the saddle on the back end of the mast.   While this method works, it's an absolute
> bitch to get some tension on the truss line.   IE:  you have to push up on the U bolt.. and hold it there, then tighten
> the U bolt.
>
> Does anybody make a 2 x piece clamp  that will  clamp onto a 2"  mast, such that a SS /galvanized  small
> turnbuckle can be installed on either side of the 2" mast ???    That would  make life a LOT easier.   Of course,
> the  one coninuous piece of stock truss line would have to be cut in the middle, and either cable clamps or nicropress crimps
> installed + a pair of thimbles, etc.
>
> I can envision the proposed 2 x piece wrap around clamp assy in my head.   Plan B is... since I use  several  HB mast steps
> already, which use a single DX eng  super mast clamp assy,  I might be able to slide a thin piece of flat bar steel between
> the 2 x clamp halves... and drill it for a 3/8"  hole.    Then the G-8  bolt  would pass through both halves of the mast clamps
> plus the flat bar in the middle.   Once tight, there is a small gap between the 2 x halves of the DX eng clamps anyway.
> The flat bar would pivot down on an angle, and the other end of the flat bar could be used to terminate one
> end of a turnbuckle.
>
> What do other folks use to terminate  an over head truss ?
>
> later...... Jim   VE7RF
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