[TowerTalk] Thoughts on Tower lifting cable broken strands

[Doug Turnbull]

Ray,
    You should be able to pull the tower sections in and out using external
winches or a come along with steel cable or chain external to your sky
needle.   Do not scrap it at least try and do a repair.   When you get dug
in it may prove more doable than it first appears.   Maybe you can get a few
locals to lend a hand.   Good luck.

            73 Doug EI2CN

-----Original Message-----
From: TowerTalk [mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of
Mickey Baker
Sent: 22 August 2013 15:34
To: Ray Benny
Cc: TowerTalk
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Thoughts on Tower lifting cable broken strands

Ray,

The ONLY thing to do is to replace the cables. Get yourself an assortment
of wooden blocks and wedges and use a lever (fiberglass shovel handle,
crowbar) to arrange the tower as you need it. You and a helper should be
able to get the tower ready for lift if you're careful and plan the
installation.

If the damage was caused the way you describe, it is difficult to know for
sure if the remaining strands are intact. A cable break while the tower is
extended would destroy your tower and most everything on it.

Good luck and 73,

Mickey N4MB


On Thu, Aug 22, 2013 at 3:21 AM, Ray Benny <rayn6vr at cableone.net> wrote:

> I'm in a dilemma.
>
> I purchase a used TM-490 90 ft Sky Needle and recently found some of the
> 5/16", 7 X 19 aircraft cable lifting cable strands broken. The tower is on
> the ground and not been in the vertical position for a number of years.
The
> problem, apparently there was some gas torch cutting done nearby and
> splatter landed on the cable. This molten metal landed on the pull up
cable
> causing it to burn and sever 2 - 3 strands in one area, and another 3 - 4
> strands 6 inches higher up the cable. The cable overall is otherwise in
> very good condx with no wear marks. It might have been replaced prior and
> the tower has been laying on the ground ever since?
>
> The best and right thing to do is to replace the cable. But, I have been
> going through my options:
>
> #1 - Do the cable replacing myself. I have found the cable and cable
> pulling grip for less that $200. The major problem is that this is a 3200
> lbs tabular tower and not easy to move around. I would need to rent small
> boom truck or forklift and some other misc working hardware to pull the
> sections apart. It would not be easy, but feel I could do the job.
>
> #2 - Hire someone to come here and do the job. This can run into a 4 - 5
> thousand dollar cost.
>
> #3 - Transport the tower to California and have it restring by the tower
> company who made it long ago. I've checked commercial transport rates, r/t
> shipment and cable replacement cost is more than option #2.
>
> #4 - Do nothing and live with a few broken strands.
>
> *At this point I am looking for thoughts, experiences and/or
> semi-professional thoughts on option #4 - do nothing*. I've had a one
> experienced tower person say that 6 - 8 broken strands out of 133 is
> nothing.
>
> Again, I know the proper/safe thing to do is replace the cable, but how
> about doing nothing and using the tower as is?
>
> Tnx,
>
> Ray,
> N6VR
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>
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-- 
Mickey Baker, N4MB
Fort Lauderdale, FL
*"Tell me, and I will listen. Show me, and I will understand. Involve me,
and I will learn." *Teton Lakota, American Indian Saying.
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