[TowerTalk] Welding Rebar

[Edwin Karl]

Roger,

As part of my mis-spent youth I was an iron worker, worked at it for 
about 6 years.
We were referred to as "rod busters" by some. In any event installed 
lots of iron
in the new York area.

Now that I'm retired, I built my own home, not with my hands, but was 
the general
contractor. You can do that in the country ... I did do the reinforcing 
myself; so my
driveway, sidewalks, patio, basement walls and floor all have steel 
internally. The
also barn has a reinforced concrete floor.

The tower is an AN Wireless  90 footer with a big foundation, rear 3 
layers, top bottom
and middle is about 12 feet deep, took 21 yards of concrete to fill the 
hole. There is a
section of tower made to go in the foundation which splices to the rear.

Now I'm saying all this because of a decision I made years ago, if I had 
the chance, this is
how I would choose to build my own home, etc. It might be nit picking 
but the issue with me
probably pertains more to structural iron, like the tower etc. Don't do 
anything like welding
which may change the characteristics of the iron negatively. Also 
affects galvanizing etc.
Probably way over thinking the issue, which I usually do.

I also will confess in my day, except where cad welding 1 1/4 rear for 
power houses etc,
never saw rear welded. Generally a splice is 20 times the diameter side 
by side and double
tied.Compared to structural, rear is soft, we would bend it on site for 
hooks and angles, so I
suspect it's already not too stuff. But as I said initially the bar 
reinforces the concrete, which
holds the bar in place.

Sorry for being so lengthy ... but, if there are other issues as you 
mention than explain why welding
might be acceptable. We would take columns and beams using wire to kind 
of guy it internally,  if
the item has a long way to go or was a difficult pick for the crane etc. 
If you are having the job
fabricated off site it probably could be done either way, if you're 
alone tack welding could work.

I wish you well, and would appreciate hearing from you as the project 
progresses.

By the way, 8 or 9 inch lineman's pliers and end cutting nippers are 
tools of the trade, The nippers
work real well when tightening the connection, After a few mistakes, you 
can get the hang of it.

Very 73!

ed K0KL



On 4/12/2014 9:37 PM, Roger (K8RI) on TT wrote:
> On 1/5/2014 12:58 AM, Roger (K8RI) on TT wrote:
>> On 1/4/2014 4:01 PM, Ed K0KL wrote:
>>> I can't stand it any longer ...
>
> And the problem is?
>
> If wired in place or near the hole they work fine. If shipped, or 
> handled a lot they seem to come already welded.
>
> As I only have one useful hand, tack welding is faster, easier, and 
> makes for a far more secure joint than wiring one with just one hand.
>
> I noted when at my steel supplier, they had a cage, mostly done that 
> was all welded.  The customer would put it on a trailer, haul it 10 
> miles or so and then stick it in the hole with the same dimensions as 
> when he picked it up.
>
> 73
>
> Roger (K8RI)
>
>
>>>
>>> Wire ties are fine to keep the rebar touching from bar to band (the 
>>> smaller rod surrounding the
>>> verticals or horizontals as it were). It has been used for years on 
>>> buildings, roadways, etc. Generally
>>> speaking the concrete holds the connection together, the connection 
>>> and rod make the concrete
>>> strong ...
>>>
>>
>> Order towers with the rebar cage and they likely will come welded and 
>> not tied.
>> That's been the local experience.
>>
>> 73
>>
>> Roger (K8RI)
>
>
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