[TowerTalk] Tower Base Removal

[ve4xt at mymts.net]

Dexpan also specifies a method for cracking concrete even when there is no to little room for expansion. 

It just means drilling more holes. But since each hole has to be 80-90% of the depth, not sure how much fun it will be drilling perhaps 20 holes 4.5 feet deep into concrete. 

Doable, but not a lot of fun.

Lots of merit to the idea of merely expanding the existing base. 

73, Kelly
ve4xt

Sent from my iPhone

>> On Jan 18, 2014, at 22:24, "Roger (K8RI) on TT" <K8RI-on-TowerTalk at tm.net> wrote:
>> 
>>> On 1/18/2014 6:11 PM, Richard (Rick) Karlquist wrote:
>>> On 1/18/2014 2:49 AM, Mike VE3YF wrote:
>>> 
>>> A wealth of information here. I will be contacting Dexpan on Monday and
>>> will order 2 boxes of their product. I will still use the hired help to
>> 
>> The vendor says the concrete must have room to expand.
>> This sounds exactly like what you don't have with a
>> tower base poured in undisturbed earth.  Your concrete
>> has no rebar, but in the general case with rebar, this
>> magic stuff would certainly help, but it is unclear
>> how you would get the broken pieces (still attached by
>> rebar) out of the hole.  Even without rebar, I don't
>> see how you get a hold of the pieces to lift them out.
>> Good luck.
> 
> Old style post hole digger for smaller pieces. I assume there are long handled "grippers" similar to the tongs blacksmiths use.  Lots of ways to remove the stuff.  I've seen large ones that grip with the pull that could pull thousands of pounds. I have no idea as to what might be available in your area.
> 
> BTW where the suction is concerned in pulling out of moist soil. I had a post supporting a 12' dish set in maybe 10 or 12 bags of quickcrete. IIRC that is well less than a yard. We used a pair of 4000# engine hoists on opposite sides, with each set on a pair of  4 X 4s to lift it out.  We reached the point of a substantial bend in the arms and the concrete had not moved.  I took a garden hose and used it to drill down along side of the concrete on 4 sides.  I was near the bottom of the concrete on the 4th side when it started to move with a very loud sucking sound as the engine hoist arms straightened.  It was an easy lift after that.  The suction with the much larger base would probable exceed the weight of the concrete substantially, but by how much depends on the soil composition and moisture content.
> 
> As a side note, undisturbed soil is firm, but not solid.  It can stand a surprising amount of expansion.
> 
> 73
> 
> Roger (K8RI)
>> Rick N6RK
>> _______________________________________________
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> TowerTalk mailing list
>> TowerTalk at contesting.com
>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
> 
> 
> ---
> This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active.
> http://www.avast.com
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> TowerTalk mailing list
> TowerTalk at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk