[TowerTalk] [Bulk] Re: tower insulators

[Steve Maki]

Sheesh. I understood it EXACTLY. No one is going to use 3/8" rod for leg 
insulators, no matter what silly misunderstanding occurred here.

-Steve K8LX

On 9/1/2014 8:54 PM, Bill Aycock wrote:

> Steve--
> I think YOU didn't understand what was said. Gordon, (I think) said:
> " So you use 3/8 fiberglass rod into each leg and the rods go into the
> concrete?" (Direct cut-and-paste)
> That is NOT guying with fiberglass rod. That is the scenario I think is
> a hazard. If that is not one of the options being discussed, then I
> retract my comment.
> Bill--W4BSG
>
> -----Original Message----- From: Steve Maki
> Sent: Monday, September 01, 2014 6:54 PM
> Cc: towertalk at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] [Bulk] Re: tower insulators
>
> Which scenario, Stan's or Gordon's? Gordon didn't understand Stan's
> (obviously). Stan is shearing grade 8 bolts with fiberglass (leg) rod
> (c. 1-1/8" or so) in an unguyed situation, which kind of proves that
> fiberglass rod is pretty damn strong and won't be a weak link.
>
> Then he decided to guy the towers with 3/8" fiberglass rod. I'm guessing
> that that would have avoided the need to beef up the leg insulators, but
> he did both, now he's got a towers that will stay up in most strong
> breezes.
>
> -Steve k8LX
>
> On 9/1/2014 6:16 PM, Bill Aycock wrote:
>
>> Pardon me, but this looks like a disaster watching for a place to happen.
>> Bill--W4BSG
>>
>> -----Original Message----- From: w2ttt at att.net
>> Sent: Monday, September 01, 2014 11:22 AM
>> To: Stan Stockton ; Grant Saviers
>> Cc: Gordon Beattie ; towertalk at contesting.com ;
>> comtechgroup at yahoogroups.com
>> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] [Bulk] Re: tower insulators
>>
>> Stan,
>> So you use 3/8 fiberglass rod into each leg and the rods go into the
>> concrete?
>> If you have photos, that would be helpful.
>> 73,
>> Gordon, W2TTT
>> 201.314.6964
>>
>> Sent from Samsung tablet
>>
>> -------- Original message --------
>> From: Stan Stockton <wa5rtg at gmail.com>
>> Date: 2014/09/01  11:35  (GMT-05:00)
>> To: Grant Saviers <grants2 at pacbell.net>
>> Cc: "J. Gordon Beattie, Jr., W2TTT"
>> <W2TTT at ATT.NET>,towertalk at contesting.com
>> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] [Bulk] Re:  tower insulators
>>
>> I have four 60 foot 25G towers that have a solid rod of fiberglass in
>> each leg.  These towers were in guyed for several years in a pretty
>> harsh environment on top of a mountain.  After having grade. 8 bolts
>> break several times I then bridged the upper and lower sections on each
>> leg with a piece of fiberglass plate which is something like 4 inches
>> wide, a foot long and about. 3/8 thick. It is held with galvanized. U
>> bolts.  After seeing the towers bend in about a. 60 mph wind, I used 3/8
>> fiberglass rod to guy them to small, homemade anchors - rod welded to a
>> short piece of angle.  Each anchor is in about a bag of Quickcrete.
>>
>> Sent from Stan's IPhone
>>
>>
>>
>>> On Sep 1, 2014, at 10:12 AM, Grant Saviers <grants2 at pacbell.net> wrote:
>>>
>>> The max wind combined guy loads for a 100' tower can be around 4000#
>>> downforce on the tower base (plus the tower weight) so something more
>>> than 1" delrin will be required between the legs.  That amount of
>>> force obviously works ok with the tapered pier pin base, but the leg
>>> span of straight R25 or larger will require some steel structure
>>> behind whatever insulator is used.  I think modifying a tapered pier
>>> pin base section bottom plate for an insulator block of delrin/nylon
>>> would be easier/cheaper.
>>>
>>> Grant KZ1W
>>>
>>>
>>>> On 9/1/2014 7:29 AM, J. Gordon Beattie, Jr., W2TTT wrote:
>>>> Bob, Steve et al,
>>>>
>>>> Any thoughts on what might be a good approach to insulating a Rohn 25
>>>> tower
>>>> from the ground?
>>>> I was thinking of a pin base in a lower slab of nylon or delrin
>>>> insulating
>>>> material sandwiched with another upper slab of insulating material
>>>> that has
>>>> bolts into the tower legs.  These could be bolted together at the
>>>> corners.
>>>> When I say, "slab" I am thinking about 0.5-1.0 inches in thickness.
>>>>
>>>> My concerns are that the might be stronger and possibly cheaper.  Any
>>>> thoughts?
>>>>
>>>> 73,
>>>> Gordon, W2TTT
>>>> 201.314.6964