[TowerTalk] Failed HDX572 Raising fixture Leg and base

[Richard Solomon]

Looks to me like they manufacturer should cover it
due to improper work on their part.

73, Dick, W1KSZ

On Sun, Aug 9, 2015 at 3:27 PM, Roger (K8RI) on TT <K8RI-on-TowerTalk at tm.net
> wrote:

> That one photo shows all the characteristics of a poor weld.  There is
> actually rust behind the weld and the surface of the weld is flat.  The
> weld separated from the underlying metal. There was virtually no
> penetration, the sign of insufficient temperature/current.
>
> Typically the piece has the bottom where the weld is located, ground at a
> 45 degree angle so the weld penetrates more area of both pieces, but a good
> weld can be made without grinding.
>
> They taught that in "Farm Shop", 60 years ago where the only welding was
> stick, or torch.
>
>
> 73
>
> Roger (K8RI)
>
>
> On 8/9/2015 5:24 PM, Robert Harmon wrote:
>
>> Rich,
>>
>> In my opinion it separated because the weld did not have full
>> penetration.  Not enough amperage when the weld was made.
>> One of the first welds learned in welding class is a fillet weld where a
>> piece of steel plate is welded to another at right angle.
>> After running a fillet weld on one side, it is clamped in a vice and hit
>> with a hammer on the side opposite the fillet.  If it breaks off
>> you did not have the amperage high enough for good penetration.  The
>> pictures show this to me.  If welded correctly with full penetration
>> the joint is stronger than the metal and we would see tearing of the
>> metal, and in this case no rust where it tore off.
>>
>> Bob
>> K6UJ
>>
>>
>> On Aug 9, 2015, at 12:19 PM, Rich Hallman - N7TR <rich at n7tr.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> This morning I was lowering my HDX572 and as it was almost down one of
>>> the base ears that the raising fixture leg mounts to failed.   Fortunately
>>> it was a slow drop and the tower is still ok.  If it failed while it was
>>> higher this could have been a different story.
>>>
>>> I will need a new raising fixture and a new HDX572 base.   I have a like
>>> new spare TRX-80HD raising fixture for my HDX589 so I should be ok there.
>>>
>>> I posted some pics and will add more later today.  From the looks of the
>>> break, I am seeing rust (Not clean metal) where the welds were.  Also I'm
>>> not sure if the ear on the one leg that mounts to the raising fixture began
>>> to bend first or not.   But it is bent a hard 90 degrees now as you can see.
>>>
>>> Anyone else see something like this in the past?   This is an older US
>>> Tower so I'm not sure if the bases are built better now or not for the
>>> mounting ear.
>>>
>>> Go to my QRZ Page http://www.qrz.com/db/N7TR  And look for the link
>>> called HDX572 Raising Fixture Failure.
>>>
>>> Rich N7TR
>>> ex KI3V, N3AMK, WB3JOV
>>> www.n7tr.com<http://www.n7tr.com>
>>> http://www.qrz.com/db/N7TR
>>> Telnet: dxc.n7tr.com N7TR DXCluster
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>
>
> --
>
> 73
>
> Roger (K8RI)
>
>
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