Towers

[338_MtRushmore]

If your eve bracket is well mounted there should be little flex on the 2" collar. You could also slide your 3" sleeve over the collar to further mitigate flex at the threads.

If you do decide to crossbolt through both pipes, keep any through holes well away from the ends of either pipe. I personally would do a single 5/16" crossbolt centered in your overlap, along with at least 2 set bolts to keep movement between the pipes to a minimum.

1 1/2" will fit inside of most 2" sch. 40, but some cheaper pipe may have a large longitudinal weld inside that won't allow 1 1/2" to fit. Just thought I would throw that out there fyi.

 

[Troubleshooter]

I just called my friend and asked what pipe I ordered under his account 7 months ago, he said it is schedule 40.. So 1 1/2" will slide into the 2" or do I need 1 1/4"?

 

[338_MtRushmore]

Specs say 1 1/2" will fit, but it doesn't always actually fit. The only real way to know if 1 1/2" will fit would be to unscrew your top section and take it down to the supply house and try it. You could also run into problems at the collar. If the pipe was cut on a threader it could be smaller from the cut and you would have to file the end to open it back up.

If it was mine, I'd much rather go to the extra effort to try to use 1 1/2". 95% of the time it will fit.

 

[Troubleshooter]

I cannot bring it down to the supply house, its a 10 foot 2" pipe.. LOL.. I guess I can maybe get a smaller piece from home depot or something to see if it fits.. I do not know.. Or just order a 21 footer 1 1/2" from the supply house...

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Freestanding towers are not cheap at least the good ones with room to grow on aren't. You need several cubic yards of concrete for the base and that can add up. When factoring in the cost remember to include the cost of the tower as well as any shipping charges. Check the manufacturers specs to se3 how much concrete is required and include that. Also include any labour or rental fees to dig the hole. Nope....freestanding towers are not cheap but IMHO they are the ONLY way to go. The trade off against the price is convenience and appearance. It's also easier to install large antennas on them because you do not have guy wirre in the way. A few years ago I installed a 64 foot Trylon Titan freestanding tower and it took 6 cubic yards of concrete for the base. The tower is 18 inches on a face at the top and 42 inches at the bottom. Not cheap at all but it looks far better than having guy wires all over the yard and lawn and it is easier and more versitile when it comes to installing antennas.

 

[338_MtRushmore]

You could get away with a shorter piece, because it is the 2" that would be the problem.

 

[Troubleshooter]

Ok, so there is only so much I can do now besides start the complete project over.. There is not a 3 1/2' pipe in the ground like I wanted to start off with, there is a 2" pipe in the ground and another 2" screwed to it and then bracketed to the house for extra support.. I really do not feel like digging another hole if this will be strong enough.. Before I dismantle antenna and remove the sleeve with the reducer, will a 21 foot 1 1/2" pipe be stable enough if slid into the 2" pipe by 3-4 feet and cross bolted? I am also going to swap out the colossal antenna and put an imax in its place.. This will cut down weight significantly. The colossal weighs 18 lbs and imax weighs 7-8 lbs.. I would like some more input as to whether this will be stable enough or not.. Thanks guys..

 

[undertaker]

That should be fine for the imax I have always had mine on a push up pole never any
problems...

 

[fourstringburn]

Suggestion,

Cut the 2 inch pipe in ground down to 3 ft then slip a 3 inch 20 ft. pipe over that and drill holes and bolt it with large bolts. Then you have the 3 inch base. The 20ft. section will be high enough to attach to the eave of your house for added support.

For 36 ft, you really need 3 sections of pipe slip inside each lower section then bolted for strength and sturdiness. The next two sections can be cut down to reduce the overall weight of the mast while the remaining pipe length will be slipped inside the lower section for strength and support or better still, get 10 ft pipe. Telescope the next 2 section 8 ft. each until you get 36 ft.

2 sections will support your antenna but it's most likely to lean and for visual appearance in your neighborhood, you want it to stand up straight.

 

[Troubleshooter]

a 3" 20 foot pipe is going to weigh quite a bit, and its already leaning a little because of the 1" 10 foot mast.. I should just start the entire project over again.. I should have listened to myself from the very beginning, 10 foot pieces.. 3" , 2 1/2", 2", 1 1/2" all overlapped and cross bolted.. Instead, I have a 10 foot 2" pipe 4 feet in the ground in 11 bags of concrete with rebarb and another 10 foot 2" pipe screwed into that with the pipe threads only, then bracketed to the house.. Not sure this can be saved in anyway properly at least..... But if I do start over I will not be able to center antenna at peak of roof because of all the concrete in the ground... This has really turned into a disaster......

 

[Road Squawker]

... I have a 10 foot 2" pipe 4 feet in the ground in 11 bags of concrete with rebarb and another 10 foot 2" pipe screwed into that with the pipe threads only, then bracketed to the house.. Not sure this can be saved in anyway properly at least........

Well, you could cut the 2" pipe about 3 feet above the concrete,.... then add a 2 1/2 pipe to it,with proper over lapping ( I would slide it all the way down to the concrete) and pinning.. then continue up with your 2" overlapped section above that.

Heck,depending on how high you are going, you might even consider stubbing a 3" outside the 2 1/2

this will allow you to use you concrete slab and your eave bracket too.

good luck and BE CAREFUL.

 

[Troubleshooter]

Thanks guys for voicing your opinions, much appreciated.. I just took a picture at basically the same angle, and the antenna is definetly leaning a lot more since installation.. Here are before and after.. It would be nice if I could utilize the concrete slab by slipping a 2 1/2' over the 2".. So if I slip a 2 1/2" over the 3 ft stubby after cutting it down and then cross bolt my 2" 10 foot pipe over that, this puts me at 16 feet above the ground.. My goal is to get it higher, so could I then do 10 foot 1 1/2" pipe to 10 foot 1 1/4"? Would this be stable? And by swapping the 18 lb colassal with a imax 2000 without gpk would help a great deal, imo... What do you guys think?

 

[fourstringburn]

a 3" 20 foot pipe is going to weigh quite a bit,

True, but this pipe is being supported by the 2 inch pipe in concrete and the eave bracket. You can also cut the 3 inch pipe down and have the middle section supported by the eave bracket and that leaves just the smaller top section freestanding. I believe most houses are 14 ft. at the top of the A frame. I think that would be best.

Just measure the height from the ground to the eave bracket to determine the length of the bottom 2 sections. You still don't want any section fully extended either so calculate a few feet of excess of pipe slipped down into each section. I would use 10 ft for the top section and slip 2 ft in the middle section and bolt it.

Also, You really don't need a 3 inch pipe per se, just one large enough to slip over the 2 inch, then telescope up from there. As you an probably imagine, telescoping smaller diameter pipe into 3 sections is stronger and sturdier than 1 or 2 longer sections. 36 ft may not seem high, but with the weight of the mast and antenna along with wind loading, it's getting close to the point where guy wires might be necessary to keep it straight and sturdy. Over 40 ft and guy wires would most likely be needed.

Just something to think about before you start from scratch again.

 

[Troubleshooter]

Going to cut down the 2" pipe like suggested to 3 ft.. Going to slip a 10 foot 2 1/2' pipe over the 2" pipe overlapping 3 feet, cross bolt it, take my exisiting 2" 10 footer and slipping it inside the 2 1/2" by 3 feet, cross bolt it, slipping a 10 foot 1 1/2" into the 2" overlapping 3 feet, cross bolt it, then grab a 10 foot 1 1/4" and slip that inside the 1 1/2" by 3 feet cross bolt it, then mount the imax 2000.. This would get me 31 feet from base of antenna off the ground.. Would this be stable without any guy wires? So I will be starting off with a 10 foot 2 1/2", then 2" , then 1 1/2" , then 1 1/4".. ???????????

 

[338_MtRushmore]

1 1/4" pipe will not fit inside 1 1/2" pipe. 1 1/2" tubing will usually fit inside 1 1/2" pipe. 2 1/2" pipe is really hard to find in most cities, and expensive too. This all depends on the size of the seam inside the pipe. Not all pipe is the same, so there are no guarantees