Towers

[338_MtRushmore]

There are a lot of ways to build the mast, but the eve support is still the most critical component. If the eve support fails, then you have 2" in the ground as the only support.

Are you looking at aluminum pipe, or aluminum tubing?

 

[Troubleshooter]

I am going to call Texas tower tomorrow to get a quote on there tubing.. This is what I was looking at: 1.500" X .058" [12'] .058" is wall thickness 12 foot section
1.250" X .058" [12'] Is that wall thick enough?

 

[338_MtRushmore]

The biggest issue with aluminum that thin is the bolting. All the weight will be sitting an a few through bolts, and you will have less than 1/16" bearing surface per side. Add to it the large amount of slop the connections will have, and it seems like the holes would get sloppy pretty quick.

I'm going to have to back out of this thread now. I don't mess with any cyclically loaded aluminum.

 

[Troubleshooter]

I have no idea what I am going to do.. I am all confused now.. I am basically stuck working with a 2" pipe in the ground.. sucks..

 

[fourstringburn]

I have no idea what I am going to do.. I am all confused now.. I am basically stuck working with a 2" pipe in the ground.. sucks..

Don't be to dissapointed, you still have a good antenna and your current mast is fine.

I did say many posts ago that raising your antenna from it's current height to 36ft wasn't going to be that much of a difference.

We gave suggestions because you wanted your antenna up higher, that's all!

You can still do it if you want.

 

[Troubleshooter]

I appreciate all the help, i do want to get it higher and want to swap out antenna's.. I have new coax to install as well, so if I am going to rent a cherry picker to change coax I want to swap antenna and go higher.. I am just so confused.. I will dismantle everything not a problem. What I will be left with is a 2" pipe sticking 7 feet up out of the ground.. Now from the 2" pipe, how to I get to 36 feet from the base of the imax 2000... So many ideas being thrown around.. LOL.... Lets start with a 10 foot 2" pipe sticking up 7 feet out of ground, how would you go to 36 feet to base of antenna? Whether I have to cut the 2" down to 3 feet to overlap it with another pipe, thats fine as well.. But here is the thing, the imax accepts 1.25" mast...

 

[fourstringburn]

I'm going to back out for a bit and let other people chime in.

With a telescoping mast, you won't need a cherry picker to work on the antenna. All the more reason to sit back for a while and think it through before you make a rash decision.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Dayum,... now I"m confused

I gave up two pages ago.

 

[fourstringburn]

I gave up two pages ago.

Let me run this by you to see what you think.

Cut down the existing 2in pipe to a 3ft stub.

Slip a 3in x 10 ft pipe over that and bolt it with 1/2in bolts

Use a 2in x 10ft schedule 80 threaded pipe coupled to a 2in x 10ft schedule 40 threaded pipe and slip it 2 ft inside the 3 inch pipe and bolt it.

This makes 28ft and his eave bracket will support part of the 2in section.

Finally, use a 10ft x 1 1/4 pipe and slip it 2ft in the 2in schedule 40 pipe and bolt it.

This makes 36ft. All pipe will be T1061 aluminum.

I mentioned schedule 40 for one of the 2 inch 10ft sectiond because 1 1/4 maybe to tight to slip in a 2 inch pipe. Also ordering 10ft pipe will be cheaper shipping compared to an oversized rate for a 20ft piece.

Imax antennas are light, the pipe is light and 1/2 bolts are plenty strong enough to hold all this up.

What do you think?

 

[Troubleshooter]

LOL... Sorry guys.... I am making myself nuts as well.. I figured out what I am going to do.. The aluminum stuff is a no go.. I am keeping what I have, the 2 2" pipes at 17 feet right now.. Going to purchase a 10 foot 1.5" pipe at home depot, sliding it into the 2", cross bolted, then take my 1" 10 foot and sliding it into that, cross bolted, then imax 2000 on the other end.. Should get me up higher then I am now.. Should be about 32 feet to base of antenna after we dismantle the zerofive colossal and the sleeve I have on. Hopefully this will work... I appreciate everyones help, the thread definetly got out of control and its all my fault... LOL!!

 

[fourstringburn]

Good luck!

 

[Troubleshooter]

Thank you... I talked with texas tower and they said if you can do it in steel thats the way to go.. The aluminum pipe has thin walls and would be no good. I just hope above the eve bracket that 20 feet of pipe will be stable... It should be right? Above it now is a 10 foot 1" and 18lbs of antenna.. So swapping out to the imax and adding 1 more piece of pipe should work..

 

[338_MtRushmore]

I see no issue with that. The only other issue I thought of was how to keep the 2" from filling up with water. It wouldn't be the end of the world if it filled up, but standing water in steel pipe will rust amazingly fast.

I thought you might like a visual of 2", 1 1/2", and 1" pipe inside each other.

 

[Troubleshooter]

Thank you for the pic.. You bring up a good point, I never even thought about rust, figured it would take quite a long time for it to be compromised.. I could silicone around where the pipes meet after cross bolting no?

 

[338_MtRushmore]

I really can't think of a long lasting way to seal it. Just be sure to rip the 2" out in the next 15 years and replace it with tower. You could just let it fill with water and then you can brag about your "hydro-grounded" mast?