Rick is quite correct about the danger of welding galvanized material.
Poisonous gases are released in the welding process.
Having said that, it can be done safely with plenty of ventilation and
preferably outdoors. Read that as a big fan blowing all the smoke and fumes
away from the welder.
Using bolts on large round tubes can be a problem. The tubing will tend to
deform before the bolt is tight enough to hold a brace in place. Bolts with
angles of course is no problem since the material is already flattened.
The horizontal and diagonal rungs in 25G are made of 3/8" rod which is
quite nice to work with. But, there is no reason that pieces of the 1 1/8"
material can't be used if you have enough. I have seen towers with round legs
and angle braces as well.
73,
Gerald K5GW
In a message dated 6/26/2015 7:17:02 P.M. Central Daylight Time,
richard@karlquist.com writes:
See:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/18794861@N00/2340109594/
The "Mirador"
About 8 years ago when I was at the "Maker Faire"
(by Make Magazine) there was an exhibit of a
tower made out of electrical conduit. Each
conduit had the end flattened with a hole
drilled through it. There were a series of
horizontal hexagonal "wheels" that were supported
by diagonal pieces. The wheels got progressively
smaller as you went up. The guy who built it would
climb up the tower to take photographs. The
spacing between the horizontal assemblies was
something like 5 feet. I guess this guy assembled
the whole thing in situ at the Faire! He told me
there is some machine tool he used (it had a weird
name) that could either flatten or punch holes in
the ends of the conduit.
The tubes you have sound like "3/4 inch" water
pipe. They are going to be more difficult to flatten
and drill at the end than conduit, which is designed
to be formed.
Unfortunately, it is dangerous to weld galvanized
material, so you have to fasten it together with
bolts.
Rick N6RK
On 6/26/2015 4:47 PM, Jim Lux wrote:
On 6/26/15 8:50 AM, Douglas Ruz wrote:
Hello,
I would like a tower in my property but i can not buy a Rohn or any
other tower, so, I WILL BUILD ONE...or will try build one.
I have many galvanized tubes, 7 ft long, 1 1/32 inch diameter and 1/8
inch wall.A
I have been reading dimensions of Rohn 25G and 45G...i like 25G.
My goals are:
-Reach about 50 ft high.
-Install a rotator.
-Install a lightweight tribander yagi (maybe an spiderbeam), a 6m yagi
(5 elem) and maybe 2 elem moxon for 40m...I know 50ft is not OK for a
40m antenna but my anchor points are to close, so, i can not install a
higher tower.
I have another important questions...it is about GUY LINES...what is
the cheapest guy line solution ???
if you have a lot of pipe/tubes, and enough ground space for the base,
why not make a lattice self supporting tower. Think farm windmill (or a
Rohn BX) or power distribution tower.
Big triangles, 3 or 4 sided.
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