Mark,
The hot dip galvanizing process, if not done correctly, can leave excess
material in bad places. The worst situation I ever encountered was when this
material pooled inside the legs near the bolt holes. Sections were no longer
able to fit inside one another. I had to use a power grinder to make the hole
big enough. this would certainly qualify as a manufacturing defect if it came
with a new section. My experience was with used sections that had been
regalvanized by a local hot dip shop. They didn't drain the legs properly.
Despite this problem, I can still highly recommend rejuvenating older sections
with a new hot dip. It is not that expensive if you transport the stuff
yourself, and it really does turn the clock back. Of course, sections that are
not structurally sound do not benefit from regalvanizing. Just give them good
instructions on draining the material from inside the legs.
Jim K1IR
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