I get a call:

[Auto Affair]

Was wandering around bored at work today when a call comes in asking if I can repair a tower from a remote control link for an aviation navigational station. "I'll give it a shot" is my answer and drove back to the shop to grab my 1957 GB-318 machine to drive 65 miles the other way.....

Here is what the wind did over the weekend around these parts:





Here is my machine for the job:

[Auto Affair]

These are taken after some light clean up grinding to remove the galvanizing and a single pass of E6010 Lincoln 5P, (red rod) in 5/32 size:




I'll head back over tomorrow morning for some additional bracing to shore it up quite strong, and lay a topping of 7018 "Excalibur". The local technicians will need to recable the tower as it cut a couple of them when it fell to the ground. It will probably require new antenna elements also but I don't know anything about this equipment.

Kind of a pain in the nuts to stand this thing up by my lonesome but you gotta do what you gotta do sometimes.....

[vicegrip]

What no Gussets?

Basically a hot dog with no Mustard.

Shame Shame Shame on who ever made it.
====================

You certainly do >work alone< !
Cudoos.... getting it up by yourself!

[Auto Affair]

What no Gussets?

Basically a hot dog with no Mustard.

Shame Shame Shame on who ever made it.
====================

You certainly do >work alone< !
Cudoos.... getting it up by yourself!

There are three towers all alike at this location. That's what I'm going to do is gusset the outer perimeter on all sides to give it more support. I'll finish this and see if they'll allow the others to be strengthened up also. I thought the structural design work was poor when I happened upon it.

I hear they have a machine coming to reassemble the top section together and it tilts down for service work.

I do prefer to work alone as I can within reason get along with all three of my personalities, simultaneously.

[vicegrip]

I do prefer to work alone as I can within reason get along with all three of my personalities, simultaneously.

That's a HOOT!

[Northweldor]

There are three towers all alike at this location. That's what I'm going to do is gusset the outer perimeter on all sides to give it more support. I'll finish this and see if they'll allow the others to be strengthened up also. I thought the structural design work was poor when I happened upon it.

I hear they have a machine coming to reassemble the top section together and it tilts down for service work.

I do prefer to work alone as I can within reason get along with all three of my personalities, simultaneously.

As you say, without gussets and/or guy wires, those bases were designed to fail!

[Auto Affair]

You guys aren't going to believe this but they would not allow me to gusset the poles without an "engineering study" performed. This ranks right down there with "political correctness" so after giving it a quick triple pass to build up onto the sidewalls w/7018, and then shooting heavily w/cold galvanizing compound to preclude rusting, I packed up and left.

I'm still shaking my head in disbelief.

[Dan Timberlake]

There are gussets, and then there are gussets.
The first 5 pictures remind me of that failed pole.

http://weldingdesign.com/processes/u...ners-correctly

The pole's base plate looks to be decently thick, but for my money ribs/gussets should run very close to anchor bolts.

I figure This base has 4 (mid-side) gussets that are essentially useless. The 8 in the corners are way better.
http://www.megaslamhoops.com/sites/d...20design_0.png

[Auto Affair]

There are gussets, and then there are gussets.
The first 5 pictures remind me of that failed pole.

http://weldingdesign.com/processes/u...ners-correctly

The pole's base plate looks to be decently thick, but for my money ribs/gussets should run very close to anchor bolts.

I figure This base has 4 (mid-side) gussets that are essentially useless. The 8 in the corners are way better.
http://www.megaslamhoops.com/sites/d...20design_0.png

I have some 4" wide, 1/4" strip I was going to bend up three inches on each end to 22.5 degrees allowing the gusset or stiffener to lay at a 45 degree angle welded to both the baseplate, and the pole itself. I never measured but I think the baseplate was about 10" square and the post was probably 5 inch square.

I'm out of it now and won't get to see it reassembled as I seldom get over that way.

[vicegrip]

You guys aren't going to believe this but they would not allow me to gusset the poles without an "engineering study" performed. This ranks right down there with "political correctness" so after giving it a quick triple pass to build up onto the sidewalls w/7018, and then shooting heavily w/cold galvanizing compound to preclude rusting, I packed up and left.

I'm still shaking my head in disbelief.

You never payed the ransom (tuition) to academia.
So your brain is not fully formed.
How could any suggestion you offer have any credibility what so ever.

Only by divine decree, uttered by one of their own, can we deviate from mediocrity.
Shake the dust off your boots.

[Dale M.]

Just for giggles would this be proper way to gusset the pole?.... And I personally would like larger diameter and thicker washer on anchor bolt.....And one has to wonder about engineering study, it will cost them $5000 to do study and probably have had the work done for $500 and its a no brainer....

Dale

[Auto Affair]

I never have been one to play politics or listen much to that garbage so the door shuts easily to it. Pretty sure they have engineers "in house" that will do the study and I'll get a call back, they'll sublet it out again to another welder, or they'll do nothing. I'm confident my work won't fail by it's own virtue but the principal of the thing bothers me knowing it could be better w/little additional cost. Production is one thing where this is not, but I'd rather not find the time to fix something again if it can be done once correctly.

I like the eight gusset layout myself on towers as it tends to negate the effects induced by the "twisting" of a pole under a strong wind load. Hard to believe a pole can twist but they actually do. Look at a flagpole as it oscillates during a strong breeze. They don't swing fore and aft but rather in a circle if viewed from the top. This imparts the "twist" motion through the pole all the way to the base. Gusseting into the corners only does not strengthen the complete member, only a portion through arc of rotation. Center gusseting is better but the best is either a flat strap, or eight corner gussets to limit any arc of rotation. Of course I'm not an engineer so don't know anything of the aforementioned principals or dynamics.

I suggested heavier bearing washers on the baseplates but don't know if they'll do anything or not. I get the feeling they just get by and now with the pole again upright, it will be left just as it is.

Thanks,

[Auto Affair]

[QUOTE=vicegrip;550581]You never payed the ransom (tuition) to academia.
QUOTE]

Yup, and have never needed to ask if you needed fries with that to show for the earned piece of paper.

I've always found ways to earn more than spending and raised my kids the same way occasionally skipping the proverbial meal to do so. Sometimes the ears open, mouth closed, and brain engaged are the best ways to be as there are far smarter people than I'll ever be willing to teach if one is willing to listen.

I'm actually a high school dropout but relented after a six year badgering from my wife to go back to night school for two years to obtain that HS diploma.

[vicegrip]

[QUOTE=Auto Affair;550585]

You never payed the ransom (tuition) to academia.
QUOTE]

Yup, and have never needed to ask if you needed fries with that to show for the earned piece of paper.

I've always found ways to earn more than spending and raised my kids the same way occasionally skipping the proverbial meal to do so. Sometimes the ears open, mouth closed, and brain engaged are the best ways to be as there are far smarter people than I'll ever be willing to teach if one is willing to listen.

I'm actually a high school dropout but relented after a six year badgering from my wife to go back to night school for two years to obtain that HS diploma.

Just realized.... I meant extortion.
The point is still the same.
====================
It's sad though. Academia should serve a vital role, and do it with integrity.
I wounder when it became the best way to fleece the populace.... after insurance.
==================
I've learned boxcars full, from the real engineers, that had/have a passion to improve our world.

[Auto Affair]

I either lost a shunt resistor, or one of the two meters:

On this job I noticed both of my meters have ceased to function on the face, (current and voltage). I noticed zero voltage indication but normal open circuit voltage at the terminals, (~85VDC) and almost 110VDC at the consumer receptacle. It ran a grinder just fine and welded fine as it usually does. Yesterday both meters were working as they should. The welder is a 1957 model and has never been in to so could be most anything but I have a feeling ebay is a calling my name again for original parts. I have a couple spare meters of the newer style to test and isolate the failed component, and after I garner some sorely needed "beauty sleep", I may venture out to the shop for a bit of troubleshooting before the next job.