Light Pole Repair

[geotek]

I'm hoping to get to this project in the next couple of weeks and was looking for suggestions/insight. This is an old sign pole, situated in a concrete gas island in front of the building. It has been used by each of the previous business. This past winter during a particularly rough wind storm it gave up and finally broke at the base. For multiple reasons replacing with a new pole isn't in the cards, so i'm looking at repair options.

• The pole is 18 ft long with a hexagnal shape that tapers towards the top.
• I expect that a sign will be added in the future so strength is a consideration.
• at some point an internal support was added which consists of a 3" steel pipe.
• The base metal got thin due to lack of drainage which will be added during the repair.

I am currently thinking that i'll have to cut about 8" off the base of the pole to get back into good metal. The base has good thickness and I'm thinking that after rust removal I might be able to use weld to fill the gap between the pole and base. I'm also thinking that i'll need to remove the portion of the 3" pole embeded into the concrete and set a new one in new concrete to profide additional support. In order to provide some safety after the repair, i'm going to install a guide wire between the pole and bulding so that in the future if it does fail, it will have the tendency to fall away from the road and into the parking lot.

I'm open to thoughts, suggestions, insight, etc. on things to consider, look out for, or that I might not have considered. Welding types, brasing, metal issues, fabrication suggestions, etc.

Thanks

 

[ng8264723]

looks like you need to fab a new base out of plate steel. Then cut back to good metal and weld to the new base. I would cut that old base right out and start fresh

 

[readhead]

A sign, depending on how big it is, changes the whole program. That base may not be adequate.

 

[geotek]

Fair point. An older sign was roughly 4x4 and made out of plywood, but again that was about 12 years ago.

 

[RMERR]

I agree with ng8264723, ditch that base. Even with the rust cleaned off, I would have zero confidence welding to that old base. I sense you're watching your budget on this, but I'd bite the bullet and spring for a 1" steel plate. Will cost a couple bucks and you'll need 4 large holes drilled as well. When you finally fit your newly trimmed pole bottom to this base plate and weld, add a bunch of beefy triangular gussets between the pole and the base for reinforcement, (you've probably seen this on large freeway type signs). Naturally, size the gussets so they fit under the base cover hex ring out of sight.

Other issues might be can you even get those bolts out? Are the threads they're into still usable? When you weld the pole to the base, maintaining vertical will be tricky, a few degrees off at the base will be magnified and look tilted. Good luck!

 

[geotek]

Thanks guys! I'm clearing room in the garage now and hope to get the pole into the building for winter. I'm thinking that a new base with flange supports is in my future, and likly abandoning the old base bolts. I'll update this thread as things progress.