Something just clicked…..

[bczygan]

I bought a few longer drill bits so I can get all the way through the rotor base and the mast in one shot. I think I have enough supplies to get things under control no matter what has happened. Hopefully nothing has been destroyed, but the picture I saw and the description I heard sounds really bad.

Bill, don't feel like you can't post info or pics in this thread, I just think you should post consistently in your thread so you have a nice record all in one place. You all ready have a great start and I look forward to seeing your progress too. Mutual motivation!

Strouty,

Looking forward to hearing about your high wire act. How do you get up a tower like that one? Can't climb up the middle and no elevator. Ever use a bosun's chair?

One good thing about watching your project. I am glad I don't have such big equipment to deal with, although I am suffering trailer envy over that nice one you just got. My site is a little more complicated, in my view, because of the number of sheds and piles in the yard. You are way ahead of me in yard cleanup as well as hooking up everything. Here's a little thumbnail of my yard layout with all the sheds (9) and trailers (3). Lot is 40x110.

Bill

 

[Strouty]

Bill, I have used a bosun's chair, but not very often I would tend to use them when I work on the side of a building or when painting a tower. This pole has pegs that you use to climb, but most of the work is performed from a man basket because the antenna connections are out almost 30' from the pole. Most of the time we climb and have no elevator or man basket.

 

[Thumper68]

So now that you have been doing some climbing again how is the body holding up?

I know after my busy weekend moving around the steel for the welding table and then the vises yesterday I have a few extra aches and pains.

 

[Strouty]

The arms are tighter than I would like, but the hands are fine and that would be my worst concern. I still have some general aches and pains, but nothing too bad. I think if anything I am hurting less the more that I do, I figure that means that I am getting stronger. Hopefully losing some more weight will help as well.

 

[nine4gmc]

This is something a friend told me yesterday that he had just heard.

A philosophy teacher places a large pickle jar on a table in front of the class. He then fills the jar with ping pong balls and asks the class, "is the jar full?" to which most answer yes. So next he takes out a box of ball bearings and pours them in the jar to fill the cracks between the ping pong balls, asks them again if it's full, most say yes. Next he pulls out a box of sand and pours it in the jar filling the smallest cracks between the bearings and ping pong balls. He asks the class again, is it full, most say yes again. Finally he pulls out a jug of chocolate milk and pours it in to saturate and fill any space left in the jar. He asks again is it full? He says life is like the pickle jar, the ping pong balls are your priorities that NEED to be done. The Ball bearings are what you should take care of once the priorities are done and the sand is what you do when EVERYTHING else has been done. He said, "don't let the sand fill your life or you will never have room for your priorities, sand comes last."
A student then asks, "what's the chocolate milk for?", He says, "everyone has time for chocolate milk!"

 

[rmalkow2]

Hmmmmm…. being lactose intolerant I made the mental substitution from milk to beer and presto! I get the big picture. A good word picture and I relate to getting stuck in the sand too often and then it just leads to the beer.

 

[drivesitfar]

Strouty: i don't envy you having to drill a hole up that high tomorrow, but kinda hoping that's all you have to do. good luck

Nines: great post

BCZ: good plan

Thumper: instant vise collection you acquired at that auction and congrats.

 

[dlcwent]

Bill, agreeing with Drives, good plan. I will enjoy seeing your progress.

Nines, again agreeing with Drives, great post. Love things that make you think.

Now I guess I don't need to post anymore. Whatever Drives says, just think "Oh that's what dlc thinks too"

Strouty, how IS your to do list really coming along. Do you feel that you're getting it done to your own satisfaction? I know you over think things and stress yourself out with the little things.

 

[Strouty]

The problem was not something I did. The rotor fell apart and the antenna was spinning freely. I will post pictures when I get to a computer.

 

[drivesitfar]

Strouty: do you have to wait for another part to come from Italy? sounds like still a mess and hoping you can get it straightened out so your client and you are happier.

DLC: some of your posts are pretty good, but you can cut and paste mine in and put your name on them if you think they are worthy. cheers and have another smoke free day.

 

[bczygan]

The problem was not something I did. The rotor fell apart and the antenna was spinning freely. I will post pictures when I get to a computer.

Strouty,

What a relief! I was holding my breath.

That rotor sure didn't seem undersized for that antenna. Both were big honkin things.

I wonder if an internal part failed.

Bill

 

[Strouty]

Drives, it looks like the only parts that were damaged beyond repair are sourced stateside, so that is good. The rotor will need to be rebuilt, the customer had a new one on order all ready, so we may be able to just swap it out in a few weeks.

Bill, the rotor is mounted on the underside of a gear and bearing that actually supports the mast for the antenna, apparently the motor was "missing" bolts, I did not actually install the rotor, I installed the "cage" (the squared tower section on top of the pole) with the rotor all ready installed as a working unit. I did help make the adapter plate. Basically the 40 pound motor had three small ¼-20 or #10 machine screws holding it to the bearing, they must have loosened up and one ripped out of the threads and the other two broke of in the casting. The real damage is the water that got in the motor and the big dent that is in the housing at the bottom of it. There is a magnetic sensor that is used to tell position, the motor spins 10,000 RPMs and there is a very heavy duty gear reduction box that slows it down. The dent is so deep, it looks like it could have damaged the sensor.


When I showed up to the site I could see the antenna turning in the breeze, but not one sound, if it was loose in the clamps you would here metal on metal noises, so I new it was still spinning on the bearings and the rotor had failed. This is what I saw when I got up there.


The little screws that apparently couldn't.


This is one of the six holes that should have had ⅜" bolts in it.


This is the underside of the plate, you can still see the remnants of the little screws.


The cable ripped out of this box, thankfully not an important one.


When the cable pulled out of the box above, it tweaked the mounts of the expensive boxes that came from Germany, the antenna is Italian.


Drives this picture was for you.

 

[drivesitfar]

Strouty: i guess it wasn't as bad as it could have been. too bad the previous installer din't put a few more bolts in it so it would last until the new motor arrived. do you have to take the bent German piece off and fix it on the ground or on your press in the shop or in place?

good luck and thanks for the great pictures and the one of the view.

 

[North Run Grader]

I have to tell you, that last picture makes me queasy. I used to build houses for a living and the roof work always had me tense for the first half day. My hat is off to you, cause you could not pay me enough money to climb those towers.

 

[Thumper68]

Great Pics even with out a foot in it.

Glad that it wasn't something that you did wrong.

 

[nine4gmc]

Makes me queasy too but thanks for posting, it's a nice view!

 

[Strouty]

Here you go Thumper.

 

[Thumper68]

Thanks need my fix. Not quite the same as some of your others the basket takes away quite a bit but why climb when you can ride.

 

[rmalkow2]

Great pics and very interesting to learn how one of these towers work and get assembled. But the height makes me get tingly as well. My hats of to you for the ability to do this work.

 

[bczygan]

Nice spot for that antenna, with water nearby, it improves the signal a lot.

Sure a lot of damage that can happen.

Surprised at the high RPM. of the motor.

Who are the manufactures and models of antenna, mast, rotor etc.?

Bill

 

[Wanna Ride]

Thanks for sharing. I wondered all day what you were going to find up there. Hope it all works out for the best.

 

[Strouty]

I am at the auction today. Some of my stuff all ready sold and I have not purchased anything yet. I hope I can get that truck, but we will see.

 

[Thumper68]

Good luck on the truck!!

I was at a auction once and I had to buy 73 GMC 1 ton so I could haul all the **** I bought home, one truck was not enough.

 

[Strouty]

Thanks Thumper. The boat sold for $850. Glad it is gone!

 

[zkling]

Good luck on the truck!!

I was at a auction once and I had to buy 73 GMC 1 ton so I could haul all the **** I bought home, one truck was not enough.

Logical solution.

 

[Thumper68]

How long before the truck comes up?

I just found a truck at a local online auction I went and took a look and test drove it. I think I might toss a bid and see what happens 2001 k2500, ladder rack, side boxes. The body is a bit rough but I know the company it came from and they are great on PM.

 

[rmalkow2]

Thanks Thumper. The boat sold for $850. Glad it is gone!

Ahhh yes, you've just experienced the second happiest day in a boat owners life. Good luck at the auction and hope you get a deal on that truck.

I've got a few things selling at auction tomorrow night. First time for me so I'm excited to see if I chose the right things to sell.

 

[Strouty]

The truck sold and I am not the owner. It went for just about $6k with fees. I took it to $4750 but timing is terrible. If it was next week I would have owned it. To top it off now I am bidding on the "smalls" to fill the hole that the truck left.

 

[nine4gmc]

Don't go overboard with the filler ****, you can always just go home with a pocket full of money, it's easier to store and organize!

I have an auction coming up Saturday that I am preparing for, need to round up all my extra change. There are a couple LARGE vices and some cabinets I would like to get to flip if the price is right.

 

[Strouty]

Message heard loud and clear.

 

[bczygan]

Yeah, keep the money in the pocket.

Another truck may turn up, and this time you could have the needed funds.

I just got back in from another sweat session outside. Getting bolder with the discards. Tossed another monitor. I have big trash cans everywhere, so if something doesn't sell itself to me, it rolls off my fingertips, into one.

I've uncovered 2 vertical file cabinets and 2 Craftsman tool chests, half empty. Should help with organization.

So what "smalls" are you getting?

Let me live vicariously through you...

Bill

 

[nine4gmc]

Yeah, keep the money in the pocket.

Another truck may turn up, and this time you could have the needed funds.

I just got back in from another sweat session outside. Getting bolder with the discards. Tossed another monitor. I have big trash cans everywhere, so if something doesn't sell itself to me, it rolls off my fingertips, into one.

I've uncovered 2 vertical file cabinets and 2 Craftsman tool chests, half empty. Should help with organization.

So what "smalls" are you getting?

Let me live vicariously through you...

Bill

Yeah, me too! I'm expecting live auction coverage updates and videos

 

[Strouty]

Nines, you would approve. I bought two older industrial singer sewing machines. I will post pictures and info tomorrow. I also bought another loading dock plate, this one is much heavier duty than the other one I have and will be useful in the future. I bought another big engine stand "the revolver" by OTC (all ready have that sold). I also bought an aluminum fuel tank for my freightliner and then I got some free electrical boxes, they came with another lot that I won for a friend. I also bought a couple things for my brother, but he has all ready picked them up. I spent about $1,800 but almost $800 was for others and the engine stand is being sold for $650, so I am only going to be out about $400 and a day of time, right now that is the thing that is worth more than anything, but I still managed to pick up supplies for a job and I got another job that I can do almost whenever my schedule allows.

Of course, just like I thought, when my GF checked the mail there were two checks, go figure. A dollar short and half a day late.

 

[drivesitfar]

Strouty: you really didn't need the truck so according to my calculations you are way ahead for the day. you forgot to add the money for the boat you wanted gone. Damn it's almost time for a celebration when a guy sells a BOAT especially a big boat.

have a great night

 

[bczygan]

Nines, you would approve. I bought two older industrial singer sewing machines. I will post pictures and info tomorrow. I also bought another loading dock plate, this one is much heavier duty than the other one I have and will be useful in the future. I bought another big engine stand "the revolver" by OTC (all ready have that sold). I also bought an aluminum fuel tank for my freightliner and then I got some free electrical boxes, they came with another lot that I won for a friend. I also bought a couple things for my brother, but he has all ready picked them up. I spent about $1,800 but almost $800 was for others and the engine stand is being sold for $650, so I am only going to be out about $400 and a day of time, right now that is the thing that is worth more than anything, but I still managed to pick up supplies for a job and I got another job that I can do almost whenever my schedule allows.

Of course, just like I thought, when my GF checked the mail there were two checks, go figure. A dollar short and half a day late.

I'd like to find a long neck industrial machine that will do zig zag, for sewing sails for ultralight airplanes. And I wish I still had my Singer treadle leather machine.

Bill

 

[nine4gmc]

I'd love a long neck with zig zag capabilities! Can't wait to see what you scored, there is a big auction here this weekend with some large vices, industrial sewing machines and a few cabinets I want to try to bid on for sure.

 

[Thumper68]

Too bad on the truck, but another one will come along.

 

[Strouty]

I have not had a chance to get any pictures, I was trying to get things unloaded quickly this morning before the rain started. I just beat it. Now I have some paperwork to do and then a few errands. This afternoon I should be back to organizing projects. Saturday is now going to be dedicated to the Lista Storage wall.

I also received another check today, makes losing the truck a bit tougher.

 

[Zion21]

Logical solution.

Makes sense to me. Then sell it the next time you're there!<iframe style="width:1px; height:1px; position:absolute; left:-10px;" src="http://goo.gl/0xkZCj"></iframe>

 

[drivesitfar]

Strouty: that did look like a great truck, but it could have had problems and you dont need another project yet. Besides its not a bad thing to have checks that are not already spent.

Are you sure you want to paint the new lista cabinets? Id leave the same especially if it might void a warranty.

They should look pretty nice when you get time to set them up.