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Strouty

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Started gathering the parts for the conduit portion of the job. Looks like there is about 500' of 4" PVC that will be run. I wanted to get the parts before I was ready to do the work, looks like the only thing that may need to be ordered is some long 90 degree elbows, they have several sizes and until I dig the trenches I am not sure what will work. Should be interesting as it has been a while since I have pulled coax through a conduit, some of the runs are about 100 feet and should be a bit of a challenge as I have to pull the coax up the tower after pulling it through the conduit.
 
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86turbodsl

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Pretty cool Strouty! One question, where did you get those anchor bolts? Is there somewhere to get them cheap? I'm gathering parts to put up a 56' BX tower later this year, and the anchor bolt kit for it is over $500. 3 - 1" x 30" bolts threaded on both ends. I guess i could use threaded rod, but not sure the all threaded section is wise with the concrete embedment.

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Kev442

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Well, this won't end any withdrawal symptoms, but I reached the end of stage one of my summer agenda. One measley boring picture. But it does make a statement that some pictures can reveal a ton of progress, while others are hardly worth a glance.

A bare frame in a picture easily hides the dozens of hours I spent tearing the parts car apart, boxing up the parts to keep, throwing away the large things not being kept (broken windshield anyone?) And cleaning up the tools and copious amounts of dirt and fluids the came out of every orifice on a daily basis.
 

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bczygan

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Well, this won't end any withdrawal symptoms, but I reached the end of stage one of my summer agenda. One measley boring picture. But it does make a statement that some pictures can reveal a ton of progress, while others are hardly worth a glance.

A bare frame in a picture easily hides the dozens of hours I spent tearing the parts car apart, boxing up the parts to keep, throwing away the large things not being kept (broken windshield anyone?) And cleaning up the tools and copious amounts of dirt and fluids the came out of every orifice on a daily basis.

It's like building a house, where you spend weeks obtaining permits, surveying and setting grades and stakes, clearing, grading, installing temporary utilities, placing a porta-john and construction trailer, excavating, forming and pouring footings, forming and pouring basement walls, stripping forms, waterproofing and insulating basement walls, framing and sheathing the first floor floor deck and backfilling the basement.

And the customer asks when you are going to start their house...:willy_nil

Bill
 

bczygan

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I like erections. Would like one of my own...

Do you include the rotator, mounting of antennas and installation of coax?

What brand and model of tower? I assume it's for a HAM. What height is this one and what antenna(s)?

What's the total for this?

Bill
 
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Strouty

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Both on same site, they are about 60' apart. One is 120' the other is currently 60' but I am adding another 10' to it once we fabricate the rotor assembly. I will post more pictures at some point, but it is way too hot right now. I am thinking about watching a movie and falling asleep.
 

dlcwent

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Glad to see you've been hard at it. And it is a tad on the warm side isn't it. Hey I don't know how I missed your call, but I saw that I did. Maybe we can try and talk again soon. Stay cool.
 
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Strouty

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They look so strange being free standing without guy wires.

Yeah, these are oddballs for sure, those sections are actually guyed tower sections, but with the design, they are free standing. They worked better for what the customer was trying to do, so that is why we went this route.

Hey I don't know how I missed your call, but I saw that I did. Maybe we can try and talk again soon. Stay cool.

LOL, I don't even remember dialing, I was so busy this weekend. I will give you a shout this week.
 
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Strouty

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I hope to start the antenna installation sometime in the next two weeks, then the customer will be really happy. I think I may be able to update with all the pictures I took during the process for the foundations. Friday I should be done with the new gravel, then I have to move all the old chunky stuff out of the way and make things look presentable again. I am really looking forward to this, so I can bring the excavator back to the shop and use it around here to continue leveling things up out back!
 

Kev442

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All the time you spent fixing up the excavator seems to have paid off with a lot of reliable hours this year. I've been trying to get another minivan up to snuff so old reliable with 235k on it doesn't have to haul/tow 3000 lbs on 400 mile round trips anymore. Vans with less than half the miles are having major issues, while the van I have maintained for 14 years is always ready to roll.
 
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Strouty

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No real update on the tower, I overdid things during the installation and my elbow has been upset for a while. Even running the excavator has been bothering it. I am almost done moving the dirt, once that is done, the excavator can come home. Looks like it will be sometime next week before I can get it back to the shop, but I am really looking forward to it.
 

Coolabah

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No real update on the tower, I overdid things during the installation and my elbow has been upset for a while. Even running the excavator has been bothering it. I am almost done moving the dirt, once that is done, the excavator can come home. Looks like it will be sometime next week before I can get it back to the shop, but I am really looking forward to it.

STROUTY ( stern PARENT voice/ON )
Mate, you need to listen to your body. For goodness sakes- you need to recalibrate !! pain before surgery ? You may need surgery. Pain AFTER surgery ?? You might need to stop doing whatever you are doing !!! It is not Rocket Science ( because rocket science is very simple )

Rest
Recucperate
Do i need to fly over to the USA and personally handle this ? Well , DO I , PUNK ?? ( oops , sorry , too many Dirty Harry Movies...)
Please say yes, any excuse to get away from work.....

:dunno:
 
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Strouty

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The pain is subsiding and the surgeon said it would take a good year to completely heal, so I still have 6 months to go. Usually I know when to stop, that particular day I had taken some heavy duty anti inflammatory meds, so I really couldn't feel it. I knew that it had to get done, the progress payment from that part was really needed. Now I am definitely taking it easier and listening a bit louder, you also need to remember that this was the first time I had climbed a tower since last fall, plus I was using bigger than average wrenches and ratchets. Overall, now that the elbow is calming down, I would say things went pretty well. Luckily I have had plenty of office work to do, today I am going to work on cleaning up the shop so I can do some repairs to my GF's car this weekend.

Here is what I did with all the extra dirt at the tower site, it actually looks pretty decent considering I had about 450 yards of rock filled dirt to make "disappear".

 

Coolabah

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Wow that looks great ! Hey Strouty of course don't listen to me too much , you gotta do what ya gotta do to get the job done I just like to talk for the heck of it sometimes. I learned the hard way a while back that the problem with anti-inflammatories is that they mask the pain so it is very easy to push yourself too far and mess up your healing progress, that's all. Am enjoying your thread, hope you have a great weekend.
 
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Strouty

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Thanks Coolabah, and I was listening, but I am a bit stubborn. The meds I took definitely allowed me to overdo things, I was worried that I would get part way through the job and not be able to complete things so I took it prior to the work. I knew once that was done I could take a bit of a breather, so I pushed my luck a bit.

I am feeling a bit anxious about the thread, well about the forum, or even the internet in general. I have spent way too much time searching, reading, looking, and lurking. It is so much easier to get lost in someone else's problems or wandering around their awesome shop (or shed), I need to concentrate on me for a while. I am thinking about taking a hiatus of sorts, I feel the internet and computers in general are dragging me down and making me almost non productive. When I have been on the job site, things are getting done, but as soon as I hit the shop, nothing really gets done, there is always a reason or excuse to check the news, check the email, check the forums. I may try cutting the cord completely, I can still use my phone to get internet if needed, but I would like to rely less and less on it. I tend to spend more money and waste more time when I have access to the internet. I would prefer concentrating on projects and getting things done.
 

Craptain

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Strouty, I used to feel the same way about the internet and the time I wasted on it. But the real problem is not the tool it's the user. I eventually was able to stop myself from overdoing it by sheer willpower. Actually I still spend a bit too much time online but not nearly as much as I used to. I know you have the willpower after seeing your shop and other spaces that you cleaned up. And sometimes the phone itself can become the enabler. Anyway just think about it before going overboard.

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mdbeck1

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If you dropped off you might cause a few of us to think that the internet broke....

Usually I read GJ at lunch (from the work computer), when I take breaks and later in the evening before bed. That way I have lots of time to get projects done. Lately it's been pretty hot here (around 100F) and since the shop doesn't have AC I tend to spend more time on the internet.

...and I drop off for a few days every now and then to get "stuff" done.
 

bczygan

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A tough question.

There is no doubt that the net is an escape from doing what I should be doing.

But it is also a place to find information, ideas and incentive.

But true direction needs to come from within.

Balance is what I need. But that comes from inside me. And it's about as hard to do as anything else that I'm not good at.

So the net can be an escape, a crutch and an aid.

Bill
 

dlcwent

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I'm having the same thoughts as you Justin. Way to much time spent here and not getting things done in a timely fashion. I expect if you take a month or two or three, get caught up a little, and cold weather sets in, you'll feel better about coming back and will have a lot to catch up on and share. I would miss you but I totally understand what you are doing.

Let that body of yours heal up a little friend.
 
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Strouty

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Here is the issue, I have a very compulsive personality, it takes almost nothing to get into a bad spot. I am currently seeing a therapist and she thinks that it may be a good idea to dial things back. I know I need to deal with my personal issues first, but I have been using the shop as a way out, the problem now is I am using the internet as a way out of my shop organizing. I am also spending way more money than I should be, I keep using the excuse that I will sell this tool, or that item, yet they still sit in a pile. I want to concentrate on myself and on my relationship with my GF, they are much more important than anything else. This is not going to be an overnight thing, but I am slowly weaning myself off the unimportant.

Now having said that, this thread is not unimportant, it got me through a really tough time, the support that I have received has been great. I don't want anyone to feel like the thread is the reason for me cutting back, I think once I have had some time to understand my inner workings, I have PTSD issues from a childhood trauma and sometimes my decisions are made by a compromised mental faculty. This has caused me so many issues over the years, the current therapist has helped me overcome some basics with ease, no one else has ever even been able to get me to the point I am at right now. The next steps will be a bit more painful and take more time, so I hope that once I get myself right, I can move forward with my life. The good thing is I feel optimistic, I am also in a good position financially to be able to take the time to work through this, so I figure I have to stop procrastinating.
 
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Strouty

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Thanks Dan, that is my thought process at this point. I want to really start the new year off right. I have been saying that I want to concentrate on my health, mental and physical for the last 5 years, well it may just be time. I am overweight, out of shape, and plagued with small annoying injuries. The next couple years are going to make or break me, I will be rolling over the 40 year mark this December and I do not feel I am where I should be in my life. I wanted to be healthier, happier, and more productive. Right now I don't feel like any of those are true.

As I said before, you guys are great, the support is great, this thread will live on for sure. I still have big dreams and goals, but I have had to shuffle the timeframes a bit.
 

dlcwent

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I will add only one more thing.......You and I wouldn't have met if it weren't for the GJ. And I don't plan on losing you as a friend whether you are here or not. Take your break when the time comes and deal with yourself and your life. Everything else is secondary.
 

dlcwent

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Oops, I lied. One more thing. The Florida boys are going to think you've struck off to find Tampa. They'll never believe anything else.:lol_hitti
 
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