"DOUGLAS SNOWDEN" wrote in message ...
I am still trying to decide what type of tower to buy for a house I will be
moving into. I would like something I can handle easily by myself, meaning
either crankup or tiltover aluminum. I was thinking about maybe a Heights
or Universal aluminum 50-60ft on a tiltover base, not the foldover base. To
save money I would like to fabricate some sort of steel post along the side
of the tower, with a pulley/winch arrangement. Not being an engineer, I am
looking for ideas on how high the pole shoule be - maybe as a ratio of the
tower height and what would be a good safe diameter pipe. Am I looking for
trouble? Typical commercial foldover mechanisms are expensive. Should I
just rent a cherry picker for the occasional times I would be tilting the
tower over? As light as it would be that should be a solution.

Engineering a tower installation is not rocket science but only for
for those educated and experienced in the field of structural analyses
and design. Towers "engineered" by those who don't have appropriate
backgrounds are potential deathtraps.

Don't raise a full-height tower via a pole, cherry picker or sign
crane unless you have a grip on all the reaction forces & streses on
the structure based on the location of the lift point.

Select a catalog tower and stick 100% to the manufaucturer's
installation and operation directions. It'll cost more but you'll
sleep better.


Doug

N4IJ

w3rv