Hi all,

I'm considering building a tower.

The intended purpose of the tower would be two-fold:
An observation deck just below the top, for drinking refreshing
beverages, and taking in the view...and a mounting at the top for tv
and radio antennas, a web cam, etc.

Needed features are a fairly low challenge way of ascending the
tower,(stairs with landings?)
Height of the tower at its top needs to be around 60' above grade,
with the observation deck at about 50'.
It would be good if it looks interesting or artsy so as not to offend
the neighbors (although except for the top 10 to 15 feet, it will be
obscured by the trees).

I have as resources:
several hundred feet of 3" structural steel I beam S3x5.7
around one hundred feet of 6" structural steel I beam S6x12.5
I have some good local sources of recycled steel angles and plate for
gusseting and bracing, etc.
SMAW welder and electricity to run it at the site
Oxy/Acetylene torch and the usual grinders / metal saw etc.
Water at the site.
Friend with a digger truck to dig piers
Sandy soil with a heavy rock base a few feet down (rock base is within
depth range of the digger truck).

Questions I have a
(Just looking for some broad scope suggestions / ideas here).

1. Legal issues - what should I consider as far as State, Federal and
/ or FAA regs? I'm in a rural county in north Texas, there is no
local building code or inspection required for building a home, for
example. If necessary to avoid regulation, I could reduce the height
of the tower, but if I come down much from my goals stated above, the
view and the reception go away, making it a pointless excercise.
Some of my neighbors houses look to be 50' or more above grade - at
their roof peaks (very steep pitches are popular around here right
now).

2. Design - any good examples or ideas come to the fertile minds of
the metal butchers here? Would something with a tapered triangle as a
cross section work well? Like a first stage with three legs of the
S6, or? Maybe a scaled down version of some historic American tower?

Your comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Jess

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...6517 863&rd=1

Hey lift one of these on a 50 ft concrete pillar, might give the
neighbors something to talk about. Shucks just connect all three
together with tunnels and Gunner might be your new best
friend.......:')




On Sat, 15 Jan 2005 23:17:55 -0600, Jess
wrote:

Hi all,

I'm considering building a tower.

The intended purpose of the tower would be two-fold:
An observation deck just below the top, for drinking refreshing
beverages, and taking in the view...and a mounting at the top for tv
and radio antennas, a web cam, etc.

Needed features are a fairly low challenge way of ascending the
tower,(stairs with landings?)
Height of the tower at its top needs to be around 60' above grade,
with the observation deck at about 50'.
It would be good if it looks interesting or artsy so as not to offend
the neighbors (although except for the top 10 to 15 feet, it will be
obscured by the trees).

I have as resources:
several hundred feet of 3" structural steel I beam S3x5.7
around one hundred feet of 6" structural steel I beam S6x12.5
I have some good local sources of recycled steel angles and plate for
gusseting and bracing, etc.
SMAW welder and electricity to run it at the site
Oxy/Acetylene torch and the usual grinders / metal saw etc.
Water at the site.
Friend with a digger truck to dig piers
Sandy soil with a heavy rock base a few feet down (rock base is within
depth range of the digger truck).

Questions I have a
(Just looking for some broad scope suggestions / ideas here).

1. Legal issues - what should I consider as far as State, Federal and
/ or FAA regs? I'm in a rural county in north Texas, there is no
local building code or inspection required for building a home, for
example. If necessary to avoid regulation, I could reduce the height
of the tower, but if I come down much from my goals stated above, the
view and the reception go away, making it a pointless excercise.
Some of my neighbors houses look to be 50' or more above grade - at
their roof peaks (very steep pitches are popular around here right
now).

2. Design - any good examples or ideas come to the fertile minds of
the metal butchers here? Would something with a tapered triangle as a
cross section work well? Like a first stage with three legs of the
S6, or? Maybe a scaled down version of some historic American tower?

Your comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Jess








----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 100,000 Newsgroups
---= East/West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =---

Trees do not grow to the sky, but they do grow. Plan ahead.

On Sat, 15 Jan 2005 22:36:52 -0700, DE
wrote:




http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...6517 863&rd=1

Hey lift one of these on a 50 ft concrete pillar, might give the
neighbors something to talk about. Shucks just connect all three
together with tunnels and Gunner might be your new best
friend.......:')


Hey! Air conditioned Texas deer hunting stands. Way cool.

Gunner




On Sat, 15 Jan 2005 23:17:55 -0600, Jess
wrote:

Hi all,

I'm considering building a tower.

The intended purpose of the tower would be two-fold:
An observation deck just below the top, for drinking refreshing
beverages, and taking in the view...and a mounting at the top for tv
and radio antennas, a web cam, etc.

Needed features are a fairly low challenge way of ascending the
tower,(stairs with landings?)
Height of the tower at its top needs to be around 60' above grade,
with the observation deck at about 50'.
It would be good if it looks interesting or artsy so as not to offend
the neighbors (although except for the top 10 to 15 feet, it will be
obscured by the trees).

I have as resources:
several hundred feet of 3" structural steel I beam S3x5.7
around one hundred feet of 6" structural steel I beam S6x12.5
I have some good local sources of recycled steel angles and plate for
gusseting and bracing, etc.
SMAW welder and electricity to run it at the site
Oxy/Acetylene torch and the usual grinders / metal saw etc.
Water at the site.
Friend with a digger truck to dig piers
Sandy soil with a heavy rock base a few feet down (rock base is within
depth range of the digger truck).

Questions I have a
(Just looking for some broad scope suggestions / ideas here).

1. Legal issues - what should I consider as far as State, Federal and
/ or FAA regs? I'm in a rural county in north Texas, there is no
local building code or inspection required for building a home, for
example. If necessary to avoid regulation, I could reduce the height
of the tower, but if I come down much from my goals stated above, the
view and the reception go away, making it a pointless excercise.
Some of my neighbors houses look to be 50' or more above grade - at
their roof peaks (very steep pitches are popular around here right
now).

2. Design - any good examples or ideas come to the fertile minds of
the metal butchers here? Would something with a tapered triangle as a
cross section work well? Like a first stage with three legs of the
S6, or? Maybe a scaled down version of some historic American tower?

Your comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Jess








----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 100,000 Newsgroups
---= East/West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =---

"At the core of liberalism is the spoiled child -
miserable, as all spoiled children are, unsatisfied,
demanding, ill-disciplined, despotic and useless.
Liberalism is a philosphy of sniveling brats." -- P.J. O'Rourke

And that nice green glow would make an interesting statement too

"DE" wrote in message
news



http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...6517 863&rd=1

Hey lift one of these on a 50 ft concrete pillar, might give the
neighbors something to talk about. Shucks just connect all three
together with tunnels and Gunner might be your new best
friend.......:')




On Sat, 15 Jan 2005 23:17:55 -0600, Jess
wrote:

Hi all,

I'm considering building a tower.

The intended purpose of the tower would be two-fold:
An observation deck just below the top, for drinking refreshing
beverages, and taking in the view...and a mounting at the top for tv
and radio antennas, a web cam, etc.

Needed features are a fairly low challenge way of ascending the
tower,(stairs with landings?)
Height of the tower at its top needs to be around 60' above grade,
with the observation deck at about 50'.
It would be good if it looks interesting or artsy so as not to offend
the neighbors (although except for the top 10 to 15 feet, it will be
obscured by the trees).

I have as resources:
several hundred feet of 3" structural steel I beam S3x5.7
around one hundred feet of 6" structural steel I beam S6x12.5
I have some good local sources of recycled steel angles and plate for
gusseting and bracing, etc.
SMAW welder and electricity to run it at the site
Oxy/Acetylene torch and the usual grinders / metal saw etc.
Water at the site.
Friend with a digger truck to dig piers
Sandy soil with a heavy rock base a few feet down (rock base is within
depth range of the digger truck).

Questions I have a
(Just looking for some broad scope suggestions / ideas here).

1. Legal issues - what should I consider as far as State, Federal and
/ or FAA regs? I'm in a rural county in north Texas, there is no
local building code or inspection required for building a home, for
example. If necessary to avoid regulation, I could reduce the height
of the tower, but if I come down much from my goals stated above, the
view and the reception go away, making it a pointless excercise.
Some of my neighbors houses look to be 50' or more above grade - at
their roof peaks (very steep pitches are popular around here right
now).

2. Design - any good examples or ideas come to the fertile minds of
the metal butchers here? Would something with a tapered triangle as a
cross section work well? Like a first stage with three legs of the
S6, or? Maybe a scaled down version of some historic American tower?

Your comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Jess








----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet
News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 100,000
Newsgroups
---= East/West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =---

Jess wrote:

Hi all,

I'm considering building a tower.

The intended purpose of the tower would be two-fold:
An observation deck just below the top, for drinking refreshing
beverages, and taking in the view...and a mounting at the top for tv
and radio antennas, a web cam, etc.

Needed features are a fairly low challenge way of ascending the
tower,(stairs with landings?)
Height of the tower at its top needs to be around 60' above grade,
with the observation deck at about 50'.
It would be good if it looks interesting or artsy so as not to offend
the neighbors (although except for the top 10 to 15 feet, it will be
obscured by the trees).

I have as resources:
several hundred feet of 3" structural steel I beam S3x5.7
around one hundred feet of 6" structural steel I beam S6x12.5
I have some good local sources of recycled steel angles and plate for
gusseting and bracing, etc.
SMAW welder and electricity to run it at the site
Oxy/Acetylene torch and the usual grinders / metal saw etc.
Water at the site.
Friend with a digger truck to dig piers
Sandy soil with a heavy rock base a few feet down (rock base is within
depth range of the digger truck).

Questions I have a
(Just looking for some broad scope suggestions / ideas here).

1. Legal issues - what should I consider as far as State, Federal and
/ or FAA regs? I'm in a rural county in north Texas, there is no
local building code or inspection required for building a home, for
example. If necessary to avoid regulation, I could reduce the height
of the tower, but if I come down much from my goals stated above, the
view and the reception go away, making it a pointless excercise.
Some of my neighbors houses look to be 50' or more above grade - at
their roof peaks (very steep pitches are popular around here right
now).

2. Design - any good examples or ideas come to the fertile minds of
the metal butchers here? Would something with a tapered triangle as a
cross section work well? Like a first stage with three legs of the
S6, or? Maybe a scaled down version of some historic American tower?

Your comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Jess








Here is a proven design made of structural steel and rivets.

http://www.indiana.edu/~frithome/abo...ffel-tower.jpg

Of course your neighbors may be annoyed due to current political
sentiment but you could always point out that there is one in Las Vegas too.

fred

I'm considering building a tower.


Sounds similar to the 60' steel tower I built for my first windmill in
Scarborough, Maine. I went to the planning board to see if there were any
issues. The first question was, "If it falls down, will it land on anyone elses
property?"

The answer was "No", and their answer was to "go ahead". It should be
interesting.

I used 3" angle for the bottom, 2.5" for the next section and 2" for the top,
each being 20 feet long. I used 0.75" steel strapping for cross bracing and
bolted the whole thing together with 0.5" bolts. That was handy a few years
later when I moved and was able to take the tower with me.

It was a great view from the top overlooking a salt water marsh on out to the
ocean.

Earle Rich
Mont Vernon, NH
Alva, Florida

Take a look at the old style high voltage power lines. something like this:
http://wilkes1.wilkes.edu/~kklemow/i...power-line.gif
http://www.opendreams.net/jesse/imag....line.base.jpg
These are tpically made with 20' pieces of angle iron, predrilled,
galvanized, and errected without a crane using a jib pole.

Depth and size of your footings will depend a lot on the size of the
platform and other wind load issues. Weight of the tower is not really a
big deal, probably less than 1000 pounds set on 4 footsings. The bigger
the cross section on top, the more mass you need on the bottom.

I suspect that rigging your tower will be much more of a challenge than
you would imagine. Think about standing on a platform 40' up in the air,
trying to set a 20' long piece of steel straight up from where you are.
If you use the 3" 'I' beam, a 20' piece will weigh 115 pounds. Cutting
the stages down to 10' per each will mean setting 24 verticals of 55
pounds each. Not fun, quite dangerous if you don't do it right.

Cheers.

Jess wrote:

Hi all,

I'm considering building a tower.

The intended purpose of the tower would be two-fold:
An observation deck just below the top, for drinking refreshing
beverages, and taking in the view...and a mounting at the top for tv
and radio antennas, a web cam, etc.

Needed features are a fairly low challenge way of ascending the
tower,(stairs with landings?)
Height of the tower at its top needs to be around 60' above grade,
with the observation deck at about 50'.
It would be good if it looks interesting or artsy so as not to offend
the neighbors (although except for the top 10 to 15 feet, it will be
obscured by the trees).

I have as resources:
several hundred feet of 3" structural steel I beam S3x5.7
around one hundred feet of 6" structural steel I beam S6x12.5
I have some good local sources of recycled steel angles and plate for
gusseting and bracing, etc.
SMAW welder and electricity to run it at the site
Oxy/Acetylene torch and the usual grinders / metal saw etc.
Water at the site.
Friend with a digger truck to dig piers
Sandy soil with a heavy rock base a few feet down (rock base is within
depth range of the digger truck).

Questions I have a
(Just looking for some broad scope suggestions / ideas here).

1. Legal issues - what should I consider as far as State, Federal and
/ or FAA regs? I'm in a rural county in north Texas, there is no
local building code or inspection required for building a home, for
example. If necessary to avoid regulation, I could reduce the height
of the tower, but if I come down much from my goals stated above, the
view and the reception go away, making it a pointless excercise.
Some of my neighbors houses look to be 50' or more above grade - at
their roof peaks (very steep pitches are popular around here right
now).

2. Design - any good examples or ideas come to the fertile minds of
the metal butchers here? Would something with a tapered triangle as a
cross section work well? Like a first stage with three legs of the
S6, or? Maybe a scaled down version of some historic American tower?

Your comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Jess

Jess wrote:

Hi all,

I'm considering building a tower.

The intended purpose of the tower would be two-fold:
An observation deck just below the top, for drinking refreshing
beverages, and taking in the view...and a mounting at the top for tv
and radio antennas, a web cam, etc.

Needed features are a fairly low challenge way of ascending the
tower,(stairs with landings?)
Height of the tower at its top needs to be around 60' above grade,
with the observation deck at about 50'.
It would be good if it looks interesting or artsy so as not to offend
the neighbors (although except for the top 10 to 15 feet, it will be
obscured by the trees).

I have as resources:
several hundred feet of 3" structural steel I beam S3x5.7
around one hundred feet of 6" structural steel I beam S6x12.5
I have some good local sources of recycled steel angles and plate for
gusseting and bracing, etc.
SMAW welder and electricity to run it at the site
Oxy/Acetylene torch and the usual grinders / metal saw etc.
Water at the site.
Friend with a digger truck to dig piers
Sandy soil with a heavy rock base a few feet down (rock base is within
depth range of the digger truck).

Questions I have a
(Just looking for some broad scope suggestions / ideas here).

1. Legal issues - what should I consider as far as State, Federal and
/ or FAA regs? I'm in a rural county in north Texas, there is no
local building code or inspection required for building a home, for
example. If necessary to avoid regulation, I could reduce the height
of the tower, but if I come down much from my goals stated above, the
view and the reception go away, making it a pointless excercise.
Some of my neighbors houses look to be 50' or more above grade - at
their roof peaks (very steep pitches are popular around here right
now).

2. Design - any good examples or ideas come to the fertile minds of
the metal butchers here? Would something with a tapered triangle as a
cross section work well? Like a first stage with three legs of the
S6, or? Maybe a scaled down version of some historic American tower?

I have wondered about building a tower of concrete cylinders as is used
for large culverts. I would think you could have at least 30-ft of
height made of that, which could give you some volume to store things if
you liked. Extend your steel up from that?

Have you any plans for making it down the tower and into the house
after having serveral cool beverages at the 50' level, or is this not a
problem for Texans?

I remember seeing wooden towers such as you suggest in the Brownsville
Texas area. We always assumed they were for spotting illegals. Be sure
and post some pictures of your project as it developes.
Paul in Redmond, Oregon

Here's some links on some towers that might be
what you are looking to build. I believe that many of
these towers have been sold to the public in recent years.
There might be some more for sale.
This is a 45'er
http://www.firelookout.com/mt/blackbuttemt.html

or a 72'er

http://www.firelookout.com/mt/bluemtnk.html

I've visited a few of these towers over the years.
50' is a long way up in a thunderstorm. I was impressed
as a kid by how the furniture is on glass insulators, and
the stories about balls of lightining that bounce around the
hut on occasions.G

You might consider adding a crane to your equipment list....


DE

On Sat, 15 Jan 2005 23:17:55 -0600, Jess
wrote:

Hi all,

I'm considering building a tower.

The intended purpose of the tower would be two-fold:
An observation deck just below the top, for drinking refreshing
beverages, and taking in the view...and a mounting at the top for tv
and radio antennas, a web cam, etc.

Needed features are a fairly low challenge way of ascending the
tower,(stairs with landings?)
Height of the tower at its top needs to be around 60' above grade,
with the observation deck at about 50'.
It would be good if it looks interesting or artsy so as not to offend
the neighbors (although except for the top 10 to 15 feet, it will be
obscured by the trees).

I have as resources:
several hundred feet of 3" structural steel I beam S3x5.7
around one hundred feet of 6" structural steel I beam S6x12.5
I have some good local sources of recycled steel angles and plate for
gusseting and bracing, etc.
SMAW welder and electricity to run it at the site
Oxy/Acetylene torch and the usual grinders / metal saw etc.
Water at the site.
Friend with a digger truck to dig piers
Sandy soil with a heavy rock base a few feet down (rock base is within
depth range of the digger truck).

Questions I have a
(Just looking for some broad scope suggestions / ideas here).

1. Legal issues - what should I consider as far as State, Federal and
/ or FAA regs? I'm in a rural county in north Texas, there is no
local building code or inspection required for building a home, for
example. If necessary to avoid regulation, I could reduce the height
of the tower, but if I come down much from my goals stated above, the
view and the reception go away, making it a pointless excercise.
Some of my neighbors houses look to be 50' or more above grade - at
their roof peaks (very steep pitches are popular around here right
now).

2. Design - any good examples or ideas come to the fertile minds of
the metal butchers here? Would something with a tapered triangle as a
cross section work well? Like a first stage with three legs of the
S6, or? Maybe a scaled down version of some historic American tower?

Your comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Jess

Jess, have you visited oil well rigging and drilling outfits? For some
places they prefer to leave some of the old rigs in place rather than tear
it down. You might fine one in the back of a yard already ready to put
together. If not, I bet someone of the older folks know what's the best way
to go about putting something like this together.
Nowadays they use portable rigs instead, so the pickings might be
getting slim, but the yards are full of old guys yearning for the glory
days...

"Jess" wrote in message
...
| Hi all,
|
| I'm considering building a tower.
|
| The intended purpose of the tower would be two-fold:
| An observation deck just below the top, for drinking refreshing
| beverages, and taking in the view...and a mounting at the top for tv
| and radio antennas, a web cam, etc.
|
| Needed features are a fairly low challenge way of ascending the
| tower,(stairs with landings?)
| Height of the tower at its top needs to be around 60' above grade,
| with the observation deck at about 50'.
| It would be good if it looks interesting or artsy so as not to offend
| the neighbors (although except for the top 10 to 15 feet, it will be
| obscured by the trees).
|
| I have as resources:
| several hundred feet of 3" structural steel I beam S3x5.7
| around one hundred feet of 6" structural steel I beam S6x12.5
| I have some good local sources of recycled steel angles and plate for
| gusseting and bracing, etc.
| SMAW welder and electricity to run it at the site
| Oxy/Acetylene torch and the usual grinders / metal saw etc.
| Water at the site.
| Friend with a digger truck to dig piers
| Sandy soil with a heavy rock base a few feet down (rock base is within
| depth range of the digger truck).
|
| Questions I have a
| (Just looking for some broad scope suggestions / ideas here).
|
| 1. Legal issues - what should I consider as far as State, Federal and
| / or FAA regs? I'm in a rural county in north Texas, there is no
| local building code or inspection required for building a home, for
| example. If necessary to avoid regulation, I could reduce the height
| of the tower, but if I come down much from my goals stated above, the
| view and the reception go away, making it a pointless excercise.
| Some of my neighbors houses look to be 50' or more above grade - at
| their roof peaks (very steep pitches are popular around here right
| now).
|
| 2. Design - any good examples or ideas come to the fertile minds of
| the metal butchers here? Would something with a tapered triangle as a
| cross section work well? Like a first stage with three legs of the
| S6, or? Maybe a scaled down version of some historic American tower?
|
| Your comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated.
|
| Thanks,
|
| Jess
|
|
|
|
|
|

On Sat, 15 Jan 2005 23:17:55 -0600, Jess
wrote:

Hi all,

I'm considering building a tower.

The intended purpose of the tower would be two-fold:
An observation deck just below the top, for drinking refreshing
beverages, and taking in the view...and a mounting at the top for tv
and radio antennas, a web cam, etc.

Needed features are a fairly low challenge way of ascending the
tower,(stairs with landings?)
Height of the tower at its top needs to be around 60' above grade,
with the observation deck at about 50'.
It would be good if it looks interesting or artsy so as not to offend
the neighbors (although except for the top 10 to 15 feet, it will be
obscured by the trees).

I have as resources:
several hundred feet of 3" structural steel I beam S3x5.7
around one hundred feet of 6" structural steel I beam S6x12.5
I have some good local sources of recycled steel angles and plate for
gusseting and bracing, etc.
SMAW welder and electricity to run it at the site
Oxy/Acetylene torch and the usual grinders / metal saw etc.
Water at the site.
Friend with a digger truck to dig piers
Sandy soil with a heavy rock base a few feet down (rock base is within
depth range of the digger truck).

Questions I have a
(Just looking for some broad scope suggestions / ideas here).

1. Legal issues - what should I consider as far as State, Federal and
/ or FAA regs? I'm in a rural county in north Texas, there is no
local building code or inspection required for building a home, for
example. If necessary to avoid regulation, I could reduce the height
of the tower, but if I come down much from my goals stated above, the
view and the reception go away, making it a pointless excercise.
Some of my neighbors houses look to be 50' or more above grade - at
their roof peaks (very steep pitches are popular around here right
now).

2. Design - any good examples or ideas come to the fertile minds of
the metal butchers here? Would something with a tapered triangle as a
cross section work well? Like a first stage with three legs of the
S6, or? Maybe a scaled down version of some historic American tower?

Your comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Jess

As with any tower, you need to start at the top. What is your wind
load going to be? And what is the wind rating for your area. There is
a web site that gives the wind rating for every county in the country.
I will see if I can locate it again.

Once you engineer the top ten feet, you just design the next ten to
support what is above it. Freestanding will require more structure
than a guyed tower.

HEY!! Those things are right in my back yard, sort of. Same zip code
anyway, I may have to get in touch with the seller just to sneek a peak at
them.

Regards,
Jim

Jess wrote:


I'm considering building a tower.

1. Legal issues -
/ or FAA regs?

The FCC has a nice little JS application to check if proximity to an
airfield will require FAA registration.

http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/AsrS...wairSearch.jsp

Kevin Gallimore

If you want something that can be errected by two or three people with no
heavy equipment, is a proven design, is cheap and you can claim to be
"historic preservation" when the neighbors start griping, check with your
state Forrestry Department or the local USFS office and see if they have a
surplus lookout tower. They are all being decommissioned.

--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com

"Jess" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I'm considering building a tower.

The intended purpose of the tower would be two-fold:
An observation deck just below the top, for drinking refreshing
beverages, and taking in the view...and a mounting at the top for tv
and radio antennas, a web cam, etc.

Needed features are a fairly low challenge way of ascending the
tower,(stairs with landings?)
Height of the tower at its top needs to be around 60' above grade,
with the observation deck at about 50'.
It would be good if it looks interesting or artsy so as not to offend
the neighbors (although except for the top 10 to 15 feet, it will be
obscured by the trees).

I have as resources:
several hundred feet of 3" structural steel I beam S3x5.7
around one hundred feet of 6" structural steel I beam S6x12.5
I have some good local sources of recycled steel angles and plate for
gusseting and bracing, etc.
SMAW welder and electricity to run it at the site
Oxy/Acetylene torch and the usual grinders / metal saw etc.
Water at the site.
Friend with a digger truck to dig piers
Sandy soil with a heavy rock base a few feet down (rock base is within
depth range of the digger truck).

Questions I have a
(Just looking for some broad scope suggestions / ideas here).

1. Legal issues - what should I consider as far as State, Federal and
/ or FAA regs? I'm in a rural county in north Texas, there is no
local building code or inspection required for building a home, for
example. If necessary to avoid regulation, I could reduce the height
of the tower, but if I come down much from my goals stated above, the
view and the reception go away, making it a pointless excercise.
Some of my neighbors houses look to be 50' or more above grade - at
their roof peaks (very steep pitches are popular around here right
now).

2. Design - any good examples or ideas come to the fertile minds of
the metal butchers here? Would something with a tapered triangle as a
cross section work well? Like a first stage with three legs of the
S6, or? Maybe a scaled down version of some historic American tower?

Your comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Jess

What you are building is basically a windmill tower. I doubt the FAA is
going to get very worried about a tower that is only a little taller than
the trees.

As far as erecting it, do a Google on "Rohn," a major manufacturer of
communications towers of all descriptions. A look at their on-line catalog
might give you some useful ideas.

Rohn makes (or at least used to make) an erection fixture which was
basically a piece of aluminum pipe with some sliding clamps on it and a
pulley at the top. You clamp it to the existing tower section and use it to
hoist the next section into place. Then, you slide the upper clamps up to
the next section, slide up the lower clamps and finally slide up the pipe.
Using it, two men could easily put up a 100 ft. tower in an afternoon...

Jerry

"Jess" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I'm considering building a tower.

snip

On Sun, 16 Jan 2005 22:12:27 GMT, "carl mciver"
wrote:

Jess, have you visited oil well rigging and drilling outfits? For some
places they prefer to leave some of the old rigs in place rather than tear
it down. You might fine one in the back of a yard already ready to put
together. If not, I bet someone of the older folks know what's the best way
to go about putting something like this together.
Nowadays they use portable rigs instead, so the pickings might be
getting slim, but the yards are full of old guys yearning for the glory
days...

Chevron was selling them for $150 each over in Kettleman Hills the
last I knew. You had to take em down yourself though...

Gunner


"Jess" wrote in message
.. .
| Hi all,
|
| I'm considering building a tower.
|
| The intended purpose of the tower would be two-fold:
| An observation deck just below the top, for drinking refreshing
| beverages, and taking in the view...and a mounting at the top for tv
| and radio antennas, a web cam, etc.
|
| Needed features are a fairly low challenge way of ascending the
| tower,(stairs with landings?)
| Height of the tower at its top needs to be around 60' above grade,
| with the observation deck at about 50'.
| It would be good if it looks interesting or artsy so as not to offend
| the neighbors (although except for the top 10 to 15 feet, it will be
| obscured by the trees).
|
| I have as resources:
| several hundred feet of 3" structural steel I beam S3x5.7
| around one hundred feet of 6" structural steel I beam S6x12.5
| I have some good local sources of recycled steel angles and plate for
| gusseting and bracing, etc.
| SMAW welder and electricity to run it at the site
| Oxy/Acetylene torch and the usual grinders / metal saw etc.
| Water at the site.
| Friend with a digger truck to dig piers
| Sandy soil with a heavy rock base a few feet down (rock base is within
| depth range of the digger truck).
|
| Questions I have a
| (Just looking for some broad scope suggestions / ideas here).
|
| 1. Legal issues - what should I consider as far as State, Federal and
| / or FAA regs? I'm in a rural county in north Texas, there is no
| local building code or inspection required for building a home, for
| example. If necessary to avoid regulation, I could reduce the height
| of the tower, but if I come down much from my goals stated above, the
| view and the reception go away, making it a pointless excercise.
| Some of my neighbors houses look to be 50' or more above grade - at
| their roof peaks (very steep pitches are popular around here right
| now).
|
| 2. Design - any good examples or ideas come to the fertile minds of
| the metal butchers here? Would something with a tapered triangle as a
| cross section work well? Like a first stage with three legs of the
| S6, or? Maybe a scaled down version of some historic American tower?
|
| Your comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated.
|
| Thanks,
|
| Jess
|
|
|
|
|
|

"At the core of liberalism is the spoiled child -
miserable, as all spoiled children are, unsatisfied,
demanding, ill-disciplined, despotic and useless.
Liberalism is a philosphy of sniveling brats." -- P.J. O'Rourke

Usually referred to as a "gin pole"

wrote:
What you are building is basically a windmill tower. I doubt the FAA is
going to get very worried about a tower that is only a little taller than
the trees.

As far as erecting it, do a Google on "Rohn," a major manufacturer of
communications towers of all descriptions. A look at their on-line catalog
might give you some useful ideas.

Rohn makes (or at least used to make) an erection fixture which was
basically a piece of aluminum pipe with some sliding clamps on it and a
pulley at the top. You clamp it to the existing tower section and use it to
hoist the next section into place. Then, you slide the upper clamps up to
the next section, slide up the lower clamps and finally slide up the pipe.
Using it, two men could easily put up a 100 ft. tower in an afternoon...

Jerry

"Jess" wrote in message
...

Hi all,

I'm considering building a tower.


snip

Rex wrote:

Jess wrote:

Hi all,

I'm considering building a tower.

The intended purpose of the tower would be two-fold:
An observation deck just below the top, for drinking refreshing
beverages, and taking in the view...and a mounting at the top for tv
and radio antennas, a web cam, etc.

Needed features are a fairly low challenge way of ascending the
tower,(stairs with landings?) Height of the tower at its top needs to
be around 60' above grade,
with the observation deck at about 50'.
It would be good if it looks interesting or artsy so as not to offend
the neighbors (although except for the top 10 to 15 feet, it will be
obscured by the trees).

I have as resources:
several hundred feet of 3" structural steel I beam S3x5.7
around one hundred feet of 6" structural steel I beam S6x12.5
I have some good local sources of recycled steel angles and plate for
gusseting and bracing, etc.
SMAW welder and electricity to run it at the site
Oxy/Acetylene torch and the usual grinders / metal saw etc.
Water at the site.
Friend with a digger truck to dig piers
Sandy soil with a heavy rock base a few feet down (rock base is within
depth range of the digger truck).

Questions I have a
(Just looking for some broad scope suggestions / ideas here).

1. Legal issues - what should I consider as far as State, Federal and
/ or FAA regs? I'm in a rural county in north Texas, there is no
local building code or inspection required for building a home, for
example. If necessary to avoid regulation, I could reduce the height
of the tower, but if I come down much from my goals stated above, the
view and the reception go away, making it a pointless excercise.
Some of my neighbors houses look to be 50' or more above grade - at
their roof peaks (very steep pitches are popular around here right
now).

2. Design - any good examples or ideas come to the fertile minds of
the metal butchers here? Would something with a tapered triangle as a
cross section work well? Like a first stage with three legs of the
S6, or? Maybe a scaled down version of some historic American tower?


I have wondered about building a tower of concrete cylinders as is used
for large culverts. I would think you could have at least 30-ft of
height made of that, which could give you some volume to store things if
you liked. Extend your steel up from that?
Why not just get a Silo - but put floors into it.
Martin

--
Martin Eastburn, Barbara Eastburn
@ home at Lion's Lair with our computer
NRA LOH, NRA Life
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder