For reference - I originally posted this which caused the 12 foot to go SPLAT.
http://www.satelliteguys.us/xen/threads/how-to-protect-your-dish-in-high-winds.358931/
A little history, i bought the piece of junk 12' tek2000 dish. It literally came crashing down as the mount was sheered from the winds and the thin junk metal they used. The winds were no means hurricane weather, but it was about 25 mph winds with gusts to 40+.
Over the summer, i landed an aluminum 12foot dish that 'FELL OFF THE TURNIP TRUCK' It was badly damaged. ( i got it for free) . But, it had a BEEFY mount.
Today, i took the mount off the Aluminum dish. (We will call that the new mount) The sleeve pipe was the wrong size, so i then took off the sleeve pipe.
I then also removed the junk mount sleeve pipe off the mesh dish. That was to be welded onto the new mount. Before that, i had to put on a bigger pad that the pipe sleeve sits on. So, i removed the old sleeve pad that held the pipe sleeve. I had a nice square thick steel pad laying around that i welded down into place, and then welded the correct size pipe sleeve from the mangled mount to the new mount.
So now i have the aluminum dish mount with a swapped out pipe sleeve that fits the pole i have in the ground.
Next, i had to weld on new cross beams onto the dish so that i could fit to the new mount. I basically had to build a mounting system so that the new attachment system would attach the mount to the mesh dish. Luckily i keep a nice stash of metal rods and angle rods and such, so i was able to build a nice setup. I had to make one trip to Fastenal to get some nice long bolts to be able to do declination adjustments.
I then used the tractor and lifted the dish and set it back down on the pole. It's been about 8 months since it sat on that pole, and not on the ground next to it... So, major accomplishment there.
I still have to fix the damage on the mesh dish itself, as one of the skeleton back bones holding the mesh on separated from another back bone. It will be easier for me to fix that on the pole then off, as its way to awkward on the ground.
I will also need to weld on the pipe sleeve the bracket to allow me to adjust the latitude..
After that, i will be ready to align the dish and do some testing.
It was an exciting day to get the progress done i got done and to see that it wasn't as bad of a project as it could have been. No major issues other then one misplaced weld. But, easy fix as i've learned over the years to do little tap welds at first to make sure all is in place before doing the long bead weld.
I am hoping within the next few days to have a working 12' footer again. I am keeping my fingers crossed. I already have a new venture maxi-ball actuator i ordered a couple months back.
http://www.satelliteguys.us/xen/threads/how-to-protect-your-dish-in-high-winds.358931/
A little history, i bought the piece of junk 12' tek2000 dish. It literally came crashing down as the mount was sheered from the winds and the thin junk metal they used. The winds were no means hurricane weather, but it was about 25 mph winds with gusts to 40+.
Over the summer, i landed an aluminum 12foot dish that 'FELL OFF THE TURNIP TRUCK' It was badly damaged. ( i got it for free) . But, it had a BEEFY mount.
Today, i took the mount off the Aluminum dish. (We will call that the new mount) The sleeve pipe was the wrong size, so i then took off the sleeve pipe.
I then also removed the junk mount sleeve pipe off the mesh dish. That was to be welded onto the new mount. Before that, i had to put on a bigger pad that the pipe sleeve sits on. So, i removed the old sleeve pad that held the pipe sleeve. I had a nice square thick steel pad laying around that i welded down into place, and then welded the correct size pipe sleeve from the mangled mount to the new mount.
So now i have the aluminum dish mount with a swapped out pipe sleeve that fits the pole i have in the ground.
Next, i had to weld on new cross beams onto the dish so that i could fit to the new mount. I basically had to build a mounting system so that the new attachment system would attach the mount to the mesh dish. Luckily i keep a nice stash of metal rods and angle rods and such, so i was able to build a nice setup. I had to make one trip to Fastenal to get some nice long bolts to be able to do declination adjustments.
I then used the tractor and lifted the dish and set it back down on the pole. It's been about 8 months since it sat on that pole, and not on the ground next to it... So, major accomplishment there.
I still have to fix the damage on the mesh dish itself, as one of the skeleton back bones holding the mesh on separated from another back bone. It will be easier for me to fix that on the pole then off, as its way to awkward on the ground.
I will also need to weld on the pipe sleeve the bracket to allow me to adjust the latitude..
After that, i will be ready to align the dish and do some testing.
It was an exciting day to get the progress done i got done and to see that it wasn't as bad of a project as it could have been. No major issues other then one misplaced weld. But, easy fix as i've learned over the years to do little tap welds at first to make sure all is in place before doing the long bead weld.
I am hoping within the next few days to have a working 12' footer again. I am keeping my fingers crossed. I already have a new venture maxi-ball actuator i ordered a couple months back.
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