Has anyone Replaced a Buttonhook w/struts?

[T4Runner]

Been reading so many threads my eyes are blurry... But I was wondering after reading about all the problems with unstable Buttonhook set tips, why peeps don't just recalculate the focal length and replace with three or four struts? Is it too critical a project? I have seen many Buttonhook dishes around here within 60 miles or so. Just wondering...

 

[Lone Gunman]

Why not put 3 guy wires on it to stabilize that button hook? That 12' Conifer dish I got screwed out of was button hook also and guy wires is what I was going to do to that one. Guy wires with turn turn buckles would do the trick and be adjustable as well.

 

[primestar31]

I've guy-wired a button hook years ago on a 11' fiberglas dish, and installed turnbuckles in each guy line to adjust it. Works perfect, just crank each equally until you can pluck them like guitar strings and it's centered perfectly. It's a lot less work then completely trying to replace it with struts.

 

[Anole]

just an opinion

I made it a point to not shop for button hook dishes.
But as you say, with so many around, best not turn up your nose at 'em.

I favor the guy wire approach.
Just don't make 'em so tight you warp the dish.

If you're still going for the 3- or 4- leg design, here are some thoughts.
- conduit works fine , just paint it
- hardware stores carry anodized aluminum tubing, for an upscale look
- measure from dish to scaler where you want new struts to get length
- you can always move scaler closer later, but never further from dish
- find one of the threads where someone has done a retrofit, for more concerns.




iPhone4

 

[Lone Cloud]

Agree on the guy wires, but turnbuckles are over engineered I think. I would use those threaded loops that look like lollipops.

 

[kodaz]

Why not put 3 guy wires on it to stabilize that button hook? That 12' Conifer dish I got screwed out of was button hook also and guy wires is what I was going to do to that one. Guy wires with turn turn buckles would do the trick and be adjustable as well.

i am curious, do u have a part number from a specific store ? i may wish to go that route myself.
Or just a bit more detail on them and i will find them myself.
Thanks

 

[Lone Cloud]

I have personally seen some variations on this guy wire theme.

Let us suppose, for example that you get a buttonhook dish, and it's there pointing straight up on your front lawn. On the edge of the dish, you put three or four machine screw holes in there, and you attach them with washers and quarter inch pieces of tubing, so that one of those teardrop shaped wire rope thimbles fits around the tubing and under the washer. Then suppose you used sixteenth thick stranded cable and those little cable clamps, all available at your local big box hardware store.

Assuming the buttonhook is reasonably close to center, you could adjust it merely by pulling the loose end through the clamp, holding and then tightening. Then, if you have to take the buttonhook off to install, all you would have to do is to tag each cable and post so you don't mix them up.

My first big dish was dropped and bent, and I used this method to hold it round, That was a whole lot more pressure than you would encounter with a buttonhook. So just some sixteenth inch wire rope (Home Depot) thimbles and cable clamps, 3/16 screws, nuts and washers. All at HD on the same aisle.

 

[rv1pop]

i am curious, do u have a part number from a specific store ? i may wish to go that route myself.
Or just a bit more detail on them and i will find them myself.
Thanks

called eye bolts --- I think that is what he is talking about. I keep a stock on hand for guy wires.