How to remove power pole

[MossRoad]

A 150' self supporting tower would need about a 75' crane to be set in one piece. To set it in three 50' pieces, you'd need about a 125' crane to set the last 50' piece.

 

[Diggin It]

Plus you'd need a volunteer up there to bolt it together.

And that would NOT be me.

 

[Industrial Toys]

It's still in the works. The GROVE all terrain crane, I was quoted was easily high enough, beyond the full height of the tower. One lift would cut down crane time consideribly.

I used to take down my 68 foot self support tower, rather than climb it, with a jib I made for our zoom boom at the time. (Will find the pictures sometime and scan them) It was a much harder job, then one might think getting things lined back up on all three corners and not jammed up.

 

[MossRoad]

It's still in the works. The GROVE all terrain crane, I was quoted was easily high enough, beyond the full height of the tower. One lift would cut down crane time consideribly.

I used to take down my 68 foot self support tower, rather than climb it, with a jib I made for our zoom boom at the time. (Will find the pictures sometime and scan them) It was a much harder job, then one might think getting things lined back up on all three corners and not jammed up.

I believe you. I've put up a few TV towers. Highest was only 40' in 10' sections. Normally, I'd just put them on a hinge and lift the 30' ones up by myself. can't lift a 40', so I'd do the 30, then u-bolt a 10' pole with a pulley on top 6' up the last section and pull the last section up and drop in on top of the last. Lining up those 3 legs exactly then getting those bolt holes just the right height is a pain.

 

[laurencen]

over the years I have set poles and removed them, I use a Pole cat on the skidsteer, to remove grab the pole a couple feet from the ground, wiggle it around to loosen the dirt and slowly lift, once clear of ground lay it down, to set pole auger a hole of specified depth, grab pole and tilt up, place the base on ground and release pressure on pole cat, lift arms the pole will slip between jaws, close jaws and align pole over hole and lower it in

 

[Industrial Toys]

Nice rig, but you better have the right Skid Steer. Many don't lift much t all. Not generally their strong point.

 

[laurencen]

Nice rig, but you better have the right Skid Steer. Many don't lift much t all. Not generally their strong point.

agree, I have a 590, the part that is difficult is initially lifting the pole from one end standing it vertical, the 590 will lift a 30 foot pole but doubt it could handle a 40 footer, a track machine would be better suited for this work

 

[Diggin It]

Turns out, I'm going to have this exact situation. I'll need to move an old telephone pole about 30' to get it and what's on it out from under a very large oak tree. My plan is to dig a trench beside it and lay it over. I hope to have a neighbor drill the new hole and help me stand it back up.

But I need to figure out how to lay it down safely.

I might be able to have the same neighbor use his JD 4230 behind it, chain it to his FEL and push it over. I don't think he can pull it straight up without the trench, but I'm not sure.

Good rule of thumb to remember if a power company set the pole they probably set it to spec and it's universal all across the U.S. 10% of the pole length + 2 feet , so if the pole is 30' it will be set 5' deep , 40' it will be 6' deep and so forth , there will usually be a birthmark stamped on the pole about chest high if it's about the right depth that will have the length and class of pole as well as the manufacturer, type of wood and treatment type.

Measured it this morning and the very top is only 18 ' above ground, so I'm guessing 3' deep. Should be able to handle that. Tag says 1983 I think, but that may be an inspection and not the install.

 

[chim]

I saw a trick used raising a 160' radio tower. The balance point was marked out and a crane was able to stand it straight up, suspended perfectly vertical, then move it into place with such precision that the ground crews could align the nuts on the mounting anchors and tighten them down.

If only I could do that for this pole .....

Did something on a MUCH smaller scale earlier this Summer. We are adding another few lanes to our pistol range at the club. The build was setting staggered poles to support railroad ties. Even though I didn't get pictures of lifting the poles, it did happen I used one of my chains that has a logging hook at one end to choke the pole at the balance point. Since the poles are tapered, that point is less than 1/2 way up. The chain was then adjusted so the choke on the pole was about at the bottom edge of the bucket by dropping the chain into the slots on the top of the bucket. Really worked well.
I'd pick the poles to drive them to the holes. One guy would walk along and control the poles. When we got to the holes, I'd raise them and the guys would rotate them and I'd lower them into the drilled holes.

I did get a picture of a section of the wall. This was after dropping the bucket and putting the forks on to handle the RR ties.

 

[chim]

I am looking at a 150 foot self support tower. I didn't figure a crane should lift the whole thing in one piece, although the crane is high enough, but figured when on the ground, the tower was never meant to be loaded like that horizontally. A one piece lift would be far cheaper, then the three or so lifts I had envisioned..

A few years ago we had to install a square stainless liner in an old chimney for new boilers. We were making the liner in our shop, and I was asked to go see what the superintendent had in mind for installing it. Because of the height - somewhere around 60' or so - he was going to do do it in two sections. He would drop one in the chimney to go from the basement to about 1/2 way up, then he wanted to cut an access into the chimney so the second section could be dropped in and welded to the first. I asked why not drop it in as one piece. He said he had to do it that way because the metal wouldn't support itself. I convinced him it would be easier to bring the liner to the project in two pieces, set one up beside a large scissors lift, pick the top half with the crane and weld it into one piece vertically. Then pick it and drop it in the chimney. Worked like a champ. Although it took a lot of stick, the lift was fairly light and right next to a road.