Removing unused utility pole -safely

frank_f15 · Mar 15, 2005

My suggestion is drop it with a chain saw, and don't worry about a $40.00 light fixture. the amt of work and possible things that can go wrong is not worth it. But if yo try it be very careful, things don't always go the way u figure.

tracdoc · Mar 15, 2005

I agree. Murphy is lurking everywhere around that daggone pole, just waitng to pounce. IMHO, I would fell the pole and trash the light fixture. Your time and safety are worth a heck of a lot more than a $40 light fixture.

notamustang · Mar 15, 2005

Two words, "Chain Saw" You would be surprised how much force a falling pole would have to your undercarage or worse you.

beenthere · Mar 15, 2005

""....to hook my FEL to a pole that is falling. It might be ok, but I wouldn't want it to get away and flip my tractor or worse, .....""

That shouldn't be a problem if you just lower the FEL quickly to avoid the rear end from raising. I'd do it at a point that would be about 2/3 the way from the top end of the pole, so the entire weight of the pole wasn't held by the FEL chained to the pole.

But I wouldn't encourage anyone to do this if it 'scared' them and would suggest they get some help from someone who has experience and knows what to do.

Best to be safe and do what is within one's grasp of the mechanics of such jobs, IMO. That is my 2 cents, and I don't mean this to be offensive to anyone. There are things I don't do because I don't think they are safe. This wouldn't be one of them, however. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

PineRidge · Mar 15, 2005

I'm with Frank, dig out the chain saw and make that puppy smack the ground hard. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif Yeah that sounds real good.

TBH_Farms · Mar 16, 2005

( Oh yeah, in my case I have an added twist. There are still the tension wires up on the poles. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif The power lines have been removed, but they left the tension cables. I still haven't figured how to get them off other than shinnying up the pole and cutting them loose. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif )

Don't do it. I am a lineman by trade, and I have seen somebody ride a pole to the ground after cutting the only means of support. It was rotted from the inside out, and while it felt solid, there was only a 1/2" skin of solid wood holding up several hundred pounds. When the guy wire was cut, the pole snapped, and down he went. He lived, but...ouch /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Have the local power company come out and remove all of their attachments. Yes, it might take a while, but it's the best way. If you do want to do it yourself, cut the guy/support/whatever on its other end first, then deal with the pole. Never, ever cut a pole's last means of support while you're on it.

Dargo · Mar 16, 2005

Thanks TBH_Farms, I'd honestly not thought of the pole falling. I don't think the poles are rotten, but there are two of them on the ground with the 5 aluminum cables still attached. I'd assume that the poles at the ends of my property would be okay since the tension cables end there where they were cut off by the power company.

I probably need to figure a way to get them down though. These poles have not been accessed by anything in what appears to be more than 10 years, judging by the heavy growth around them. I just can't imagine the power company taking down just over a mile of them for me without it costing me a small fortune. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif Besides, I want to keep the aluminum cable and poles. I want to make a single cable fence with the posts around my property.

With 5 runs of cable on the posts for just over a mile, I figure that I should have enough cable to go around my property. If I cut the poles in 6' sections or so, I can bury 3' of the pole in the ground and have 3' sticking up. I then plan on boring a hole through the top of the 3' pole sticking out of the ground and run the cable through that part. I realize that I'm going to be short on poles though. I drove around my property on my Rhino and watched the odometer. It seemed to be about 3 1/2 miles around. To my thinking, I have 5 miles of cable but only about a couple dozen poles or so. I haven't taken the time to see how far they would go in putting up my "fence". I don't even know how far I can put my "fence" posts apart. I'm hoping to get 20' or more, but I don't want the single run of cable between them to droop to the ground.

Oh what a fun summer I have coming up! /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif This so called fence is to protect the 5000 or so trees I have coming in to plant around the border of my property.

bczoom · Mar 16, 2005

I'm with the others that recommend using the chainsaw.
If you don't have a 24' extension ladder to get the light off first, I would think a ladder should be considered as your next tool.

notamustang · Mar 16, 2005

( I'm hoping to get 20' or more, but I don't want the single run of cable between them to droop to the ground.
)
What about putting using the utility poles in areas like the corners and where roads or trails are. Then using a generic (4x, T, fence) post in between. Just a thought

Dargo · Mar 16, 2005

notamustang, thanks for the suggestion. Since I'm having no luck at finding additional used utility poles, I'm flat going to be short on having enough posts made from them. Hmm, you gave me a good idea though. There is a county road running down only one side of my property. Now me thinks that using the nice looking utility posts down that area first might be the prudent way to start...