On a nice clear 'n warm Saturday, about noon, a buddy and I went to take down my Birdview.
Below are pictures of the ordeal -
0 - 1 : First, we have rear and front views of the target.
It's a beauty. Quite clean, too!
2 : I'd sprayed on PBblaster and other nut-busting lubes several times over the preceding two weeks.
ALL the hardware came lose without a complaint.
And there was no anti-seize compound on the threads, either.
3 : We took off the dish by removing the 12 bolts on the rear.
Carefully, three of us slid the 100 lbs dish down the mount, and put it on the ground.
Just to the right of where the gloves are laying, is a clean spot on the dish rim.
That was effected by simply rubbing the dish with the gloves, so I don't think cleaning it will be much challenge.
4 : The mount was awkward to grab. The lower bracket pivots freely.
We got hold of it, and lifted it off the pole without too much huffing and puffing.
It looks relatively clean inside, thanks to the mild 'n dry California weather.
More pictures of the guts will be taken after getting the thing on the work bench.
5 : Then we made our first mistake: digging out the pole. -
There was a 2x2 foot slab of concrete at the base of the pole, and it was a good 5 inches thick!
Below that, was a three foot deep, 11..12 inch hole full of cement!
It took a lot of sledge hammer and shovel work to get through the slab and attack the lower end of the pole.
6 - 7 : Eventually, we got the pole where it would move (after several breaks).
We worked the pole from side to side, filling dirt 'n chips beneath it, 'till it had risen at least a foot.
Still it resisted, and more sledge hammer work was needed!
8 : Eventually, the pole was pulled out.
Note the damage to the anti-rotation fins.
That was rust we think from not having complete encapsulation by the concrete in the hole.
I plan to wire-brush and paint, so the next 25 years in the ground should be easy.
9 : I'm 6'2", holding up the 9+ foot pole.
When they planted these Birdviews, they really intended them to last!
The bulk (prophetic word to use) of the work had to do with the concrete on the pole.
Probably 3..4 of the 4..5 hours we spent.
I have another BUD to rescue soon.
It's mounted 9' high, and I had visions of planting it 9' over my property.
Well, guess what?
It's getting chopped off at ground level, and I'll bring home the 9' that's sticking up!
The three feet in the ground can just stay there!
No more concrete digging for this green guy.
(all pictures have been cropped, resized, and JPG compressed, but should still show plenty of detail)
Below are pictures of the ordeal -
0 - 1 : First, we have rear and front views of the target.
It's a beauty. Quite clean, too!
2 : I'd sprayed on PBblaster and other nut-busting lubes several times over the preceding two weeks.
ALL the hardware came lose without a complaint.
And there was no anti-seize compound on the threads, either.
3 : We took off the dish by removing the 12 bolts on the rear.
Carefully, three of us slid the 100 lbs dish down the mount, and put it on the ground.
Just to the right of where the gloves are laying, is a clean spot on the dish rim.
That was effected by simply rubbing the dish with the gloves, so I don't think cleaning it will be much challenge.
4 : The mount was awkward to grab. The lower bracket pivots freely.
We got hold of it, and lifted it off the pole without too much huffing and puffing.
It looks relatively clean inside, thanks to the mild 'n dry California weather.
More pictures of the guts will be taken after getting the thing on the work bench.
5 : Then we made our first mistake: digging out the pole. -
There was a 2x2 foot slab of concrete at the base of the pole, and it was a good 5 inches thick!
Below that, was a three foot deep, 11..12 inch hole full of cement!
It took a lot of sledge hammer and shovel work to get through the slab and attack the lower end of the pole.
6 - 7 : Eventually, we got the pole where it would move (after several breaks).
We worked the pole from side to side, filling dirt 'n chips beneath it, 'till it had risen at least a foot.
Still it resisted, and more sledge hammer work was needed!
8 : Eventually, the pole was pulled out.
Note the damage to the anti-rotation fins.
That was rust we think from not having complete encapsulation by the concrete in the hole.
I plan to wire-brush and paint, so the next 25 years in the ground should be easy.
9 : I'm 6'2", holding up the 9+ foot pole.
When they planted these Birdviews, they really intended them to last!
The bulk (prophetic word to use) of the work had to do with the concrete on the pole.
Probably 3..4 of the 4..5 hours we spent.
I have another BUD to rescue soon.
It's mounted 9' high, and I had visions of planting it 9' over my property.
Well, guess what?
It's getting chopped off at ground level, and I'll bring home the 9' that's sticking up!
The three feet in the ground can just stay there!
No more concrete digging for this green guy.
(all pictures have been cropped, resized, and JPG compressed, but should still show plenty of detail)
