HD BUD mast bracket, will she hold?

[delta_charlie]

Hi all,

Here are some pictures of the HD (Hurricane Duty) mast bracket I
made last week using the MIG welder at work and put up this weekend.

My main concern was making it strong enough for a big wind from the
east. I had to use lag bolts and shields to attach it to the
concrete blocks and window top block. Lag bolts and shields tend to
be a little weak against pulling out so I also used some strong
construction glue to help hold the bracket. The glue set well and
I'm sure it will help add a lot of strength.

Perhaps I over built it but if we get another hurricane it may hold and have been worth the effort.

BTW the top of the mast is about 5 feet above the roof, about as low as I could make it and still have the bottom of the dish clear the roof when pointing east. Should make a nice comfortable height to work from and I look forward to putting the BUD back together.

Later, DC

 

[Radioguy41]

I like to overbuild and if it was me I think I'd add a brace to the left side and complete the big triangle. But that's just me.

 

[1captain]

I am also in a area that gets it share of wind an hurricans S. Fl. an less than a mile from the Gulf, an let me say it is always best to over build you're pole an mount. now I build mounts almost the same as you did, but with 2 stand out bars an 2 gussets (the bars that brace it back to the wall), then I will either use 2 1/2" bolts to pull the 2-angles together or weld the pipe to the angle iron. an I like useing deads instead of the lead anchors, I have seen the lead anchors lousen up in time even with lock washers.

Now my main dish has been up 14 years at this home, an it has a 10 1/2 Micro-Dine commercal glass dish about 350 lbs. an that pole along with it mounts (2 of them) was over built. an it has 2 pipes that where inside of each other 3&1/2" od an 4"od an welded, then welded a 6ft peice of 4 1/2" od on the bottom that went in the concrete. then droped a 1" rebar down insede the pipe, an then filled the pipe with concrete. an we took alot of wind in 2004 with 3 huricans that year an messed up some parts on the dish but the pipe an all the mounting are fine.

 

[Lone Cloud]

I would do two things. One you may have already done - put a rebar in there and fill the pipe up with ready mix concrete.

The other thing I would keep in mind is that a lot of the stress in wind will be twisting stresses. I'd consider running a weld around the curved end of your u-bolt, welding it to the mast.

After you get the dish aimed perfectly, I'd also mark the bracket and the mast with a punch. I wouldn't honk down hard on any bolts connecting the dish bracket mount to the mast. If it wants to twist, the dish and bracket will turn and the mast wont twist and get destroyed. If the dish twirls in the wind, just wait for a calm day, go up there and line the punch marks back up. This has been my method on my two big dish installations. I'm near the mountains and definitely get wind, Still, I haven't ever had to line my marks back up because of wind.

My installation is similar to yours in that the mast goes from the ground and is reinforced by the eaves and then goes about 5 feet above the roof line. It's just an added level of comfort, me knowing that, if a big wind twists it around, i won't have to replace an entire mast.

 

[SatPhreak]

We had a saying at work when making brackets, "If you think you need to make it out of 1/4", make it out of 3/8" instead." This was the complete opposite of a race car driver I know. His saying was, "If you think you need to make it out of 1/4", make it out of 3/16" instead." His concern was weight not reliability, our concern was reliability not weight.

Nice looking bracket by the way. I do concur with jeepguy though.

 

[delta_charlie]

Hi all, thanks for the replies. Wow - I thought I overbuilt it but maybe not. The 10 foot BUD that is going up is a mesh design and that should help but I may have to bring the MIG welder home and add a brace and weld the U-bolt.

Hurricane season is almost over for this year so I could put it off for next season but if I see a big one brewing I will have to get to it.

Take care, DC