Smal Tower Sections

When you say "small" tower sections how small? Also what are you going to put on it? One tower used for decades is from Rohn. They have 20G and 25G which comes in 10 ft sections, weights about 40lb/section, and is 3 legged with spacing (known as the face) of 11 inches. Try companies like Amateur Electronic Supply, Universal Radio and Ham Radio Outlet. At least you can see some tower there. One other structure used is what is called push up. Thiese are telescoping poles, poles inside one another. They are sold in 30 and 50 ft when extended. Depending on how you install it the 30 ft might not require guy wires, the 50ft would. ron in Tampa, FL area

Hi Guest,

Yes totally familiar with Rohn, Been using their towers for my Amateur Radio, and commercial radio towers since the early 70's Have put up towers exceeding 400 feet with their products. But even their lightest duty stuff is easily a ten fold too large or strong for what I want.

Like these stage lighting trusses?

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=ie7&q=stage+lighting+truss&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&rlz=1I7ACEW_enUS408US408

Yes like some of that like this one,

http://www.pssl.com/!vGGuipQekYRjY-2q-P9Bjg!/GT-TR96108-Mini-Triangle-Truss-Extens-1312-Ft--s

But funny thing is, that stuff is many times weaker than the Rohn stuff, yet it costs5 to 6 times what stuff you could make a tower 300 feet tall with!

This stuff here I wouldn'ty trust to go 50 feet.

So sorry, close but no cigar.

They call this rigging, and it is strong and light +$$$

look at these links

http://www.google.ca/#hl=en&expIds=17259,17311,27586,27757&xhr=t&q=stage+rigging&cp=10&pf=p&sclient=psy&aq=0&aqi=&aql=&oq=stage+rigg&gs_rfai=&pbx=1&fp=2c0b2ef780091f9e

Do you mean these things?

Forms a trianglar mast section - more video

Company

These are an adaptation of the STEM technology invented in Canada and used by Spar Aerospace.

STEM Technology The problem

The Alouette satellite required a large antenna. How were the engineers going to get this antenna into space? The whole package, satellite and antenna, had to fit tightly within the nose cone of a rocket.

The answer

The STEM, invented by National Research Council engineer George Klein, modified for the Alouette satellite.

The STEM was an antenna consisting of a flat strip of steel, about 10 centimetres across, wound on a reel. (Imagine a carpenter's metal spiral measuring tape.) This strip had been heat-treated, so that when it unwound, it snapped into a long tube, which was extremely strong. STEM stands for Storable, Tubular, Extendible Member.

STEMs were used on many of the early satellites and manned space capsules.

Alouette had four STEMs, two 22.5 metres long and two 11 metres long. (Two stems formed one antenna.)

STEM antennas were produced by Spar Aerospace Limited of Canada, now a major developer and manufacturer of space hardware.

STEMs were used as booms or masts as well as antennas; one use was to push out the Hermes solar panels.

There are several examples in the Canada in Space: Destination Earth exhibit, at the Museum.

It looks like Actua uses three rolled up spring bronze or steel flat coils to form the three sides of the lifting beam. It looks like they interlock the edges to give it some stability. I think it is good for a lift vertically only. I do not think you can drive the cart with a weight on the top.

"It looks like Actua uses three rolled up spring bronze or steel flat coils to form the three sides of the lifting beam. It looks like they interlock the edges to give it some stability"

Quite correct.

Not quite so visible is the three wire braces, which give quite reasonable triangulated guying, for lateral stability in the higher reach models.

But it is a 'different thing' - though possibly one could argue 'derivative' of the STEM principal.

But you guys did do the arm.

Maybe what you are looking for is "Antenna Mast Pipe"...google that and you'll get a lot of hits.

Yes that is usually called a push up mast. and have also used hundreds of thwem, Now need something in between.

lighter and smaller than a tower, but larger and stronger than a push up mast.

They do sell the mast sections in different sizes - both length and diameter and with swedged ends if needed. You could make up about anything you need.

Yes but the push up masts are not strong enough, yet the standard like Ronh 20 or 25 is way too strong. Need something in between Like this, say.

Well since you seem unable to find exactly what you want. Get yourself a TIG welder, 1/2 EMT Conduit, Couplings, .125 CR Round stock. Make a bending JIG, welding JIG and start assembling. This is what I would do.

That is the final plan if I could not find anything already being made.

Not wanting to re invent the wheel so to speak.

You need to look for suppliers of stage lighting. ONe retail place would be Guitar Center. www.markertek.com would also get you to these towers and bridges.