Connecting the pipes

Our seventy foot tower is made up of three pipes connected together. The sections were carefully marked and drilled according to directions. A piece of aluminum flashing wrapped around the pipe was used to draw a line around the pipe and to mark the locations of holes around the pipe.

The tower kit we purchased included connectors which were 18 inch lengths of slit five inch pipe. The connector needed to be collapsed so it could be inserted into the pipes. My husband used a pair of vice grip chain wrenches, shown in the pictures, to collapse the connector. The connector was then inserted in the first pipe. The second pipe was greased on the inside and slid over the other half of the connector. The chain wrenches were released. A block of wood and a sledge hammer were used to finish driving the pipes together. They were then drilled and bolted together. The 35ft gin pole was constructed the same way.
The assembly was performed at the erection site with the pieces being moved around with slings and a front end loader. The tower weighs about 1500 lbs. The guy wires were measured and cut (with a zip cut blade on an angle grinder) to prescribed lengths and attached to the tower and eyebolts in the pilings. The Southwest Wind manual is easy to follow and exact.