Raising the Tower

IMPORTANT NOTE: Concrete takes time to cure. Although it may seem hard the day after it is poured, it actually hardens over time through a chemical reaction process (not a process of water evaporation). The first twenty-four hours it gains 60% of its final strength (60% is not a real figure, but it will give you the idea). During the next twenty-four hours it reaches 75% of its final strength. Three days after the pour it has maybe 82% strength and so on. Theoretically, it never cures 100%. For the footing shown, you should not raise the tower until the concrete has cured for three to four weeks to avoid the risk of cracking or even structural failure.

Preparing to attach the tower to the hinged base

Unfortunately this photo is lacking shadow detail, but with study you should be able to see the wheel assembly under the tower and just left of the rotor. To make movement of the tower easier, I built two wheel assemblies. Each assembly consists of a pair of heavy duty swivel wheels bolted to a 2 x 6. Each 2 x 6 is attached to the tower with U-bolts. They were attached before the tower was lowered at the old location and removed just before the tower was raised at the new location.

Before raising the tower it was rolled into position and attached to the hinged base with two 3/4" bolts. In order to fit the Tail-twister Rotor inside the tower it was necessary to push it in through the tower's bottom. After the tower was raised, the rotor was pulled to the top by rope, the rotor mount was installed, and the rotor was lowered onto the mount and bolted down. Because the distance to the wall on the other side of the pool was too close, it was not possible to insert the ten foot long mast until the tower was raised.

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