Antenna Base

[Don52]

Thanks, Ray picked up the antenna this afternoon.
Today I also finished machining a manifold for Ray’s consulting job, which is for a automotive paint equipment supplier.

-Don...

[Don52]

My chuck is a run-true chuck, which has an adapter that has the D1-6 pins on one side and a boss on the other. The chuck has four set screws that push on the boss. The set screws are used to center the chuck relative to the adapter. Attached are some pictures.

1. Chuck adapter mounted...

[Don52]

And here is the antenna mast base all done. The counter weight, which is not shown, would slide on the mass and rest on the base to add additional weight to the base.

26. Antenna Base All Done


-Don...

[Don52]

I welded the cap to the top and the collar piece to the other side.

21. Cap welded to mast


22. Other end welded to mast and dressed


Next, I assembled the antenna mast components.

23. Mass inserted into base


The collar...

[Don52]

16. Legs Done


I drilled the scrap piece left over from the base. I figured the antenna mast could use some additional mass to keep it from tipping over in the wind.

17. Drilling the scrap as a counterweight


The next step was the mast. I added a cap...

[Don52]

11. Chamfering Bores


And here is the base all done with lathe and mill operations:

12. Base All Done


The next step was to drill and countersink the legs followed by chamfering the end of the leg. My 45° chamfering end mill has enough flutes that...

[Don52]

The next step was to cut the slots. I used a 1” roughing end mill. The depth of cut per pass was .050” and the speed was 800 rpm. The roughing cutter is a six flute endmill. The finishing cutter is a four flute endmill.

6. Roughing Cutter


7. Finishing Cutter
...

[Don52]

My friend and customer Ray designed a base for a Ham radio antenna that will eventually be mounted on top of a school, which is the highest point in the area. I machined all of the components for the antenna base. The antenna will be used for a Ham radio repeater station. The school didn’t want him...