Super System Winter Project Started

Chriscreole · Sat Dec 10, 2011 6:55 pm

Well I finally recieved all my Gourds (thanks PMCA ) and Super System 24 Rack system and Hub assembly with the Gourd hangers. I had my friends come over to do all the work (I'm da stupidvisor) Removed the old S&K system since the winds blew it over.

This time as you can see I'm having a 24" diameter by 3 foot deep hole filled with 10 100lb bags of MAXIMIZER 5500psi Concrete (just over 1000 lbs of weight). Gravel base & screen mesh, Added the T-14 pole Ground stake set 24" deep into the cement with 2 cross sections of rebarb for extra support. Decided not to go with the Sonotube form.

I really don't think the wind will blow this one over. we average 20 to 40 mph winds here.

I'll be assembling the T-14 3" sq pole and winch assembly next week, this is the T-14 house and pole I got off Craigs list for $150.00 at end of the season this year.

I'll post updates and pictures to this thread as I move along.

JamesinIA · Sat Dec 10, 2011 7:50 pm

Wow, that sucker ain't going nowhere with a hole that big and that much concrete! I sure hope you don't ever get the hurricane force winds to test it. I think that you will really like your new super system and the 3" aluminum pole. What kind of gourds did you get?

Wishing you a very successful martin season.

James

Chriscreole · Sat Dec 10, 2011 11:08 pm

8 Vertical and 8 horizontal Troyer Gourds and a mix of home made houses.

Wendell Hansen-IA · Sun Dec 11, 2011 4:09 pm

Talk about over kill

. I love it. I have two SS24 and one T-14 each one has 1/4 yard of concrete. Two years ago we had 96mph strait line winds. There were 100 year old oaks and hackberry trees down and snapped in half all over the place. The best part was my poles were still standing the next day.

Looking forward to the updates of your site. It,s better to be safe than sorry.

John Miller · Mon Dec 12, 2011 8:35 am

Looks great.

Would it be worthwhile to fill the ground stake, which appears to be aluminum, with crecrete too? That was the instruction I got recently for a multi purpose pole and I wondered on the value, but couldn't hurt.

I look foward to more photos of the housing covered in martins.

John M

Chriscreole · Mon Dec 12, 2011 8:50 am

The ground stake is alum and I did fill it to make it stronger

Dave Duit · Mon Dec 12, 2011 8:16 pm

Hi Chris.
I think you did a great job with the cement. I completely agree, you can never put in too much cement. I was just like you with bent poles. I put my 3X5" 1/2" thick galvanized steel beams weighing 230 pounds each into a 4X4X4 square hole with 5 feet of the steel beams cemented firmly. Hired out a cement truck to drop in the cement. Today, I can honestly say I could care less if I have 100 mph winds. I think the top of the beams might move maybe 1/4 inch if at all.