How to stop screw together earth stakes unscrewing as you hit them.

[Paul P]

As the title suggests.

 

[Guest55]

you cant , just re-tighten with grips every few hits or so.

 

[shanky887614]

use two pairs of stilsons to tighten them if there coming loose

 

[Marvo]

You can get some brass 5/8" or 3/4" nuts (depending on the thread on the rods) and put them on the two rods first and use them as locking nuts. Many years ago we used to get locking nuts actually supplied with one of the makes of couplings, not so any more though.

 

[Paul P]

use two pairs of stilsons to tighten them if there coming loose

Bit tricky once the first one is in the ground. Really poor design if they are supposed to be tight.

 

[davesparks]

I heat it up with a torch and fill the gap with solder.

 

[Paul P]

I heat it up with a torch and fill the gap with solder.

I was wondering if that would work, we talking lead free plumbing solder or do you have a supply of the real stuff with lead in it?

 

[shanky887614]

I was wondering if that would work, we talking lead free plumbing solder or do you have a supply of the real stuff with lead in it?

you can still get lead solder online

i use it a fair bit because it has a lower melting temperature so is easier

 

[shanky887614]

Bit tricky once the first one is in the ground. Really poor design if they are supposed to be tight.

tighten them up good and proper with stilsons before there all the way in

 

[colshaws]

screwfix still do lead solder, and almost half the price of lead free

 

[D Skelton]

I heat it up with a torch and fill the gap with solder.

I'll second that. It works a treat.

 

[Engineer54]

Rarely use couplers as we tend to use 2.8m rods, and bored holes filled with Bentonite or Marconite.
On occasions we do use couplers on driven rods, we braze the couplers to the rods. I'm sure a couple of pairs of stiltons to tighten couplers to the rods should be enough for those 1.2m rods you use in the UK.... Why you're not using an SDS to drive the rods in the ground is a little confusing though, haven't seen a club hammer and the like used for bloody years now!! lol!!

 

[Geordie Spark]

you cant , just re-tighten with grips every few hits or so.

fit a check nut to each section of the rods, screw rods into coupler then tighten lock nuts onto coupler

OR drill cross hole through rod & coupler & drive a tapered pin through. (not very practical on "twigs though)

OR use Loctite?? (may affect RA)

 

[trev]

Why you're not using an SDS to drive the rods in the ground is a little confusing though, haven't seen a club hammer and the like used for bloody years now!! lol!!

You should have been in Stockton the other week then, the first rod was pushed most of the way in by hand then I stood on it. The second rod was tapped in, the third was when I got the mash hammer out

 

[Geordie Spark]

You should have been in Stockton the other week then, the first rod was pushed most of the way in by hand then I stood on it. The second rod was tapped in, the third was when I got the mash hammer out

Yer supposed t' bang 'rm in the groond ye daft bugger ... NOT the bliddy river Tees!!!