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[TowerTalk] Testing guy terminations

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Subject: [TowerTalk] Testing guy terminations
From: ke5fi@wt.net (Chuck Dietz)
Date: Wed, 09 Apr 1997 14:12:15 -0500
Don Moman wrote:
> 
> Some years ago I did simple, non-scientific test comparing sugar wraps
> (preforms), 3 cable clamps, and the 3 hole plates that the power company
> used to use....
> 
> A tree stump and a tractor were involved.
> 
>    The 3 hole press plates ( I have no idea what they are really called)
> have a slot in them for the cable - and the cable was intially used in
> them so the size was right. No amount of tightening the bolts caused any
> significant load on the tractor.  The guy wire slipped thru very easily.
> So much for them - I had a 5 gallon pail full so wanted to see if they
> were any good.
> 
> Next up was the traditional 3 cable clamps (Crosby clips), spaced properly
> for the cable thickness (6 times 5/16 I think). They did better and if a
> person could re-tighten after the initial pull they might have held.
> 
> Last was the "new to me"and "I can't believe it works" sugar wraps. As I
> later found out I installed this quite incorrectly - almost no grit left
> on the wrap - had been used many times and was slightly oversized for the
> wire - the wraps showed no space between them when installed, - a BAD
> combination. Yet it held the tractor solidly, nothing slipped at all -
> those few thin strands didn't break at all.
> 
> I have seen the press fittings but have no experience with them.
> 
> What force was involved??  I don't know. A 50 hp tractor, pulling slightly
> downhill, on dry sod (it quickly dug down a foot or so) can pull quite a
> bit and I felt it was a much greater force than anything that would be
> exerted on single guy wire. 

Man, I would hate to be on that tractor if it had snaped!

Chuck, KE5FI

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