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Hi Steve,
I have used a few methods successfully. Some of them are
strictly "field expedient". But they work pretty well. How you
decide to do it will depend on your particular circumstances.
I'll only talk here about methods I haven't seen others mention
yet.
It is a good idea to tightly wrap the area just behind the cut
with bare copper wire. Wrap 3 to 6 close spaced turns and then
twist tighten the ends of the copper wire together to secure it.
#16 works OK. #18 might be OK as well. As a field expedient I
have used Burndy solid copper butt splice crimp sleves for this
application.
When able to arrange for the cutting methood method of choice, I
have been using a Dremel tool with cutting disks. It is utterly
amazing what you can cut with these things once you develop your
"technique". The technique consists mostly of getting a feel for
the appropriate feed rate and keeping any axial loads off the
disk. The Dremel tool completely overcomes the low speed problem
of the drills. I have cut large diameter rebar and hardened
steel rear axle shaft material this way. The EHS is easy work.
I _think_ I have seen rechargable battery versions of the tool
recently. If portable power versions of this tool actually are
available, it will become the _only_ way I'll ever cut EHS.
Don't forget the safety goggles!
I have also on occasion used an acetylene torch to sever EHS
cable. It works OK. And, if done right, leaves the strands
welded together at the cut end. But it is inconvenient if there
isn't already a torch available on site. It is important to do
it fairly quickly so as not to anneal the cable too far away from
the cut. But this isn't usually a problem.
Another field expedient method that lends itself to areas with
difficult access is to use a Cadweld one-shot butt splice mold.
This also works. But it has the requirement that you must be
able to get to one end of the cable to slip the mold over and
slide it to the cut location. It is also a bit expensive. It
costs about $8 per cut. And there is a bit of "technique"
involved in timing the "pull" to get the ends separated. Also,
the ends can be a bit "messy" looking and the cable will be
annealed for a significant distance from the cut. So you will
need to leave more of the cut end out of any clamps or load
bearing section of the line. But on the plus side, no external
power is required and _both_ cut ends are a solid welded single
piece when the operation is complete.
73, Eric N7CL
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
>Date: Sat, 24 Apr 1999 22:03:08 -0400
>From: Steve Jackson <stjackso@nortelnetworks.com>
>
>OK, how do I do it?
>
>I've tried a cutting wheel in both electric and pneumatic
>drills, but they don't spin fast enough, plus getting them out
>to the places the cuts need to be (deep woods) is a pain and/or
>impossible. A bolt cutter makes a mess of the guy cable end.
>
>
>I have a Klein cable shear, but it's made to cut copper, not
>steel.
>
>
>Ideas?
>
>
>* * *
>
>Steve Jackson
>
>Bay Architecture Lab
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