Mike:
While you're recuperating this weekend, you might want to get some
electrician's putty at Home Despot or Lowe's to use with your one-shots. The
first one I fired off leaked out through the bottom of the crucible. After I
cut off the bad slug atop the ground rod, I refitted the second ceramic mold to
the ground rod. I then put a bead (more like a snake) of putty around the rod
just underneath the mold so as to prevent (I hoped) any leakage. As a
belt-and-suspenders move, I also put some putty around the holes where the
wires entered the mold.
After I fired the shot (stay upwind from it - it's pretty smoky) and let
it cool, I removed the ceramic mold. The resulting slug on the ground rod was
nice and round and smoothly attached to the wires.
I fully admit that the first erroneous shot might have been my fault and I
might not have needed the putty. But I didn't want to ruin any more shots, and
all of the remaining shots went just fine.
73 de
Gene Smar AD3F
-------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "Merlin-7 KI4ILB" <merlin-7@sc.rr.com>
>
> A good old fashined electric arc might do the trick and getting it fired
> up.
> Arc welder or even a few 12 volt car batteries wired in seris may do the
> trick.
> If I understand your problem corectly.
>
> Joe
>
> > Greeting fellow TT colleagues,
> >
> > Today I'm "recovering" from serveal hours behind a Ditch-Witch (Model
> > 1030) yesterday. My yard looks like I've got HUGE GOPHERS everywhere.
> That
> > machine has vibrated and bufffed every muscle in my body and I feel like a
> guy
> > whose had several rounds in the ring with Ali! This thing is not for
> > precision work. It gets a job done but much hand work is now required
> owing to
> > the fact that I had set all my ground rods first (would rethink this next
> time)
> > and followed by trenching between them.
> >
> > After I finished trenching I excitedly brought out the One-Shot Cadwelds
> > I got just for this job. There I was, all set up and ready to go.
> Everything
> > was in place. Spark-spark-spark - nothing!! Humm, so, let's try again,
> > Spark-spark-spark. Nothing again. Well, I'll stick some fuse into it.
> Again,
> > nothing! Opened another one - same thing. Opened a 3rd one -same thing.
> Okay,
> > I headed right for the phone to call my contact at Erico. When I
> explained the
> > problem in detail (no "starting powder" was retained in the container -
> it's all
> > mixed together) she told me they have had some problems with Q.C. I
> asked if
> > they would overnight new "powder cartridges" to me and she agreed but I
> made the
> > mistake of not specifying "Saturday Delivery." Hence, my project is on
> hold
> > until Monday when I hope to make real progress in tying all the many
> ground rods
> > together. Seems there are about 20 of them forming the tower radial
> system
> > which ties into the peripheral ground system around the house.
> >
> > My body needed a rest today - there is little doubt in my mind about
> > that, so I guess it all worked out for the best.
> >
> > 73,
> >
> > Mike DiGiroalmo, W4XN
> > Charlottesville, VA
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> >
> >
> >
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> >
>
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