[TowerTalk] Re: Big grips minimum seat diameter

[Chuck Dietz]

T. A. Russell wrote:

> --------- Begin forwarded message ----------
> From: N4KG
>
> BTW,  PLP states in their catalog that the MINIMUM  SEAT  DIAMETER
> for the 3/16 inch Big Grips (BG-2142) is 1.0 inch.  The person I spoke
>
> with would NOT say how to reform the radius to conform to that
> diameter!
> He did NOT like my idea of reforming the grip to a 1 inch diameter
> with
> a rubber mallot which leaves reforming by continuously re-tensioning
> the guy as the only "acceptable" solution, but  this spokesperson even
>
> hedged on that suggestion.  He said he would have to look into it but
> HE NEVER  CALLED  ME  BACK.

I think this thread may be of general interest, so I will tell my
experience.

What are you trying to seat it around?  The 502 insulators are a perfect
match for the grips.  They also are 1 3/4" which is the max width for
attaching the grip at the first mark.  Anyplace that two wires come
together, the insulator works great.   Perhaps you could solve your
problem by getting some oversized thimbles which have a large enough
radius for the preform grip.  They work at the turnbuckle or at similar
points.

When cable clamps are used on guy wire, you invaribly bend the wire into
a smaller or larger radius than what you are wrapping the wire around.
All that slack must be pulled out with the guy wire tension.  I suppose
the grips would work the same way.  There is a minimum radius for guy
wire too, which is why there are thimbles.

A 1/4" thimble is ok for 1/4" guy wire, but not for a 1/4" grip.  I use
a 3/8" thimble for 1/4" grips.  An even larger 1/2" thimble would be
better if the width fits into the hole in the turnbuckle or whatever you
are attaching to.  The thimbles are not exactly the same shape as the
bend in the grip so there will still be a little slack when you put
tension in the line.  By the way, the minimum width of an object you
should put a 1/4" grip over is 1 1/8"  anything smaller can cause
failure.

Chuck, KZ5MM (ex: KE5FI)


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