[TowerTalk] Breaking up guys

[Tom Rauch]

> Date:          Tue, 28 Apr 1998 06:37:08 -0600 (MDT)
> From:          John Brosnahan <broz@csn.net>

I wrote:
> >502 D insulators are only $2.25 each brand new from Porcelain 
> >Products, and 1/4 inch preforms are much less than $2.00 (I've 
> >found them as cheap as $.79 each in bulk) from utility supply houses. 
> >EHS 1/4 inch guy line is a few cents a foot from utility suppliers 
> >(yes, they sell EHS if you ask..as well as lower strength grades).
> 
> Be careful about buying preforms from a utility company--their
> is a difference between guy grips and big grips and the utility
> company will sell you guy grips which aren't rated for tower work.
> They will work but don't have the same safety factor as the big
> grips.

Hi John, 

There seems to be some assumption on this reflector that all "utility 
grade hardware is bad".

The grips I buy are HG-207-1/4. The rating is 6650 lbs, the same as 
1/4 inch EHS cable. In large bulk quantities from the manufacturer, 
they are $.79 each. In 100's, they are $1.66 each from Equity utility 
in Atlanta GA.

Utility suppliers, as I said above, sell all grades of hardware (just 
as many tower suppliers do). For example, 1/4 " utility grade 4 guy 
strand has exactly the same rating as 1/4" EHS strand, yet I pay 
less than half the price for the grade 4 6650 lb utility grade 
strand!

Because you pay more does not mean you get more. All it really means 
is you paid more. Ask for the ratings along with the price, they have 
them.
73, Tom W8JI
w8ji.tom@MCIONE.com

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