[TowerTalk] Insulators

[Jim Miller KG0KP]

I never figured I would be on the safety side of the fence like a purist 
BUT, when cutting fiberglass with a high speed saw you should use a 
breathing filter because of the glass fibers.

I have done it also and no I didn't use it either but thought better about 
later.

73, de Jim KG0KP

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "K1TTT" <K1TTT at ARRL.NET>
To: <towertalk at contesting.com>
Sent: Friday, October 09, 2009 4:32 PM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Insulators


>A carbide tipped blade in a power saw works just fine, the more teeth the
> better the cut.  Be sure to use a dust catcher or do it outside and stand
> upwind.
>
>
> David Robbins K1TTT
> e-mail: mailto:k1ttt at arrl.net
> web: http://www.k1ttt.net
> AR-Cluster node: 145.69MHz or telnet://dxc.k1ttt.net
>
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: jimlux [mailto:jimlux at earthlink.net]
>> Sent: Friday, October 09, 2009 21:22
>> To: n8de at thepoint.net
>> Cc: towertalk at contesting.com
>> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Insulators
>>
>> n8de at thepoint.net wrote:
>> > FYI:
>> >
>> > I discovered a new source for insulator material that I will be using
>> > on my 80m tower verticals.
>> >
>> > At the local 'feed store', I found 1+1/4" fiberglass ROD with a few
>> > small pre-drilled holes ... it's designed to be used as an electric
>> > fence post.  The rod is VERY STRONG and should hold up quite well.
>> >
>> > The cost for a 6' rod is about $6 .... quite inexpensive.  Cutting it
>> > into 6+" lengths is quite easy.
>>
>> I used to use a lot of structural fiberglass in various forms. Whatever
>> you cut or drill with will get dull very quickly when working with glass
>> composites.. The glass is quite hard (harder than the steel in your
>> cutting blades).
>>
>> If you have a diamond grit blade that works real well (like a tile saw).
>>   A carbide toothed blade works fairly well, too. An abrasive cutter
>> also works, but is messy, melts the plastic matrix, and makes dust to
>> boot (which as was pointed out, is nasty stuff).
>>
>> Don't contemplate taking a 6 foot rod and hacking it into 6"
>> insulators.. the rod might be cheap, but the sharpening costs or new
>> blades won't be.
>>
>> I haven't tried it, but cutting it with a shear, axe, or tree branch
>> loppers might actually be a better strategy, since it would tend to
>> "cleave" the glass fibers, and it's easier to sharpen the blade when it
>> gets dull.
>>
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