[TowerTalk] Cad Welding tips

Tue Nov 1 09:42:36 EDT 2016

I've used them for #2 stranded, #2 solid, and #6 solid.  All worked 
AOK.  For welding cable, I think a crimp lug (2 bolt holes are now code) 
and adhesive shrink would be better and keep water from wicking down the 
strands.  Erico has a bolt to model, IIRC.

The "windproof"  butane wand lighters work fine and keep the hand far 
enough away.  They mix air and have a blue flame rather than the cigar 
lighter flame that is more common.

I found in resistance measurements that #2 wire made a significant 
contribution to lowering the DC ground resistance to the string of 2 x 
8' rods, comparing #2 to #6 wire.  A grain of salt however, since ground 
conductivity varies all over the place in small areas. #2 is also now 
the UBC standard.

Grant KZ1W

On 11/1/2016 6:23 AM, William K Carr III wrote:
> I am about to embark on use of cadweld for bonding my ground wires to copper ground rods.
>
> Has anyone used a pencil tip propane torch to light the cadweld? It would offer a little more distance to protect knuckles, etc.
>
> Also, I have a K0XG rotating tower base. Richard recommends large diameter (in my case 4AWG) stranded welding cable to ground the tower (above the rotating base) to the ground rods. Has anyone used cadweld on stranded welding cable successfully?  Or, just go with a bronze clamp?
>
> Your experience and/or suggestions are appreciated.
>
> Kim K5TU
>
>
>
> Sent from Samsung tablet
>
> -------- Original message --------
>  From Larry Loen <lwloen at gmail.com>
> Date: 11/01/2016  00:22  (GMT-06:00)
> To Gary <gary_mayfield at hotmail.com>
> Cc towertalk at contesting.com
> Subject Re: [TowerTalk] Cad Welding tips
>   
> I like that idea of an electric igniter.  Wish I had had one.
>
> Even the gun made me a bit nervous.  This stuff is really hot.  You do not
> want it touching you during the "exciting" moment and it is always a pretty
> 'instant" (startling) moment when it ignites.  If your hand is in the wrong
> place when it ignites, zero chance to escape undamaged.
>
>
> Larry WO7R
>
> On Mon, Oct 31, 2016 at 5:46 PM, Gary <gary_mayfield at hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>> One shots with a battery powered igniter.
>>
>> https://www.therfc.com/cadweldnew.htm
>>
>>
>> The RFC will rent you the igniter - works awesome. Standard disclaimer
>>
>>
>> 73,
>>
>> Joe kk0sd
>>
>> [http://www.therfc.com/Images/cadweldscan2.jpg]<https://www.
>> therfc.com/cadweldnew.htm>
>>
>> CADWELD Plus - The RF Connection Home Page<https://www.therfc.com/
>> cadweldnew.htm>
>> www.therfc.com
>> CADWELD Plus. The CADWELD ONE-SHOT unit consists of the ceramic mold which
>> contains the CADWELD WELD METAL, a metal disk, a flared sleeve or sleeves
>> and cover.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ________________________________
>> From: TowerTalk <towertalk-bounces at contesting.com> on behalf of Bob K6UJ <
>> k6uj at pacbell.net>
>> Sent: Monday, October 31, 2016 7:36 PM
>> To: towertalk at contesting.com
>> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Cad Welding tips
>>
>> Larry,
>>
>> Thanks for the info.   I will get the igniter gun too.
>> Safety first !
>>
>> Bob
>> K6UJ
>>
>> On 10/31/16 5:26 PM, Larry Loen wrote:
>>> You can get the one shots all over the web.
>>>
>>> This link:  http://kf7p.com/KF7P/HargerUniShot.html
>> Harger® Uni-Shot - kf7p.com<http://kf7p.com/KF7P/HargerUniShot.html>
>> kf7p.com
>> What is it? Exothermic welding is a welding process for joining two
>> electrical conductors. it uses a superheated copper alloy to permanently
>> join to conductors ...
>>
>>
>>
>>> . . .includes various one-shots.  Study carefully to find the exact right
>>> one, including the diameter of your ground rod.  That, you can get a lot
>> of
>>> places.  The real value is the little "igniter gun" farther down the
>> page.
>>> Scroll down until you find their igniter product that looks like a little
>>> gun.  We had a lot of cadwelding to do and accidentally experimented.  I
>>> tried a couple of other methods and frankly, as we discovered, they were
>>> dangerous.  Some use ordinary sparklers to ignite these things and we had
>>> some singed knuckles when we tried that.  Likewise, ordinary
>>> flint-and-steel of various sorts.  Never again.  Could have easily had
>> 3rd
>>> degree burns.  This little "gun" version of it gets your hands just far
>>> enough away to be reasonably safe.  Try and ignite it at an angle for
>>> further safety -- the stuff mostly goes straight up.  But, you need a gap
>>> between you and the actual ignition.
>>>
>>>
>>> Larry WO7R
>>>
>>> On Mon, Oct 31, 2016 at 5:12 PM, Bob K6UJ <k6uj at pacbell.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I will be connecting no. 6 copper wire to 8 foot ground rods and plan to
>>>> bury the
>>>> connections.  I did my homework reading Tower Talk archives and have
>>>> concluded
>>>> that I will cad weld the connections.  I am a newbie at Cad Welding any
>>>> advice,  and where is the best place to get cad welding supplies ?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Bob
>>>> K6UJ
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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