[TowerTalk] Cad Welding tips

Tue Nov 1 10:52:57 EDT 2016

To put a point on how dangerous this stuff can be, while I was working 
in Egypt, I saw a local engineer using CAD-weld to join ground wires. He 
lit it with a match! When it flashed, it literally burned off he end of 
his right index finger. No bleeding. It cauterized it while doing the job.

While it's hard to call him "lucky" for not have been more seriously 
injured, it sure made an impression on me! Even if you are a regular 
user of these products, safety and careful, proper use of this stuff is 
paramount. If you don't know how, get professional help with it!

73,

Chuck, W6AJW

On 10/31/2016 10:22 PM, Larry Loen wrote:
> 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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