We have backlot poles in Buffalo that are 100 years old right now, an order isn't even written to replace them yet.
We have been using them since I started & have had no problems with them, I know 20 years is short compared to how long some glass has been in the air. We have no problems with them in the winter. We have been using the ones with the clamp installed for about 10 years & that is by far the best feature, no more tie wire. They are so much easier & more than twice as fast if you are using sticks compare to live line ties , all you need is an all angle cog & a 15/16 socket to clamp or unclamp & you can use less cover up because there is nothing to short out. I do not know the difference in cost , but they are lighter mechanically stronger & again so much easier to work with & we just have to carry 1 post style insulator no matter what type of framing.
Last edited by lewy; 10-16-2010 at 02:35 PM.
We have backlot poles in Buffalo that are 100 years old right now, an order isn't even written to replace them yet.
when electricity first came to buffalo, Niagara power made a signed a contract with the city that no power poles would be located in the street. It didn't matter much cause there weren't any bucket trucks back then anyway. Road crossings are all done underground with upfeed downfeed cable riser poles. Over the years storms have taken care of most of poles but hundreds of these old poles remain. they useally are only 30 footers and you don't even need your hooks most of the time with all the drops and crap on em. when a major storm rolls through many times will just clear the riser pole and run temporary overhead to pick-up the customers. we have steel pole holders that take thousand pound concrete weights, set the cradle up and just stick a pole on it. Than we can take our time with riser poles. Remember the crossarm secondary construction we've got tons of it. The entire state of Florida is reletivly new construction compared to what we have.
most poles do rot, but for some reason some poles(I don't know what the hell they were treated with) almost become petrified, I think they're chestnut or some really hard wood? they're so dried out and checked so bad there's no place left to set your hooks. you don't dare change strain. if ya untie a conductor you go real slow and sort of let the conducter slip through the tie in slow motion listening real carefull for that tell tale creek or groan. Over the years I've gotten real good with the back yard digger, after you set the new pole you lash the old with the new real good before moving anything. I always look real carefull about six feet up for a rusty nail. If you look at the nail real carefull sometimes you find a date stamped in the head of the nail.
Ummmmmm OK I'll bite.............. whut the heck izza robinson screw?
why are date nails worth a fortune???
Ummmmmmm summa em wuz made frum brass so they wudnt rust. I aint sure they have a real value uther than to the guy whut finds em. Ummm Braggin rights yanno fer the oldest. I usta have several but I dunna whut ever happened wif em. If theres a market fer em I'll maybe start lookin fer em.
Eythay arebay ethay estbay edgesway orfay abay ammerhay.