Block and tackle vs hoist

[brian41527]

Just wondering what everyone prefers on short runs. 500 feet or less.

[climbsomemore]

little open ended.... how much does the wire weigh and what kind of tension needs to be there so it sags right...


If you plan on doing the work for 20,30 years... a hoist takes a lot of load off the shoulders and elbows compared to slack blocks. Since the grunt and new age foremen cant run a hand line...I guess that rules out getting them to pull a real 4 part for ya now days....

[Lineman North Florida]

Hoist for sagging wire, blocks for hanging pots in the rear lot.

[Pootnaigle]

I agree with that

[Orgnizdlbr]

Lol, 500 ft of what? There are times I'd rather use blocks..... Heavy conductor, always a hoist.....

[rob8210]

Blocks are great for service work and working with lighter primary when dead. Live line , heavier loads and sagging hoist is far better!

[Lineman North Florida]

I might have mis-understood his question but when he said block and tackle instead of slack blocks I took it to mean 3 sheave blocks, add to that a 500' span of about anything bigger than #4 copper is going to be heavy and very rare to find a distribution span down here in this area that long. I did work for an old foreman when I first started that would have us use 3 sheave blocks to put up 4/0 copper rather than hanging a roller and using a line truck to get it back up close to sag and finish it off with a hoist, I was glad he taught me that method though because I ran into a situation in Louisville Ky, on a storm break where we had to put up some 795 Hendrix cable with a large steel messenger that had been burnt into and was not truck accessible, I had a crew of good young lineman working with me at the time but they were unsure as to how was the best way to get that steel messenger back up to sag and sleeved, I was able to use that method that I was taught all those years ago with 3 sheave blocks and a monkey and show them another way. Sometimes when I watch the younger guys work today I am amazed at how little a part rigging plays into linework anymore.

[rob8210]

You have a really good point LNF, the younger guys know very little about rigging anything. I had a couple of backyard jobs a few years ago with a young crew, when I showed them how to rig it up using an RBD from the street they were amazed. Another time we actually had to pike a 35 pole in in a backyard,because it was in the middle of the yard directly behind the house , and partly because I just wanted to show them how it was done.

[Old Line Dog]

You have a really good point LNF, the younger guys know very little about rigging anything. I had a couple of backyard jobs a few years ago with a young crew, when I showed them how to rig it up using an RBD from the street they were amazed. Another time we actually had to pike a 35 pole in in a backyard,because it was in the middle of the yard directly behind the house , and partly because I just wanted to show them how it was done. Were they amazed, how ya carried the pole INTO the back yard?? :-) Before ya even piked it in? I know, I know. Now days, most utilities...contract back yard stuff. Too much work for the local boys. Union, or utility. "Farm that shit out". "Are you kidding me?? I'm a CITY employee!!! Really, really sad. Yea LA..."Where have all the Linemen gone"? I wrote a poem titled that....15 years ago. It's posted somewhere on this site. "Tony" is dead now...younger than me...cancer. Going to his wake this comin Saturday. "Linemen" now days...be "different" LA. Just different times My Lady...I hope Bob can retire...SOON.

[rob8210]

Heck we even carried a pole through a guy's house once! It was the easiest way to get it into the backyard.

[polehiker]

Heck we even carried a pole through a guy's house once! It was the easiest way to get it into the backyard.


Would like to have watched that one. Specially when you went thru the front door. All the neighbors sayin 'what the h---"

[climbsomemore]

Were they amazed, how ya carried the pole INTO the back yard?? :-) Before ya even piked it in? I know, I know. Now days, most utilities...contract back yard stuff. Too much work for the local boys. Union, or utility. "Farm that shit out". "Are you kidding me?? I'm a CITY employee!!! Really, really sad. Yea LA..."Where have all the Linemen gone"? I wrote a poem titled that....15 years ago. It's posted somewhere on this site. "Tony" is dead now...younger than me...cancer. Going to his wake this comin Saturday. "Linemen" now days...be "different" LA. Just different times My Lady...I hope Bob can retire...SOON.

you retired...now just go away

[SBatts]

you retired...now just go away swamprat couldn't carry a lineman's water bottle.

[spurgeon18]

little open ended.... how much does the wire weigh and what kind of tension needs to be there so it sags right...


If you plan on doing the work for 20,30 years... a hoist takes a lot of load off the shoulders and elbows compared to slack blocks. Since the grunt and new age foremen cant run a hand line...I guess that rules out getting them to pull a real 4 part for ya now days....


Ive only had to use the 4 blocks a few times(they called them tinker blocks) so as long as you're talking about the same thing I am, they suck haha. They did help but a pain in the butt