Is anyone living who installed a wood pin arm?

[bobbo]

I understand why there is 5 wire? But I would love to know when the last wood pin arm went up. And why in the year 2013, we are installing filler glass? If a wood pin arm is over 60 or 70 years old, I would be embarrassed to have a wood pin arm. I was 7 years in the trade when I came across my first one. And I have been working on systems where 30% are all wood pin arms. I figure its got to be World War II, because they didnt have steel. Reppy do you know? If thats true, wood pin arms have to be 70 years old.

[gumbo]

I understand why there is 5 wire? But I would love to know when the last wood pin arm went up. And why in the year 2013, we are installing filler glass? If a wood pin arm is over 60 or 70 years old, I would be embarrassed to have a wood pin arm. I was 7 years in the trade when I came across my first one. And I have been working on systems where 30% are all wood pin arms. I figure its got to be World War II, because they didnt have steel. Reppy do you know? If thats true, wood pin arms have to be 70 years old.

Seems like Detroit was still installing them in the 80s. Last I worked on the West Coast they were still issuing cobb pins.

[loodvig]

Some fire alarm systems still use a wood two pin arm.

[lewy]

When I first started we were replacing them quite frequently with plastic fillers, there is still the odd filler on a truck, but the young guys have know idea what they are for. I don't think there are any more in our system, even finding an arm with a filler is quite rare.

[reppy007]

Dont get me to lie......whats a wood pin arm...I may have seen one,but didnt know it was called a wood pin arm

[bobbo]

Dont get me to lie......whats a wood pin arm...I may have seen one,but didnt know it was called a wood pin arm

They are these arms with 6 bigass holes. The holes are for wood pins. To install them you put these wood pins in and drive a nail to set them. They are all over the place in california and the northeast. If you work em most of the pins are broke with the wire, which are called floaters. And if someone forgot to pu the nail in, the wood pin would sink, called sinkers. If you dont have them, the only time you would see them is for railroad controls and communication. The glass is real glass and doesnt have a top groove its side tied. I used to have a collection of dlass that was from 1905 to 1912. And I have climbed a pole with a datenail of 1912.

[Orgnizdlbr]

Dont get me to lie......whats a wood pin arm...I may have seen one,but didnt know it was called a wood pin arm

Wooden insulator pin, made of locust, at least the ones I've seen.

[Pootnaigle]

Umm theys defintely A TESTament to how long aN ARM WILL Last/

[T.O_Hydro]

Lots in service in down town toronto. All of our trucks carry plastic fillers. Most of them are in box construction.

[US & CA Tramp]

I think it sorta funny. AND, just shows how different Linemen, work in different places and see different things.

And honestly...That's all it's about.
Ya either Travel and see Different siht...or ya just stay in one place and...don't. And just work within your company. Known a lot of dudes like that.....

AND...It's all good!!

Anyway...Long time ago...seen and worked with a lot of Wood Pin insulator posts. I started Linework in 1969. When we ran into one that...we called it "Squatter"....the wood pin just "fell thru", and the insulator was sittin on the arm....

We would just take a "New Age" Steel insulator Pin...Put a Flat washer on it...so it would block the Big hole...a flat washer on the bottom...tighten it up, and put the insulator back on.

Linework...was so much simpler back then....

I have seen a lot of the wood pins. When we had one fall through as you described we would pry or lift the old pin up into position and drive another nail in to it!!