Tricks of the Trade

[scammy]

clive your just not right ,,,,,,but ok by me.....scammy

[Stanman, at ComEdy Il.]

Ever have an auto come apart? Ever want to open some wire up, that has a splice in it? To isolate yourself? Don't want to put another auto in there? Just use a hack saw on the middle of the splice! When you cut all the way through, separate the 2 pieces, and wahla! There is a trick of the trade Swampy!

[Stanman, at ComEdy Il.]

Haven't really used this on small wire, cause you can get enough slack out of the wire to sleeve it again.

Here's a better explanation. On 477, 266, or 4/0 aluminum conductor. I'm talking the wire comes down because an automatic sleeve lets go. You arrive and only have more autos, the wire that came apart is in good shape. Instead of adding 2 autos and another piece of wire, just hack saw the old auto in the middle so the springs and jaws release. You don't have to add any wire, just clean it up and use a new auto. Or you're dead ending wire and an automatic sleeve is right where the shoe needs to be? Just need that little bit of wire(damn it), hack saw the auto in the middle, this way you don't have any autos in the span.

If we have 3 autos or more in a span the company will have us out there replacing the whole span. Hope this explains it better, Swampy!

["little beaver"]

"Got ya my man. :-)
Interesting. I just use to use my screwdriver, or "Whatever", to stick in that hole on the Auto, and release the wire."

I remember when I first started we were changing out lots of #6 CU that had "Reliable" sleeves. They had a place where you could insert " Whatever" into a slot that had a spring device that would sometimes release. I remember that we used the point of our skining knife. I don't recall seeing this on AL sleeves.

As for the issue of Automatics not holding etc., I always figured that for the most part, the ones that didn't hold were not installed properly in the first place.

[DuFuss]

I've used the hacksaw thing on bigger wire myself. 4/0 thru 477 where we are jacking slack out and correctly apply the sleeve on one side but the other side screw it up and not push the wire all the way in before pulling it back out slipping out of the bullet. The sleeve isn't that hard to cut into and saves you from having to recatch and add in two sleeves and a short piece of wire. Great tip.

[loadbreak55]

I know some of you oldtimers have seen this before,but I still make a few "beer bucks" doing this for the young ones.I can drive a groundrod without a driver, by using only my hands and water,in practically any soil!

[scammy]

you referring to me?

[Alberta Apprentice]

spill the beans man! i got no idea what your talkin about. sounds like some crazy voodoo to me.

[scammy]

swamp I thought you ment me for not bringing it to the table,,,,,,,,my bad . have fun and be carefull ,,,,,,the storms not over yet ,,weve been hit with the 3 worst lightning stormes this year in the past 3 weeks I was just getting readdy for the ice stormes,,,,,,,,scammy

[linemanfrog]

I always keep a complete set of work clothes in the bucket truck un a plastic bag under the seat. Has saved me numerous time when I got caught up a pole or in the bucket in a thunderstorm or even just when I got real sweaty and nasty working. You would be surprised how nice a clean pair of drawers and socks feel and a dry shirt and jeans when you have been out all day and night.