[TheForge] yurts, spelter sockets

[Grant Marcoux]

Folks:   This is a good description of the hot-pour method!  I remember when
we had to splice eyes in cable w/o poured sockets.  We used the liverpool
and lock-tuck eye splices, and boy, were these a lot of work!  The pain that
occurs when a strand/wire punctures your glove and gets uner your fingernail
is  just....indescribable!

Thank the lord for molten zinc, but keep those wires BONE dry!

Sheesh!

Grant

-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of Mike Spencer
Sent: Tuesday, April 21, 2009 4:02 PM
To: theforge at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [TheForge] Re: yurts, spelter sockets



> ...the spelter process is roughly illustrated at our Sahale bridge
> site www.sahale.com<http://www.sahale.com/> under the Meriwether
> bridges.
> [snip]
> Two things are very important in the process. Number one is the
> proper 'brooming' of the strand. This is a manual process where you
> carefully 'unwind' the lay of the cable and stretch it out into a
> cone shape. This helps the zinc to grab each strand as much as
> possible.  Secondly is the temp. of the pour. We shoot for 1080F
> which is hot enough to withstand being in the ladle for awhile as the
> pour progresses. The cable or strand is stripped with muriatic and
> force-dried with a weed-burner for a little bit of preheat. Be
> careful though because too much heat will anneal th e wires. Any
> color in them and you're too hot.

Thanks for the details, Steve.  Seeing the size of the cable you're
working with puts a whole 'nother light on the process.  If I have to
do something with 3/4" I feel like I'm getting into the Big-Time. :-)

- Mike

--
Michael Spencer                  Nova Scotia, Canada       .~.
                                                           /V\
mspencer at tallships.ca                                     /( )\
http://home.tallships.ca/mspencer/                        ^^-^^

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