Re: [TowerTalk] Cad Welding tips

[Grant Saviers <grants2@pacbell.net>]

I've used them for #2 stranded, #2 solid, and #6 solid.  All worked 
AOK.  For welding cable, I think a crimp lug (2 bolt holes are now code) 
and adhesive shrink would be better and keep water from wicking down the 
strands.  Erico has a bolt to model, IIRC.
The "windproof"  butane wand lighters work fine and keep the hand far 
enough away.  They mix air and have a blue flame rather than the cigar 
lighter flame that is more common.
I found in resistance measurements that #2 wire made a significant 
contribution to lowering the DC ground resistance to the string of 2 x 
8' rods, comparing #2 to #6 wire.  A grain of salt however, since ground 
conductivity varies all over the place in small areas. #2 is also now 
the UBC standard.
Grant KZ1W

On 11/1/2016 6:23 AM, William K Carr III wrote:
> I am about to embark on use of cadweld for bonding my ground wires to copper 
> ground rods.
>
> Has anyone used a pencil tip propane torch to light the cadweld? It would offer 
> a little more distance to protect knuckles, etc.
>
> Also, I have a K0XG rotating tower base. Richard recommends large diameter (in 
> my case 4AWG) stranded welding cable to ground the tower (above the rotating 
> base) to the ground rods. Has anyone used cadweld on stranded welding cable 
> successfully?  Or, just go with a bronze clamp?
>
> Your experience and/or suggestions are appreciated.
>
> Kim K5TU
>
>
>
> Sent from Samsung tablet
>
> -------- Original message --------
>  From Larry Loen <lwloen@gmail.com>
> Date: 11/01/2016  00:22  (GMT-06:00)
> To Gary <gary_mayfield@hotmail.com>
> Cc towertalk@contesting.com
> Subject Re: [TowerTalk] Cad Welding tips
>   
> I like that idea of an electric igniter.  Wish I had had one.
> Even the gun made me a bit nervous.  This stuff is really hot.  You do not
> want it touching you during the "exciting" moment and it is always a pretty
> 'instant" (startling) moment when it ignites.  If your hand is in the wrong
> place when it ignites, zero chance to escape undamaged.
>
>
> Larry WO7R
>
> On Mon, Oct 31, 2016 at 5:46 PM, Gary <gary_mayfield@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> > One shots with a battery powered igniter.
> >
> > https://www.therfc.com/cadweldnew.htm
> >
> >
> > The RFC will rent you the igniter - works awesome. Standard disclaimer
> >
> >
> > 73,
> >
> > Joe kk0sd
> >
> > [http://www.therfc.com/Images/cadweldscan2.jpg]<https://www.
> > therfc.com/cadweldnew.htm>
> >
> > CADWELD Plus - The RF Connection Home Page<https://www.therfc.com/
> > cadweldnew.htm>
> > www.therfc.com
> > CADWELD Plus. The CADWELD ONE-SHOT unit consists of the ceramic mold which
> > contains the CADWELD WELD METAL, a metal disk, a flared sleeve or sleeves
> > and cover.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ________________________________
> > From: TowerTalk <towertalk-bounces@contesting.com> on behalf of Bob K6UJ <
> > k6uj@pacbell.net>
> > Sent: Monday, October 31, 2016 7:36 PM
> > To: towertalk@contesting.com
> > Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Cad Welding tips
> >
> > Larry,
> >
> > Thanks for the info.   I will get the igniter gun too.
> > Safety first !
> >
> > Bob
> > K6UJ
> >
> > On 10/31/16 5:26 PM, Larry Loen wrote:
> > > You can get the one shots all over the web.
> > >
> > > This link:  http://kf7p.com/KF7P/HargerUniShot.html
> > Harger® Uni-Shot - kf7p.com<http://kf7p.com/KF7P/HargerUniShot.html>
> > kf7p.com
> > What is it? Exothermic welding is a welding process for joining two
> > electrical conductors. it uses a superheated copper alloy to permanently
> > join to conductors ...
> >
> >
> >
> > > . . .includes various one-shots.  Study carefully to find the exact right
> > > one, including the diameter of your ground rod.  That, you can get a lot
> > of
> > > places.  The real value is the little "igniter gun" farther down the
> > page.
> > > Scroll down until you find their igniter product that looks like a little
> > > gun.  We had a lot of cadwelding to do and accidentally experimented.  I
> > > tried a couple of other methods and frankly, as we discovered, they were
> > > dangerous.  Some use ordinary sparklers to ignite these things and we had
> > > some singed knuckles when we tried that.  Likewise, ordinary
> > > flint-and-steel of various sorts.  Never again.  Could have easily had
> > 3rd
> > > degree burns.  This little "gun" version of it gets your hands just far
> > > enough away to be reasonably safe.  Try and ignite it at an angle for
> > > further safety -- the stuff mostly goes straight up.  But, you need a gap
> > > between you and the actual ignition.
> > >
> > >
> > > Larry WO7R
> > >
> > > On Mon, Oct 31, 2016 at 5:12 PM, Bob K6UJ <k6uj@pacbell.net> wrote:
> > >
> > > > I will be connecting no. 6 copper wire to 8 foot ground rods and plan to
> > > > bury the
> > > > connections.  I did my homework reading Tower Talk archives and have
> > > > concluded
> > > > that I will cad weld the connections.  I am a newbie at Cad Welding any
> > > > advice,  and where is the best place to get cad welding supplies ?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Bob
> > > > K6UJ
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
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