2015 POTD Thread Archive

[Round in circles]

Years ago here in the UK we had aluminium core telephone wires for all the underground cable late 1950's to early 70's as it was far cheaper than copper ... what's that old saying buy cheap buy twice??

Come the mid 1980's we were having to change out millions of miles of the cables because they had become brittle and almost all the joints had ionised ,giving high resistances no matter what the differing material used for the jointing connectors were .
We have never to the best of my knowledge used aluminium for power supply cables due to the heating effect of poor joints plus the resistance is higher than copper so not only do you get the heat , it also costs you more to push the power round the national power grid system.

It's even becoming the regulated electrical norm that stranded copper or single conductor wire is now fitted with a crimp on alloy sleeve , to prevent oxidisation & corrosion between the copper cable and whatever it is fixed into ...... No more bare copper directly onto brass or plated terminals .

 

[roadie33]

Been working down in the shop this week on a new Ball Turner. Just got it done and turned a piece of Brass for the end of the handle on it.
Works great and it was easy to build.
Got the plans from Steve Bedair's site. http://bedair.org/Ball/ball.html

 

[John Hasler]

We have never to the best of my knowledge used aluminium for power supply cables due to the heating effect of poor joints plus the resistance is higher than copper so not only do you get the heat , it also costs you more to push the power round the national power grid system.

While copper is used in high-voltage, high-current underground installations no utility in the USA has installed anything but aluminum (or ACSR) overhead or for underground drops since the middle of the last century. Properly designed and installed compression connectors do not heat up even after fifty years or more of service. When density is taken into consideration aluminum has less resistance then copper (you use slightly larger conductors but they weigh less and cost a lot less). When cost is taken into consideration there's no comparison.

The primary reason for using copper for high-voltage underground cable is that it allows the cable to be smaller. Since these cables are very expensive to manufacture the tradeoff makes sense. Copper is used only for the center conductor: the outer conductor is aluminum.

 

[John Hasler]

And they are always fixing their grid.

But not because conductors fail. Copper wouldn't save them from lightning, drunk drivers, and falling trees. It would just increase you power bill.

At University of Michigan Hospital we used aluminum distribution cable extensively. It gave us no problems.

 

[mattthemuppet2]

finished a few things for my cousin-in-law's soon to be lathe (courtesy of Jim Dawson)

steady rest base

new post for the cross slide handle

key for the chunk - handle from a laserjet printer, body from a treadmill roller axle

 

[TOOLMASTER]

decided to make a bike rack.. 2x2 stainless steel insert/plate
with aluminum channel and crosses. all 1/4" thick

 

[Franko]

It looks pretty spiffy, Toolmaster.

 

[TOOLMASTER]

It looks pretty spiffy, Toolmaster.

thanks...the hardest part was getting the old hitch out...

 

[MozamPete]

Installed the Z-Axis DRO scale on my mill. (http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/another-igaging-touchdro-install.39060/#post-336534)


That's two down.

 

[taycat]

made hand crank for lathe today as it won't run slow enough to cut decent threads, despite coming with full set of gears.
it is a chinese one, be glad when i get full set of gears for southbend.
saw idea using handlebar stem from bike on bedroom workshop, but spindle bore on mine is tad over 1".
had pce of stainless needing a use so threaded one end after pilot drilling all way through.
then cut angle and opened up bore on top end to allow bottom pce to slide and lock in place.
handle is out of the might be useful box.