Helix anchor rod removal - by "hand"

Hey Everyone!
I kept calling it a "3 bolt" , what I meant to say was "triple eye nut" or whatever one of another 15 names it may have in the field lol.
Go leafs! 🏒
Cheers all!
** These video's are NOT intended for training or D.I.Y. Only properly trained and authorized personal are allowed to work on this equipment. Always adhere to work methods and procedures particular to the company you are working for. **
Be safe Everyone. Cheers! 🥂
Don't forget to drop a 👊 along with where you're watching
➡ / bobsdecline
#Bobsdecline, #Beingalineman, #Lineman

[@Bobsdecline]

Hey Everyone! I kept calling it a "3 bolt" , what I meant to say was "triple eye nut" or whatever one of another 15 names it may have in the field lol. Go leafs! 🏒

[@joetech4054]

Sometimes the fun part of that job is figuring out how to do something using what you have on the truck! We just called them ‘anchor eyes’ because we only used the triple type. A 3 bolt is the clamp on the down-guy just above where you made your cut. Our crew used the same method except we used a big pipe wrench instead of the adjustable to break the rod loose. You won’t end up on your butt as much lol. Cheers from rural New York!

[@beingaware8542]

In Downeast Maine here. Heard a switch and transmission line leading into Maine was down. was wondering. Thank the local linemen for getting it back as soon as they did.

[@robertmailhos8159]

Great idea to use the come along with the removal of the anchor rod

[@zadewebber40]

Hello everyone I’ve been watching this channel for 2ish years now and I’m attending linemen school in fall any future tips or tricks I should know of? Thank you.

[@ecospider5]

I just use gravel and compacted dirt when I install fence posts. Because of that, I’ve been able to take some fence posts out of the ground fairly easily just by putting a big lag bolt in and using a car jack to jacket out of the ground. The come along also works great but I lost track of my sky hook.

[@willthecat3861]

If you run a cable through your 'sky pulley' and tie the end to a tree... you'll be able to use the come-along.

[@gadget1012]

Ive used the eye on my bucket and attached the porkchop to the anchord to pull them out with success a bunch of times. No policy that prevents it as long as you dont exceed the rated load of the eye

[@811chicago5]

Using a guide wire is an excellent idea.

[@SodiumInduction-hv]

what’s a guide wire

[@811chicago5]

@SodiumInduction-hv Are you? In my discord group or Facebook.?

[@SodiumInduction-hv]

@@811chicago5 maybe 🤔 idk, what’s ur discord username

[@SodiumInduction-hv]

@@811chicago5 username?

[@rowanzettel6253]

You should try out the Milwaukee 2 size speed wrenches. I got one probably 6 months ago and it's way better than any other speeder I've used by far!

[@Bobsdecline]

I've got one and I agree! A lot less play in between the teeth.

[@trevorbaughman5234]

​​@@Bobsdecline you are an awesome lineman I love your videos

[@lewy1]

For your cross plate we cut them at ground level then hit them with a sledge and that usually drives them down.

[@BudTheDrummer]

I always wondered about how guy wires were anchored. As a kid in New Haven, CT, the guy wires were protected by an aluminum or galvanized half round shield. Yours is non conductive and safety yellow. Also the tape on your wrench is ingenious!

[@culbyj3665]

It is an ingenious thing... Simple marks make simple time saving steps. Man those old half round guy guards are atleast a few decades old, probably 2 to 3 Minimum. Noone uses them anymore..

[@throttlebottle5906]

alternately you could use an engraver or wood burning iron( hot knife) to shallow melt an F(Off) or N(On) into the speed wrench handle near the end, or engraver into the metal just above handle. it would be slightly harder to see, but pretty much permanent compared to tape. 😁 heck, even just engrave/melt a strip down one side if your used to seeing the tape/mark on one side only! it will likely void any warranties, if they apply to commercial service tools anyway.

[@rupe53]

Just another "day in the life" with a variety of tasks to keep boredom away. I always found that a little diversion with simple tasks breaks up the day and allows using a different part of the mind to solve problems.

[@andyclark1426]

Excellent

[@kgt9535]

Another awesome video bro. Thanks for taking us along and for continuing to share your field experiences with us 👊

[@zman3534]

I live in a small town in Centralia MO home of CHANCE/HUBBLE home of the helix anchors and many other anchors. Some even big enough they're installed with the PTO on a digger truck.

[@ElectroTree01]

I think the helical ones usually are installed with the hydraulic thingy in the crane.

[@ehsnils]

I have seen concrete anchor plates but not steel anchor plates until now.

[@Mano_421]

Haha nice bro

[@alan.macrae]

👊

[@howtowoodworking2896]

Did you go to NSCC to be a lineman?

[@fastst1]

Is that a Beebe cable puller?

[@bertblankenstein3738]

Probably a 3/4" rod. Usually they are in the ground further. On occasion I have to survey pole lines, but only surveying. So today I learned to to remove an anchor. Do you use pre-forms at all?

[@Bobsdecline]

Pretty much all preforms now. We still carry 3 bolts for some communication guying (their preference)

[@bertblankenstein3738]

@@Bobsdecline the default for comms these days in AB is to install their own anchors. Sometimes the power company installs the anchor, sometimes the communications company installs them. Just depends which electrical company we are dealing with. Thank you for the videos and keep up the great work.

[@macdadstromboli2762]

This is going to probably sound dumb. But, a job like this, do you have to call dispatch? I've seen where when you are dealing with live things, that its mandatory. But, since this is a dead pole, do you still have to contact your dispatch for a work order?

[@Bobsdecline]

Not dispatch, but they can always check where we're at if they want... At any givin time, I usually have dozens of work orders on my truck. I change the status of them throughout the day. (En route, damaged assessed, arrived etc...). We're also GPS'd by both our phones and trucks.

[@macdadstromboli2762]

@@Bobsdecline Thanks for the reply! 🤝

[@Bobsdecline]

🤝

[@dasdaro]

Dig down 2 feet and cut it with a Sawzall

[@bertblankenstein3738]

Maybe as a second option? You have to admit it didn't take long for Aaron to remove the rod, and it was pretty easy.

[@gary_glover]

That takes all the fun out of seeing who king arthur is on your crew! Only the pure of heart can pull it out with out assistance.

[@willthecat3861]

Hi Bob: A lot of the "come-along"s (a.k.a. winch puller) sold here have a warning label that says not to use the tool to lift things... that is don't use the come-along in the horizontal direction (only in the vertical.) What does your company (and more importantly, your union) have to say?

[@ecospider5]

I believe they say that because the switch to release the tension is to easy to move and you will drop a load on someone. Even if you set it up horizontally then go through a pulley then hook it to a load they would not want you lifting that load. Because it is way to easy for the come along to drop that load.

[@willthecat3861]

@@ecospider5 Yes. This is what I think too. Of course... Bob is not really "lifting a load"... so there is nothing to drop... or roll back... if the come-along does "fail"... but, usually management (and unions too) will not let workers use a tool in a way that violates the manufacturer's safety warnings.

[@cecilkorik]

The easy answer is if you get one that doesn't have such a warning. They're not all designed the same way and sometimes a better design doesn't even cost much more, but all the cheapest ones will typically all be clones of the same cheap and often stupid design with all possible corners cut and minimal safety to the point that they need a warning.

[@Bobsdecline]

I think perhaps they man "lift" as to not use it as a sling or for rigging. Our come alongs are the standard equipment used to tension guy wires much in the same manner.

[@cameronwebster6866]

The answer here is that the "load" never got high enough to fall, therefore nothing was being lifted, even if the force was in a vertical direction.

[@matthewellisor5835]

I haven't heard "log anchor" but I expect that it's analogous to "dead-man."

[@russlehman2070]

If you're resourceful, you can do damn near anything with a crescent wrench, a big hammer and come-along.

[@unwired1281]

👍👊

[@Matt_From_WiiSports]

What kind of lightbar do you have on your truck?

[@Bobsdecline]

She's a Rigid

[@Matt_From_WiiSports]

@@Bobsdecline love the vids though been watching for 2 years

[@Bobsdecline]

Oh nice! I appreciate ya watching and taking the time to leave a comment! Cheers! 🍻🤝

[@stanquire343]

Dig around it, & burn up a sawzall blade lol

[@Bobsdecline]

Option "B"! Lol

[@throttlebottle5906]

remove it by hand, nope! enough said. 😏

[@user-vd4bc7ws8t]

all poo poo time is pee pee time, but not all pee pee time is poo poo time

[@mrguitarguy40]

Cut it off below grade and call it a day

[@Bobsdecline]

That's definitely the alternative

[@coryb6730]

But those rods sure do eat up blades

[@jovetj]

@@Bobsdecline I thought you were gonna back the helix all the way out of the ground. :D

[@patsquach4080]

Show. How. A. Hand. Dig is done. … or. At. Least interview someone who. Has to do them. Lol. … Ps…. I have. Hand dug an. Excess of over 5000 anchors. My. Self . :o) Stopped counting the holes after. 8000. … Hand dug for over a decade.. ….involved in power line work for several decades…. Have. A. Fun. Day. …. SAFTY First. Look. Up. …:o)

[@ocsrc]

Do you know anyone who does 3D Printing ? I have a keypad plate with 16 keys. 2 inches by 3 inches by 1/4 inch thick. It is black plastic. Should be easy to print with 3D printer, but I don't know how to scan in the actual item. I thinking it needs a laser device to scan dimensions of all the pieces. The part has not been made in 20 years. I need 10 of these. Original part was KDM-7 Kenwood 16 digit DTMF keypad Anyone who can help, please contact me. Thanks You can see an image of this on Google image search

[@ecospider5]

So there are companies that will do this for you. Search for 3d scanning and printing. You will probably have to mail in the part to be scanned. I just noticed that UPS is doing this. Search for ups 3d scanning and printing and see if a location is near by. The other option is scanning with your phone. If your phone has Face ID then it can scan in 3D. You would have to search for an app.

[@ocsrc]

@@ecospider5 thank you

[@ecospider5]

No problem. I knew there were companies that did that but I just learned UPS is doing it. Hopefully they put one near my house. :)

[@JimAllen-Persona]

Did they teach you the method of using the guy wire in training or did you figure out this method yourself?

[@jjsradioman4876]

Who makes that come-a-long? Looks like a quality unit.

[@spud7378]

Nice. I use a pipe wrench instead of adjustable

[@RDC_Autosports]

yep i find old ones with the bush hog…. pisses me off that down here in FL they don’t remove the old ones

[@martf1061]

What kind of seed is planted to make a branchless tree like that?

[@RcB_1985]

We use primarily the helix anchors but we dig down 1ft and cut it then burry back.

[@shopenasupply]

always wondered what these looked like in action. Great video!

[@ElectroTree01]

A couple of the ones here apparently have a bolt that has prevented me from getting them out. Are the cross plates to be installed and have dirt tamped around them or is there another method?

[@Bobsdecline]

Yea the crossplates are typically installed with backhoes or hydrovacs. We then backfill ours with tailings and dirt, then tamp.

[@ElectroTree01]

@@Bobsdecline Interesting. Commonly seen ones where I am are the helical ones like in the video and "bust" anchors that have expanding plates at the base. P.S. Got my hands on a cracked insulator and the ring test works. Made a vid on that too. The good ones can be pretty loud even hit with a tiny metal object - was enough to make my ears hurt for a little bit.

[@Bobsdecline]

Oh nice! I'll have to check out the vid

[@throttlebottle5906]

"dig them up" nope! a few shovels full down and angle grinder cutoff wheel. 6" below grade, slam the soil back and part ways, same for the poles, unless it's being replaced with new. if they want more than that done, it's on them in my opinion. 😏

[@chrisstauder]

Great video as always. It's good to see that madi hammer in action.

[@BartlettTFD]

Always enjoy seeing your expertise👍

[@jessjohnson8576]

hi-lift jack would work great for pulling those up.

[@Lunatikgixxer]

Strange anchor. Much different than ours.

[@linehandibew6205]

My grinder does a great job of removing old anchors 😉

[@davepusey]

Couple of things... 1) As the pole was dead, did they really have to bother the power company for this? Surely anyone could have done that? and 2) I doubt you'll reuse the anchor rod, so why not just cut it off flush at the ground with some bolt cutters or a grinder?

[@Bobsdecline]

Great question. Legally a contractor can't touch our equipment. Also ,we don't charge to have it removed. As far as cutting it off flush, that's pretty much the alternative. We try and remove it, but in many cases we'll dig down and cut it off a foot or two below grade

[@bertblankenstein3738]

The pole still belongs to the power company. It would be on a right of way or an easement and that's why it is allowed to be there. Either that, or it is a pole specifically to allow service to THAT house.

[@martf1061]

Why not just cut it flush to the ground ?

[@ryanalbertson2967]

what is a lineman with out his tools a man

[@longviewstud26]

That was really cool 😎

[@culbyj3665]

The most basic of physics using equipment on hand is such a no Brainer. Ive seen guys struggle so much with out even thinking they have 200 300 dollars tools that will not only save ur back but save you time In doing the most menial of tasks . This is a great video to just show such basic things that some people may never think Of. I know because Ive seen guys struggle and its like whoa wait Hey go grab me a pork chop grip and small web hoist . It blows some new guys minds cause they wanna use brute force. . You dont have to . In other cases Hey your driving around a 200k Truck with a one line . USe it to ur advantage. Sometimes it may take more time for a setup but id rather do that then blow out your body joints. This is such a great video Aaron. You Should do some more like this for simple tasks.. How about a two man crew using a simple looped rope on a 12kn pulley just to pull tools up . If ya know what im saying. Its the little details that make life easier...

[@culbyj3665]

If u can And have access with a company acct goto ur local shop that fixes some of your euipment and get a simple adjustable rope sling with a pulley in the loop . U can gain those extra couple inches with less weight to be able to extend strand or get it back to the new pole in rear prop U had to set . UR On hooks make your life easier. Theres so much stuff out there to help ya get stuff done properly and easier..

[@wirenut003]

Cool

[@russlehman2070]

You could pull to pole out with a come-along. All you need is a skyhook to connect the other end of the come-along to.

[@martf1061]

The older the wood pole is, the harder it is to pull out. It has bigger and longer roots. Do you know how long it takes for a pole seed to grow high enough to become a mature power line pole?

[@bclineman5250]

Our prints usually just tell us to dig just below grade, cut and abandon the rod

[@johnclyne6350]

Did I hear a squeak out of your bone wrench? I put a dot of green paint on the on & a dot of red on the off side on the metal. Easier to see if you have rubber gloves or winter gloves on. We use a big old pipe wrench to turn that rod out of the helix plate. It works very well. Glad to see the snow is gone in your video. Maybe warmer weather on the horizon? Spring has sprung in Connecticut. These days are just delightful to work in before the summer heat waves. Keep up the good work 👍🏻👊🏻

[@michaelgagne1911]

Thanks for real always wondered how they worked nice great video

[@robertcookjr6100]

Stay safe!!

[@tomki6asp]

A jumar!

[@seancollins1766]

Thanks for the fantastic videos! Question: Is there a post or video containing your recommendations for clothing and such for linemen? I am getting ready to school for 10 weeks and hopefully join the workforce as a lineman. Thanks!

[@DC-ct8tv]

Tyndale

[@572jer]

Just see you 2 days ago really close to my work you filling out paperwork want stop say hi to you

[@Bobsdecline]

If ya ever see me, feel free to drop by and say Hi anytime! As long as the situation is safe of course 🤝