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Saw a guy yesterday using zip ties on aerial drops like it was 1995
He cinched them tight around the messenger strand and I had to stop and show him how a proper lasher works, cable sag within 6 months guaranteed. Anyone else run into installers skipping the proper hardware just to shave 10 minutes off a job?
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grant9015mo ago
That 6 month timeline is about right. I used to be one of those guys who thought zip ties were fine for temp fixes so I wouldn't have to drag out the big lasher on a ladder. Then I had to go back to a job 5 months later and the whole thing was sagging like a clothesline. The wind had worked the zip ties loose and the jacket was all chewed up. It takes 15 extra minutes to do it right with a proper lasher and preformed grips, and I learned that lesson the hard way.
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the_jordan5mo ago
...and honestly, that 5 month mark is almost exactly when zip ties start to fail in direct sunlight. The UV just eats them alive. I've seen guys use the black ones thinking they're tougher but they still get brittle after a few seasons. The real issue is even the heavy duty ones don't have the same tensile strength as a proper lashing, so they slowly stretch under the load. You ever try the stainless steel zip ties? I hear they hold up better but I never trusted them for anything permanent either.
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