I tried using spikes as nails, to climb up the pole, and the thought was to use a come-a-long to lift it enough to lower it. However, those old creosote poles are tough, so was only able to get 2/3 of the way up before it became impossible to drive more in. I had a friend that used to cut down trees, so we used two ropes, as high as I could climb. She got a few scratches, but not even a dent. Lightening arrested wasn't even damaged.
It has a Salvage tag nailed to the pole, but apparently it fell off the radar, and you could barely tell it used to be a road.
From: David <drieben@xxxxxxx>
To: Yurtle Turtle <yurtle_t@xxxxxxxxx>; Tesla Coil Mailing List <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, December 6, 2014 11:10 AM
Subject: Re: [TCML] !5 kv / 120ma
Hi Adam,
Yes, I like to hear your story about downing an out of service utility pole (with a prized 25 kVA piggy still mounted to it) out "in the middle of nowhere" with a chainsaw ;-)) I have often wondered how you were able to prevent the transformer from being damaged by the +30 ft. free-fall? Were you able to control the fall of the pole (roping it off like tree workers, maybe) or did you just take your chances and let 'er free-fall?
David (Rieben)
Sent from my iPhone
> On Dec 5, 2014, at 5:44 PM, Yurtle Turtle via Tesla <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> Dunno about a cherry picker. I harvested mine with a chain saw, and drug it through the woods with a hand truck by myself. Me and a neighbor hoisted it into my pickup, and it now lives on a stand made of 2x4s with four tiny casters. Home Depot cheap casters, as each one only holds 1/4 the weight. 14.4 kV 25 kVA.
>
> From: David Rieben <drieben@xxxxxxx>
> To: Tesla Coil Mailing List <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Friday, December 5, 2014 11:00 AM
> Subject: Re: [TCML] !5 kv / 120ma
>
> Hi David,
>
> If you're really looking to venture "that large" in the SGTC arena, why don't you just go ahead and get your self a pole pig? There are actually a good number of pole transformers on eBay for some decent prices right now. Of course there are some drawbacks to going with one of these beasts. They are quite hefty and are therefore costly to ship and you really need a "cherry picker" engine hoist to move it around to protect your back. They also require external ballasting to use for this purpose and are positively deadly if their energized HV output is contacted. But a persistent and resourceful eBay shopper can usually find a 10 kVA pig for considerably less than an equivalent NST farm.
>
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/GE-Distribution-Pole-Transformer-3kVA-12kV-primary-120-240V-secondary-Tesla-Coil-/221622202456?pt=BI_Circuit_Breakers_Transformers&hash=item3399b67058
>
>
> Another David
>
> David <zipo@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>> So where does one find a 15/120 these days.
>> I'm on the hunt for 120ma's worth of NST's
>> 2 x 12/60's, I believe would be ideal, so they could be run on 120vac or 240
>> But wow a 15/120 that's stuff of legion.
>>
>> Dave
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