Shop Projects for Insulator Collectors
There are a number of shop projects that an insulator collector can pursue. Some will save money and some can even generate income. Depending on the project, different kinds of skill are needed ranging from woodworking and welding to wire bending and whimsy. At insulator shows, you might see the fruits of these projects in the displays of collectors or on the tables of dealers. The phrase "show projects" is used loosely here as some of these projects are better described as craft projects and others as major construction jobs.
Insulator Retriever. One of the first projects that collectors frequently pursue is the construction of an insulator retrieval device. Generally this involves a long, nonconducting, extendable pole with a contraption to spin the insulator off the pin. The contraption may be as simple as a rubber inner tube or some grippy tape wound around a paint roller. By pushing the paint roller across the insulator, the grip of the inner tube or tape causes the insulator to rotate. At some point, the insulator can be popped off the pin.
Display Case. At first it is easy to find space to display insulators on shelves or in a window but eventually collectors think about building or buying a light box. The box can have a light that shines up with insulators resting on a piece of translucent plastic or the box can have a light that back lights the insulators that are resting on shelves.
Wall Mounted Coat Rack. Take a plank of wood, add some wood side pins, varnish it and mount to a wall. Add some insulators to the pins.
Floor Model Coat Rack. Take a 4 x 4, add some wood side ins, varnish it, and mount it to a base. Add some insulators to the pins.
Christmas Tree. Create a center four your tree out of wood. Preferably the center will be cylindrical but it could also be square. Drill holes around the center and insert straight pins. Either shorten the pins to various lengths or add extensions to the holes so as you move up the tree, the ends of the pin are closer to the center of the tree. Add insulators to the ends of the pins.
Pinwheel. Weld the ends of metal pins to a six-sided nut. Screw a metal pin into the nut. Add insulators to the pins.
Insulator Clock. Place 12 side pins into a circle with spacers between each side pin. The threads should be pointing outward from the circle. Add clock arms in the center. Add insulators to the pins.
Candle Holder #1. Take a spool and put a candle in it.
Candle Holder #2. Take some heavy wire and twist it into a circle that will allow an insulator turned upside down to drop into the hole but not drop all the way through the hole. Twist the wire to provide a base.
Insulator Man or Animal. Combine, with wire or bolts, various insulators to create a figure.
This page created June 6, 2012