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u/Bill_Meier

r/Insulators r/EssentialTremor
▲ 18 r/Insulators

You risk your life climbing poles. I know people who have died doing that.

There are the obvious things like falling off them or a ladder sliding off. Also the pole may look fine but it's rotten underground and when you push on it it may fall over.

I know second hand two people who have gotten killed climbing poles. One was out in the wild and he slipped off the pole and broke his neck. It was several days before they found him.

We bought a small collection from the mother whose son had died climbing a pole. It took her 30 years before she was able to sell the insulators he had gathered.

The third person, I know personally, climbed a pole not knowing there was a live wire. He got zapped and lost half of one of his fingers. Given he could have died, that was a "minor injury."

You are trespassing and stealing insulators. I have also heard horror stories about getting caught by the police.

Is all this worth it to get a dollar or two insulator off the pole? Go online or go to a the show and you will have the opportunity to buy thousands of insulators you have never seen for a very reasonable price. Many of them have a free table where you find insulators as good as, or better, than the ones you find in the wild. Or a dollar table.

Can you imagine your family finding you at the bottom of a pole after you have been lying there for several days?

Just don't do it please. I know of too many personal tragedies. If you think that would never happen to you, you are naive...

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u/Bill_Meier — 7 days ago
▲ 83 r/Insulators

CD 164 H.G.CO. in Peacock going on the cover of the 2027 National directory

Happens to be one of my two favorite insulators. They were found near where the show will be, so they are sort of using it as a mascot for the show.

Watch this space:

https://www.insulators.info/shows

The National show is July 9-11, 2027. Never too early to plan!

And this year's National is coming up in less than a month! July 10 - 12 (Friday - Sunday) in Helena, Montana

https://www.insulators.info/shows/

u/Bill_Meier — 23 days ago
▲ 109 r/Insulators

The free table at the Springfield, OH site

Items come and go, but here is an example. Nice glass and porcelain. FREE! The table is at least another three feet to the right. Zoom in and see the goodies!

u/Bill_Meier — 1 month ago
▲ 41 r/Insulators

One of the best porcelain pieces you'll find (threadless too)

I know this is cheating... Take a look at the price at the bottom. Flea market find. $5 bargained down to $4 I think?...

U-982 {Unmarked Bennington}  Color: Mottled Brown/Tan  Description: 1/8" ding on the crown, two 1/4" base flakes that appear to be colored brown, 1/2" flake at base of pinhole. Crude with some molding imperfections. Overall, this is outstanding condition for this style, given its age. The beautiful cream and caramel splotched Rockingham glaze is typical of products of the Bennington Pottery Works. The coloration on the inside of the skirt as you can see in view 3 looks like spots on a giraffe. The insulator has a very unique shape, with the upper skirt angling outward and the lower skirt angling inward, creating a distinct ridge between the two sections. Porcelain insulator pioneer Jack Tod remarked "I guarantee, you will enter a state of euphoria if you ever hold this beautiful and unique specimen in your hands." Don't let this rare and unique threadless insulator slip by; you can personally experience that euphoria yourself!

Estimate: $3,000 - $4,000  Open: $1

Price Realized:  $6,875

u/Bill_Meier — 2 months ago
▲ 11 r/EssentialTremor

I consider this a reliable source. This is not some "AI-generated answer" with the footnote. "This is for informational purposes only. For medical advice or diagnosis, consult a professional. AI responses may include mistakes."

https://www.pennmedicine.org/conditions/essential-tremor/diagnosis

Some key points here:

Diagnosing essential tremor requires a thorough assessment by a neurologist who specializes in movement disorders. [my note: thus, your GP is not fully qualified to make this diagnosis]

According to the most recent diagnostic criteria, essential tremor must:

  • Occur during active movement
  • Affect both upper extremities
  • Be present for at least three years
  • Occur in the absence of other neurological signs or symptoms

People with essential tremor-plus syndrome may present with additional, very mild neurological signs or symptoms, such as mild balance problems, memory loss, or posturing of arms or legs (involuntary flexion or extension of limbs).

Hope this helps some people out. "Be present for at least three years" seems a bit extreme, but I guess it rules out more transient problems.

There is also a good discussion of Essential tremor versus Parkinson’s disease

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u/Bill_Meier — 2 months ago
▲ 83 r/Insulators

Three photos:

  1. final result. Kind of a lot of reflections, but sometimes they add depth. Note the shot is "straight on." I like it level with the wire groove. So kneel on the floor and be careful to keep the camera straight

  2. photo from the camera. Don't get too close, otherwise the picture will be distorted by the wide-angle lens. Use 2x or 3x if you have it. Do not try to "fill the frame" with the insulator. Just go into any photo editor and crop and maybe rotate the picture. You may need to brighten it a bit, depending on the lighting, too. Here I did not.

  3. complex photo setup on the kitchen table. Just need a sweep of paper to make an even background. Note the careful placement of the Kleenex box! Anything to hold the paper vertical. This was in the shade in a room with lots of windows.

Project cost: 1 cent for the paper. Actually, mine was free as I pulled it out of our recycle bin!

Key points:

Curved white background avoids the seam

Camera "straight on" (critical) to show the true profile of the insulator.

Take the time to turn the insulator so the embossing is facing forward.

You could get fancy and block some reflections, but this was just a quick-and-dirty shot.

Not bad?

u/Bill_Meier — 2 months ago