Telegraph Poles for Okehampton.
Telegraph Poles for Okehampton.
Description: "One Friday night at the Club, many moons ago, someone said "who would like to take over making the telegraph poles for Okehampton."
When I volunteered to undertake the task never in a million years did I think that it was going to be such a challenge, but with thanks to Russell Burridge, things were made a little easier.
When looking at the poles, they were the same diameter at the base as at the top which as someone pointed out, this is not how the real poles were. So, at the next meeting I was presented with an 8 page dossier on telegraph poles. For the next few months I had many happy hours making them.
Each pole tapered from bottom to top, which meant that the grooves previously cut had to be re-cut. In the box of goodies I was given, there were brass cross arms which were all different, some with 4 pots up and down, some longer with 8 pots up and down, down pots with longer arms so that these could be turned up.
There are16 poles in total, 11 of which are different types. Removing unwanted pots both top and bottom was not hard but bending the bottom pot round and up was difficult until someone showed me a technique which eventually turned out to be easy once you knew how to do it.
The steps on the side of the poles proved to be the hardest part as the poles had to be kept flat while drilling. I used my new Proxxon Vertical Stand drill which helped in getting the fixing holes spot on.
All the cross arms and steps had to be sprayed with a primer first before fixing. All the items had to have 3 layers of paint, but the poles have still to be made into the finished article, to be carried out at a later date.
Although I made the telegraph poles, without the help from many Club members, this would not have been possible."