Wire and cable lacing info wanted

"wienie" wrote in message
m...
Hi Folks,

When in the Air Force, we used 12 ply waxed linen twine to bind
bundles of wire together. This was an *+art* that had it's own set
of tools (needles, loops, half-gloves, etc). I've tried in vain
to find any information other than sources for the tools and the
twine itself. I know that most of the knots were named for US
cities, i.e. "Chicago Knot". I also know that this practice is
still extensivly used at the various telephone company's CO's.

Grateful for any information.

Thanks and Best Regards,

Dave

PS: May be folklore, but we were told not to put the twine in
our mouths as it was impregnated with minute amount of cyanide
to keep the rodents from chewing it.

Actually it would stop the eating it again.

Hi Folks,

When in the Air Force, we used 12 ply waxed linen twine to bind
bundles of wire together. This was an *+art* that had it's own set
of tools (needles, loops, half-gloves, etc). I've tried in vain
to find any information other than sources for the tools and the
twine itself. I know that most of the knots were named for US
cities, i.e. "Chicago Knot". I also know that this practice is
still extensivly used at the various telephone company's CO's.

Grateful for any information.

Thanks and Best Regards,

Dave

PS: May be folklore, but we were told not to put the twine in
our mouths as it was impregnated with minute amount of cyanide
to keep the rodents from chewing it.

On 11 May, Dave wrote:

Hi Folks,

When in the Air Force, we used 12 ply waxed linen twine to bind
bundles of wire together. This was an *+art* that had it's own set
of tools (needles, loops, half-gloves, etc). I've tried in vain
to find any information other than sources for the tools and the
twine itself. I know that most of the knots were named for US
cities, i.e. "Chicago Knot". I also know that this practice is
still extensivly used at the various telephone company's CO's.

Grateful for any information.

Thanks and Best Regards,

Dave

PS: May be folklore, but we were told not to put the twine in
our mouths as it was impregnated with minute amount of cyanide
to keep the rodents from chewing it.

Dave,

I also used to do that work when installing and running fiber
optic and high-speed data cables in Pacific Bell. The Chicago Knot
you mention is the correct Bell System term as shown in the BSP's
(Bell System Practices). For those unfamiliar, the knot would be more
commonly known as a Double Larkshead.

It's used to start a doubled length of the twine Dave mentioned
and this is then used to lash a layer of cables to a rack. If you
want to get the full set of practices, the only source I know might be
Lucent Technologies, the successor to the old Bell System's technical
support function.

These are not public documents, and I suspect that you may hit a
brick wall if you ask for a copy as they are considered "proprietary
information". It can't hurt to try though. Tell them you are
considering opening a contracting business using your Air Force
experience both in the physical procedures and in handling supervisory
duties.

As to the matter of the cyanide in the waxed twine, I have to
think it's just a story. Those people were so safety oriented that
had it been there, I'm sure we would have heard of it.

Regards,
O J

On Tue, 11 May, I wrote:

For those unfamiliar, the knot would be more
commonly known as a Double Larkshead.

Sorry, I misspoke. Knot tiers would recognize it if I referred
to it as a running Larkshead.

O J

O J sedeth thuslike:

These are not public documents, and I suspect that you may hit a
brick wall if you ask for a copy as they are considered "proprietary
information". It can't hurt to try though. Tell them you are
considering opening a contracting business using your Air Force
experience both in the physical procedures and in handling supervisory
duties.

BSPs is what I am looking for, but didn't know what to call it. I work
with all of the RBOC's, so may not be a problem. Now I know what to ask
for. In the Air Farce we had something called SIPTO, "Standard Installation
Practices Technical Order" which I am searching for as well. I seem to
remember that it had the lacing info as well.

Thanks for all your help.

Dave