ERECTING POLES When a earth auger is available, the job of erecting poles is relatively simple. A sling is placed around the approximate midpoint of the pole, and the winch heaves it up, and it is held in place by a pole claw (fig. 4-51).

Table 4-1.- Depth for Setting Poles in Soil or Rock

Figure 4-49.- Cribbing a pole with stones and a log.

Figure 4-50.- Digging tools. The truck then proceeds to the hole or is pre-positioned at the hole site, and the base of the pole is guided in as the winch lowers away (fig. 4-52). Since the butt, or base, is heavier than the top end, the pole is raised to an almost vertical position.

In the absence of this equipment, the pole must be "piked up"- meaning that the pole is placed with the

base adjacent to the hole and the upper end supported on either a "mule" or a "jenny." A jenny is a wooden support made in the form of an X, and a mule is a wooden support made in the form of a Y. The upper end

Figure 4-51.- Pole positioning before being set.

Figure 4-52.- Auger truck setting a pole. is then "piked" into the air by crew members using pike poles. A cant hook (peavy), pike pole, and pole support (mule) are shown in figure 4-53. Figure 4-54 shows the proper way to position a pole manually for erection.

The procedure for piking up a pole is shown in figure 4-55. The "butt man" holds and guides the butt of the pole with a cant hook (or peavy) (fig. 4-53). This is a handle with a hook designed to grasp the pole when pressure is applied to the handle. As the upper end of the pole is raised, a crew member keeps the jenny or mule in approximate contact by moving it toward the butt. The "butt board" is a length of plank set in the hole and long enough to protrude above the surface. It prevents the

Figure 4-53.- Pole tools.

Figure 4-54.- Manually positioning a pole. butt of the pole from sliding past the hole and also "faced"- meaning that it is rotated with the cant hook to prevents the butt from caving in the side of the hole. bring the crossarm gain to proper position. On a straight After the pole has reached an upright position, it is line it is the custom to set adjacent poles with crossarms

Figure 4-55.- Piking up a pole.

Figure 4-56.- Poles facing in a straight line. After the pole has been plumbed, the hole is backfilled and the backfill tamped down firmly. Backfilling is done gradually, in shallow layers, with each layer thoroughly tamped down. Usually two or three crew members tamp, and one shovels. When the

hole has been filled to the ground line with tamped backfill, the remaining excavated soil is banked in a mound around the base of the pole to allow for subsequent settling (fig. 4-58). facing in opposite directions, as shown in figure 4-56. This procedure, called facing "gain to gain" or "back to back," provides for maximum strength in the line. 

WARNING  Poles are always faced in the direction of hills, As a pole is being raised, it is safest to curves, and dead ends, as shown in figure 4-57. This is assume that at any moment something may slip done to allow the most strain to be placed on the face and or break Stand as far away from the pole as against the curve of the poles. possible if you are not in the raising crew. After the pole has been faced, it must be plumbed vertical. This is done by four pikers on four sides of the pole, acting on signals given by one crew member who sights along the line and another who sights from one side. In some cases, a small amount of rake or lean (approximately 12 inches) is left to allow for a wire strain or the normal give of a guy.

The pike-pole method of setting poles should not be used unless there are enough crew members to do the work safely. In using pikes the crew must stand far enough apart so that they will not interfere with each other. Never brace a pike pole on your stomach. If the pole should happen to shift your way, you would not be able to get clear. Unmanned pikes alone should not be relied upon to support a pole, while a crew member is on it. Pike-pole tops should be kept covered at all times except when actually in use.

Crew members should not be on poles, while they are being plumbed, canted, or tamped.