Lineman’s Slang Part 1
The Lineman’s Slang has been prepared to help familiarize you with some of the jargon used in the electric utility industry, particularly that of the lineman.
alley-arm – a side arm brace, used when cross-arm is not balanced on both sides of pole but extending out on one side only.
alligator – a tie stick.
A.R. – abbreviation for automatic recloser.
baker board – platform board.
baloney bender – a wireman who works with heavy cable.
banjo – a shovel, straight blade and long handle.
bear grease – Z.L.N. electric contact aid.
becky – a cable sling.
bell – suspension or deadend insulators. Ohio Brass
bell wrench – wrench for tightening various square head bolts.
bender – hammer.
bible – the electrician’s code book.
bicycle – a chain drill for boring holes.
boatswain’s chair – a small wooden seat supported by four ropes secured to a ring or tied at a common point above the workman’s head.
booger wire – a neutral wire.
brookie tool – a staple puller.
bookie wheel – a measuring device.
boomer – 1) a lineman who leaves one job to get to the next job. 2) a lineman who always worked on the installation of new transmission lines.
booties – meter clip insulators.
bottles – glass clip insulators.
box – 1) porcelain enclosed-type cutout.
box – 2) padmounted transformer or switchgear.
broomsticks – phase spacers, used to keep phases from coming into contact with each other at midspan.
buck – to lower or attempt to lower the voltage.
buck arm – two sets of crossarms at 90 degree angles to each other.
bucket truck – an aerial lift truck for raising men high enough to work on lines from the insulated buck of the truck.
bug – transformer
bugs – solderless, usually bolted, connectors.
bug wrench – speed wrench (Fargo box ratchet type) to install bolted connectors (‘bugs’).
bulldog – a “come-a-long” wire grip for holding conductor or strand under tension.
bulldog wrench – an alligator wrench.
bullhorn – Epoxirod bi-unit.
bull line – heavy line for pulling in wires.
bull pen – where the construction crew gathers before and after work.
bull wheel – a reel device used to hold tension on a transmission conductor during stringing operations.
bundle – multiple strings of conductor.
bust anchor – expanding anchor.
buster – expanding and tamping bar used on expanding anchors.
butterfly – conductor take-up reel.
