dig \ 'dig, vt to break and turn
up, to remove, to excavate, 
to find out, to study, 
investigate, to unearth.

Yep!! You guessed it, I’m out digging again. The only new twist is I’m not using a shovel (like lotsa guys). I’m using my head.. whoa, I mean the easiest way to “dig” insulators is by passing out business cards. A thousand business cards will set you back $25.00 (that’s five Mickey Mouses).

Anyone and everyone is a good prospect. “Digging” can be done with a little imagination. A library display gives a collector good exposure. Some libraries have hobby nights (show and tell). Libraries are more than happy to put you in their catalog as an expert on insulators. You may never get a call, but then again, you may.

Senior citizens groups are always looking for speakers. Remember those people worked somewhere, years ago. They may also have friends that may turn into a “prospect.”

I like to pass out cards and flyers with silhouettes and threadless style insulators to anyone I see excavating. Gas company employees I’ve found are the friendliest...but I don’t pass up any county employees, sewer contractors, cable burying crews, etc. Of course any telephone/power company crew is fair game. I never pass up a tree trimming crew either.

The most obvious places to “dig” is antique malls/shops, antique and collector publications. Cable vision offers reasonable rates to the hobbyist. You have to be ready to politely accept the Hemngray-42 calls. They do surface!?!#!!

I also stretch the limits by contacting Telephone/Power Company/Railroad credit unions. They all have bulletin boards.

A good source for contacts includes retiree newspapers from specific union locals, railroad brotherhood, international brotherhood of electrical workers, etc..

Fraternal organizations, Elks, Moose, Eagles, VFW, K. of C. are also good prospects.

Rural newspapers are always well read by locals. I like to advertise in the winter months when farmers, etc. have more leisure time. Another good wintertime contact is heavy duty implement/excavating companies. They obviously don’t dig in frozen ground (up north). They don’t want to be bothered in the summer by some “nut” trying to pass out Insulator-Wanted flyers.

Let your imagination run wild...I occasionally do...you knew that!