The mini poles started out about six or seven years ago when trying to make a display to go along with my insulator collection. The poles were built to show how different transmission and distribution insulators were used. 

The first poles were quite basic when I look back at some of the photos I've take of them. I took a few extra poles I had to a show and had a little interest shown in them. I slowly proceeded to make many improvements, more poleline hardware, various street lights -- everything that you could find on a pole. I wanted things to look accurate for the discriminating lineman / collector that would happen to look at my handiwork.

What was really time consuming was the planning on the size of the parts to be built, making the tooling for the metal parts, fixtures for drilling the wood parts and molds for the insulators and other little plastic parts. 

Things started to get rolling the day I decided to build a mini-pole to use as a night light on my bedside stand. The pole turned out nicely and I thought I would show it to a lineman friend of mine at the local electric utility company. My friend in turn showed it around to his friends and that resulted in numbers requests for poles to be built. 

Since I had taken the time to make most of my parts a "standard size", I found I was able to build just about anything that these guys would request. This in turn makes it fun for me since I don't have to build the same old pole over and over again. 

I still have a lot more molds to make so I can have a large variety of insulators to use. I have also built some one-of-a-kind pieces of hardware that I almost hated to sell because they turned out so nicely. 

The poles are a neat way to show people that you collect insulators and how they were used, also they throw a neat shadow on the wall when used as a night light.

If any of you readers would like further information, please contact me at this address: Steve KeIla, 2588 Briar Avenue, Muskegon, MI 49444 (616) 777-2496

COVER: Your editor ordered this special pole from Steve complete with a couple of peacock Mickey Mouses and four signals in amber, cobalt, purple and olive green. The knife switch on the upper crossarm (left) powers the lamp of the street light. It was a great Christmas gift!! Time to order yours!

Street light reflectors and masts in various stages of construction. 
These require many small pieces to make one complete unit. 

Old style power banks ready for their street lights and fuse cut-outs.

Old style power bank made special order with two street lights per pole.

Modern transmission pole with distribution circuit 
and mercury vapor "cobra head" street light.