Over the years, we have been asked all kinds of questions, and as you might think, many of them are the same. We want to take a moment and answer many commonly asked questions. After you’ve read through them, if your question still isn’t answered, please feel free to visit our Contact Page and get in touch with us. We look forward to hearing from you!
How long have you been in business?
How long have you been doing cable-rail?
Who are your traditional customers?
Do you sell to the general public?
Do I have to purchase items online only, or can I order on the phone or pick up at your store in Mills River, NC?
Can I order items that are special lengths or items that are not in your web store?
What products do you keep in stock?
Do you move equipment?
Do you rent nylon slings, chain slings or spreader bars?
What is the difference between working load limit and breaking strength?
What is a proof test and do you offer it?
What is a destructive test?
Do you proof test every sling that you sell?
Do you have a show-room that displays your cable rail product?
What information do I need to get a cable rail estimate?
What are the best fittings for a cable rail project?
What size cable should I use for cable railing?
Can someone come out to my house to measure for cable-rail?
Where do you ship to?
How much does cable rail cost per linear foot?
How far will you travel to install cable rail?
Can I buy just the cable and fittings to install on my deck?
Do you ship complete railing systems?
How long have you been in business?
Since July 1987.
How long have you been doing cable-rail?
Since 1998.
Who are your traditional customers?
Contractors, builders, utility companies, loggers, individuals, residential and commercial cable-rail consumers, etc.
Do you sell to the general public?
Yes, they are a very important part of our business! Although we do maintain and service a lot of commercial accounts, we welcome walk-ins and individuals.
Do I have to purchase items online only, or can I order on the phone or pick up at your store in Mills River, NC?
You may order by your preference, by phone, fax, email, web-store, or in person at our store in Mills River, NC. We can either ship your order or have ready for pick up.
Can I order items that are special lengths or items that are not in your web store?
Absolutely! We custom make many items that are not in our web store, if you don’t see it there, feel free to contact us by any method you prefer, and we’ll quote your special order needs. Click Here for quote page
What products do you keep in stock?
We stock 1”,2”,3”, and 4” polyester web slings in various lengths, polyester round slings in various capacities and lengths, 1”, 2”, and 4” tie-down straps, shackles, chains for towing industry with J-hooks, chain binders, eye hoist hooks of various capacities, 9/16” logging chokers in various lengths, turnbuckles, swivels, eye bolts, snatch blocks, some wire rope slings, rubber tarp straps, cable rail tension fittings, wire rope up to 1-1/2”, galvanized wire rope starting at 1/16” up to ½”, 3-strand nylon rope in various sizes, etc.
Do you move equipment?
No. We just supply the rigging for those who do.
Do you rent nylon slings, chain slings or spreader bars?
No. Due to insurance constraints, we are not able to rent any of these items.
What is the difference between working load limit and breaking strength?
Almost all of our products have a “working load limit, sometimes referred to as “WLL”. It is the maximum weight load limit that should be applied to the product while in use under any circumstances. The “safety” or “design” factor is the factor applied to that product between its working load limit and breaking strength. Some products may have a 4:1 or a 5:1 design factor, which means the ultimate breaking strength is either 4 or 5 times the working load limit. That is designed to keep the user safe. The safety factor is NOT a usable “cushion” that should make the user feel as if it’s OK to go anywhere above the working load limit. The user assumes ALL liabilities when the working load limit is exceeded and all warranties are voided when used above the working load limit.
What is a proof test and do you offer it?
A proof test is designed to test the integrity of a product. Depending on the product, a proof test is anywhere between 125% and 200% of the product’s working load limit. We can test up to 100,000 lbs at our facility.
What is a destructive test?
A destructive test is when we actually destroy the item tested to be sure it is meeting its safety design factor. For example, if we have a sling that is rated at a working load limit of 5000 lbs. and we destroy it at 25,000 lbs or more, and the sling has a design factor of 5:1, then the sling has met its design factor requirements. We routinely destruct test slings in our facility to make sure all processes involved in manufacturing are according to design.
Do you proof test every sling that you sell?
No. We can proof test slings upon request, but there is no OSHA or ANSI requirement for proof test of web slings and wire rope slings. Chain slings, however, are required to be proof tested by the manufacturer. We provide the proof test certificate for chain slings, but only upon request for other types of slings.
Do you have a show-room that displays your cable rail product?
Yes. Our address is 34 Sterling Place, Mills River, NC 28759. Our office hours are Monday-Thursday 8am-4:30pm and Fridays 8am-4pm. For a map of our location visit our Contact Us page.
What information do I need to get a cable rail estimate?
We have a Word document you can download HERE which includes everything we would need to give you a reasonable quote.
What are the best fittings for a cable rail project?
There are literally hundreds of end connections available for cable railing from numerous companies. We strive to keep costs minimal and typically recommend the items we have here. There are many more options that we can supply but these are the most common and we typically keep these items in stock.
What size cable should I use for cable railing?
The most common sizes are 1/8” and 3/16”. We sell more 1/8” for residential applications and mostly 3/16” for commercial applications.
Can someone come out to my house to measure for cable-rail?
Yes. Most often, though, we can give preliminary estimates based off rough measurements, either verbal or hand-sketches without having to make a field visit for quoting purposes. Click Here for Quote Page
Where do you ship to?
We currently ship anywhere inside the 48 contiguous United States.
How much does cable rail cost per linear foot?
Every job is unique resulting in variable cost per linear foot. We can run one continuous length of 100’ at a lower cost per foot than 5 runs of 20’ (still 100’ total, but with more tensioner fittings). The cost per foot is primarily determined by the number and the type of fittings used. We will recommend the least costly fittings to fit your design.
How far will you travel to install cable rail?
We can travel as far as you’d like to pay us to go! Obviously, it costs more to have us travel further, but we have installed railing in NE, OH, TN, VA, GA, SC, AL and NC.
Can I buy just the cable and fittings to install on my deck?
Yes. We offer cut length cables or bulk that you can custom fit on your deck. We will gladly help with questions regarding how to attach and install the fittings.
Do you ship complete railing systems?
We have found that it is not practical to ship top railing on motor freight, it usually always gets damaged in shipment but we can ship steel/stainless post. We do ship cables and tension fittings all over the USA! We will communicate with your fabricator to answer questions about how to fabricate metal railings and we will supply the cables for those railings at whatever your location is.
For any other questions you may have please feel free to Contact Us at any time. We look forward to working with you!