What do you do about chipped insulators? Such as brown porcelain insulators like
http://i14.ebayimg.com/01/i/000/e9/9a/b4b9_1.JPG

Is there some sort of paint, epoxy or bakeable-on substance you can use to repair and reseal the ones with minor chips?

Tough duty for an insulator destined to be outdoors on a pole arm. I wonder if any of the insulating varnishes like Glyptol would hold up in that duty? It is quite servicable for the insulating factor but is mostly designed and used for the interior of switches, motors, etc. It is available in several colors, although again, do not recall seeing a brown offerred.

Bob Kutella

Never heard of trying to repair porcelain insulators. The JB type are cheap enouugh so that it is not worth doing. Wood strain insulators are different. Several options for those, including repainting (DO NOT use metallic paint on the insulator stick) or replacing the wood with fiberglass rod.

If you reeeallllly want to repair one, you clean the area very well and seal it with epoxy. Otherwise, that's a three dollar insulator. Throw it away and get another one. I'll add the lawyer talk here. DO NOT DO THIS WHILE THE INSULATOR IS SUPPORTING ENERGIZED EQUIPMENT. REMEMBER IF IT IS NOT GROUNDED, IT'S NOT DEAD.