I have hundreds of worthless insulators outside on display. They are, for the most part, chipped or cracked and virtually worthless. I have no worries that anyone will steal them, at least not very many and if they do, replacements are a dime a dozen.
My first outside display was a metal tree made from used rebar bought at a scrapyard for a few, very few dollars. 10 ft high and 3.5 ft in dia. it had pins for 600 insulators. I did not use proper pins but used 4 inch lengths of rebar. It was fun to make and not too hard.
http://www.insulators.info/oldhome/199812.htmThe second style of tree I made was from 60 four pin tramp brackets that I found along a 10 miles section of track. the poles had been cut back in the early 70's and all the parts- minus the wire, were there. Man that stuff gets heavy in a hurry ! What I liked about this project was that the brackets bolted together using the insulator pins. A minimum of welding and the only steel I had to buy was the centre section. Again, a cheap display for 200 insulators.
http://www.insulators.info/pictures/?id=91546518The latest display is for 120 multiparts. I don't know if I can make that much mud look pleasing. Stay tuned, film at 11.
james