The INEVITABLE QUESTION
=== Do cage spreaders HAVE to be insulating? ===

YES for sure, for sure. The cage should be really folded dipole, one "wire"
going up (support, and grounded at the bottom) the other wire on the outside
(cage) coming down and fed against the ground or radials. Unless you just want
to make it fat radiator, then it doesn't matter.

When working with welding wire, try not to scratch it. It has very thin copper
layer, easy to scratch and then start corrosion and destruction of the wire.
You might want to put some coat of paint over it if you intend to keep it for
long. Epoxy paints or marine varnish are the best.

Yuri, K3BU