Patent ID: 8087144

Claim:
A method of forming a protective encasement about at least a portion of a structural member having a terminus including a base surface and at least one lateral surface extending therefrom, comprising: providing a terminus mounting cap having a base portion supporting a wall extending perpendicularly therefrom, wherein the wall and base portion define a receptacle and wherein the wall includes a meltable portion that is formed so as to extend outward from the wall and so as to be spaced along the wall from the base portion so that a portion of the wall is interposed between the meltable portion and the base portion; positioning the cap immediately adjacent to the base surface so that the portion of the structural member having the terminus is positioned within the receptacle and to position the meltable portion adjacent the at least one lateral surface; and providing a molten jacket of polymeric material about the cap and a contiguous portion of the structural member adjacent to the terminus to cause the meltable portion to melt and substantially bond to the at least one lateral surface and encapsulate the cap about the terminus and the immediately adjacent contiguous structural member portion wherein the molten jacket of polymeric material is adhered to the portion of the wall of the terminus mounting cap that is interposed between the meltable portion and the base portion.