A Scrapper's Dream

Wanted to also add, the ingenuity of the crew has taught me a lot. They are very creative about how to cut and move these large pieces of metal. On the bottom floors we learned how to cut and read metal. Now they are teaching me things that an engineer would be proud of. The original plant was built in the 1890's and the part we are working on now was finished in 1942. It is a humbling experience to think they did not have the modern inventions and equipment when they built it and now we are scrapping all of their efforts.

We have been struggling with the gas flow on our torches for the last couple of weeks and finally found the solution. Another problem was solved with the same idea, moving the equipment up to the ninth floor. All tools and gas cylinders are being moved to the sixth floor. We cut the cables on the freight elevator and dropped it to the basement. Loud bang which we are getting use to. Then we used saddle clamps on the elevator cable and hooked them up to a two ton electric chain hoist. Gas cylinders, scaffling, welders, etc. are loaded in the elevator car and hoisted up using the electric chain hoist.

Now the rest of the story. I have no knowledge of electricity other than you can fly a kite with a key on it and simulate the big bang. So I asked all the experts their opinions and thought I had an answer. Checked hp, voltage, watts, remote control length, etc. and thought I knew what I was doing. Placed the order and the salesman says, this only comes in three phase. Then I ask them to explain the difference between single phase and three phase. The conclusion is obvious, 3 is better than one. Wrong -

Major mistake, spent a week trying to get it working. Still do not understand electricity, but if I hear the term three phase I am off and running.

Those following the thread have seen the carts we use to move up to a thousand pounds of metal to the opening in the boilers and drop them to the basement. The carts were taking a beating so we got new carts and I designed a handle system for them out of 1/8 in. tubing. We usually tie the carts with rope before dropping the metal in the hole to prevent the cart from following it. Laziness prevented this procedure to be followed on one occasion and the cart fell into the boiler with the metal. Two wheels were destroyed and the cart was bent, but my welds on the 1/8 in. tubing held. This is a picture of the cart returning to the battle front through the freight elevator after it's trip to the basement.

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Interesting. I'm reminded that this project must be like that of any other, including the experience of living life.................as soon as you get it all figured out, it'll be over.

Single phase is what you have in your home. It is actually two phase, but few would understand that.
In "single phase, you have a common, the white wire, and two legs of 120 volts. They are 180 degrees out of phase if you looked at them with an oscilloscope. If you go across the 2 120 volt legs, like with an electric stove, you get 220 or 240 volts. Three phase is simply one common and three hot legs. With the extra phase, you get more "oomph" for heavier motors and equipment. It should pose no problems for you.

Patriot76: Did my explanation make any sense?

The Spin is smart. The Spin makes my brain hurt when he speaks sometimes.

The Spin is spintastic.

I need more pictures Patriot. An none of this.."I've been to busy to take photos for you. Safety and all that" jazz! ;)

Hope the job is still going well, I have some cold ones still standing by for the vacation you'll need after this gig.

Sirscrapalot - Just saw a FOX 5 news truck go by my house. I'ma be famous!

I think I am the one in the back...

Made it back to the ranch last night for a little 4th of July vacation and just checking the web. Spin your explanation made more sense than what the electricians told me. When they were talking it sounded like a foreign language.

Okay no excuses Sir. Hope to have some nice pictures in the near future. But I will provide a couple of pictures of a project I was asked to look at. It is a swing railroad bridge across the Missouri River. Lot's of possibilities for it's future. I was asked how it could be scrapped and responded with an idea of using heavy equipment (excavators and cranes) on a barge and using a barge to ferry the metal to shore or down the river. It is hoped it is not scrapped and several other ideas are being discussed to preserve it. Keep you posted. If it is scrapped, it might be the next adventure.

Who knows, might have to take a barge all the way down the Missouri River and get a tug boat to haul me up the east coast to have a beverage from the hurricane cooler. Only time will tell. Now that would be a big adventure. Doubt if the wife will allow me to pull that one off, at least during hurricane season.

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My brother used to manufacture truckable barges for this very use that could be connected together to make a larger barge. He passed so he is not an option for more info. I thought you might want to know in case you were unaware.

I continue to enjoy your on going projects. Mike

Quote:

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Originally Posted by miked

My brother used to manufacture truckable barges for this very use that could be connected together to make a larger barge. He passed so he is not an option for more info. I thought you might want to know in case you were unaware.

I continue to enjoy your on going projects. Mike

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Thank you for the information and that would be a valuable idea regardless of what they do with the bridge. I am sorry to here about your brother, but it sounds like he lived an interesting life.

Once again the SMF Consulting Services have risen to the challenge to provide answers. Even if the bridge is not scrapped, this idea will work for the other things that are being discussed. I am not free to discuss the other ideas, but when a decision is made it will be provided here. Thank you again and happy 4th of July to Everyone.

Patriot, I was part of the film crew for Discovery Channel when they demolished the Memorial Bridge in Bismarck. Was supposed to be a reality show about guys who blow stuff up. It never really took off though. A friend of mine from Jamestown did the shearing after it was down. The video shoot was interesting. Up in baskets in the North Dakota wind setting explosive charges. Probably one of the funniest shoots I've ever been on. After it was down, they used barges to pick the scrap out of the water.

NDDOT Video: Memorial BRIDGE DEMOLITION Bismarck, ND # 2 - YouTube


Edit: in the second camera angle you can see the bridge that the crane was parked on when they were setting the charges. Parked the crane on the new bridge, then hoisted the demolition man and myself over to the old bridge. 45mph winds, and I'm afraid of heights. Yikers, I remember being very scared while the basket was swinging back and forth and banging on the bridge. Good experience tho.

Thanks Pjost. That's is neat and a great experience. If this bridge becomes a reality, I might have to have you create a SMF documentary. Once again valuable information provided by the forum. I will be contacting you in the near future for information on another project in the works. It is to be released in August and if it flies, you will be a valuable resource.

We are lucky to be in the mid-west, otherwise on the coast they would still be doing a environmental study on the affects of demolition on the homeless pigeons and their migration patterns to Mexico. Thanks again.

HEY! HEY!

On my coast, well Sandbar..since both sides are coastal...It'd be turtles an..some other kind of bird!

This is why we need a new bridge from where I am to Pea Island. Bridge is over 30 years old, was designed to last 15. lol. Silly groups won't let another be built. Could build the new bridge with minimal impact on the wild life.

I think NC is going to do it regardless of the groups. It's a national wild life refuge, so I'm sure the Rangers, an everyone else involved in saving the turtles on a stat/fed level will be careful not to upset the turtles.

I'm down with saving the wild life, not down with using a busted old bridge, that could bust sending a few people into the cold depths of the Atlantic. They had to do emergency work on the bridge earlier this year, cause three of the pylons weren't touching ground anymore. Trapped several hundred folks on the wrong side of the bridge, that work down there, but live up here near me.

Patriot I eagerly await more updates, an news of your upcoming adventures.

Till then, I have 2 more coolers to empty.

Stay safe out there buddy!

Sirscrapalot - Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed. - MLK, JR.

Yes there is a huge excavator behind the pile.

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We are on the top floor of the boiler room. In addition to this section of the project, we have three other areas called the office area, the turbine room, and the switch gear room. This is a series of pictures shot throughout the salvage operation.

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And now what it looks like today, two weeks after starting.

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This is our next challenge, a tank that extends 30 foot up from the roof of a ten story building. This is the beginning of this project and it is hoped the story can be shared like the last posts.

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This is the view from the roof top. The roof top will be a community patio serviced by a glass enclosed elevator for this view.

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Back at the ranch for a short break and wanted to share an example of our lack of a learning curve. Earlier in this post the fact that we plugged the boiler with metal and had to clear it by hand was made. These pictures show we did not learn our lesson the first time as we did the same thing to the other boiler. The second boiler was much worse as we estimate we had close to 25 tons of steel plugging it before we realized it. It was a tricky operation to cut the 2 ft. beams and round headers that were three in. thick. Big relief when the boiler opened up and released the metal. Very noisy as well. Sorry for the limited pictures but for some reason pictures were not a priority when sorting this out.

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