A Scrapper's Dream

Hi Patriot,

I saw Copper Head's post about busway. He'll probably answer your question, but I think I know what he's talking about. In a few buildings I've done, there was an overhead electrical carrier called a busway. It usually has three or four bus bars which are 3/8" x 3" copper or aluminum bars side by side like rails. There are places all along the line where you use a switch box to plug into the electrical system without having to reroute the power. These are heavy in copper and easy to scrap, but check with electrical contractors first. Some of them can reuse this and will pay for it and remove it themselves. Even if you get the same money, it saves labor in taking it out.

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Originally Posted by Pnutfarmer

Hi Patriot,

I saw Copper Head's post about busway. He'll probably answer your question, but I think I know what he's talking about. In a few buildings I've done, there was an overhead electrical carrier called a busway. It usually has three or four bus bars which are 3/8" x 3" copper or aluminum bars side by side like rails. There are places all along the line where you use a switch box to plug into the electrical system without having to reroute the power. These are heavy in copper and easy to scrap, but check with electrical contractors first. Some of them can reuse this and will pay for it and remove it themselves. Even if you get the same money, it saves labor in taking it out.

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Thank you. Great information and fantastic suggestion. I will be looking into it. I answered Copper Head's question in the previous post. Thanks again.

Some may wonder why so much time is available to post today. The journey started 400 miles from the ranch, another 460 miles to the cabin to watch my sons team, 480 miles to the Petrogen training and on the trip back this morning problems with my 14 year old truck. Cannot complain, 250,000 miles on it. So a bill of $ 1,300 and back on my way tomorrow. If I was back at my shop I could have fixed it for half the price. Time to start looking for a new truck with the miles being put on this one.

Remember the story of Huck Finn or maybe it was Tom Sawyer that had to paint the fence. He convinced his friends that it was so much fun that they begged him to let them do it. Here is the scrappers version to the story. During the cutting torch training I was working with the fire chiefs of two major mid western cities. We got to be friends and shared information. They informed me they would love to have a play ground like the power plant to practice the skills of their crews. They said 10 stories of exposure and practicing dropping steel in an exact location (think lumber jacks) would be the best training environment they could imagine. It is not practical for them to send teams to this site, but they provided contacts from their network of local search and rescue teams, Oklahoma Task Force, and area fire departments to contact to take advantage of this situation. They could not imagine any of these groups passing on a once in a life time opportunity.

So here are the benefits: They provide free labor, tackle the most dangerous situations, provide safety advice, and I know they will be to our rescue if we need them. The best benefit will be the public relations created for the company I work for. The company could get media coverage for helping the public entities while benefiting personally. If this works out I will document it with pictures and video's.

Patriot,

Its OK as long as it doesn't cause you delays. If you got a year to do 10,000 tons, make darn sure you have a time schedule and keep to it. You will find all sorts of delays...3rd party removal crews who don't finish up in time, these emergency guys, since time means nothing to gov't workers, etc, etc. And that year is only about 220 workdays, if you are working 5 days a week. That's 50 tons a day, every work day of the year. Granted, some days you'll get 10 times that but some days you won't get any.

In fact, its great. Just warning you about the schedule, if you have to keep to one. Its an area you may have to do some close looking at....I've learned the hard way on this one!!

Jon.

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Originally Posted by Patriot76

I am not sure what you mean by the bus way. Please explain, once again another learning experience.

This part was added after Pnutfarmer answered the question. Yes there are miles and miles of bus way through out the building that were found when a member of the forum visited the site. I did not know what they were called. It all goes.

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I have heard the term before at the yard and seen the product. Massive copper from the Power Distribution of the building (Bus Bars). BUT it's my bad as I forgot your not demoing the building
But some day if you get a demo job as big as that building the copper is a sight to see

For now you hit the Lotto , Sounds like the level you quickly rose to is the place your meant to be .

Patriot.... I've actually had fire departments come out to a jobsite and practice burning and putting out buildings. It does them good to get to practice when lives aren't at stake. It's not perfect because they wet everything down and put it out before it's completely gone, but it saves on landfill fees by getting the bulk of the building gone. You're right that the company can benefit by the goodwill earned by helping these groups, but I wouldn't bet heavy on them getting a lot of work done for free. Jon is right also, be careful of delays and put rules in place for these guys or it could cause you more trouble than its worth.

A comment on the deadlines.

Have specific rewards for the crew if certain things are done. Like "x"tons per day 5 days in a row is a company picnic on Saturday. Some goal beyond what you "need" but still reasonable. It doesn't even have to be an expensive reward. Just something to show that their hard work is appreciated and a reason to try harder. On swamp loggers, the boss has a barbeque on Friday ifd they meet their goal for the week, an dthe crew loves it...at least in front of the camera.

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Originally Posted by MattInTheHat

A comment on the deadlines.

Have specific rewards for the crew if certain things are done. Like "x"tons per day 5 days in a row is a company picnic on Saturday. Some goal beyond what you "need" but still reasonable. It doesn't even have to be an expensive reward. Just something to show that their hard work is appreciated and a reason to try harder. On swamp loggers, the boss has a barbeque on Friday ifd they meet their goal for the week, an dthe crew loves it...at least in front of the camera.

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Thank you. Great idea that will be pursued. This will be combined with other ideas from the forum and the results will be posted.

I think those suggestions are worth considering, but also is the flip side of production incentives. A good steady pace at an attainable level, and trying to achieve more, whether there are extra rewards or not, can lead to increased risk taking. Accidents aren't cheap
I recall one well known instance of this, the Domino Pizza 30 minute guarantee ; )

Big day today. The deal is final and information can be released about this project. The salvage operation is in Omaha, NE at an OPPD building called the James St. Power Plant. The company that is taking on the project is Nustyle Inc. a developer that focuses on historical buidlings and their renovation. Many of their projects are part of the National Registrar of Historical Buildings. They plan to create apartments in the facility. A full story will be in the Omaha World Herald tomorrow, so you are ahead of the media on this one. It pays to have an inside informant.

The owner of the company is Todd Heistand. His web site is posted at the end of this post. Please take a look. He has some remarkable finished projects. Todd introduced himself on the forum as an individual that had two bulk tanks he had to remove for a remodel. We visited about the two tanks which ended up weighing 50 tons each. I envied his challenge and after a tour of the plant accepted a consulting position. I was given a tour of several other buildings including one where they were installing an indoor pool on the 9th or 10th floor. During the short visit we had, he introduced me to the key players in his company and his family. We shared the same values and so far it seems to be a Scrappers Dream.

The strategy was to approach the project as if it was my company that was tackling the challenge. Therefore research was gathered, experts contacted, and a network created. This includes the network on SMF. The information gathered from the forum and other research will be presented to Todd in the near future.

Thank you for your help.



NuStyle Development

Best of luck with it all Patriot. You have an integrity that is obvious, don't lose that. Smooth sailin man

just read this. this is really inspirational. Two freinds and I are just getting into the scrap business. Were still in high school and my friend is working to get this truck he wants in about a week. I have a facebook page, bunch of business cards and a magnet for the truck. I've also have been in marketing/business classes since sophomore year, and now I'm a senior. I'd love to see this little company of ours go the direction you went in!

best of luck

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Originally Posted by tsmith53149

just read this. this is really inspirational. Two freinds and I are just getting into the scrap business. Were still in high school and my friend is working to get this truck he wants in about a week. I have a facebook page, bunch of business cards and a magnet for the truck. I've also have been in marketing/business classes since sophomore year, and now I'm a senior. I'd love to see this little company of ours go the direction you went in!

best of luck

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Thank you. As a retired high school teacher, coach, and administrator your interest is greatly appreciated. It is a good feeling to know our youth are traveling the unpaved path. You are already 30 years ahead of my experience. Good Luck.

Congratulations, Mike. Is this the plant also known as Ft Calhoun?

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Originally Posted by Mick

Congratulations, Mike. Is this the plant also known as Ft Calhoun?

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I do not know but will find out and share the information. If it is, this will be valuable information.

Congrats, Patriot.
Here's a piece on the project that was just released: Old OPPD power plant has apartments in its future - Omaha.com

Time for a little humor. Todd is not aware of this story because the head of his security did not inform him after they investigated it.

A weekend was spent in Omaha without the company's knowledge. It was to find out what Nustyle was about and if our values matched. I visited all of his buildings and neighbors to gather information. Health clubs, coffee shops, his rentals, and bars and grills were all fair game. (By the way one health club offered me a discount because I was staying in one of his buildings.) I did not find a negative comment from one individual and Simon, owner of a cleaning business told me he begged to work with Nustyle.

I usually wear a cowboy hat or bandanna. I would follow a resident through security and strike up a conversation. Evidently this made inner city people nervous.

The next week I was having coffee with many key players in the company. An introduction was made to one of the security people who knew me by sight. He had been studying security film for the last week because of complaints. When he called the main office he found out only one guy in Omaha is wearing a black cowboy hat and although he is different, he is safe. To much to learn and so little time. At least there was not an arrest made against a tumbleweed from the plains.

hahaha Patriot, city people aren't usually happy with those who tag in to their entry, specially around gated communities ; )

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Originally Posted by FLimits

Congrats, Patriot.
Here's a piece on the project that was just released: Old OPPD power plant has apartments in its future - Omaha.com

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Thank you for posting this FLimits. If you had found it an hour earlier, you would have made a liar out me stating the information would not be out until morning. Thanks to you I now know I am being paid to break things in a $ 30 million dollar playground.