Long road to home.

[Dr Dave]

Lee, a few photo's would be appreciated. Videos can be hard for those of us with lousy internet connections. Great job.

MarkV

X2 I can only veiw about half the videos, some come up as network error, and 2 say author has not released for mobile?

I have tried smart phone, lap top, I pad will same results?

Great progress and thanks for sharing.

 

[ENG18LT]

I will try to get more up after work today, at the very latest during the day Sunday.

 

[ENG18LT]

Ok, lets see if I can get this right.

Setting up batter boards


Spreading last three loads of gravel to touch up edges




Drilling holes with rental machine






I would not recommend renting a machine to do this if there is a company around to hire. The auger has a tendency to wander off target when it finds rocks bigger then 3" in the ground. I had all the pole centers marked prior to drilling. When I hit the larger rocks the auger would "walk", this caused a couple holes to miss the mark. Which was very frustrating. This work was done on May 16, when we were setting poles on the 18th my helper informed me of a company that has an auger mounted to a ten wheel truck. They drop hydraulic stabilizers and then drill away, no "walking". Cost is $25-30 per hole. Talk about a day late. It took me 6 hours to get all 29 holes ready for inspection the next morning.

 

[ENG18LT]

Some more from day 1.

Touching up edges with gravel




Checking grade at pole locations


Final grading/gravel work


Drilling holes.

 

[ENG18LT]

Day 2, pouring concrete. I had ordered 4 yes of 3000psi with 1s & 2s, #4 slump on a 52' conveyor. I called the day before to verify order and was told the 52' conveyor blew its belt and was only able to use its standard chute. They offered to send out the 40' conveyor in it's place. I jumped on that as there was no way I was going to wheel barrow the concrete. I calculated that the holes, if perfect would need just about 3yds, so I ordered 4 to be safe. Truck arrived on time, 30 minutes and 3.25 yds later the footers were poured. I set up my laser to get the top of the footers fairly close as we poured.

Pouring footers.




"Floating" top of footers to aid in sliding pole bases when setting them

 

[ENG18LT]

Day 3. Construction above ground starts. We spent about six hours setting Perma-columns. The first three we set using forks. the two 17' poles weren't bad, the 27' pole was a bear. So I dropped the forks and put on a boom pole I finished up after pouring the footers the day before. This worked out real well. With the bottom 5' of the poles being concrete I could chain them about a 10' up and they would stand upright once lifted. Then I just drove over to the hole and with guidance from my cousin dropped it in the hole. We would us a long steel digging bar to slide the base into position, usually only an inch or so. This day we managed to get the four corners up and three walls.

First pole in, so it begins!


27' pole with forks, that sucked.


Using boom to set poles rest of day.






Finishing off the back fill process with cousins garden tractor and blade, BEATS A SHOVEL!

 

[ENG18LT]

Some one let me know if you guys/gals can see the pictures I just posted ok, please.

Edit:

I think I did them right as I can see them, so I will continue to post more.

 

[ENG18LT]

Another view of day 3.

Moving 27' pole into position.


Setting last of the poles for this day.






Boom I made to move materials.

 

[ENG18LT]

Here is Day 4. I only had one camera view from this day. We spent 4 hours setting the last of the poles. Final pole count is 16 seventeen footers and 13 twenty seven footers. The boom definitely made things way easier, it was worth $250 in parts and a few hours of my time.

 

[ENG18LT]

Day 5. Splash boards and girts by myself this day.


Setting up and installing pressure treated 2x8's for the splash boards.





Installing the girts.