I'd already looked at that Jim. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I've screwed up so many times in so many ways that I'm always on the alert for a new one.
I wasn't worried about the driveway as long as we kept the weight away from the edges and in the case of the crane, concentrated on platforms on the ground.
The truck that broke the overhead was a full eight yard Red i Mix truck. He hadn't hurt it at two weeks cure and another couple of months had only made it harder.
One of my handicaps is I'm loaded with alternatives at any moment. If we hadn't been able to pull the post I would have called in a bigger crane. If that hadn't worked I'd got a compressor and jackhammer and we'd mined it out.
I suspect the footing knew it was Waterloo and it's nap, pole, an it were S.O.L. It did give up rather easy. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
You ever go to Shady Oaks Country Club near the military base?
I'm starting a statement fence at the clubhouse. The wood, South American long name teak sitting in my shop costs about fifteen dollars a square foot of fence. Just the wood, no fasteners, no labor, just the wood is about a hundred and fifty dollars per linear foot of fence.
I used to be smug with the fence guys when they'd ask me what was the most expensive wood fence I'd ever installed. My personal best, wood work and fence posts, not counting concrete beam or masonary columns was right at a hundred dollars per linear foot for eight foot fence.
When we're done with this one I'll have to be careful if they ask. When you look that I'm in just for my labor and there's a couple of layers of profit center between me and the end user, well this could easily be a three hundred plus dollar a linear foot of fence for ten foot high fence.
All I'm doing is the woodwork. A union fitter-welder crew installed the posts. They were on site today finishing up when I showed up to pull measurements. You'd thought we were family the way they carried on. Once we got the small stuff straightened out, it was fun.
There's a special feeling working on a project where everyone is doing their part with pride. They cussed and complained like I was an off colored step child at a family reunion. But they didn't carry it too far. I had Lucy standing there ready for a back up if required. I left with no doubts about their work being something I'd have to step up a notch or two to keep up.
The wood is toxic because it's so full of silica. That's also why it can't be cut with regular wood stuff. It all has to be carbide or it's instantly dulled. So working it means wearing a mask and gloves. Splinters supposedly require a mandatory trip to the doctor.
But double doggone darn is it pretty. And it's heavy, probably why it's called an ironwood.
The pickets go in horizontal. Each picket is three and a half inches wide and one and an eighth thick. I will rabbet each picket a quarter of an inch so that if what's supposedly impossible happens, shrinkage, it won't be noticeable. The fasteners are stainless flathead self tapping coarse thread. Each picket will be prepared in the shop, rabbeted, drilled, countersunk, and oiled, before being installed in the field.
It's been a hassle forcing my concept of the architect's dream home with some of the let's get it done types. But I'll bet when we're done they'll be happy. I know the architect will. And so will I.
