We are never in a hurry when we load the trucks with large features. Every nut, bolt and weld had previously been checked and rechecked. The crane is billed out with a three-hour minimum, and the trailer from JD Transport is generally dropped the day before, so there is no need to rush. Our primary concerns are our crew’s safety and not dinging up the finished features. We love working with Greg of Wishlow Cranes because he is so capable, calm and smooth. We hold a safety meeting before starting to ensure each member of our crew knows what is about to happen and that every tool and ladder is at the ready. Today’s loading of the features and signs now bound for Downey’s Farm in Caledon, Ontario, took about three-quarters of an hour, and there were seven inches of deck to spare. That’s efficiency! We are eagerly looking forward to seeing photos of all the signs and features installed at the farm. Stay tuned…
Off with the wheels
Loading day is always exciting! We’ve done it many times over the years and this experience has allowed us the opportunity to have systems to make the job easy, quick and safe. Lifting points are designed and built into every feature. We believe there should be no drama or frantic running around on moving day for that is when things can go badly. To be safe, the space under an active lift is absolutely off limits. One of our favourite tricks to speed things up and keep our crew away from the danger zone are the swivel wheels that allow us to easily roll the projects around our shop during fabrication and position them for loading. When we hook the piece to the crane, the wheels drop off like magic, as the feature clears the ground. We gather them up after the load to reuse on the next project.
Highland cow
The last of the welding was completed on the armature for the highland cow. A matching horse armature will be finished tomorrow. Next week, the crew will tie on the lath and get ready for the sculpting, which will happen the following week. The two sculpted animals will form part of a roping attraction at Kraay’s Family Farm in Lacombe, Alberta. Stay tuned to watch them come to life…
