Our shop seems plenty big when it is empty. These days that doesn't happen often, save for when we move a big piece out and then it fills back in quickly as welded frames take their place up. Each piece gets welded, wired, mudded and then painted, with the whole process taking about two weeks.
This morning the big center bridge support was wrestled out of the shop and everything was rearranged to allow some new structural frames to be moved in. I counted six major pieces in the shop tonight, Two are in the welding stage, one is being wired, one is being mudded, one curing for paint, and one in the paint stage. In the foreground in the picture below are two structures that look like giant slingshots I am welding the pencil rod frames that will turn them into forked tree trunks. Three heavy ropes will be strung between them so kids can hang on with their hands while they do their best to balance on the third rope with their feet.
With ten to twelve crew working on a daily basis, a lot of work gets done each day. The bakers (rolling scaffolds) and ladders are constantly on the move, being shared as the crew works from bottom to top on each piece through each process. The scramble is to stay ahead of everyone and keep all the pieces flowing through the shop.
The treehouse is looming large, right outside my studio door. It will get it's base coats of paint tomorrow.
The treehouse roof is squeezed in next to the treehouse with just enough room to work in between.
Three ride opeartor's booths are in various stages of progress (with three more to go) by the big shop doors.
The shop is a full place and with the crew working hard a busy place too!
Stay tuned for more progress...
-grampa dan