Growing a tree from the inside out

This week we begin a few new projects. One will be the giant tree and treehouse that will be the terminus of one of the long swinging bridges. The treehouse will be stationed in one of the large planters in the existing adventure golf.The tree and fort will be built as separate pieces to facilitate fitting into (and out of) the shop and for transport to the park. Once the pieces are onsite they will then be assembled (for the first time) onsite.

Friday morning the framework for the tree and fort arrived at our shop. It was unloaded by the crane before we loaded the pieces going to the park.

After we removed the balloon from the shop Friday morning we re-arranged everything and then set up the new structures, making them ready to accept our themework. This is going to be another very large piece without a doubt.

We are all eager to get going on the next projects. 

-grampa dan

Building a new deck

Each day I love to teach those who work for me new things, stretching them just a little in the process. Yesterday I had a full crew in the shop because of the cold outside. It meant I had to scramble a little to stay ahead of everyone. The answer to my dilemma was to turn it into a learning day, having my employees do some of the things I would normally do. Matt, who has done plenty of welding pencil rod was now ready to do a little bench fabricating, one more rung up the ladder of skills. His job was to cut the pieces and weld up the deck on the little truck. It is a rail inspection vehicle. The stationary play vehicle is to go in the Wilderness Trail area. Because it is a play structure for kids everything has to fit perfectly and be sanded smooth to prevent any possible injury. Matt spent a good part of his day cutting pieces, welding things up solid and then grinding it all perfectly smooth. The steel work on this little project is now done and it is now ready for mesh and then the sculpted concrete and paint.

Once he was done he had to take the truck for a test drive of course.

Well done Matt!

-grampa dan

Moving day times three.

It was just getting light when I headed out the door this morning. It was moving day once more. The mountain top, giant tree, and the balloon were to be loaded onto the trailers and taken up to the lake. The mountain top was first to be loaded. It weighed in at a heafty 4,500 lbs and was plopped on Chris' trailer. He blasted off to the lake to unload and then turned around for a second load. I never got any pictures as I was busy squeezing the balloon out of the shop. Squeeze was the operative word as it was a very tight fit. We managed to get it out with only a few scratches on the balloon.

The tree was next to be loaded onto my trailer. It only took a few minutes to hook up the rigging and then it was time to make the tree fly!

I then made a beeline for the lake while Chris returned for the balloon. I got back just as the balloon made it maiden flight.

All three pieces arrived at the lake site in perfect shape and were unloaded by Chris' crew.

By the end of next week we will be ready to lift them to their permanent homes. That will be even more exciting than today's lifts by far! Stay tuned...

-grampa dan