Driving hard

With the crew pushing me hard it was time to get the mud on another large piece. The GIANT tree house tree was just the ticket. Peter led the crew in the mud effort for the first couple of hours while I started the crew up at the lake. Six of the crew worked at applying the thick fiberglass reinforced concrete necessary to sculpt the textured bark. I kept my head down and the welder fired up while they worked at the tree. By the end of the day it looked pretty fine. To get a sense of how massive this piece is look for Hailey peeking from behind. She is five foot six.

While the tree crew worked on the tree Kendra was busy painting the rail inspection vehicle. It looked nice and clean with the base colors on but but not for long. We wanted to make it look like the well worn and rusty (REAL) wheels.

The truck is ready to roll out the door tomorrow.

The shop is full from end to end with only a few feet of empty floor between each feature. Look close and you can see the truck, the double sign on the tree, the trestle bottom and middle section, the water tank and the giant tree in behind. It's tight for so many pieces and our large crew but they work hard to make it work and have fun all through the day.

Tomorrow, the trestle with the mine car will be finished and the water tank will get much of it's colorful paint. Up at the worksite there will also be lots happening. Stay tuned...

-grampa dan

Flying high!

Today was one of those days when I wasn't  ever fully caught up with the crew. They just kept forging ahead, somehow knowing the things that needed doing. In the shop lots of features that were previously shades of concrete grey are now bright colors. I'll report on that tomorrow. It was an even bigger day up at the worksite. Matt and Marty almost finished the welding around the Wave Swing island. The wiring will be the next item on the adjenda and mudding will start after the New Year. 

Today's big news was the mountain top. John Wishlow arrived with his crane truck mid-morning to do the big lift. I always get a little nervous as our pieces begin to fly for there is an incredible amount of weight hanging from some small eye bolts (relatively speaking). Today's flight would be the highest one of our pieces have ever flown! The real test would be whether all the complex roof angles and valleys fit our rooftop piece. It passed with flying colors!

Once the mountain was in place it was time to hook up the tree for it's final flight as well. 

I got a ride up in the boom lift and grabbed the chance to take an arial shot of the Wilderness Adventure area. With all the retaining walls in the works the space is defined clearly now.

While John was onsite with his crane we did one last lift. The balloon photo opportunity is now complete. It instantly added a big splash of color to that side of the park.

Everything went smooth and safe throughout the day. I love it when a plan comes together!  :)

-grampa dan

Tanks a LOT!

When we sculpt new pieces things need to be done in a certain order. First we need to make sure we have enough sand and cement powder at hand and in the shop. The expanded lath needs to be carefully checked to make sure it is all tight. Trowels and carving tools need to be handy as do rubber gloves, brushes, brooms, shovels, step stools, buckets and ladders. Then the mixing starts. The fiberglass reinforced concrete needs to be applied as fast as possible, starting with upside down areas which will have to be done in two thin coats. Then the rest of the feature is mudded, starting at the top and working towards the bottom. All of the concrete needs to be in place by noon or we'll be working overtime. Then we wait, doing other tasks while the concrete sets up. From time to time we test an area. Too wet and the carving detail doesn't hold - too hard and it becomes a race to finish before it gets rock hard. We are looking for the sweet spot, where its easy to sculpt and the detail holds well. Then the trick is to carve the concrete at the same rate as we applied it previously. There's no going home until we are done and the cleanup is finished.

Today we sculpted the rockwork on the small trestle and the water tank that will sit high above. Things went well with Jenessa setting the pace as she was lead concrete person. Brando was the mixer man. Kendra was also applying the concrete. We got a little bit of a late start because the whole crew brought in two yards of sand I had just picked up from town. (That works out to be twenty-five incredibly heavy tubs) Then we had to run to the local lumber yard for the cement powder. 

Today, the wet concrete wasn't ready to carve until after two o'clock and then the race was on. At first Janessa and I did the sculpting and as it became harder everyone stopped the other tasks they were doing and pitched in to do the job. It turns out Jenessa was a teeny bit greedy for a half hour of overtime was necessary by a couple of the crew to polish things off. But it was no problem and the result was well worth the effort. 

The water tank is now sculpted as is the trestle rock work. Two more beautiful pieces are ready for paint!

-grampa dan