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Preparing the Obs.


Graham

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When I built the pier for the fork mount with my usual commitment to over engineering things the thought that crossed my mind was " Thank god I will never have to take this pier out "

 

Oh how wrong was I.  ?   ?

 

Up with the Larks this morning to see if I could some how engineer a way to remove the pier.

Well when I say up with the Larks ------------ They were not so stupid to even contemplate being up in this weather. ?

 

After a long thought process accompanied by several cups of tea I came up with a plan.

 

I started by removing the top of the pier and the holding down bolts.

Then using a couple of long slender steel wedges, some steel packers and a lot of brute force with a sledge hammer I set to work on the task at hand.

After a couple of hours going round and round the pier driving the wedges underneath I managed to split it off the obs floor.

 

Once this was achieved I slowly prized up one side of the pier with a long crow bar placing steel packers under the edge.

When it was high enough I slid a length of 40mm x 20mm steel box section underneath the pier.

I then moved round to the other side and repeated the operation.

Once it was supported on the box sections I took a well earned tea break.

 

I now had to move it into its new position so I could utilize it for the new mount.

Using the crow bar I inched it slowly over to its new home. 

Once there it was a case of reversing the lifting operation to get the box sections out.

 

Disaster ?

The pier had not split cleanly off the obs floor and there were lumps of concrete preventing it from sitting down flush and level.

 

Back to the crow bar and the packers. ?

 

Bit by bit I managed to raise one side of it enough to get a trolley jack under it.

It was then a case of jacking it up replacing the packers with several bits of 4 x 2 timbers until it reached its critical point and rolled over onto its side. 

 

After another brew came a couple of hours hard graft with a breaker scabbling off the concrete until it was clear of all obstructions.

Cannot remember what type of concrete I used but it was like Granite.

 

11%20(1).JPG?raw=1

 

 

All I had to do then was get it back upright. ?

 

Back to the trolley jack and the 4 x 2 timbers.

This time I put the box sections under it so it would land on them ready for its relocation.

 

A bit more levering and it was finally resting in its new home.

 

I set the new mount up in position on top of the pier base so I could check the measurements  of how high the new riser would need to be.

Hopefully I can get this made first thing this week.

 

11%20(3).JPG?raw=1

 

11%20(2).JPG?raw=1

 

I now have to tidy up the top plate of the base by removing the edges to bring it back to a hexagon. 

I will make some new anchor plates and weld them on before chem fixing it down into place.

 

Once I have done this I can fit the new riser and then the mount. 

 

More to follow as it happens. ?

 

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13 minutes ago, Doc said:

I bet your wife never sees you Graham ?

 

Great stuff, when there's a will there's always a way.

That's the benefit of living on my own Mick. ?

My better half has her own house.

Only way to stay happily married.

Well it is for us and it seems to work as we celibate 30 years next month. 

12 minutes ago, Bino-viewer said:

any blisters Graham ? ?

No my hands are used to manual graft. ?

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Lot's of graft there Graham but I'm sure it will be well worth it!!

(you might need some more tea bags though!!)

 

Ron

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2 minutes ago, Ron Clarke said:

Lot's of graft there Graham but I'm sure it will be well worth it!!

(you might need some more tea bags though!!)

 

Ron

 

Another large box was delivered by Iceland this very day ?

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A good days work Graham.

 

I left a pier when we moved from Sheffield, I heard they had a mini digger to remove it ??

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2 hours ago, Ibbo said:

A good days work Graham.

 

I left a pier when we moved from Sheffield, I heard they had a mini digger to remove it ??

There was a good cube of concrete under it as well .... It moved the first time.

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On 09/02/2019 at 17:14, Ibbo said:

A good days work Graham.

 

I left a pier when we moved from Sheffield, I heard they had a mini digger to remove it ??

Now holding up Angel of the north ?

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