Welcome to our Wyoming blog. On this blog I have been sharing how we came to move here and the 'adventure' we have been on every since. We started with a hillside, and today (6 years later) are finally putting in some landscaping. We are by no means done. I hope you will come along on our adventure.

I also have 2 other blogs. Big Horn Mountain Creations show cases my quilting and other artistic adventures. Decorating my Tin Shack, is about creating a home thru decorating. Both are on the side bar, I hope you will stop by.

Friday, August 08, 2008

Wall Pour

I guess I am a strange female......well I AM strange but.....because I love having the excitement of construction around me. To me this has been a very exciting and interesting day.

This morning Kirk and Merlin finished up the last minute preparations before the pump truck and concrete arrived for the wall pour. About 1:30 the pump truck arrived...OH my that is one big truck, nothing like what either Kirk or I expected.

This picture is taken from the upper pad by the garden area, look how big it is compared to the house. It was amazing watching this unfold.















First he put down the stabilizer arms, looks like a big bug....notice the men at the back of this thing.














The stabilizers sit upon a wood piece that is about 24" square and 5" thick. Given that you can see how big the arms are.
















It begins to unfold, I was in awe at the size of this machine.







































Back up on the upper pad for a full view of this exciting machine. I like machines, I find them very interesting, love seeing manufacturing plants. About this point I was wondering how the cement gets through the boom. I will soon find this out.















The turret, that swings the boom around to any place needed.
















Awe.....now I see how the cement gets into the pump truck.















This pour required 2 cement trucks, and these drivers are so good with these big things that they back up our driveway and around to the job area. Now if you have ever seen our driveway you would know this is pretty amazing......Just ask Susan and Paul about our driveway.
The trucks have mated up. Sorry I could not resist.















The driver/owner of the pump truck operates it by remote control.















The wall is ready,..... note the wood wall on the left...see the framed wall? this is the ceiling height of the lower floor, which is at 10 feet, the top floor will be about 12 inches above that.















The pour begins......now I have to tell you about Merlin, who is the owner of the company we bought our block from....Wyoming ICF & Supply Inc. He is a distributor of LOGIX block which is what we used. Merlin has spent 2 full days helping us get this done, he supplied all the bracing, helped Kirk construct the wall and poured the wall. Now mind you, you can just buy the block etc., but for $500.00 Merlin made sure that everything went right. He coordinated every aspect of the job, even to the point of saving us about $150 on the pump truck because we waited a couple days so 2 jobs in this area happened at the same time. That will buy one of my windows. He is worth every penny. In 2 days (work days) we are done with a job that would have taken us a week to do alone. Thank you Merlin......his contact info...........

Merlin Chenoweth
P.O. Box 1055
Worland, Wy 82401
(307) 431-0023

We highly recommend his service. If he can't come to your area perhaps he can recommendation someone near you. Be sure you use someone that will help you like this it makes ALL the difference.















Just another view of the pump truck boom, and how big it is, it sure can reach can't it.















Another view of the job.














See how the wall is braced? Also notice the guys supervising the job... and how tall the wall is.




















After the wall is all poured, it needs to be vibrated to make sure all of the air is out and it has settled correctly.



















Well that is about it, the wall is curing now and making noises as it does.

Today we are getting a delivery of BCI beams, these will create the upstairs floor, Kirk hopes to install them starting this weekend. WAHOO, we are moving along.

4 comments:

The one and only Lady said...

Glad to see the progress...keep it up only 4 months and I will need my bed ready to sleep in! See you at Christmas!! Love ya

Susan said...

Oh my gosh, Gail! That is fascinating! That doesn't make you strange. If it were my place, I'd do the same. You were running around all over that hill! I can't believe that thing got up your drive. I guess it goes where it wants, at that size, but I'd have expected it to mash your drive flat! No more hill. LOL! I see why you had to wait for dry weather, for sure.

This is so exciting to watch happen. Your owner sounds like a fabulous man. Wish we were building, I'd call him. =)

Candi said...

Holly Cow! Is that impressive or what? What an interesting lesson I've just learned. Thanks for sharing.
Hugz:)
Candi

Unknown said...

boy you are right that is one huge truck, I love watching people doing stuff like this it is neat to see