April 11, 2006:Oscar and Demolition Dynamics
This is a story about how the Internet builds these web pages and
new friends. Oscar and his Demolition Dynamics co-workers have been
busy planting explosives on the truss structures.
Oscar took some photos with a disposable camera - had the photos developed
and scanned. I just received them from Oscar as they left for work
this morning.
These photos show another view of
the life on the high wire that few of us ever get to see.
Here is Oscar's version of what they were doing:
This was the last piece of the bridge that we shot.
I'm sending them now because it does show the process of loading the
explosives. The detonation lines, drop lines, and pig tails coming together.
The orange detonation lines that you see us crawling around are actually
explosives. Upon detonation they explode 22,000 feet per second! The yellow
pigtails are quicker and the white blasting cap that's connected to the
explosive explodes 80,000 feet per sec. Put it all together and it's like
listening to Jazz.
This looks like an early morning review of the plans for the day
The team and Manny's elevator (on the barge)
The DD team setting the explosives and detonation lines
Setting the detonation (orange) lines. When triggered there is a shock
wave that propagates at 22,000 ft/sec. Note the
kevlar wrapped charge above Oscar's head
Linking the detonation lines with the pigtails connected to the blasting caps
Here you can see the detonation line about knee high - running parallel to
the box girder they are walking on
and chilin' a bit on the barge