January 13, 2007: Michael Rogers makes his debut
Loading T-2, cleaning up T-1
Meet Michael -
another of the Rogers' clan - making his debut as part of Advanced
Blasting Services.
Today, he and Carlos will clear each drilled
blast hole of dust and debris before Mickey and Ken load it. Indeed, today is
a magnificant example of parallel processing.
1) Michael and Carlos
clearing blast holes (there is probably a better word but Mickey forgot
to teach me this part of the vocabulary) by inserting a tube and then
turning on compressed air to clear the debris from the hole.
2) Mickey and Ken will load each blast hole,
according to their plan. Each blast hole will have a predetermined
amount of charge
that varies in order to achieve the proper implosion. Since some blast
holes will
have more dynamite than others, but the blast holes are drilled to the same
depth,
plastic pipe segments are cut to approximate the length of a single charge. In
addition, packets of stemming (crushed rock) are placed between the charge
clusters. The stemming absorbs the some of the horizontal shock wave along
the axis of the blast hold and
retards shot-gun effects and perhaps amplifies the blsat wave
perpendicular to the
blast hole. After each component, a tapping rod is used to assure that each
segment is seated properly at the end of the hole.
3) Manny will be running his elevator - managing Carlos and Michael as
the clear tubes as well as for fetch and tote episodes, restocking Ken
and Mickey's dynamite, stemming packs, detonators and plastic tubes.
4) Michael Hebb and Richard Simmons will be clearing - Michael with his
grapple and Richard with his front end loader
5) Paul will be the symphony conductor today (as usual)
6) Sparky is my alter-ego, photo journalist, building contractor, friend,
therapist and just all around great guy.
The supporting cast: Two moms: Debbie Rogers and left, Anna Tully - and
the kids: Sarah Tully (dark t-shirt), friend Ashley (Sarah's friend)
and Jordan in the foreground
Sarah and Jordan filling bags with stemming with Ashley providing
refreshments
The Discovery channel has discovered Ken's kids and friends
Sarah (left), Jordan (right) (Ken's kids) and Ashley (a friend)
Here is the worksite: Manny and his mean red machine on the left, Carlos and Michael suspended beside the left column of T-2, the man basket machine in the middle, for Mickey and Ken and their loading, and Michael Hebb's grapple to the
right.
Michael Hebb and what in the trade is knows as a long reach (actually his
1250 has a super long reach))
Here are the essentials:
Clearly Michael prepared some of the bags of stemming - or was this the
handy work of Jordan, Ashley and Sarah? Which dad - Mickey or Ken?
But who prepared the spacers?
The dynamite: a no brainer - prepared by Dyno Nobel
Mickey with a tub of cylindrical bags of stemming with Ken in the back
checking his list (twice, just like Santa)
Michael with the blow tube in the read position while Carlos identifies the
correct blast hole. (The reason you see a cluster of holes in some locations
is that during drilling the blast holes, you encounter rebar and so back the
drill out, and try another location. Sometimes you are lucky and get it right
the first time, but without superman and x-ray vision, usually 2 or 3 tries
are required).
Carlos checking the blast hole
Carlos getting ready to insert the blow tube into the blast hole
The inserted position - now Michael turns on the compressed air
and out comes a little dust and drilling residue
Then Michael slowly pulls the blow tube back with Carlos guiding
Clearing the next blast hole
Will the real blast hold please identify herself (mumbles Carlos)
Michael inserts the blow tube
In the meantime, Mickey and Ken, with a load of dynamite, plastic tubes as
spacers, detonators and bags of stemming
A nice view of Manny's elevator service (for Carlos and Michael), Mickey and
Ken heading for the T-2 face.
Starting from the top down - you can see the shock tubes from blast holes
already filled and tied in
While Michael and Carlos demonstrate parallel processing - clearing more
blast holes
Ken placing an explosive charge with detonator (see the hanging shock tube)
into the blast hold
Then using the rod to push the charge to the end of the blast hole
More tamping action
Placing a spacer
and another charge
and pushing them into place
Michael getting ready to blow his horn
while Ken loads another blast hole
inserts a spacer
then the next charge
Inserting a bag of stemming behind the spacer
then inserting another charge
and pushing into place with the tamping rod
Inserting a bag of stemming
and with the tamping rod - pushing it into place
while Michael inserts the blow tube (into a blast hold on the other column
and pushing the tube to the end of the blast hole
Meanwhile on the ground - Manny, Stan, Richard and Paul on the phone
Carlos and Michael demonstrating the fetch and tote procedure - with
an arm full of spacers
While Mickey and Ken impatiently wait (I can hear Mickey muttering something
that is audible in Singapore
Manny-Ex delivery service
and the handoff - please sign here
Carlos takes a coke break
and Michael follows his lead
Then Carlos presses the down button on Manny's elevator
Note as Mickey and Ken work their way down, they tie in the shock tubes to
those above
Here is another part of parallel processing - Michael cleaning up after
yesterday
with his short reach CAT
A good view of the worksite - with all parallel processes in action
Richard Simmons is running the front end loader - moving stuff Michael
finds
Another good view of the parallel processing
Carlos is off doing something else - and Stan joins Michael
A good view of Manny, Mickey, Michael/Stan and Michael Hebb each doing their
own part. Hidden is Richard
and a view with the Ravenel Bridge in the background
