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Back to doing what I like.

plumbbill | Posted in General Discussion on June 21, 2007 07:08am

Well enough of that large bore copper med gas crap, in tight locations.

Just started the double 6″ backflow preventers for the main water entry for our 10 story hospital.

Water main comes in over head ( 6″ ductile iron) it has the blue valve on it.

There were some 3/8″ inserts in the concrete that I used to bolt the unistrut to the ceiling so I could hook up my chain falls—— there is 4—- yes only 4, 3/8″ cap screws holding this whole mess up, it keeps people away from my area & bothering me when I tell them—- “wow I can’t believe the strength of just 4 3/8″ cap screws.”

Here’s a couple of pics—- sorry for the darkness, it was a borrowed camera.

View Image

View Image

The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax.

— Albert Einstein
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Replies

  1. Engineerguy | Jun 21, 2007 09:33am | #1

    What firm did the mechanical engineering on the job? 

    And how well have they done making sure there is adequate and workable space for repair/replacement?  Between the communication closets and the mechanical spaces, architects in most cases always leave those places for last when it comes to space allocation IMH&PO. 

    " If guns kill people, a spoon made Rosie O'Donnel fat!"
    1. plumbbill | Jun 21, 2007 09:49am | #2

      Not sure who did the engineering, this is kind of a strange partnership going on.

      Specs were given for the job, & a schematic, but all layout prints were produced by my shop.

      We have architects always walking around, but don't deal with them much, but they do catch me off guard when I have my back to them I see flashes going off, & turn to see them taking pics of our work.

      All issues I have had so far has been dealt with by UW who runs Harborview.

      Only problem with that is, I put an RFI for lack of a valve that should be installed, & don't get an answer back  until the systemis done , then I have to cut one into a finished system.

      Space for replacement of equipment is typical for most of my big jobs----- no elevator, & no door big enough to get euipment in or out.

      Both mechanical rooms I did for Lincoln Sqaure were that way--- level 2.5 had 6, 576 gallon domestic boilers, that you would have to cut a hole in the side of the building to get in or out. The 42nd floor mechanical room didn't have an elevator to get stuff to & from there---- I have two tankless high recovery domestic boilers that would have to be dismatled in order to get in & out.

      The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax.

      -- Albert Einstein

      1. jrnbj | Jun 23, 2007 09:05am | #6

        Seems to be par for the course these days.....I don't get it.
        Shoot, sometimes I think the best VE would be to shoot the accountants.....

  2. rez | Jun 21, 2007 07:58pm | #3

    plumb-

    you can lighten those pics in Irfanview by sliding the 'gamma correction' tab after clicking the 'enhance colors' window in the scroll down menu under 'Image'.

    View Image

    True, there are architects so called in this country, and I have heard of one at least possessed with the idea of making architectural ornaments have a core of truth, a necessity, and hence a beauty, as if it were a revelation to him. All very well perhaps from his point of view, but only a little better than the common dilettantism. -

    -Thoreau's Walden

    1. plumbbill | Jun 22, 2007 03:20am | #4

      Hey thanks.

      I'm more of a 35mm film guy & pretty much only use digital for quick pics at work & stuff.

      The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax.

      -- Albert Einstein

      1. Shep | Jun 23, 2007 03:32pm | #7

        Bill-

        I was a film guy for 30+ years. Then I bought my Nikon D50 digital.

        Its such a treat to be able to download my pics on the computer, chose the ones I want to print, and delete any bad ones without having to print them.

        I'm finding I'm shooting more pics now, which increases my odds of taking a good one.

        ( the " even a blind squirrel " theory <G>

        I had a cheap digital before my Nikon, but the delay between pressing the shutter button and the the shutter actaully going off drove me nuts. It was enough time for subjects to leave the frame.

        BTW, glad your doing work you enjoy. makes life a lot better.

        1. plumbbill | Jun 23, 2007 06:33pm | #9

          Oh the delay is what absolutley drove me nuts.

          How does your digital do on high speed action?

          I have 2 minolta 7000I's & was looking at getting another today with 2 lenses, flash & tripod for a C note on Craigslist.

          I don't have my film printed anymore, I have it developed & put on disc. I am slowly learning different software for manipulating & editing pics.

          My ideal camera would be a hybrid-- film & digital all in one---- just cause I'm stubborn about film, & my comfort zone of manipulating the camera & lens selection.

           

          The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax.

          -- Albert Einstein

          1. Shep | Jun 23, 2007 10:22pm | #13

            Mine seems fine with action. I leave the shutter set on continuous/burst so I can take multuple sequential shots. I think it will take 2-1/2 frames per second.

            I've taken some pretty neat shots of birds in flight that way.

            Yer a golfer? Dang, between the photo interest, and the golfing, we could hang out, as long as we don't get into politics <G>

          2. plumbbill | Jun 24, 2007 05:54am | #15

            LOL If I only spent time with people that I agree with on politics I would get pretty lonely.

            The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax.

            -- Albert Einstein

          3. Shep | Jun 24, 2007 06:35am | #17

            Our best friends for 35 years are Republicans

            Doesn't make them bad people, tho <G>

          4. plumbbill | Jun 24, 2007 08:32am | #18

            I have friends all over the board, most of them look at me like a dog hearing a new sound when I tell them I'm a Federalist.

            The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax.

            -- Albert Einstein

          5. User avater
            MarkH | Jun 24, 2007 02:50pm | #19

            Federalist describes me pretty well.  Too bad the republicans aren't anymore. 

            I work for Eastman Kodak Graphic Communications Group.  Kodak was decimated by the unanticipated change to digital photography, but is recovering well by changing over to digital technology.  I work with high speed ink-jet technology, speeds over 1000 feet/minute on web presses.  It's pretty impressive.

            Film is pretty much dead nowadays.

          6. User avater
            Sphere | Jun 25, 2007 03:51am | #20

            "Film is pretty much dead nowadays."

            Whoops, there goes my stock on Photo-mat booths.

            Wanna buy a few hundred? 

          7. User avater
            MarkH | Jun 25, 2007 04:43am | #21

            Aren't they digital yet?

          8. User avater
            Sphere | Jun 25, 2007 04:56am | #22

            Have not seen one in 20 years I bet...I was trying to be funny. 

          9. User avater
            MarkH | Jun 25, 2007 05:54am | #23

            There used to be one near me.  Come to think of it, I don't remember it being there anymore.

          10. JulianTracy | Jun 24, 2007 02:50am | #14

            I'd advise you not to spend another dime on ANYTHING film related.There is absolutely no point these days.I was a pro photographer for the last 17 years - weddings, black and white custom printing, restoration, automotive catalogs, retouching, etc. I still keep on top of things and will always have a camera and a computer.Been doing remodeling since 2004 ended.If you can figure out those fancy Minolta 35mm cameras, you can figure out any of the digital SLR's that are out there. And the quality of your direct to digital file film processing is much less than that file that comes straight out of the camera.Why buy film? With rechargable batteries and memory cards there are no costs associated with taking pictures anymore.2 Years ago - a 2GB card capable of taking 150 pictures with a good DSLR was going for $300 +, now, that same card can be had for $24. My advice about cost savings between film vs. digital would have been the same 3years ago, and now, it's even more true.Also, we've turned the corner to where digital is BETTER than film - there is no comparison.And, why limit yourself to one kind of film/ASA etc? You can, on the fly, shoot ASA 50 or ASA 800. And if you figure out how to read a histogram, you can nail the exposure and tweak it to perfection while you shoot.Sony has bought the rights to all of the Maxxum digital line and lensmount and the new Alpha Digital SLR (New Sony version of the digital Maxxum) is pretty highly regarded and relatively inexpensive.You'll have to get used to your lenses being a bit different - the sensor is smaller than film, so your 50mm turns into a 85mm, etc.Make the move, aside from old dogs and young arty farty types - there is not a single working professional in the world shooting film these days; there's a good reason for that.For a compact digital camera that is of the absolute highest quality results - check out the Fuji F20/Fuji F30/Fuji F31fd. they are cheap and able to take excellant pics at ASA 800 and above - that's something NO OTHER compact digicam can do right now.This is way more advice than you didn't ask for, but feel free to ask any further questions.Regards,Julian

          11. plumbbill | Jun 24, 2007 06:03am | #16

            Don't add to my Minoltas? Blasphemy I tell you ;-)

            OK I know I'm stubborn, but next year I'll be looking at the digital world again.

            What I would be looking for is SLR ( I hate the viewfinder crap), interchangeable lenses ( unless they make a 28mm to 800mm all in one lens) I want the ability to get hydroplane shots with the water in droplet form & I don't want to have to get a second job to fund such a thing.

             

            The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax.

            -- Albert Einstein

    2. plumbbill | Jun 23, 2007 07:02am | #5

      I also learned not to leave my camera on top of my gang box.

      View Image

      The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax.

      -- Albert Einstein

      1. rez | Jun 23, 2007 07:01pm | #11

        Dang that is some deal you have going on in there.

        Bet your lead man was the villain. What reasonable man ever supposed that ornaments were something outward and in the skin merely — that the tortoise got his spotted shell, or the shell-fish its mother-o'-pearl tints, by such a contract as the inhabitants of Broadway their Trinity Church? But a man has no more to do with the style of architecture of his house than a tortoise with that of its shell: nor need the soldier be so idle as to try to paint the precise color of his virtue on his standard. -Thoreau's Walden

        1. plumbbill | Jun 23, 2007 08:06pm | #12

          I'm thinking either it was my apprentice, or the foreman from the floor below me who usually will make a smartazz comment whenever he catches me actually installing pipe.

          We're stretched so thin that all of the foreman are installing, trying to keep up with the schedule.

          My boss can't understand that when doing this type of work in a small room I usually like to be by myself, & use chain falls & other rigging verses having some people holding stuff up while it's bolted together.

           

          I have to build a tee today to take to the job on Monday--- 6" x 2.5"---- supply house cost for that tee is $948 , I can build one for about $125 for material & a couple of hours labor----- if they would let me use the "tee" drill I could do it on site in about 15 minutes--- so be it, I'll build it then guilt the owner into a round of golf. ;-)

          The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax.

          -- Albert Einstein

  3. ponytl | Jun 23, 2007 04:12pm | #8

    wow that copper around here would require an armed guard 24/7...

    quick question...  I've got what looks like the exact same backflow preventor on my lofts... cept 3"   feeds from a 3" galv pipe ... then feeds a manifold that feeds three 1.5" lines...

    the valve on each side of the backflow preventor has a 4 hole flange... is it best to just use a threaded flange to adapt this to my 3" pipe  or do i need something with a little "give" ? 

    thanks 

    p 

    1. plumbbill | Jun 23, 2007 06:41pm | #10

      Once assembled ours have no give at all, & are braced every way from Sunday.

      Threaded on that size gets a bit tricky for those that don't do it all the time. Grooved vic piping is less mistake prone, cause there is no make up in the fittings.

      Vic is loose until it's assembled then it's tight & doesn't flex.

      Vic is not hard to do, but it is hard to aquire the machine to do the work, but you can buy prefabbed pieces from most fire protection shops.

      That 6" copper is in the basement, & there is a guard 24/7 outside the new hospital.

      The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax.

      -- Albert Einstein

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