Barry's Big Blog of Building

Template

2012-01-01T12:39:00.006-05:00

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Surface Rust

2010-04-28T07:08:00.002-04:00

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Additional Information: Surface rust, as the name implies, is rust that is beginning to form on the surface of a metal object which has been neglected.

Metaphorically speaking, this blog suffers from a bit of surface rust.

Has anyone seen my wire brush?

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Best Friend

2010-04-13T20:28:00.004-04:00

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Wild Kingdom

2010-04-01T23:33:00.003-04:00

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Location: Lewes, Delaware

Additional Information: I saw this odd colored squrrel at break time the other day.

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Brush Cleaning

2010-03-30T07:20:00.000-04:00

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Additional Information: Paint brushes come clean with the aid of a wire brush.

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Collapse

2010-03-29T00:00:00.002-04:00

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Location: Frankford, Delaware

Additional Information: I believe this porch was a casualty of the extraordinary snow loads our area experienced this year.

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Keep Out

2010-03-28T00:00:00.001-04:00

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Location: Lewes, Delaware

Additional Information: Someone devised an interesting way to keep folks from climbing their fence.

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Kitty

2010-03-27T10:20:00.004-04:00

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Additional Information: Kitty is a Skil HD77 Worm Drive Circular Saw. Kitty and I partnered up after I arrived to work in Truckee California and was told my sidewinder wouldn't fly on the west coast.The Kitty sticker came from a machine at the entrance to a local supremarket. For years, whenever I let someone use my saw I said: "Don't let Kitty bite you."

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Wooden Plugs

2010-03-26T20:00:00.004-04:00

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Location: Bethany Beach, Delaware

Additional Information: A porch on a seaside rental had some structural issues which required fastening. I countersunk screws about 5/8" and glued wooden plugs into the holes. The plugs would be made even with the surface using a chisel once the glue had dried.

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Shutter Dog

2010-03-19T22:03:00.002-04:00

AKA: Tie Back, Shutter Catch, Shutter Holdback, Shutter Fastener

Location: Lewes, Delaware

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Crane Forks

2010-03-17T23:07:00.006-04:00

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Location: Bethany Beach, Delaware

Additional Information: Crane Forks excel at lifting compact units such as shingles, brick or block.

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UP

2010-03-16T07:56:00.002-04:00

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Location: Indian River Bridge Project

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Landfill

2010-03-06T22:36:00.004-05:00

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Location: Delaware solid waste authority

Additional Information: It is amazing how much these birds are part of the process.

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Logo Design

2010-03-04T22:15:00.001-05:00

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Concrete Curing Blanket

2010-03-01T22:31:00.003-05:00

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Additional Information: For winter construction.

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WARNING

2010-02-28T22:43:00.002-05:00

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Ant Colony

2010-02-27T23:16:00.005-05:00

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Location: Lewes, Delaware

Additional Information: A roof leak allowed water into the walls behind a tiled shower. An ant colony took up residence behind the Hardie-Backer. I searched for and found a spray to kill insects. I could not get the concept of genocide out of my mind.

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Composition

2010-02-26T22:32:00.003-05:00

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Location: Lewes, Delaware

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Working Shutters

2010-02-25T22:29:00.001-05:00

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Location: Rural Southern Delaware

Additional Information: GODWIN’S SCHOOL – DISTRICT #190 - On March 10, 1896, the State Board of Education approved a resolution recommending the creation of a new school district to serve the needs of local residents. The recommendation was forwarded to the Sussex County Levy Court with a petition from fifteen property owners stating that the neighborhood possessed more than the 35 “scholars” required to consider their request. The creation of District #190 was formally approved the following June.

A subscription was circulated to raise funds to construct a school here on land provided by local storeowner Jacob Reese Godwin. The new school was named in his honor. Classes were held here until 1936, when the district was consolidated with Millsboro School #23.

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Azek Beaded Ceiling

2010-02-24T21:05:00.003-05:00

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Pine Beaded Ceiling

2010-02-24T06:46:00.001-05:00

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Location: Lewes, Delaware

Additional Information: Tongue and groove southern yellow pine - painted.

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Edward Hines Lumber

2010-02-22T20:56:00.002-05:00

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Additional Information: In my early twenties I went to work in a lumberyard, next to a railroad track, in Chicago, Illinois.

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Parging

2010-02-21T21:24:00.002-05:00

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Location: Bethany Beach, Delaware

Additional Information: A thin coat of cementitious mortar applied over masonry to smooth the surface and/or aid in waterproofing.

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Diamond Blade

2010-02-19T21:13:00.003-05:00

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Location: Bethany Beach, Delaware

Additional Information: Replacing a disintegrating aluminum foundation vent with a new self closing unit requires a little surgery.

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Sweetgum

2010-02-18T21:02:00.001-05:00

AKA: Liquidambar styraciflua

Location: Roxana, Delaware

Additional Information: In winter, a leafless sweetgum can easily be identified by the presence of "Monkey Balls" or seed pods.

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Abrasives

2010-02-17T20:48:00.002-05:00

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Additional Information: Abrasives can do more harm than good if not well suited to the job.

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Abrasion

2010-02-16T23:48:00.001-05:00

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Location: Bethany Beach, Delaware

Additional Information: By the ocean, a wind swept bush scratched the shape of a fan into traditional cedar skin.

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Adobe Lightroom

2010-02-15T07:24:00.003-05:00

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Additional Information: Digital photography has infiltrated the building trade! It is not an invasion but sometimes it can feel that way as along with film-less photography comes the ability to click away seeking quality from quantity. All those pictures need to be kept and catalogued and thankfully there is a variety of software out there to help us do that.

Relative Link: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2

Hexalobular

2010-02-13T17:07:00.005-05:00

AKA: TORX Head, Star Head, Star drive

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Additional Information: Hex means 6 and lobular or lobe means a rounded projection. Torx is not an acronym.

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Ice Dam

2010-02-12T07:43:00.003-05:00

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Location: Roxana, Delaware

Additional Information: An ice dam has formed on the coldest part of this cedar shake roof. Water from melting snow over the heated interior flows down and freezes over the unheated eave creating a dam. As the word implies, water is backed up behind the dam and can eventually make its way inside of the building causing all manner of moisture related problems.

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Big Dig

2010-02-11T09:49:00.003-05:00

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Location: Roxana, Delaware

Additional Information: The Johnsons Corner Sanitary Sewer project re-commences as a front end loader arrives on scene and moves some snow around.

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French Curve

2010-02-10T22:07:00.004-05:00

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Additional Information: French curves are used in drafting. They are templates which assist in drawing curves along pre-plotted points. French Curves come in many shapes and sizes.

Relative Link: French Curve

Hush

2010-02-09T22:28:00.006-05:00

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Additional Information: This picture was taken during last weekends winter storm. It is of one of two pumps that have been working overtime dewatering the area around my house. When I first keyed into all the commotion commencing down the road I noticed what looked like a pump with the words Silent Knight on the side. As the system moved closer to my house the Silent Knight was replaced with an unshielded Thompson unit and then, after we got a good snow, a second pump appeared. For one or two full (24 Hour) days both were running.

I can handle noise fairly well but some constant sounds really wear me out. I did not mind at all when during this last storm one pump shut down.

Tonight I noticed there was no sound. I know this most likely means a lot more sound down the road but along with the crazy weather, I'll take the break.

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Regularly Scheduled Program

2010-02-09T18:13:00.008-05:00

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Additional Information: I am working outside this winter so I feel a real kinship with the folks installing sewer lines in my neighborhood. Last week, I mused on how fragile momentum can be as I watched this crew come back to work after one storm only to be sidelined by a second. Now, with roads almost passable, a third winter storm warning is in effect.

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Replacing broken poles

2010-02-08T22:06:00.004-05:00

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Location: Southern Delaware

Additional Information: With only wide open fields on either side, three utility poles failed in fierce winds.

Their replacements, here, are being re-connected.

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Sunday Morning

2010-02-07T09:54:00.004-05:00

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Location: Roxana, Delaware

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Saturday Night

2010-02-06T17:33:00.003-05:00

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Location: Roxana, Delaware

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Blizzard

2010-02-06T15:30:00.002-05:00

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Location: Roxana, Delaware

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Long Weekend

2010-02-05T20:39:00.001-05:00

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Location: Roxana, Delaware

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Back to Work

2010-02-04T21:37:00.010-05:00

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Location: Roxana, Delaware

Additional Information: 5 days after a foot of snow, traffic control arrives early and prepares the site for "back to work."

Meanwhile, new blizzard warnings threaten momentum further and highlight the hardship of winter outdoor work.

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Pier Erosion

2010-02-03T20:49:00.005-05:00

The old Indian River Inlet Bridge is supported by piers that have been steadily eroding in the swift tidal currents between the Atlantic ocean and Indian River Bay. There have been five bridges built on this very site since 1934. The state of Delaware is building a cable stay bridge across the inlet in 2010 but back in 2005 there were plans for a very different bridge in the works.

Friendship

2010-02-02T08:05:00.005-05:00

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Additional Information: Whether human, canine, tool or machine, your friends help you find your sense of direction. They encourage you to explore your potential and to constantly re-define success. It is impossible to be too hokey when discussing the value of friends.

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Masonry Piers

2010-02-01T22:40:00.004-05:00

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Location: Lewes, Delaware

Additional Information: These 5 masonry piers and the 2 connected to the foundation wall are designed to support a girder that will be a primary structural element in the floor system. The close proximity of the piers to one another also hints that they are intended to support structure beyond the first floor.

The fact that the piers are built to the same height as the foundation tells us that the beam they support will be within the floor system and require joists to be connected to it by joist hangers. This will also allow any load bearing walls to be built directly on the girder.

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Trench Box

2010-01-31T22:48:00.005-05:00

AKA: Trench Shield, Trench Shore

Location: Johnson's Corner, Delaware

Additional Information: With the help of a Cat 345B excavator, workers laying sewer pipe, are about to lower a steel trench box into the ground. Trench boxes are used to temporarily shore the sides of excavations so contractors can perform their duties safely, without fear of collapse.

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Roadside Attraction

2010-01-30T22:51:00.002-05:00

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Location: Milford, Delaware

Additional Information: Lighting can play a huge part for businesses trying to draw in customers from America's highways.

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Yellow and Black

2010-01-29T23:31:00.001-05:00

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Location: Lewes, Delaware

Additional Information: The color of caution tape and caterpillars.

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Suspension

2010-01-28T22:09:00.003-05:00

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Location: Delaware Memorial Bridge

Additional Information: Looking up from directly beneath one of two towers on the northbound span.

Relative Link: The Delaware Memorial Bridge

House Moving

2010-01-27T21:30:00.005-05:00

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Location: Route 1 - Dewey Beach, Delaware

Additional Information: Streetlights were being lowered in this houses path.

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Morning After Morning

2010-01-26T22:35:00.003-05:00

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Location: Roxana, Delaware

Additional Information: Dewatering is a long process.

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Nacelle

2010-01-25T22:59:00.005-05:00

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Location: Indian River, Delaware

Additional Information: A Nacelle is the streamlined enclosure which houses the inner workings of a small wind turbine. The term holds a similar meaning in the aviation industry where a nacelle can house an engine, fuel or even crew members.

Relative Link: How Wind Turbines Work

Channelizer Drum

2010-01-24T20:24:00.007-05:00

AKA: Traffic Barrel

Location: Roxana, Delaware

Additional Information: Channelizer Drums are made by many different manufacturer's whose models offer a number of small variations on a theme. One important difference is between the high and low density models. High density channelizer drums are more rigid than low and are often used in hot desert regions where the low density drums might collapse in the heat. The softer, more expensive, low density drums are employed in colder regions where they are more likely to dent, rather than crack, on impact.

The channelizer drum pictured above has a rubber base. The rubber bases can weigh between 25 - 40 pounds. Plastic bases are also available which fill with sand or are meant to hold a sandbag. Wind speed and speed of traffic factor into weight needed to keep the drum in place.

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Junttan PM 16

2010-01-23T22:47:00.001-05:00

AKA: Pile Driving Rig

Location: Bethany Beach, Delaware

Additional Information: The PM 16 is the lightest, most compact pile driving rig made by Junttan

Relative Link: Junttan

Tight Delivery

2010-01-23T22:41:00.005-05:00

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Additional Information: A pile driving rig is delivered to a small vacant lot in Bethany Beach, Delaware. Within 25 minutes the machine would be unloaded, set up and ready to go.

Relative Link: Transport Dimensions

Old and New

2010-01-21T07:17:00.004-05:00

AKA: The Indian River Inlet Bridge

Location: Delaware Seashore State Park

Additional Information: Concord Carpenter commented on one of this weeks posts that he enjoys watching cranes in action which prompted me to describe the scene above that I pass through several times a week.

Relative Link: Indian River Bridge Project

Bow Compass

2010-01-20T19:24:00.002-05:00

AKA: Spring Bow Compass

Additional Information: Used to draw arcs and circles, the bow compass has a replaceable needle and lead.

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Close Up

2010-01-19T22:12:00.000-05:00

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Asphalt Shingle Siding

2010-01-18T21:07:00.005-05:00

AKA: Strip Siding, Synthetic Siding

Location: Milton, Delaware

Additional Information: Sometime around 1930, asphalt shingles became a popular siding product in the USA. Asphalt siding was often coupled with sheets of pressed cellulose to give older homes a new skin directly over wooden clapboards. The cellulose sheets added a layer of insulation which gave the system a lot of appeal.

Asphalt siding came in a variety of colors and styles including the wood grain shown here and a brick pattern which was very popular. Its use began to decline in the 1960's as interlocking aluminum and steel clapboard came more into fashion.

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Crane Block

2010-01-17T21:15:00.001-05:00

AKA: 3 Sheave crane block

Location: Indian River Bridge Project

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Emission

2010-01-16T21:33:00.003-05:00

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Location: Roxana, Delaware

Additional Information: One serious by product of building is air pollution. In the photo, a diesel stack rain cap on a working Thompson rotary wellpoint pump, is raised high indicating that the machine is emitting invisible exhaust gas into the atmosphere.

Relative Link: Diesel exhaust air contaminants

315C Hydraulic Excavator

2010-01-15T06:40:00.002-05:00

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Location: Johnsons Corner, Delaware

Additional Information: In a field, near my home, a CAT 315C Hydraulic Excavator equipped with a CVP75 Vibratory Plate Compactor has finished work for the day.

Relative Link: Demolition

Repointing

2010-01-14T06:08:00.004-05:00

AKA: Pointing and Pointing Up are terms which refer to the finishing phase in new masonry but are often applied to the act of repointing as well.

Additional Information: Workers employ a JLG 860SJ to renew mortar joints on the bell tower at the Bethel United Methodist Church in Lewes, Delaware. Repointing is periodic maintenance for masonry which can become badly damaged if water infiltrates cracks and freezes.

Relative Link: Repointing Brick

6 over 6

2010-01-13T18:56:00.002-05:00

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Location: Lewes, Delaware

Additional Information: This double hung window has a sash with six panes of glass over another with six panes, for short it is a six over six.

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Midnight Oil

2010-01-12T22:51:00.003-05:00

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Location: Road 92

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Neon

2010-01-11T22:54:00.005-05:00

AKA: Gas Discharge Lamp

Location: Milford, Delaware

Additional Information: Neon is an oderless, colorless gas which gives off an orange-reddish glow when ionized and subjected to an electrical field in a gas discharge lamp.

Relative Link: Neon Lamp Traces Sound Wave’s Picture

Boarded Up

2010-01-10T22:09:00.003-05:00

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Location: Rural Delaware

Additional Information: Unused buildings are often boarded up in the interest of public safety, to protect a property or for a combination reasons including guarding the owner against being held responsible for the injury or death of trespassers.

Relative Link: Hellingly hospital (East sussex mental asylum)

Fiber Cement Shingles

2010-01-09T22:40:00.006-05:00

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Location: Rehoboth, Delaware

Additional Information: Fiber Cement Shingles are actually panels which go up quickly and mimic the look of individual sidewall shingles once installed.

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Thompson Silent Knight

2010-01-08T06:04:00.004-05:00

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Location: Roxana, Delaware

Additional Information: This Thompson Silent Knight pump, attached to a wellpoint dewatering system in my neighborhood, is equipped with a silent knight noise reducing canopy.

Relative Link: Silent Knight Enclosures

Wellpoint Dewatering

2010-01-07T21:08:00.003-05:00

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Location: Roxana, Delaware

Additional Information: A wellpoint is a pipe driven into the ground far enough to tap the water table.

In Wellpoint Dewatering, many wellpoints are driven and attached to a manifold or header pipe. The header connects to a pump which draws water up through the wellpoints and out of a localized area so that construction can take place.

Relative Link: WELLPOINT SYSTEMS

Checkerboard of Balconies

2010-01-06T21:27:00.004-05:00

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Additional Information: A few weeks back I mentioned seeing "apartment buildings in Vilnius, Lithuania, graced with a checkerboard of open and enclosed balconies" Here is a photo I took in 2002.

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Stretcher Bond

2010-01-05T06:05:00.003-05:00

AKA: Running Bond

Location: Rehoboth, Delaware

Additional Information: Bricks laid end to end along their length are called stretchers. Stretcher bond is a wall created entirely in this fashion. Unlike other interlocking bonds, stretcher bond is not very stable without the aid of ties to an underlying structure. Stretcher bond is often used for curtain walls which provide protection from the elements but are not themselves structural.

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Cedar Impressions 6 1/4" Half-Round

2010-01-04T13:37:00.006-05:00

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Location: Milton, Delaware

Additional Information: Made by the CertainTeed corporation, Cedar Impressions 6 1/4" Half-Round simulates the look of Half-Round Shingles. It comes in a variety of colors, is applied in panels and is made from an injection molded double polymer.

CertainTeed claims Cedar Impressions will be "Virtually maintenance free" throughout the life of the product. This does not preclude it from developing algae, mold or mildew as do other types of wall coverings. Our example is Barn Red.

Relative Link: Cedar Impressions® 6 1/4" Half-Round Shingles

Static Wire

2010-01-03T09:15:00.004-05:00

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Location: Rural Delaware

Additional Information: The uppermost wire on a utility pole is known as the Static Wire. It is a grounded wire meant to bleed lightening surge off of power lines during an electrical storm.

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Balance

2010-01-02T10:31:00.009-05:00

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Location: Rehoboth, Delaware

Additional Information: Repeating elements, spaced effectively, give this pedimented front door a nice sense of balance.

Relative Link: 01/02/2010

Peri Up Stair Tower

2010-01-02T08:18:00.005-05:00

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Location: Indian River Bridge Project - Delaware Seashore State Park

Additional Information: Founded in 1959, the PERI Company has become one of the foremost suppliers of formwork and scaffolding systems in the world.

PERI draws its name from a greek preposition meaning "around" it is a German company whose main office is located in Weißenhorn (Weissenhorn), Bavaria.

This stair tower can be viewed from an angle that shows the setting of its application in our post "Various Cranes."

Relative Link: Successful construction with PERI

New Year

2010-01-01T05:07:00.004-05:00

AKA: S Novuim Godom!, Happy New Year!

Location: All around the world.

Additional Information: In the last few weeks I made some leaps in what I consider to be acceptable content for this blog. I have added some labels which are intended to be a little less stringent than what has come before. Here are some of the new labels and what you can expect to find under them:

Personality: Items, projects, situations and solutions which somehow reflect upon their owners or the individuals involved.

Allablur: I really like digital blur so I created this label for shots which otherwise would have been tossed away.

Journal: A book of oddments.

Announcements: Blog related business.

Relative Link: How Do You Measure?

Old House

2009-12-31T08:19:00.011-05:00

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Location: Omar Light - Frankford, Delaware

Additional Information: Oddly, I believe that for many of us, old houses bring to mind our youths. Even more so than with people, old houses opened our eyes to the ageing process. People have a spark which can afford even the oldest individual a timeless quality. Old houses on the other hand begin to deteriorate fast if no one cares for them.

Along with teaching our very young eyes about age, old houses taught our very young minds about history. We saw it worn into our neighbors linoleum floors and in chewed through holes in a great uncles baseboard. Being inside an old house was like walking into a fictional history book where reality shared borders with the imagination and where we began to seamlessly fuse them into something called knowledge.

In our previous post we featured a plaque awarded by the Rehoboth Beach Historical Society to a well kept and obviously much loved beach property. But not all old houses are granted loving recognition. If any one cares that the old house pictured above is passing the signs are not outward.

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Plaque

2009-12-30T19:01:00.002-05:00

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Location: Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

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The Rock by Thermos

2009-12-29T00:00:00.007-05:00

AKA: Stainless Steel Beverage Bottle

Additional Information: Equipped with a twist and pour stopper and a handle which dominates but delivers. The BBoB is not in the business of recommending or reviewing products but I really like this thermos. In fact, this is my second which I bought last night after a brief switch to another brand brought about by convenience and curiosity.

Relative Link: Product Detail

Half Cove Shingle Pattern

2009-12-28T00:00:00.001-05:00

AKA: Fancy Butt Shingle

Location: Lewes, Delaware

Additional Information: ~

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Various Cranes

2009-12-27T08:27:00.002-05:00

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Location: Indian River Inlet Bridge Project

Additional Information: Of the 4 cranes visible here, one is the Terex HC 150 featured in the post Crawler Crane.

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Expansion Slots

2009-12-26T21:46:00.004-05:00

AKA: ~

Additional Information: Around the outside edge of this circular saw blade are three expansion slots. These help to keep the blade from warping in the intense heat that is generated by friction during use.

At the end of each expansion slot is a round stress reliever which keeps the slot, essentially a crack in the blade, from growing.

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Utility Pole

2009-12-25T09:30:00.004-05:00

AKA: Telephone Pole, Power Pole

Location: Selbyville, Delaware

Additional Information: A Utility Pole is one structural piece within complex systems of electric power, phone service and sometimes cable television and internet delivery.

Within municipalities, utility poles are often installed and serviced by a Board of Public Works.

Utilities poles are also utilized for the mounting of street lamps and for attaching various local, state and national holiday decorations.

Originally known as Telegraph poles or posts, utility poles first began popping up in the mid 1800's.

Relative Link: Utility Poles

Crane Basket

2009-12-24T22:10:00.005-05:00

AKA: Suspended Personnel Platform, Man Basket, Personnel Basket, Crane Cage

Location: Bethany Beach, Delaware

Additional Information: OSHA rules state that all safer possibilities for lifting workers into place must be ruled out before a crane basket is employed. The design of this water tower makes it difficult to approach maintenance or repairs using lifts, ladders or hoists and therefore the use of a crane basket is allowed.

Some crane baskets are equipped with overhead protection but this is only required when there is a danger of objects falling from above.

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Gravel Driveway

2009-12-23T19:34:00.005-05:00

AKA: Drive

Location: Rural Delaware

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PVC Balcony

2009-12-23T06:18:00.007-05:00

AKA: ~

Location: Bethany Beach, Delaware

Additional Information: This balcony design is well executed in my opinion. It seems geared towards keeping young children safe and overall endurance one block from the beach.

This was the only balcony on the building like this. The units must all be individually owned for each has a somewhat different style. It brought back memories of the apartment buildings in Vilnius, Lithuania, graced with a checkerboard of open and enclosed balconies, all designed to their owner's taste and budget.

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MHIC

2009-12-22T22:07:00.004-05:00

AKA: Maryland Home Improvement Commission

Additional Information: In their own words: "The Maryland Home Improvement Commission licenses and regulates home improvement contractors, subcontractors and salespersons."

Relative Link: Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation

Booking

2009-12-21T15:33:00.007-05:00

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Theft Insurance

2009-12-20T19:19:00.000-05:00

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Dodge Sprinter

2009-12-19T19:48:00.001-05:00

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Wooden Corbels

2009-12-18T22:38:00.003-05:00

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Location: Milton, Delaware

Additional Information: Special thanks to Rob at Concord Carpenter Comments for helping me to identify this element.

Relative Link: Custom Corbels

Failing Girder

2009-12-17T00:00:00.001-05:00

AKA: ~

Location: Bethany Beach, Delaware

Additional Information: A grider, cut over the masonary is cracking along the grain.

The unsupported notch has entirerly compromised the strength of the girder.

Relative Link: ~

Wooden Bridge

2009-12-16T05:29:00.007-05:00

AKA: ~

Location: Lithuania

Additional Information: In form, method and material vernacular architercture draws from a specific place or region.

Here, a wooden vehicle bridge spans a small stream in the countryside of Lithuania.

Relative Link: Buildings & Landscapes: Journal of the Vernacular Architecture Forum - Volume 14, Fall 2007

Your Home's Ideas

2009-12-15T00:00:00.003-05:00

AKA: ~

Additional Information:Your Home's Ideas is a Russian home improvement magazine spotlighting the building materials and sensibilities found in the former Soviet countries.

Relative Link: идеи вашего дома

Crawler Crane

2009-12-14T00:00:00.007-05:00

AKA: Terex HC 150

Additional Information: At work on the Indian River Bridge Project in Delaware Seashore State Park.

Relative Link: Carrying On: Crawler Cranes

Wooden Retaining Wall

2009-12-13T00:00:00.014-05:00

AKA: ~

Location: Rehoboth, Delaware

Additional Information: The wall pictured is made from railroad ties soaked in coal tar creosote. Although coal tar creosote is an EPA approved wood treatment and remains the most widely used wood preservative in the world it is not recommended for retaining walls. The reason for this is that leaching CTC can be harmful to plants, animals and humans.

It seems logical to me that the large surface area of a wood retaining wall in direct contact with soil would make for a heck of a lot of leaching.

The example wall also looks to have had 4 x4 braces applied to its face to maintain its integrity. Closer inspection shows the brace on the right is bent and splitting from outward force at the fastener.

While all wooden retaining walls will eventually fail, proper drainage can help keep timbers dry and extend a walls life.

Relative Link: Build a wood retaining wall

Bight and Early

2009-12-12T00:00:00.003-05:00

AKA: First thing in the morning.

Location: Roxana Delaware

Additional Information: "Get some sleep, we start bright and early in the morning."

Relative Link: ADOPTED BABY A CHANGELING

Storm Damage

2009-12-11T00:00:00.002-05:00

AKA: ~

Additional Information: On November 12th, 2009 the remnants of tropical storm Ida and a Nor'easter converged on the Delaware shoreline causing major flooding, beach erosion and considerable damage to property. Click the link below to see more photos of this pummeled walkway on the beach at 2nd street in Bethany Beach.

Relative Link: Storm Damage...

Cordless Work Light

2009-12-10T00:00:00.002-05:00

AKA: Cordless Work Lamp

Location: Bethany Beach, DE

Additional Information: Nearly every major power tool company offers a work lamp in their cordless product line.

Relative Link: ~

Boardwalk

2009-12-09T00:00:00.004-05:00

AKA: ~

Location: Bethany Beach, Delaware

Additional Information: Boardwalks come in all sizes from residential entrances to incredible structures that are themselves destinations.

Relative Link: Constructing Wetland Boardwalks and Trails

Shears

2009-12-08T00:00:00.001-05:00

AKA: ~

Additional Information: Stamped into the handle of these shears is "IP Hyde" which most likely stands for Isaac Perkins Hyde & Co. of Ohio who were in business from 1875 to 1985.

Relative Link: Facts about Scissors and Shears