Category: Amazing Things

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, In and Around Austin, The Construction Biz, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

My Trench Box Is Bigger Than Your Trench Box

lewisotr

This special trench box was built in our shop and used on one project, a 72” and 84” water line line for a new water plant project in Austin, Texas. I have serious reasons to believe it is the largest trench box ever built. It measured 44’ long x 12’ tall with an 8’ tall stacker section to go on top, making it 20’ tall. This box isn’t for just anyone. We had two EX 1200 Hitachi Excavators that were used to dig and lay the pipe and took them both to advance the box ahead. The approximate weight of … Continue reading My Trench Box Is Bigger Than Your Trench Box

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, In and Around Austin, The Construction Biz5 Comments

You Have Got To Be Kidding Me

lewisotr

I had a new Cat 385 that was delivered probably in 2003 or 2004. I ordered it equipped with a mass excavation boom and a short stick. I knew it would limit our ability to go very deep, but most of the jobs we were bidding on were hard rock jobs. When I compared the different stick and boom configurations, the breakout force of the one I ordered was almost double of a long stick machine. If we were going to be successful digging hard rock we need the most force that we could get at the teeth. The machine … Continue reading You Have Got To Be Kidding Me

Aging, Amazing Things, Crazy Times, Funny Happenings, The Construction Biz, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

How Old Am I ?

lewisotr

I’m So Old That: When I first started in the underground utility business we used batter boards and string lines for setting grade on wastewater lines. A good 6’ wooden folding engineers rule and a torpedo level were the grade setters best friend.About a decade later before lasers became widely used. (Early 1980s)Many of the old school inspectors wouldn’t trust lasers so had us set up batter boards to use to prove out that the laser was shooting a straight line and grade. I’m So Old That: John Deere and Caterpillar hadn’t started making hydraulic track excavators when I first … Continue reading How Old Am I ?

Amazing Things, Cowboys & Rodeo, Texas HistoryLeave a comment

Bill Pickett – Invented Bulldogging

lewisotr

A Great Part Of History With Roots From Right Here Under Our Feet. This Narrative From Frank Stiles. Born in the Miller Community, also known as Jenks Branch, midway between Leander and Liberty Hill, Texas. . Performed for royalty in europe, in madison square garden, starred in movies, and much more. Was eulogized by Will Rogers on his national radio show. Will Rogers also served as Bill Pickett’s hazer in his earlier days in rodeo bulldogging events. Bill Pickett mentored Will Rodgers, Tom Mix, and many others that went on to become motion picture stars and entertainers in the movies … Continue reading Bill Pickett – Invented Bulldogging

Aging, Amazing Things, The History of Texas, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

San Antonio’s Union Stockyards

lewisotr

Below is about the best article I’ve found on the history of the SA Union Stockyards that has now been closed for more than 25 years. From The Houston Chronicle “Union Stock Yards says goodbye after 112 years in San Antonio” John W. Gonzalez | April 22, 2001 SAN ANTONIO — After 112 years as a landmark of the South Texas cattle industry, the Union Stock Yards held its final auction last week, giving workers and well-wishers one last chance to savor its colorful yet faded traditions. In an auction barn that used to witness thousands of transactions a day, … Continue reading San Antonio’s Union Stockyards

Amazing Things, Construction, On The JobLeave a comment

The South San Gabriel Wastewater Project

lewisotr

Me being a person that would never be involved in self-promotion (cough cough cough) I’m going to tell you about myself. I’m in my 48th year in the underground contracting business. Perhaps the single toughest business where we encounter unknown obstacles daily, never knowing what’s below. There may not be any other business where the liabilities are as great and the rewards are as uncertain. “What was I thinking when I jumped off into this industry and started subcontracting“, mostly on a shoestring, in 1972, the replacing of water lines all over Burnet, Texas. I was a few months short … Continue reading The South San Gabriel Wastewater Project

Amazing Things, Old Dog - New Trick, The Construction Biz, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

The Story Of How A Little Ol’ Utility Contractor From Bertram, Texas Came To Own Two Giant Excavators

lewisotr

When we first acquired these machines in the later part of 2007, they were bought for a particular project, that was in some fairly hard limestone. We had approximately 4 to 5 miles of very deep wastewater (most of it 38′-40′ depth) to lay. We didn’t have our own deep trenchers that it would take to dig the depths we were going to need. We would generally subcontract that portion of the work out. We had equipped our two 385 Cats out with Leading Edge buckets (the very strange buckets at the bottom of the page) and had been having … Continue reading The Story Of How A Little Ol’ Utility Contractor From Bertram, Texas Came To Own Two Giant Excavators

Amazing Things, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

The Sound of the Cicada

lewisotr

For me haunting sound they make ranks up there with the howl of a coyote. Only these things are right next to you instead of across a field or on a distant hillside. I always remember calling them Katydids as a kid. Cicadas and Katydids are not the same thing. They are two different types of insects. Cicadas are known for their loud buzzing or singing sound, while katydids are known for their distinctive “katydid” mating call. Additionally, cicadas have large, transparent wings and are often green or brown in color, while katydids have long, slender bodies and green or … Continue reading The Sound of the Cicada

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, The Construction Biz, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

It Popped Up Like A Cork !!!!

lewisotr

We were laying 96” CSC waterline up in the south part of Dallas several years ago. We came up out of the Trinity River Bottoms with the line, across an old dump area. Not a trash dump, but low lands that had soils dump there) We were making several hundred feet a day. While going through that bad stretch of ground, it called for the rubber o-ring joints to also be welded on the inside and outside. We used a special neoprene gasket that didn’t burn like regular rubber gaskets would allowing for three protections against leaking. That forced us … Continue reading It Popped Up Like A Cork !!!!