The shop has been quiet for the last weeks as I recovered from my surgery. That ends bright and early tomorrow as we begin production on a brand new project - the second phase of the entry facade of NEB’s Fun World in Oshawa, Ontario. Last year, we prefabricated the twenty sections of the large front wall of the facade. It measured fifty-three feet wide when it was assembled onsite. This west side of the wall will measure about forty feet wide and almost thirty feet tall at its highest when it is assembled next year. We will build the wall in twelve sections. As with the previous phase, we will begin the project by welding up the structural steel frames and then the pencil rod armatures. Diamond lath will follow, followed by the sculpting process in the New Year. It is going to be a fun project! Stay tuned…
New project started
It was a very busy week in the shop as our fabrication crew started the complex structure for the first of many sections of the new entry wall at NEB’s Fun World in Oshawa, Ontario. The large wall will be about forty-five feet wide and thirty-five feet tall at its highest point. The design has undergone many iterations over the last six months and is a delicate balance of function and form. The challenging part of this project is that it needs to be built in more than thirty manageable sections to facilitate transport and assembly into a finished and operating facility. The pieces need to go together seamlessly when they arrive on site, so we will be taking the necessary time required to build the frames accurately. Once the critical frames are welded it will be on to the pretty stuff. Stay tuned as this exciting project comes together…
Big idea in a small package
I’ve long been a fan of designing and building ‘antique’ vehicles. A few weeks ago when I was on site our client pointed to an old floor maintenance machine and challenged me to dream up a ‘beer wagon’ to fit on the diminutive chassis. I asked him about some specifics, and he said he would love a small vehicle that could deliver cold beverages to their guests. The driver would need to be able to dispense the treats without leaving their seat. With a clear vision already in my head I measured up the unused chassis of the floor cleaning machine, took some quick reference pictures and then set to work. The vehicle begged to be a C-cab truck, complete with a giant barrel on the back. It needed to be bright red for maximum visibility. As a final touch, there would need to be two megaphones mounted to the roof which would play appropriate music (like an old fashioned ice cream truck). Even though I don’t personally drink beer I don’t know what could possibly be more fun than this.
