Today one of my jobs was to safely move a polar bear for a client. He's a full size bear, built quite a number of years ago in our shop. The first time we moved him I got in a hurry hooking him up. Thay say haste makes waste. It's true. He fell about three feet and broke all four legs. Lucking we fixed him up as good as new and delivered him a few days later.
Since then the business has a new owner. They are relocating three blocks down the road. I got the call to make sure he got there safely. This time around I was taking NO chances.
We had built a lift point into the center of his back. A heavy duty eye bolt was screwed into that for the lift. The difficulty is that it hadn't been used in many years and everything had rusted up in a big way. While everyone waited patiently I climbed up onto the bear and screwed in a chaser die to clean out the threads - then a brand new eye bolt.
The crane operator was a pro. He inched the giant, heavy bear over to the trailer and then lifted it smoothly into place. We were half way done!
Anytime we move one of our creations it is an instant parade. Traffic stopped and people stopped what they were doing as he came down the road.
I climbed back the ladder, hooked him back up and the crane operator once again worked his magic. The bear was in his new home in only a few minutes. I have to build a new calved bit of ice on the front to carve the new address in front. The owner is going to add new landscaping around it to hide the mesh on the bottom as well. And I can rest easy once more.
-grampa dan
Posted by David Harding (Member # 108) on :
No need to Photoshop in grass on this one... well actually, that was the business next door, wasn't it?
Posted by Sonny Franks (Member # 588) on :
ride 'em cowboy......
Posted by Craig Sjoquist (Member # 4684) on :
Bet it's great to know your work outlasts it expected life and it still looks outstanding.
Posted by Raymond Chapman (Member # 361) on :
You can't sell Polar Bears where I live. Posted by FranCisco Vargas (Member # 145) on :
that is pretty cool. and it almost looks like the cable is connected to you in the first photo.
Posted by Joe Cieslowski (Member # 2429) on :
You're havin too much fun Dan!!!!!
It's gotta be illegal.
Joe,
Makin Chip$ and Havin Fun!
Posted by Duncan Wilkie (Member # 132) on :
The Calgary Stampede was last week Dan, but I hear there's a rodeo in Hinton soon.
Posted by Susan Banasky (Member # 1164) on :
Yeeeeee Haw!!! (said with a silly grin)
Posted by David Harding (Member # 108) on :
Cisco,
Here's a shot of the first attempt to move the bear. Dan didn't show this because the trauma of spilling his Coke was too great. To help a good friend through a rough time, I had to post this for him. Just give Dan a little time and some "Disney therapy", and I think he will be OK.
Posted by Sunset Regall (Member # 11140) on :
Dan and Dave......Genius, the both of you!
Posted by David Harding (Member # 108) on :
I tried to console Dan with a new Coke. Unfortunately, it was New Coke, which only made his depression worse. A three liter bottle of the real stuff and a trip to Disney ought to pull him out of his funk.
He might even come back with that new chop saw he needs. The only problem with the chop saws you get from Disney is they're so... Mickey Mouse. They cut wiggly!
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