This shows three guys trying to install a concrete drainage pipe reminds me of those types of engineering feats we would all attempt as 12-year-olds in our tree forts. The finished product might be lacking at times, but the idea was always solid. As a matter of fact, a group of 12 year olds could have probably worked this problem out a lot better. Take a look at this and you will see what I mean.
These three guys could not have attempted to install that concrete drainage section any more incorrectly if they chose to. The good news is, this is the sort of stuff that makes you famous. The bad news is, this is not the sort of stuff you want to be famous for.
Sure, the proper way to install this would have been with the aid of a crane and a leveling concrete pipe lifter (CPL).
That would certainly make for an easy and error free install. I guess the only problem with that equation is the price tag. A good leveling concrete pipe lifter weighs in at about $4800 or so. Then there are those pesky things to add to it like a hoist and crane of some sort. Those can run you a few hundred thousand dollars, or several hundred dollars a day if you want to rent them.
(more…)
Read More
However, it looks like these guys certainly could have used one. It sure would have made their job more efficient. The reason for this has to do with how the concrete pipe lifter
However, it looks like these guys certainly could have used one. It sure would have made their job more efficient. The reason for this has to do with how the concrete pipe lifter works. It is a self leveling C hook, that when inserted into one end of the pipe, balances the pipe perfectly for placement and positioning in the drainage hole. That works so much better than pushing it off a pallet and hoping for the best.
Construction equipment companies like Caldwell make hundreds of thousands of dollars selling these C-hook pipe lifters every year.
They have multiple sizes and dimensions depending on the type and length of pipe you are trying to install. However, all of that will do you no good if you choose to go the route of our three caballeros. Simply roll it to the edge of the pallet, push, and hope for the best. That sort of thing might work well with unloading furniture from U-Haul trucks or sinking cars with bodies in the trunk into a deep river.
It doesn’t work so well with concrete drainage pipes, though. The looks on these guys’ faces is priceless. See the guy in the middle in particular. His reaction is classic and sums it all up. They all have that “How in the world did this just happen, and what are we going to do about it?” look on their faces.
How Do You Uninstall a Busted Concrete Drain Pipe?
Casting the first question aside, it is the second question that will require an answer. For the fact of the matter is you now have a busted concrete drain pipe sitting in a hole 6 feet or so beneath you. It would be easy to rig up a hoist and pull the entire thing up if need be. However, dragging up big sections of busted concrete is not fun, I don’t care who you are. Keep in mind, these things way several hundred pounds each. It’s not like they can just hop down there and toss these broken sections up to their buddy. Plus, it’s muddy down there and they would more than likely get stuck if they moved around too much. That would make for a far more entertaining scenario, but still leave them with a busted concrete pipe stuck deep in a muddy hole.
I guess the silver lining in all of this is that the pipe does not cost too much. Typically, concrete is sold by cubic foot. In this instance however, it is sold by the type and length of pipe. This particular piece costs somewhere between $150-$300. So, that’s not too bad. Most construction companies can absorb that sort of thing into a project cost. However, there is some bad news. It is certainly going to cost a lot more to get it out of that hole! All of a sudden, that concrete pipe lifter does not seem like a bad investment.
Read Less
