July 31 - Non-construction Notes

The Chuckwagon - 

Many have brought food, drink and goodies to the building site to keep the workers well nourished, properly hydrated. This particular Saturday, Miranda Hillukka brought out a full meal, served buffet style from the back of the van. It has been said that an army runs on its stomach and the same is true of construction crews. On behalf of all the workers, a hearty thank you to all who have served in this capacity. Your efforts are much appreciated.

Spaceman Spiff -

Spaceman Spiff, aka Randy Forstie, has brought his quad-copter mounted GoPro camera to the building site to record flyover videos of the project. One of his aerial view pictures was included in an earlier post. This fascinating technology allows him to fly the drone (a quad-copter) at heights up to 400 feet. The on-board camera records video which can be viewed concurrently with the headset goggles as pictured. Randy allowed me to experience the view of flying above the trees while keeping my feet planted firmly on the ground. He has not yet allowed me to operate the remote control of the drone.
Randy plans to periodically record flyover videos and make them available for viewing. He has started a YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/tOuUcZXePGM. This link is also available on the right side of the blog. Apparently those links only show up on the web based blog and not when viewed on a mobile site. Check out the video and come on site to get buzzed by Spaceman Spiff's drone.

The quad-copter drone.

Cranes - 

According to the construction calendar, August 22 is the first date when a crane will be employed on the job site. However, last week already, I noticed several cranes across the road who looked like they might be looking for work. I tried to interview one or more to ascertain their intentions but they declined to make themselves available for such a discussion. Maybe we could just leave a couple of employment applications in the hay field on the other side of the road.

July 30 - Filling the Foam Walls with Concrete

Once the foam block walls are in place, the interior is filled with concrete. No wheel barrows and garden trowels for this job. We need a real live concrete pumper truck. Yep, one that pumps concrete up in the air about a hundred feet or so and then lets the mud free fall down a hose that must be guided to the holes to be filled.

The concrete pumper is a rather majestic looking beast with a long, graceful neck that reminds me of a swan. The truck was only moved once and from those two positions the boom was able to fill the entire perimeter of the building.

The truck driver and pump operator controlled the movement of the boom and the flow of the concrete from a wireless remote that was belted around his waist.  

Mark Vonada slalomed the hose around the protruding rebar trying to put as much as possible inside the blocks while dumping as little as possible on the outside. Mark seemed to think it was important that he not let go of the hose when it was full of concrete and under pressure. I tend to agree with his view on this subject as I suspect this setup could put a lot of concrete where it is not wanted in a hurry if left untended.

When the mud flows, a lot of folks are real busy. Some are poking and prodding the mud with sticks while others are using hammers to beat on the wall. Both jobs are needed to settle the concrete into the foam blocks and eliminate voids. The pounders use flat boards to protect the foam from direct hammer strikes. The prodders and pokers use about any piece of lumber they can find. In the door openings where the top of the wall is the final height for that section, the top is troweled somewhat smoother. Frenetic activity abounds at those moments. As the photographer tried to stay in close to capture this image, Mark suggested that he may want to find a position a little more removed from the action. As the stream of concrete approached, I quickly came to agree with his judgment.

On one wall, it was necessary to pour part of the footing as the wall above it was being filled. This seemed to go well but a while later someone noticed the wall bulging a bit on the side with the freshly poured footing. This seemed to be a matter of some urgency and many folks joined in putting their energy into battling against the bulge. Another board was added at the top of the wall and the bracing boards shifted to help move the wall back into its proper position.

This picture shows Ken Wuollet using a size large 2x4 as a lever. This seemed to help considerably as the wall decided to resume its original and upright position, just like the seat backs on airplanes during take off and landing. It is fortunate that Ken stayed awake that  day in physics class when Archimedes and his lever was discussed.

 Dan Hillukka sights approvingly down the adjusted wall which has now been pushed and prodded upright again and held in place with more bracing boards. 

So the walls are above final grade level and the back filling both inside and outside can now begin. It is a little bit sad that nearly all of the work done to this date will be covered by dirt and will not have a chance to be admired. So, take a good look now.

July 29 -Building the Foam Block Walls

A necessary tool, the rebar shortener, was repaired in a timely manner so the project can continue. I was thinking maybe some duct tape and a couple of splints would do the job. Fortunately, a little sterner repair was implemented.

Once repaired so sturdily it likely will cut all the rebar needed
for this job, and maybe many more.

The blocks -
The foam blocks lock together with a collection of grooves and tabs that nest snugly, both on the top and bottom as they are stacked vertically but also on the ends as they are laid one adjacent to the next. Squirt on a little foam adhesive and build a wall like you might with Lego blocks or tinker toys. Inside the block are plastic webs that hold the sides together. These webs also have  slots into which rebar is inserted for stability.

Amber Moll show off her strength,
carrying two building blocks.

Looking down into the block as it sets on the footing. The holes
for the rebar had to be placed so they would not conflict with the
web in the blocks. Now I know why those guys spent all that time
measuring and chalking. Clever fellows, those Americans.

Three chiefs, Phil, TMITYH, and Sam check out the
layout.

Brandon Wuollet and Troy Huhta cut blocks to fit the space
remaining in the middle of a wall. The corner pieces must be
set first and any resulting space filled with a trimmed block.

Building the walls - 

Kevin Hendrickson applies the foam while Elias holds the block
and then sets it in place.

Nina Moll and Sasha Niemela insert longer rebar pieces 

necessary for the next courses of block, into the PVC ring that is 

on the planted rebar piece. Using the rebar in this manner made it 

possible to set the blocks without having to lift the blocks 

over the long rebar and thread each block through a rebar

forest.

Phil Muhonen cuts holes in the foam blocks for tubes through which electricity and water (in pipes) can get into the building below floor level.

Completed holes with pipes installed.

July 28 - Preparing for the Walls

For a guy that grew up watching traditional wood and masonry construction, ICF (insulated concrete form) construction is as baffling as Common Core math. Forming and pouring a concrete footing makes a lot of sense. Building  church walls out of foam, tinker toy type blocks is nothing short of amazing.

Measure, drill and plant rebar -

The footing is marked for the outside of the foam block and a center line along which the holes are
drilled for the rebar to be planted. A ring cut from a length of pvc pipe is then dropped over each vertical rebar.

Mark and Brent are indicating where to put a hole
in the wall that does not yet exist. A length of plastic
tube, about 6  inches in diameter, will allow for
wires and pipes to get into or out of the building.

Mark Hillukka drills holes in the
the concrete.

Tim Sturos uses compressed
air to blow dirt from the holes.

Dustin and Spencer strike a pose
with their tools..

Dustin Parks squirts in the
epoxy and Spencer Karvonen
plants the rebar with a
hammer.

Brian Johnson, with the assistance of  his son
Bryce, measures and cuts the PVC
pipe rings.

Brian hauled rebar hoping to add "iron
worker" to his resume.

There are 4.2 gazillion lengths of rebar required. The rebar shortening device was in constant use, so much so that the handle kept coming off and could not be easily reattached.

The maintenance engineers puzzle over how to effectively repair the handle on the
rebar shortener. Standing are Eric Wuollet, Kevin Moll, Elias Aho and Paul Hillukka.
Lyle Makela strokes his beard while kneeling. Many possibilities were suggested but as of the time the chronicler had to leave no decision had been made. The device has been well used and worn surfaces make simple repair not possible. There remain 1.7 gazillion rebar chunks to be cut so a solution must be found. Stay tuned for further developments.

July 25 - The Footings Deformed

Construction is a marvelous thing to behold. First the dirt is dug out so wooden forms can be built. Then the forms get filled with concrete. When the concrete hardens, the wooden forms are taken down. The walls can then be started and when they are high enough, the dirt will be put back from whence it came. The net effect of all this work is walls begun on a secure foundation.

Removing the forms -

Lyle Makela removes a wooden form from the footing. Nate Loukusa, the chief for crew number two, noted that when all the wood is removed, the footings will then be deformed.

Eric Wuollet pulled out the stakes which were attached to the forms. Lyle urged Eric to work carefully so there would not be any 'missed stakes'.

Laying out the walls - 

Nate and his assistant, Mark Vonada, measure and lay out chalk lines for the walls.

The chalk line on the footing marks the outside
of the wall. The orange string above marks a
plane 28 inches above floor level.

Mr. Vonada added more lines assuring
that he left his Mark.

One footing seems to have drifted one foot too far south. Another chunk of
concrete is to be added to give the wall a proper resting place. The question
then becomes, is this part of the church reformed?

July 23 - The Pour Before it Poured

The footings got poured. And then the rain came. Fortunately, the rain came after all the concrete was in the forms and the spacer bars were removed. With the rain starting and the last truckload of cement maybe not quite hard enough, it was decided to put poly over the last truckload poured. Then the rain descended and the workmen scattered. But not before they removed the plastic tarp covering the break room and put it in the storeroom in order that it remain in the same county when the storm arrived.

The Pour - 

When the mud is coming down the chute, everyone is in action.

The concrete mix oozes into the forms. It made me think of lava flowing from a non-violent volcano but not quite as hot.

Sam directs the truck and controls the chute. The consolidators use shovels to work the mix to completely fill the form and not leave any voids. Screed operators then use a board across the top of the form to level it. The trowlers then smooth the top surface with trowels. 

Sam uses a wireless remote inside his glove to control the truck movements and rate of flow down the chute. A pointed finger moves the truck in the indicated direction, a closed fist stops the flow, an up pointing finger raises the chute and so forth. For the most part the remote works but occasionally requires facial gestures to keep it on track.

Bill Sturos uses a screed to
 level  the footing.

Wayne Randall and the Man in the Yellow Hat
(who is traveling incognito) use trowels to smooth
the top surface. Wayne's previous experience with
icing cakes in a bakery shows in his fine work. Bob
noted that it is very gratifying to be making
concrete progress.

And then it poured -

Later the sun came out, but not until the rain had left a moat in its wake.

July 23 - Peaceful Serenity on the Building Site

The sun is low in the sky and the scene is peaceful. The day's activity has not yet started. The workman have not yet arrived. Soon the day's work and another burst of activity as the workman return to the scene to further advance the project towards the goal of a church building for the Laestadian Lutheran Church of Elk River. A few short days ago, a completely green field. Now the green carpet has been ruptured, and the first visible signs of the building that will be, have appeared. Soon more activity, concrete poured, and walls erected. But for this morning, serenity.
Photo by Randy Forstie

July 22 - Finalizing the footing forms before the concrete pour on Saturday

I stopped at the building site on Thursday to take a few more pictures and get some scoop about the project and get some inside info for the blog. Shortly after I arrived I was on my way to Elk River to get a spool of 'tie wire' from the hardware. Although I am something of a construction expert, I had never heard of tie wire and thought it might be located next to the board stretcher in the dehydrated water department. I was surprised, however, that even though the first person I asked did not have a clue and made me a bit wary, I then asked a more mature and experienced looking gentleman and he assured me that they do have it, but it is in the far corner of the store. So after a lengthy walk inside and a drive back to Nowthen I delivered the goods.

This event reminded of a previous experience when my son Tony and I were doing a remodeling project on my house. Although I was the elder, I deferred to him on the project due to his slightly greater experience with construction. When I asked what I should do next, he sent me to the hardware to buy a nail. I got the length, girth, finish and head type recorded and went to the hardware. After some time digging through the nail bins, I found the exact item required. Delighted, I hustled home with the pride of accomplishment due me. Upon arrival, he noted he now needed another nail. When this scene was replayed a couple more times I became suspicious of his intentions. Now having been sent for 'tie wire' and finding such an item really existed and was for sale, I wondered about the intentions of the crew chief that sent me on this errand. I thought he might immediately send me for another one of the same item. Having been once fooled, I was now much wiser. I bought two spools of the wire.

Tie wire is used to tie the steel rebar pieces together and to support the resulting steel web about 3.5
inches off the ground so when the concrete is poured this steel reinforcement web floats in the
concrete

Brent Huhta mastered the art of
weaving the rebar web and
suspending it at the proper height.

Brent also mastered the rebar shortener.

Once the boards are all attached to each other a continuous frame exists all the way around the building. The concrete will then be poured in to make the footings on which the slab and walls will
rest. This continuous form must be leveled so the concrete surface will be level all the way around the building. Aaron pries up the form, Phil checks for level with beeper. When all is well, Aare puts in a screw which holds the form to a stake in the ground so the frame stays where it belongs. Aaron is leaning on the final, fine adjustment tool. If the form is still slightly high, he uses the tool to persuade the frame to drop a bit.

After the form is leveled, the remaining gap under the form is filled with dirt. Phil is showing Ed Tolkkinen where to place the dirt.