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NS [] I FY 4 [= 3 2 4 oily L The new tower and the old just before lift-off. } ] ) } } '] LR) [] 8/3 -- i Tank is lowered into place where seam will be welded. Story, photos by , John B. McClelland GACY A Ys SAE Fr 20 A Pal EA Cedusmobohosh tr son tadbalin FLL TY Lad ve RY le LNT le re tisimt rod h an hs atu an Mos phase Lodridy woud antadisdddod vk SECOND SECTION PORT PERRY STAR -- Wednesday, May 9, 1979 -- 17 Using a gigantic crane with a 180-foot boom, workers Monday morning delicately -hoisted the Port Perry water tank some 40 feet in the air and set it down on top of a new tank that had been built alongside the old one. It was to say the least, no ordinary moving job, and while the actual hoist itself took no more than a few minutes, the preparations lasted several days. The crane used to lift the 35 tons of steel tower was itself a monster, powered by diesel engine and with a lifting capacity of 220 tons. With the boom reaching 180 feet into the air, the crane was stationed about 60 feet from the two towers. Six slings, each one 7-8" steel cable were suspended from a hook and clevis at the end of the boom, and at- tached to the top edge of the tower. Giant block and hook dwarfs worker. Automatic torch is used to cut away the old tank just before the lift. . Just prior to the lift, an automatic torch was used to cut through the bottom seam of the old tower about six feet from the ground. With a couple of guide ropes attached to keep the tower from swaying in the wind during the lift, it was . lifted on to the top of the new tower and held secure in place until the two structures were welded together. Crane operator Tom McCombe, who has been working for Nadrofsky Steel Erecting for about ten years, said afterwards that he has placed several towers on top of each other, but never one as large as the 31 foot diameter of the Port Perry tower. With a fair breeze blowing, "It was touch and go", he said. In fact, the wind proved to be a problem. As the tower was being lowered onto the new structure, gusts nudged it gently against the steel boom of the crane. The whole purpose of the move was to increase the capacity of the Port Perry water storage tank, and the + new height of the combined tanks will now be 108 feet. Not an ordinary move How to lift a 35 ton water tower This will provide capacity for nearly a half-million gallons of water and the increased height will boost pressure in all areas of the community. The project was funded by the Region of Durham at a cost of about $270,000. The general contractor on the project was Environmental Technical Services of Hamilton, and actual con- struction of the new tank was done by Combo Tank and Pipe of Toronto. While the old tank has been hoisted on top of the new one, it will be about six weeks before the system is fully operational. In the mean- time, the inside will be sand- blasted, it will be painted inside and out. Then it will be filled to test the seams, super-chlorinated to remove impurities, drained and then filled again. And what does it cost to rent a crane that can lift 220 tons? Just moving it to and from Brantford cost an estimated $10,000 including setting up and breaking down after the job is fini- shed. Once in place on the site the rental rate was $250 per hour. Workers secure cable slings to the top of tower. A {1 Vy PLN a nn aR Te a oA