WEEK 12 - Day 44 Preparations for Lifting Pan 5

Whilst also continuing to dismantle the brickwork of Stove House 5 final preparations were made to lift the salt pan No.5 off the furnace. Packing wedges were inserted between the iron beams and the underside of the salt pan so that the weight of the pan is evenly distributed and there are no unsupported areas. Paul and Simon spent a couple of hours in the cramped space underneath the pan inserting the wedges. Like many salt pans the sustained heating the brine over a long period of time causes the iron plates of the pan to distort and buckle making each position an individual fit. You can see the rows of rivets which join each of the pan plates.

Lifting eyes have been attached to the ends of the main beams. It is to these that the hooks will be attached to the crane's lifting chains tomorrow. The crane is arriving at 8am with the lift taking place about 10.30am. The operation will be uploaded tomorrow afternoon.









See uploaded time lapse video, which shows the dismantling of the roof trusses of Stove House 5 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aW4g1xKlfmQ This took place on Thursday 16 September, 2009 and Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 2--23 September, 2009.