Backdoor wSaturday Crew:  Bill Copeland, Matt Goska, Marty Griffin, Rick Hines, Jeff Page, Rose Shaw

The ladder is in!  It still needs more attachment points to make it solid, but it is serviceable.

Matt, Jeff and I camped at the schoolhouse Friday night and were joined by several surveyors.  We started work on the ladder Saturday at 8:30 when Bill arrived.  Bill had met with Richard Thompson Friday night and picked up additional hardware that Richard had fabricated or purchased.  Bill also purchased additional stainless anchor blots and had picked up the pneumatic chisel from Hertz.  As we preassembled the six ladder sections on the ground, two survey teams dropped in to start their work. 

We clamped the U-channels, that Richard Thompson had made, over the rails of the six 20' ladders to be assembled.  We drilled through the channel and the ladder and bolted the assembly together with stainless steel bolts.  We also drilled holes for the aluminum-brackets that will connect the ladder to the shaft wall.  Each piece was labeled and then disassembled.  Using the tripod and pulleys we lowered the first 20' ladder into the shaft and tied it off with the top of the ladder near the top of the 42" culvert.  A second ladder section was hoisted into position above the first. The U-channel was bolted in place to connect the two ladder sections.  The rope on the lower ladder was disconnected and the assembled ladders were lowered another 20'.  The rope from the first ladder was connected to the third ladder.  The third ladder was raise into position and bolted to the others.  At 2:30 PM the last ladder section was bolted on and we lowered the ladder the last 20 feet until the 120' ladder rested on the concrete pad poured in the cave. 

I put on a harness, clipped in a baley, and started down the ladder.  Once in the cave I pried the base of the ladder into position against the shaft wall.  I had a hammer drill, tools and bolts lowered to the position where I would start installing the brackets.  We only had 6 brackets ready for use and had them mounted to the ladder at the 40, 60 and 80 foot levels.  With great difficulty (and numerous electrical shocks) I managed to get brackets set at 40 and 60 feet above the cave floor.  It was difficult to put enough force on the drill to get it to cut at a reasonable rate. 

When I came out Jeff was getting ready to go down to finish the last two brackets.  Bill had been to town to buy angle brackets to mount the top of the ladder to the 42" culvert.  Matt and Bill finished stabilizing the top of the ladder while Jeff finished getting ready to go down. 

The newly engaged, Marty and Rose, arrived to deliver shirts with an embroidered Carroll Cave logo (contact Marty to order yours).  

We picked up while Jeff finished mounting the brackets.  We left the surveyors a note to seal the shaft when they came out because we were finished for the weekend and would not be back on Sunday.  We left some heat on in the silo for the surveyors and headed out across a very soggy field.  Marty and Rose headed home and Matt, Jeff, Bill and I headed to the schoolhouse about 8:30 PM.  Bill's 4-wheel drive was necessary to get my van moving.  We got a campfire going at the schoolhouse while Jeff prepared dinner (Peddgie, you have competition).

Sunday morning I got two favorable reports from two surveyors I polled that climbed out on the ladder.  Two out of two preferred the ladder over rope. 

On my way home Sunday I dropped off a Carroll Cave calendar for Chris Danuser.

The next work weekend will be 3/15/03.  We will continue mounting ladder brackets.  Matt Goska will machine slots in several unfinished brackets so we will have more to mount on the 15th.  A more powerful hammer drill and/or better method for drilling the ½" by 7" deep holes would help.  If you have any suggestions let me know.  Additionally we will install the in-cave anchor for the safety cable ascender and pour an additional 8" of concrete over the base of the anchor.  Once the concrete in the cave is poured the tripod can be cut down and the 8' steel tank can be cut off at ground level.  If we have enough help we will also start forming for the 20' concrete pad for the silo.  We have a lot to do before we can set the air locks. 
Please sign up if you can help on the 15th.

Future work weekend reports will be published at www.carrollcave.org and not emailed to individuals unless you specifically request that I continue to send them to you.  Just let me know and I will add you to the list.

Rick
913 897 4258