Closet Extremist

Work talk.

So...Last week I finished up installing the elevator we were working on, and I must say that it went together quite well. I was expecting it to be a lot more trying, as we have gone from the "tried and true" Northern controller (it's basically a recent iteration of a Dover) to the brand-new TAC22 ICON controller. The change includes an elimination of a lot of the more mechanically-inclined fiddly-bits of the elevator, and their replacement with more "modern" ways of performing the same tasks... and I don't like it. Previously, the task of the "Final Limits" (The switch that ensures that the elevator does not go too far above the highest landing, or below the lowest landing) was performed by a mechanical switch that is set in a normally closed position, and a cam that is physically attached to the elevator. The cam hits the switch, the switch opens, and power is stopped to the elevator. Simple, reliable, proven. The new system doesn't have any of this, and instead uses the magnets that are attached to the selector tape, and the reader to determine when the elevator is going too far and should stop. There's no reason for me to not like this system, as it is used to determine where modern elevators are in the hoistway, and define the landing area for the controller. The vast majority of elevators out there use this type of thing, and there have been no incidents with its failure causing any type of harm (other than the discomfort of being trapped in the conveyance until someone can get you out) pretty much EVER. But I don't like it. Go figure.

Ford and I went out and stacked the rails on another job today so the driller can come in a dig the hole for the jack. Put in an eleven-hour day, and I still feel pretty okay. Tired (I only had about four hours of sleep), but okay. It's allright, I'll get over it shortly. We got done with that today, so we'll head on out to another job to build the entire damn elevator in a new hotel tomorrow. Such is the life.

I'll be continueing my whole "Truth" series when I can get up the gumption to write it out, and I hope you'll find it interesting. Also, I've had many requests for "Emil" to come out and do his magic...sometimes even to the lawn, and I hope to have a new installment shortly. Maybe a cartoon, or a picture or two would suffice. Who know? Tomorrow is a new day.