RACC Exhibit Glass Replacement - March 2007
One of the buildings where I work in the zoo has glass-fronted animal exhibits that have sections of glass that were shattered. It's triple-paned glass and only the middle pane was ever broken, but it happened twice in two different rooms. One of those happened overnight and the other happened during the middle of the day - one of my co-workers heard it pop. These happened relatively close together in terms of time. And I don't think they ever really determined why they broke. They literally stayed broken for 1-2 years. The stuff ain't cheap, and since the break was contained within the glass itself (middle pane) they just put up a sign and did nothing for a long time. They finally got around to fixing it in early 2007 and I asked to borrow the department's camera to document the activity. I thought it'd be interesting, and if something went wrong I'd be right there to capture it.
These guys weren't messing around. The first few showed up and got right to it - they're beginning to take off the frames around the glass on the outside of the exhibits.
More dudes, and more frame removal. Most of the other dudes are just watching, waiting to do something heavy.
Once they removed all of the coverings, there happened to be a few of these large, gaping holes underneath - what the hell's in there?
No time to look! They got 7 dudes up in there to move that big hunk of glass. Those things are ridiculously heavy. I love those big suction cup thingies.
There's lots of shouting back and forth between dudes on both sides, push! stop! wait! ok! etc. They got it cracked, just gotta ease it out, now.
OK, it's out... you can see how thick that thing is. Now what?
Dude's like, "I got it!"
Well... after you got it on the ground, you gotta wheel it the hell outta there...
So they put it on a dolly and scooted it down and out. Notice the new pane of glass sitting right there on the railing. Wouldn't it be funny if they knocked that over while moving the old one out?
I agree, but they knew what they were doing.
OK, it's clear of the railing. Gotta flip it over. Notice the bird in the exhibit on the right, keepin' an eye on 'em. It's a kea (Australian parrot).
Nicely done. Notice that spot where the light is "radiating out from" in the glass? That's where the break actually does radiate out... Looks like it got shot (from the inside).
I left for break and came back to get a shot of the new one already in place! Looks good.
Came back again later and got there just in time to see them put the 2nd new glass pane back in. I also found out dudes love to hang out where the hole is.
Checkin' out the new glass. Gotta flip it, too.
Roger that.
That's not exactly an easy turn. Dudes wait in the hole.
Getting ready to hoist...
All right. Do it.
To the left, to the left!! Suction cups rule.
Everybody look at a corner!
Almost got it. Sweet.
The Rare Animal Conservation Center is now whole again. The lemurs can see the people! Those dudes were not playing, they had that thing done in no time flat. And it's all still there, not broken. Thumbs up.
