Originally Posted by
Dbone
I'm impressed with this forum and its members. I've ran across both types of transformers in my first 2 lights so far and it didn't take too long to take apart. I'm positive I can get even faster, so that's no problem. I'm now trying to imagine how much space I will need to achieve this task. I have a 20'x20' garage but that will fill up quickly I imagine. What are some tips you guys use to stay organized and proficient?
Just a few suggestions:
Do the nastiest, hardest, least paying work first. Discipline yourself and save the best for last. That keeps you working toward the end goal payout and gives you something to look forward too.
Make a few trips to different yards in your area and see if you can establish a rapport with the people there. Get a feel for how it all works before rolling in with a large load of anything. Also ... get a sense of how they treat the newbie that's easily fooled. Is it an honest yard ? Bring a copy of their price sheet home and study all the different categories. Any questions ? Let us know. We might be able to help you with that end of things.
You may generate some trash with this project. Make a plan for how you're going to deal with it.
I'm uncertain about those metal halide bulbs. They may have mercury in them. Try to do the right thing and see to it that they are properly disposed of as a hazardous material. They may be pressurized to 50 PSI as well ?
That's it's own hazard. Ya know ... accidentally drop one and it goes off like a little hand grenade ?
Perhaps set up a little (dis)assembly line in your garage. You would have to figure out the smoothest step by step order of operations on that one. Station 1 you do this. Station 2 you do that .. and so on.
Put the (sheet) domes in one pile.
Put the (cast ) boxes in another pile.
Put all your wire in a barrel or contractor's trash bag.
Put all your transformers in another pile -or- in a big box somewhere out of the way. Looks like they will be your payoff at the end of the job so just leave them be till all your other work has been done. You're going to have a bit of copper there. Somewhere around 1,000 lbs ? Play your cards right and you might be able to negotiate a better price if you bring it all in at once. Get to know your yard first though.
For the sake of simplicity and ease:
Bring all your domes at once. Same thing with the cast and so on if you can. Try to avoid having a dozen different things on the truck when you offload at the yard.
Give some thought to the people that you are getting the lights from. Are they in a rush to get them out of there ? If so ... put their need first before your own.
=================
It was a good day today. I've been setting all my copper bearing goodies aside and getting the scut work out of the way first. Finally got caught up and started work on rotors, stators, transformers and so on. Nice little haul of about 50 lbs of #2 copper. (One single gen head had over 23 lbs of copper in it.) Not much by some standards but good for me.
Gotta go back to work on my regular day job tomorrow.
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