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Tom puts up the skeleton for the new steel building addition.
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A plate compactor compacts sub base for concrete and gets your ground to grade.  Tom added granite fines to the existing base for a level surface prior to pouring his concrete floor.  Leveling your floor surface allows for a more accurate estimate when purchasing concrete.  After grading the sub base, it helps to water down [...]

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Today Tom was busy working on a welding job at the University of Wyoming.  UW has experienced an explosion of construction growth in the past year.  Much of the building has to do with the state surplus that Wyoming enjoys from it’s mineral money.  The legislature has seen fit to allow for many upgrades and [...]

Digging the ditch for footings is made a little easier with use of a backhoe.  A basic spray paint can be used to mark the digging area.  A good backhoe operator will be beneficial when forming the ditch for the concrete footings.

Running the concrete shoot for a concrete pour is an important job.  Most concrete arrives at the job site in a rear concrete truck.  The person in charge of the concrete shoot is directing the entire job.  It is his job to instruct the driver, keep an eye on the muckers and control the concrete [...]

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Today we are ready to begin pouring concrete for our building addition.  After a day or so of digging up the ditch for the footings, Tom and crew do last minute prep work.
Tom checks the ditches where the footings will be poured.  The dirt should be compact and clear of vegetation.  If  grass or weeds are [...]

One of the first considerations when planning an addition for an existing structure is to examine the land on which you will build.  Drainage is key to the building process.  Utility placement is also very important.
Dirt work may be required if the natural slop of your land flows toward the existing structure.  It will be [...]

The first step in any building process is to shoot the grade of the ground.  The concrete footers will be the first concrete that Tom will pour.  He will then work on the concrete slab floor for the new addition to his shop.  This first step is vital to insure that the footings are set [...]

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Join Tom for a quick tour of his metal shop.  Trade Tool Innovations will take you through adding on an addition this summer.  TTI needs additional room for tools and storage.  Tom built and designed the shop to coincide with TTI’s growing needs.  There is an area for larger jobs, enough room to pull [...]