Eisboch wrote:
"Boater" wrote in message
...

I was on a condo construction site last week where a union crew turned
out an incredible three story winding stainless steel and glass
staircase. The tube bending and welds and panels of curved glass were as
close to perfect as any I've seen in my working life. Obviously, what
the job needed was someone with Justwait's skill to tack on some
footpegs and someone with FloridaJim's skill to sweep the floor.


Wait a hold-it Harry,

Are you trying to convince us that your union construction crew bent and
fabricated the SS tubes, and formed the "perfect" panels of curved glass
on site? I don't believe it.

Or did they simply install them, supplied by a manufacturer?

Eisboch


The staircase was built on site in a closed off area of the parking garage
with special equipment typically used at facilities that fabricate for the
aerospace industry; the glass was produced at a union factory. I took a
few photos, which I might post later. The pricetag for the staircase
was...astonishing. :)




"Special equipment used by facilities that fabricate for the aerospace
industry"?

I call Bull ****. Either that Harry, or some PR dude was handing you a
line.

To fabricate what you are talking about would require hydraulic tubing
benders, mandrels, etc. .... nothing very exotic. Normally they would
simply be made in ship-able sizes/lengths and then butt welded together on
site.

But how did they finish them? Were they passivated? Electropolished?
Were those tanks set up in the parking lot? In Boston? No friggin' way.

What you are talking about is pretty routine work for any fab shop with the
proper equipment.

The glass is something else.

Eisboch




If it's true, he got one thing right - the price tag. Union jobs always
cost more - with the same results if you're lucky.