The Vulture Waits

[KevMT]

The city has been digging up streets to replace water mains in my neighborhood all summer. The other day I was walking by one of the scrap piles and found a 20+ pound seal from one of the big sewer mains that they must have encountered.

They are starting to dig up a new street today and I have gotten the go ahead to scrounge for the lead. But the dang crew won't quit! It is 5:30 and the excavator is still running! The suspense is killing me!

Kev

[Jack Stanley]

I have learned in the past that heavy equipment operators can be lured away from the equipment ( even if only temporarily ) with everything from pizza to somewhat more than soft drinks :drinks: .

Jack[smilie=1:

[Crash_Corrigan]

Back in the 70's when fuel prices went crazy I was heating my home with fuel oil. I ended up getting a Jotul wood burning stove to supplement my heat. It worked fine but I was always on the look out for fuel. I was a Police Sergeant at that time and I noticed that a sewer project was starting in my precinct. They would shore up the wall of the trench with 2 1/2 " thick planks of oak. These were about 16 ' long and the tops stuck up about 4 feet above the street. When the dig was over they would cut off the oak below street level and pile and steel band the excess wood planks and store them on the street for a time. I wondered what would become of this valuable (to me!) refuse. I stopped off to speak to an on site manager and bought him some coffee on a cold day and learned that this was to be picked up and taken to the dump. They had to pay the City of New York about $50 for the privelege of dumping a large dump truck of wood in the city facility. I quickly figured out that it would be to my advantage to make friends with a truck driver or two. I worked out a deal where I would pay a driver $35 for the load of wood if he would bring it to my house and dump it in the driveway. He could keep the $50 fee (cash) that he would normally have to pay to dispose of it and also keep the $35 from me. Each truck carried something like 20 cy of wood and it wook me usally a week to clear off my driveway. I would stand up the planks against a sawhorse and flush off the dirt and sand with a jet nozzeled hose and then cut the wood with a chainsaw to the 14 " lengths that I needed. One load lasted half the winter and three kept me heated for the whole year. More likely than not this lead will be dumped. Make a friend and you might have a lifetime supply of lead!

[KevMT]

A quick reconassance with a hammer and crow bar netted 11 six inch seals in 10 minutes.

I did get permission from one of the crew but wanted to let them finish with the excavator so I woudn't make a nuisance of myself in the area. I have worked around construction enough to know what a pain scavangers can be when they show up while equipment is running.

Looks lik should be able to get another 100 pounds from that one street with a little work.

Kev

[beagle]

Yeah, talk to the guys with cold pops...maybe they're republicans and will make a "deal".

That's stuff's probably rich in tin. Probably 50/50 solder to start out with./beagle

[Typecaster]

Besides the lead, there are other benefits to making friends with the crew/ We had an 8-in. water main extension in the neighborhood, and by telling the crew that they could have materials spotted nearby, and donuts & coffee, the neighbors all scored. One got a FREE copper water line run about 200 feet into his property, I got some extra survey points marked and some Bobcat work done...not to mention all the oak timbers used for rigging the pipe. And the crew worked an extra day to put another layer of blacktop on our access road—well above and beyond the terms of the contract with the city.

[KevMT]

I finished the job after work today and got about 70 pounds from one blocks worth of pipe! With a wrecking bar and BFH it only takes about 5 swings to beat/pry out a seal. The great news is they have already marked off the next block to dig up.

I hope beagle is right about the composition of the seals but I had allways heard that the stuff was more or less pure lead

Kev

[standles]

KevMt:

Could ya post a pic of what your talking about? Is this the lead they pour into joints or something?

They have done that in a couple of places around here. Want to know what to look for in the future.

Thanks, Steven

[MT Gianni]

It is the lead poured in cast pipe joints. I would treat it as mostly pure pb. Gianni