Need Advice on how to fix a problem

[derf]

Two days ago we installed 4 Directories for a Condo Project. 2 of signs are 3'x4' and 2 are 4'x3'.. Basicly we put two sign in the wrong Opposing spots and they need to be switched. The signs are made of aluminum and have a 4" pole with a 24" Deep x 8" to12" Wide footing.

My question is should I rent a pipe cutter and cut the pipes, Switch the signs and weld the sign back on. OR Dig up the footings and switch the signs. The cement is 48 hours old and I'm thinking I can split the footing, pull the signs out and switch them and drill a hole in the base to put in a spin tab and re cement. the signs as I received them did not have a spin tab at the bottom so they may be able to come out of the cement.

Any Ideas?

Signs.pdf

[fishing nut]

Two days ago we installed 4 Directories for a Condo Project. 2 of signs are 3'x4' and 2 are 4'x3'.. Basicly we put two sign in the wrong Opposing spots and they need to be switched. The signs are made of aluminum and have a 4" pole with a 24" Deep x 8" to12" Wide footing.

My question is should I rent a pipe cutter and cut the pipes, Switch the signs and weld the sign back on. OR Dig up the footings and switch the signs. The cement is 48 hours old and I'm thinking I can split the footing, pull the signs out and switch them and drill a hole in the base to put in a spin tab and re cement. the signs as I received them did not have a spin tab at the bottom so they may be able to come out of the cement.

Any Ideas?

I would remove the signs and switch them. if you break up the concrete you may have to go through the inspection process and removal of old concrete and new concrete yada, yada, yada.

Cut the signs free from the pole and switch them. Your in and out in a few hours.

[Travis]

So the locations are right, you just put in the wrong signs?

To me 24" deep is not deep enough for one (of course I am in Illinois and I am sure the frost lines are different from here to there). Second, I would think by the time you go rent the cutter, get it to the site you would already have the signs out of the ground and probably with most of the concrete off (would you really even need to break off the concrete or could you just make the hole wider and screw in several tap cons into the existing concrete to attach to the new? Never tried it myself but it seems that it should work just fine for as small as the signs are.)

Who screwed up anyway, you or the customer?

[derf]

So the locations are right, you just put in the wrong signs?

To me 24" deep is not deep enough for one (of course I am in Illinois and I am sure the frost lines are different from here to there). Second, I would think by the time you go rent the cutter, get it to the site you would already have the signs out of the ground and probably with most of the concrete off (would you really even need to break off the concrete or could you just make the hole wider and screw in several tap cons into the existing concrete to attach to the new? Never tried it myself but it seems that it should work just fine for as small as the signs are.)

Who screwed up anyway, you or the customer?

Me, & The print company who printed the directory sign

We were told to remove the prints that showed where the sign went so they could be reprinted correctly and so we put them where the signs said it's just they were wrong orientation and with out the prints in the can we ended up marking the signs wrong for install.

I should have double checked with the Project Manager but I did not and they ended being wrong. My bad but we will make it good for the customer.

[Erik Sine]

You have no way to open the faces huh? and grind off the pole weld points?

The footing looks small and thin, I bet you can dig a little around the footing and probably wiggle the signs off if your only down 2'

This is also where a rotohammer can help you out in jack hammer mode if you have to chip the cement off to get the pole out of the footing too if need be

[derf]

You have no way to open the faces huh? and grind off the pole weld points?

The footing looks small and thin, I bet you can dig a little around the footing and probably wiggle the signs off if your only down 2'

This is also where a rotohammer can help you out in jack hammer mode if you have to chip the cement off to get the pole out of the footing too if need be

Yeah I'm going to see if I can grind off the welds first. If that don't work then I'll try to bust the footing. Last I will cut the pole.

This is crazy hard pan we dug in. it took us 2 hours to dig one hole. the other hole is in aggregate and I know I can get the footing out of that however aggregate sucks because it fills in like sand.

[imanut]

Yeah I'm going to see if I can grind off the welds first. If that don't work then I'll try to bust the footing. Last I will cut the pole.

This is crazy hard pan we dug in. it took us 2 hours to dig one hole. the other hole is in aggregate and I know I can get the footing out of that however aggregate sucks because it fills in like sand.

Should we assume that you don't have a crane??? A 2 ft concret, little shoveling, and you could snatch that sucker out of the ground.

gn

[derf]

Should we assume that you don't have a crane??? A 2 ft concret, little shoveling, and you could snatch that sucker out of the ground.

gn

No I do not have a crane! Hell I'll bring all I have and see what happens

[imanut]

No I do not have a crane! Hell I'll bring all I have and see what happens

Uh---even deserved an exclamation point!!! I knew the answer----------the punchline waas you could have bought a crane instead of your new toy!!!!!!!!!!!

gn

[Checkers]

Hiya Derf,

What about cutting the signs off either just below the cabinet or at grade, swithcing them, then use a insert or some sort of pole liner to hold them together?

BTW, does your code allow 2' deep for the posts on such a large sign. We have a minimum of 36" for code which probably be adequate for these signs.

Checkers

[derf]

Hiya Derf,

What about cutting the signs off either just below the cabinet or at grade, swithcing them, then use a insert or some sort of pole liner to hold them together?

BTW, does your code allow 2' deep for the posts on such a large sign. We have a minimum of 36" for code which probably be adequate for these signs.

Checkers

24" is fine most of the time however these signs are part of a construction project that I have been contracted to just do the install so I was just given elevation drawings to follow that called for 24" footings. I don't think these signs are that big there only 32"x48" aluminum cans with lexan faces (non illuminated ). 24" footings in hard pan and these guys are not going any where.

[joemomma]

Uh---even deserved an exclamation point!!! I knew the answer----------the punchline waas you could have bought a crane instead of your new toy!!!!!!!!!!!

gn

Get'm, Nut!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[derf]

Hey! My new toy is a necessary part of my business development! I got to have some fun or what the hell am I working so hard for??? Going over 120 MPH with your knee on the ground makes you forget all about any problem you may have! At that moment in time you only have one thing on you mind.. and thats keeping the bike on at least one wheel and setting up for the next corner.

[derf]

We fixed it this morning! We grinded off the welds and cut down one of the polls to make the horizontal sign lower to the ground!

What a pain in the ass! Oh well it's all done now!

[Erik Sine]

Don't they know you can't drive a crane truck over 60?

[derf]

Don't they know you can't drive a crane truck over 60?

What does a crane truck have to do with it?