Friday, May 17, 2013

the Flotek Leadership Wall


This is how it goes sometimes.

We had the installation for the Leadership Wall on Wednesday morning but before the guys could get here to pick up the glass, it started to rain.

It was raining lightly when they loaded up the glass and stopped soon after but in route to the building the client called to say the conference room was being used and we wouldn't be able to get in there til 12.  

We only had to wait about a half hour and while the guys were unloading the dolly I looked through my folder for the layout.  I searched my folder three times.  No layout.

Fortunately, Marc had a copy of it on his phone and forwarded it to us to be printed out.  But there were no measurements on it.  And it wasn't in scale but that didn't matter because I had removed from my bag before I left my scale ruler and other things I thought I wouldn't need.

So with Homer's tape measure we worked out a layout, they marked the holes for all the pieces and with the second hole he drilled in the wall, he hit metal.

So then we had to determine what that metal was, if it was a metal stud, or plumbing, or an electrical conduit.  Fortunately, they had a set of plans and with that and a call to the construction manager of the building we learned that it was a metal stud.  One of several we encountered.  That had to be drilled through.

I'm not even going to go into that my installer forgot that there was blocking behind the wall and sent his guys with the heavy duty molly bolts that required a 5/8" hole instead of a 1/4" hole that the easy install stand-offs need or that all they had was a 1/4" drill bit.

Homer sent Oscar off to the shop and the supplier for the easy bolts and a half inch drill bit.  While we waited, he drilled a 5/8" hole with a 1/4" drill bit.  It. Took. For. Ever.  Oscar returned with 10 of the easy bolts.  We needed 16.

They put the ten easy bolt stand-offs up quickly and mounted two of the portraits and set about to put up the rest of the pain in the ass needs a big hole molly bolt stand-offs.  By now we are all pretty annoyed at the boss.

Then, they discover that they only have 12 of the needed 16 stand-offs.



They have three of the four panels mounted by 5 o'clock.  The boss has obtained the missing four stand-offs and we must all return tomorrow.

The last panel went up quickly with the right bolts and I think it all looked very good.
























          


14 comments:

  1. Sounds like a very frustrating install but they look just incredible. I'm so impressed, Ellen.

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  2. a mess of an installation, but those panels are really cool!

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  3. It looks great! And you know I actually like the Reagan quote. Who knew?

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  4. I am sure that it was frustrating, but you can be proud of the job well done after all the blood, sweat and tears.

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  5. This was a very unusual job for us as we had never done anything quite like it before. I was really nervous about this job from the very beginning and even after doing a half dozen samples was still not sure how the finished pieces were going to look until we actually finished the first one.

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  6. What a frustrating day. But the finished pieces look really great, very classy and well-executed.

    I think it's funny that Ronald Reagan is given credit about not caring about getting credit; that quote was from Harry S. Truman(!) ...who undoubtedly copped it from somebody else, because who cares? :)

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  7. My mother always says, "Everything has to be done twice."

    But in the end, the pieces all look great! You should be proud!

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  8. I have no idea what you’re talking about but it all sounds very painful. And frustrating.

    But the end result is spectacular. I hope they pay you big money.

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  9. Oh my!! That is soooo typical of an installation!!! Went through similar myself!!
    Glad it all finally got finished and it looks terrific!! I bet they were pleased!
    Hugs
    SueAnn

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  10. Nice work! They look amazing. Well done, you!

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  11. Hi Ellen, first of all I want to thank you for following my blog. I love making new friends and sharing ideas.
    It sounds like you had a frustrating time, but everything turned out marvelous. Of the four posters my favorite is the George Patton quote. It really encourages individuality, and our freedom to be different and have thoughts and ideas that differ from everyone else's. Wouldn't it be boring and unproductive if we all agreed on everything.
    I'm very impressed with your blog, keep up the fantastic job :)
    Connie :)

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  12. Sounds like a frustrating process, but the portraits are fabulous. I love all the quotes.

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