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L.A. Rod Busters | National Geographic


the next morning is day one for the
ironworkers from Fontana steel led by 32
year old Julio sandal all week
everything else went that one this one
everything I’ve got a small one you can
start cutting over there this will be
his first job for Fontana as Foreman for
ironworkers there are two basic kinds of
high-rises the ones built out of
structural steel i-beam and the ones
like Evo built out of poured concrete
concrete needs to be reinforced with
steel rebar to keep it from collapsing
the iron workers who put in all this
rebar call themselves rod Buster’s Julio
job is to make sure all this rebar
exactly matches the structural plan
overseeing his work is full time on-site
building inspector Troy bridges first I
got a nutritionist
for and for the structural deck for the
first parking level will be poured
directly on top of the rats lab the rod
busters begin by laying down rows of
metal risers called slab bolsters slab
bolsters elevate the rebar to make sure
it’s embedded well inside the concrete
Rancho once the rebar is laid down it
needs to be tied to keep it in place a
sure test of a skilled iron worker is
how fast you can die when you start
signs you fight like a little baby but
usually people that start off they want
it up I can go so be there like two
minutes trying to make the time or you
use money that way Julio and his crew
have been given only four days to set
down over 6,000 pieces of rebar to make
the concrete more on Monday that
wouldn’t be a problem
if only the structural engineer would
stop making changes to the deck layout
we’re a bit behind schedule is a lot of
change in the problem and everything is
a change everybody hasn’t change the
program so trying to make a four for a
Monday so we’ll get it done I want I
want over here with it
the superintendent is starting to worry
a light person when it when is he going
to get on the set give me a time it’s 20
to 8 right now
we’re done right here I gotta get on I
gotta get my bottom adding it right now
that’s run that right now
I’ve got the inspector coming at noon
he’s got nothing to look at
yeah they will and he’s gonna say you’re
gonna for money how am I going to
instruct I can’t you know so we’re
screwed
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