12.3.21

12.03.2021 The big [Dome] day! NOT!

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 Friday 12th. After a wet and windy day yesterday it is dry this morning.

I have been informed that the 4.3m Ø [14'] dome "kit of parts" is due to be delivered this morning.

A restless night followed. As I mulled endlessly over how to get it home if the vehicle is too large to negotiate our gate. I have been promised one of their own, "smaller lorries with a crane" for unloading. Unfortunately I have no idea what "small" means in this context until I actually see it. 

In a [rarely] perfect world the driver will be able to place the load in the parking space within the garden. What if he can't negotiate the gate due to excess width?

Should I have the load dropped [gently] onto the grass verge of the main drive? Or on a patch of grass right outside the gate? My experience with lorry drivers and deliveries of large or [fairly] heavy loads has been appalling of late. Requiring superhuman endurance to quickly load my car trailer on a blind corner on the verge of a busy road. 

The problem is always the same: The online [builders merchant] dealers accept my order for "home delivery". Then farm the delivery out to any passing haulage contractor. Which has meant 40' articulated container lorries with only a tail lift and manual fork lift trolley soiling the grass verge. Or remaining on the road. As middle aged, boy racers practice their emergency stops. Before negotiating the unusually large obstruction on a blind bend with double white lines for miles in both directions. 

I have a car trailer which is about half the length of any likely pallet to match the 4m dimensions of the three +1 extra, dome panels. Then it occurred to me: If I can get enough used pallets together I can have the load laid on top of them in/on the trailer. This will avoid damaging the sides of the trailer with unexpected loads teetering on the top edges.

It will only be necessary to move the load 120 meters at worst.  All on a [fairly] smooth, firm, private, rural, gravel drive. The 300kg load is well within the capacity of the trailer. Albeit placed a bit above the normal load level. So a few pallets won't break the weight limit. I can ratchet strap the load down, as usual. To avoid unnecessary "worrying moments" if the trailer finds unseen bumps on its short journey.

The downside? I filled the entire trailer, to the very brim, with wood offcuts from tidying up the octagon and shed only two days ago. That lot probably weighs as much as the claimed load capacity. Grr? 🙄

The delivery was called of due to continuing strong winds. The dealer felt the risk was too high for the segments in an open trailer. Delivery is now arranged for Monday morning.


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