St. Thomas, Hubert's Flying Machine

In order to repair a 1' diameter hole, an error of architectural judgment
ninety-five feet up in the Guastavino tile at the peak of the arch of the
ceiling at St. Thomas church, NYC, we required a relatively unique rigging
solution. The photograph on PigHabit-L shows Hubert Ellis, our A-class
foreman, who was handed the task with minimal instructions, and came up
pretty much with his own rigging solution - so called, "Hubert's Flying
Machine." A creation that Leonardo Da Vinci, or Rube Goldberg, would be
justifiably proud of.

What is seen here, before the reredos, is Hubert ascending in a standard 4 x
4 steel basket suspended by a single 5/16" steel cable (not visible in the
graphic), powered by a 220V electric motor. The single hanging cable is
attached to a loop around two structural 10" c-channels that, as a ridge
beam, support the peak of the roof, in the attic space above the tile arch,
and in this case support Hubert as well. This simple attachment reduced the
need to carry a great deal of heavy rigging equipment by hand up the spiral
stone staircase to reach the attic. A climbing challenge that takes the
breath away, even without anything to carry.

To either side of the basket, using standard pipe scaffolding cross braces,
are extensions that allow two 5/16" guide cables (not visible in the
graphic), one on each side of the basket and passing through pre-existing
holes in the ceiling, weighted to 175 pounds (each) of steel set on scraps of
carpeting to protect the altar floor. The vertical cables in tension, pass
through the holes in the end of the scaffold braces, and keep the basket from
rotating. Rotation of these baskets is usually a problem, even when working
against a wall, but becomes more pronounced when free hanging in space. A
lifeline and power line was lowered through separate, also pre-existing,
holes in the ceiling. Hubert is wearing a full body harness. In the event of
a power failure the electric motor, which is located below and to the right
of Hubert's left arm, can be cranked down by hand.

The bottom portion of the flying machine is a painter's drop cloth. The work
requires removal of portions of Guastavino Acoustolith tile using a 4"
diamond grinder. To either side of the alter area are arrays of organ pipes,
which require care in not getting dust into them. The drop cloth is intended
to limit the travel of dust, a backup to the vacuum equipment, and to prevent
any debris from falling during the repairs. Besides that, it is attractive in
flight.

On the morning that this photo was taken Hubert, and his assistant Matt
LaDuca (who came to Apple through an IPTW encounter), had run the rig up and
down several times and were having a sport of timing themselves on ascent and
descent.

The result of the work is that a 1' diameter hole that can be seen with the
naked eye from the floor below be reduced to a 1" diameter hole. It is
comparable to the problem of fitting a fully rigged sailing ship into a
bottle, or painting oneself into a corner.

This is Hubert's second project at St. Thomas; prior to this, a few years ago
he drilled holes through the Guastavino ceiling for use by Vertical Access
when they performed their rope hanging inspection of the reredos.

][<en Follett