First pictures of attempts to replace a 10m window panel on the Apple Store facade.
on Oct 21 2009 10:17AM
Engineers and workers pool outside Sydney's Apple store just after 8.00pm, piquing iTnews' interest.
Several trucks pull up outside the Apple Store, including one carrying the pieces of a Seele window suction kit imported direct from Germany.
George St - on e of the city's main thoroughfares - is closed to all but buses and one lane of northbound traffic.
Setting up the road diversions as workers wait outside the store for the action to begin.
Cherry pickers arrive and are unloaded for the operation.
Workers move the cherry pickers into position outside the busted window.
The crane arrives onsite and takes up position.
Workers in cherry pickers start wrapping the edges of adjacent panels to protect them from damage when the cracked pane is extracted.
Workers move down the frame cutting and attaching the protective edging.
The massive replacement window pane arrives. The 4-inch thick glass was shipped from Germany for the job.
Close-up of workers cutting the protective edging to size. The edges were taped to the adjacent panes using blue tape threaded through a small gap between the panes.
The crane shifts the plate glass remover into place. The remover was understood to have been custom-fabricated in Germany specifically for the job.
Facing outwards, the suction capped remover is lowered into place.
Workers rotate the tool to face the broken window and prepare for the first attempt at removing the pane. Note the hairline fracture in the glass has been taped.
The machine is shifted slowly into place ready for the first attempt.
Workers aboard cherry pickers position themselves near the top of the pane remover.
Workers view progress in attaching the remover to the pane above as they prepare to move their own vehicles into place to do the same for the lower half of the window.
The remover hovering inches from the damaged glass, as workers take up their positions.
Preparations for the first attempt near completion, as harnesses are secured around the window and connected to the remover.
Problems with the remover surface.
Problems with the custom pane remover force a series of running repairs to be made. On the plus side, it does bring the kit a lot closer to the iTnews camera.
Close-up of the pane remover. If repairs are successful, it will be back in action above the city tonight.
Engineers and workers pool outside Sydney's Apple store just after 8.00pm, piquing iTnews' interest.