For those that might not know, Bluebeam is a construction industry favorite for reviewing construction documents and performing PDF markup. The show is hosted by members of the technology provider and Bluebeam Platinum Partner, US CAD, so they bring some clout themselves, as well as inviting guests from the industry on to share their perspective on the software.
Now 7 episodes deep, the podcast began in August of 2019 and is released monthly, generally speaking. The show not only covers the latest news in Bluebeam, it also welcomes guests who use Bluebeam in all kinds of different ways.
So far, topics have included deep dive looks into how laser scanning functions within Bluebeam, the basics of PDF forms, and how Bluebeam has factored into the success some companies have seen in recent years.
This podcast is certainly one of the most “niche” shows in our contest this year, but it doesn’t make it any less valuable. As I’ve mentioned before, what makes podcasting the perfect medium for construction is that it gives creators the ability to reach their exact audience and for anyone in the industry to find relevant and helpful material for the subject they’re researching.
If you’re a user of Bluebeam and you want to learn how you can up your game, In the Blue is certainly worth a listen.
To find out more about the In the Blue Podcast, you can visit their webpage. If you’d like to vote for the show for Best Construction Podcast of 2020, you can do so by clicking or tapping here.
Construction Junkie’s annual Best Construction Podcast of 2020 Competition is underway and the voting booth is officially open. As part of the competition, I will be individually highlighting each of the 12 nominees throughout until the booth closes on July 1. Next up is The Construction Management Podcast.
The Construction Management Podcast is hosted by industry professionals Damien Edwards and Jason Shipe and bring their years of knowledge and experience from their past and current roles in the construction industry, as superintendents, project managers, and business owners. The duo talk about a ton of interesting and relevant topics for construction managers, like managing clients, dealing with underperforming trades, and QA/QC.
I was first introduced to their show when I listened to an earlier episode titled “Ethics,” which I thought was a real and informative examination of the moral gray area that construction can live in. With the combined experience of the two hosts, discussions like this are typical across many of their 47 episodes that they have released.
Some episodes are discussions between the two hosts, others include interviews with a wide variety of industry guests, like app makers, apparel brands, construction humanitarian companies, and many more. Other episodes include discussions with listeners who also work in the industry.
A recent episode, titled “Difficult clients and bosses that don’t support you” tackled how to deal with lack of support from both ends of the spectrum. It’s bad enough when your customer causes unnecessary problems, but perhaps even worse is when your leadership throws you under the bus. The episode includes a back and forth discussion with the actual person having the issue and it provides some pretty great perspective and advice from both of the hosts.
To find out more about The Construction Management Podcast, you can visit their webpage. If you’d like to vote for the show for Best Construction Podcast of 2020, you can do so by clicking or tapping here.
Construction Junkie’s annual Best Construction Podcast of 2020 Competition is underway and the voting booth is officially open. As part of the competition, I will be individually highlighting each of the 12 nominees throughout until the booth closes on July 1. Next up is The Construction Shared Pains Podcast.
Hosted by three construction technologists, Sasha Reed, Nathan Wood, and Dan Smolilo, the Construction Shared Pains Podcast discuss the challenges construction companies face in adopting technology. While there a few podcasts available discussing the actual hardware and software being released, it’s intrinsically important that construction companies know how to implement that technology and systems for the long term sustainability of it in construction.
“The Shared Pains Podcast is born out of the Construction Progress Coalition, a grassroots nonprofit coalition of AEC professionals and technology solution providers looking to solve our collective challenges with data interoperability between designers, builders, inspectors, and operators of the built environment,” explained Nathan Wood.
He continued, “Despite our background as Construction Technologists, we were less interested in talking about the latest drone hardware or machine learning software. Instead, we wanted to unpack the root causes of contract, culture, and leadership that are currently preventing the broader scale adoption of these digital transformation tools.”
With so many construction companies being in the early stages of tech adoption, it can be an extremely challenging task to roll out any new systems across multiple layers of a business that has been using the same processes for years. It’s extremely rare to find a valuable “plug and play” system that will work immediately for your company with minimal disruption to business.
“If you agree that technology alone will not lead to increased productivity and data analytics in construction, you might enjoy listening to our curated conversations between different industry perspectives,” Wood told me, when asked what he’d like a new listener to know about the show, ” The objective of the podcast is to bring technical subject matter experts (SMEs) from different backgrounds to digest the key terminology, debate the root causes, and share their decision process and strategies that helped them deliver transformative change.”
The Construction Shared Pains is released on a periodic basis, with the last episode being released in January of this year. That doesn’t mean it’s any less relevant now, though, as the episodes act as more of a resource that listeners can download when they need some helpful advice, rather than inhaling weekly content.
To find out more about The Construction Shared Pains Podcast, you can visit their webpage. If you’d like to vote for the show for Best Construction Podcast of 2020, you can do so by clicking or tapping here.
Construction Junkie’s annual Best Construction Podcast of 2020 Competition is underway and the voting booth is officially open. As part of the competition, I will be individually highlighting each of the 12 nominees throughout until the booth closes on July 1. Next up is the Mass Construction Show.
Hosted by construction consultant, Joe Kelly, the Mass Construction Show takes on a variety of different topics applicable to commercial contractors throughout the country. Although it admittedly has a Massachusetts lean, I believe that the conversations that Kelly has with his guests can be applicable to anyone in the industry.
I asked Kelly what made him want to get into podcasting and he told me, “I was a podcast junkie myself but couldn’t find any good podcasts about the commercial construction industry. There were plenty of niche shows and residential shows but nothing just talking about commercial construction.”
Residential construction certainly gets more attention, especially on TV, so it’s important for mediums like podcasts like the Mass Construction Show to exist to fill in the gaps. That’s what makes podcasting so great, you can literally find a show about any subject that you’re interested in.
Since beginning the show in 2018, Kelly has invited guests from some of the largest construction companies in the country, representatives from technology companies, electrical contractors, and many more. His most recent episodes dive into subjects like buying out a job, communication with clients and employees, and leadership.
There are so many roles and different trades in the construction industry, that it’s easy to keep your blinders on and not realize how your role affects others. That’s why it was important for Kelly to invite people on the show from different backgrounds.
“We all work in this business, but we tend to get stuck in our bubbles,” Kelly explained, “We know our specific role in a company or on a project, but there’s so much more to learn. This podcast is about helping you see all the roles, learn what goes on beyond your scope, and be better at what you do.”
To find out more about the Mass Construction Show, you can visit their webpage. If you’d like to vote for the show for Best Construction Podcast of 2020, you can do so by clicking or tapping here.
Construction Junkie’s annual Best Construction Podcast of 2020 Competition is underway and the voting booth is officially open. As part of the competition, I will be individually highlighting each of the 12 nominees throughout until the booth closes on July 1. Next up is the Grain Knockers Podcast.
Hosted by professional woodworker William Patrick, the Grain Knockers Podcast is focused on the tools and people in the woodworking, marker, and builder community. Now on season 3, each episode of Grain Knockers features a “featured maker,” a “product spotlight,” and interviews with tool makers and other woodworkers.
When I first listened to the show, I was immediately struck by how radio-ready Patrick was and, turns out, there’s a good reason for that. When I asked him what drew him to start his podcast, he told me, “I had went to school for radio broadcasting and never really pursued it after leaving and going to business school in Arizona. I wanted to provide listeners a platform to hear from a person who has went through and is going through some things they may have or will go through them self.”
In addition to the podcast, Patrick runs a very popular Instagram page called William Patrick Customs (@williampatrickcustoms), where he shares his personal and business projects, as well as the tools he’s using. When he finds a tool he likes, he tends to use the hashtag #doesntsuck, so I decided to ask him what doesn’t suck about his podcast.
“Something that doesn’t suck about Grain Knockers is its raw shop talk that won’t put you to sleep. Our opening includes a local rock bands music, product spotlight, and a featured maker that highlights Instagram accounts who may not have a large following but kill it!”
By all accounts, that checks out. Grain Knockers is organized very well, informative, and entertaining, especially for those interested in tools. Authenticity is the name of the game for Patrick, who describes himself as “just a guy who loves creating and working hard” and doesn’t try to be something he’s not, which can be rare for the internet these days.
The most recent episode of the podcast included a roundtable discussion with Brian from Acme Tool and another popular Instagrammer by the name of @Builtby_N8. It’s an interesting and in-depth discussion on how Instagram has helped tool users and who and how you can trust the reviews posted on social media.
Other past episodes have included interviews with representatives from Milwaukee Tool and Jessem Tool, as well as several makers like “The Wood Whisperer” Marc Spagnuolo, Sam the DIY Huntress, and MadRavenWoodworks.
To find out more about the Grain Knockers Podcast, you can visit their webpage. If you’d like to vote for the show for Best Construction Podcast of 2020, you can do so by clicking or tapping here.
Construction Junkie’s annual Best Construction Podcast of 2020 Competition is underway and the voting booth is officially open. As part of the competition, I will be individually highlighting each of the 12 nominees throughout until the booth closes on July 1. Next up is the Contracting Coachcast.
Hosted by Tony Booth, the Contracting Coachcast is not only one of the longest tenured podcasts in the competition this year, it easily has the largest collection of episodes. The Coachcast was previously nominated for Best Podcast in our inaugural competition in 2015 and also in 2017 and 2018. What makes the show so unique is the fact that a new episode is released every business day – that’s some serious commitment.
“Producing daily short form content helps me connect with listeners daily and provide them with useful information every day to help them,” Booth explained to me, “the 20 minute shows are perfect for the commute to work and being able to complete the podcast in a single session.”
Coming up with that much content can be pretty difficult, so Booth typically follows a daily schedule for subjects to discuss:
Mondays – Ask the Coach, in which Booth will answer listener questions
Tuesdays – Sales, Marketing, or Estimating
Wednesdays – Project Management
Thursdays – General Business or Leadership
Fridays – Personal Development
Booth doesn’t just podcast about these topics, either, it helps him support his contractor coaching and speaking business. He told me that the podcast helps to connect him to potential clients.
“The most rewarding thing for me has been hearing stories from listeners and clients that share how the podcast has impacted their business and life,” Booth said, “Those times when someone sends a note that’s says ‘you saved my business’ or ‘do you know how much money you have made me.’ It’s awesome to know that I was able to have an impact on someone I didn’t even know.”
To find out more about the Contracting Coachcast, you can visit their webpage. If you’d like to vote for the show for Best Construction Podcast of 2020, you can do so by clicking or tapping here.
Construction Junkie’s annual Best Construction Podcast of 2020 Competition is underway and the voting booth is officially open. As part of the competition, I will be individually highlighting each of the 12 nominees throughout until the booth closes on July 1. Next up is the Bridging the Gap Podcast.
Hosted by Todd Weyandt, the Bridging the Gap Podcast is another new show in this year’s competition, having started in November of 2019. Each episode, which typically lasts around 30 minutes, features an interview with a construction industry expert that are looking to put their stamp on an industry that has been historically resistant to change.
“I started the Bridging the Gap podcast to help give voice to the innovation happening in the construction and MEP industry,” Weyandt told me, “I truly believe construction is going to lead the way with technology advancements. There is so much to love about the industry from the resilient spirit to the problem-solving mindset to the humble people.”
As a marketing expert himself, Weyandt brings a bit of a different perspective to his show. He continued, “with my marketing background, I actually think the construction industry has a marketing problem that has led to a misperception of the industry. Through the Bridging the Gap podcast, my hope is to really shine a light on the innovation and industry change agents to start changing perceptions and let people know the cool things going on.”
With all of the money being spent on innovation currently, it’s certainly an exciting time for the construction industry. We’re truly seeing a shift happen right before our eyes as software, robotics, and tools become more affordable and accessible than ever before.
So while Weyandt’s initial plan was to focus on the specific product or workflow the weekly guest was invited on to talk about, he has noticed an interesting benefit from spending time talking to them: he’s been able to learn more about the people behind those products and workflows.
“My biggest surprise has been how open the guests have been to talk about anything and everything,” Weyandt explained, “I thought the show would be much more strictly focused on the tech out there or new workflows. However, I have found construction and the MEP trades very open to talk about everything from family life, communication skills, mental health and more. The show is much more about getting to know the people behind the innovations than I originally thought it would be. I often say that you have to know the person behind the worker to really create an understanding. The guests have been very willing to open up and lean into the conversations which has been awesome.”
To find out more about the Bridging the Gap Podcast, you can visit their webpage. If you’d like to vote for the show for Best Construction Podcast of 2020, you can do so by clicking or tapping here.
Construction Junkie’s annual Best Construction Podcast of 2020 Competition is underway and the voting booth is officially open. As part of the competition, I will be individually highlighting each of the 12 nominees throughout until the booth closes on July 1. Next up is the Construction Brothers Podcast.
As the name would suggest, the Construction Brothers Podcast is hosted by two brothers, Eddie and Tyler Campbell, who also happen to be 6th generation builders and run a construction 3D modeling company called ABSI. Now 37 episodes deep, the brothers host interviews with builders and technologists around the country that are finding new and innovative ways to advance construction.
“Eddie and I are 6th generation builders with a passion for encouraging people and spreading ideas,” Tyler Campbell told me, “We're extremely curious people and we're constantly brainstorming better ways to build. Because of that, we wanted to create a platform for discovery and exploration within the industry. Part of that exploration is talking to people outside of the construction industry. What are they doing? How have they changed their industry?”
Their curiosity drives the show, which can push them outside of their comfort zones – in a good way. So far, the pair have covered topics ranging from mass timber construction, to modular construction, glazing robots, steel fabrication, productivity, and so much more.
When I asked Tyler what the biggest surprise for him has been since the show began last year, he said, “How little we actually know about this industry we've been around our entire lives. Every week, we have someone with a new perspective that challenges and makes us better builders.”
I find that to be parallel to my experience when I started Construction Junkie 5 years ago. It’s truly amazing how many different niches there are in construction. Each of those niches have experts, as well, which will truly humble you as you explore outside your comfort zone.
Construction is a fully collaborative experience, as well, so expanding your perspective on designers and all levels of workers in construction, from field laborers to project managers, can help you gain new insights into better managing your projects. The Construction Brothers journey to find better ways to build incorporates all of those roles.
“It doesn't matter if you're an architect, engineer, project manager or a laborer,“ Tyler explained, “We try to make it something all skill levels and all trades can listen to and enjoy. It doesn't matter who you are or what your background. If you're a builder, you're invited to join our mission to change the industry.”
To find out more about the Construction Brothers Podcast, you can visit their webpage. If you’d like to vote for the show for Best Construction Podcast of 2020, you can do so by clicking or tapping here.
In October of 2019, a Hard Rock Hotel that was under construction partially collapsed suddenly, killing 3 workers on site and injuring 30 others. After months of investigations, back and forth with the city, OSHA fines, and more, the demolition of what remains of the building has finally started.
As you may remember, the bodies of 2 of the 3 men killed in the collapse were unable to be recovered because the building was deemed too dangerous. Sadly, those bodies are still trapped inside the building. The demolition will finally allow them to be recovered.
According to 4WWL, the demolition will take place across several phases and should be completed by October of this year, roughly 1 full year after the collapse. Demolition officially started in mid-May.
After the cranes are removed, the bodies of the two men will finally be recovered.
When the bodies are safely recovered, demolition of the top 10 floors, mainly composed of steel will be demolished. The bottom 8 floors, mainly composed of concrete, will be demolished, completing the process.
4WWL has more on the demolition in the video below:
Spot, the robot dog from Boston Dynamics, has captured the hearts and minds of many throughout not only the world, but even the construction industry over the past several months. It’s fully autonomous and able to maneuver around tough jobsite conditions and stairs, which allows it to wander your jobsite capturing data with little to no effort. Now, it’s available for anyone to purchase.
In the fall of last year, Boston Dynamics allowed their robotic dog to be leased on a trial basis to certain businesses in key industries with compelling use cases, like construction. At that time, pricing was not released, but it was rumored to cost as much as a luxury vehicle. Well the secret is out and just one of the robots will cost you $74,500.
In addition to the robot itself, Boston Dynamics has also released many different “payload options” or attachments to make Spot even more useful. Some of these options include LIDAR for enhancing the range and accuracy of the system, “+ Awareness” for a better operational experience, as well as additional batteries, ports, and chargers. Those accessories range in cost from $1,275 for the additional ports up to $34,570 for a kit including LIDAR and + Awareness.
So why exactly are contractors considering using this technology? For one, it gives them an “employee” that is programmed to walk the same path and gather information for the project at the same time each day. It can’t be distracted, it doesn’t need human help (although it can be controlled by remote), and it’s consistent.
Several construction tech companies, such as FARO Technologies and HoloBuilder, have already teamed up with Boston Dynamics to integrate their programs into the Spot system. Photo documentation and laser scanning are two of the most obvious and applicable tasks that the robot is meant to perform – at least for now.
So what do you think about Spot? Can you see your company using this technology to capture data on your jobsites?
Even though the means to prevent trench collapses is pretty simple, dozens of construction workers continue to be killed by them every year. A few weeks ago, The Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) held a webinar on trenching and excavation hazards, the reduction of which is has been OSHA’s priority goal since 2018.
In the webinar, titled ‘Increasing Awareness of Factors that Influence Trench Safety, speakers discussed how OSHA enforces trench safety, results of an industry survey about trench safety, and alternatives to trenching.
OSHA’s Trench Safety Enforcement
To speak about OSHA’s enforcement efforts, CPWR invited Scott Ketcham, the Director of OSHA’s Directorate of Construction. In OSHA’s 2019 fiscal year, standard 1926.651-.652 Specific Excavation Requirements was the 6th most frequently cited standard in the construction industry, accounting for 1,500 total violations, 1,173 serious violations, 35 willful violations, and 81 repeat violations.
via OSHA
Ketcham also broke down the specific standards that were cited for each of those violations. Standard 1926.652(a)(1) was by far the most frequently cited standard, which covers “protection of employees in excavations. That standard specifically states:
“1926.652(a)(1)
Each employee in an excavation shall be protected from cave-ins by an adequate protective system designed in accordance with paragraph (b) or (c) of this section except when:
1926.652(a)(1)(i)
Excavations are made entirely in stable rock; or
1926.652(a)(1)(ii)
Excavations are less than 5 feet (1.52m) in depth and examination of the ground by a competent person provides no indication of a potential cave-in.”
Other reasons for citations were means of egress, protection of employees from loose rock or soil, daily inspection of excavations, where the competent person finds evidence of a situation that could result in a possible cave-in, and protection from hazards associated with water accumulation.
via OSHA
In addition to the citation data, Ketcham also highlights fatality statistics, OSHA’s outreach training efforts, and additional safety resources. The full, 1-hour long video is embedded at the bottom of this article if you’d like to find out more.
Trench Survey
The 2nd speaker in the webinar was Joe Wise, Regional Customer Training Manager at United Rentals Trench Safety. In his portion, he discussed the results of a survey completed in conjunction with CPWR. An eye opening statistic from this survey showed that less than 25% of the respondents said that they frequently or always see trench protection on their jobsites. In addition, less than 50% of respondents said that there was always a competent person that was trained in trenching on their projects.
There were many other interesting results shared from the survey and this portion begins around the 25 minute mark in the video below.
Alternatives to Trenching
via NIOSH
The 3rd and final speaker of the webinar was CAPT Alan Echt of the NIOSH Office of Construction Safety and Health, who discussed alternatives to trenching. In the safety trainings that I perform one of my all-time favorite subjects to talk about is NIOSH’s Hierarchy of Controls. The chart highlights the effectiveness of certain categories of hazard controls are, elimination being the most effective and PPE being the least effective. Since trenching is unable to be eliminated in most instances, Echt instead focuses on the next best option: substitution.
Some of the alternatives to trenching discussed include directional boring, relining using cured-in-place pipe, pipe ramming, and utility tunneling and pipe jacking. Echt’s portion of the webinar begins around the 40 minute mark in the video below.
Construction Junkie’s annual Best Construction Podcast of 2020 Competition is underway and the voting booth is officially open. As part of the competition, I will be individually highlighting each of the 12 nominees throughout until the booth closes on July 1. Next up is CONEXPO-CON/AGG Radio.
The two-time (two-time) defending champ is back in the Best Construction Podcast Competition again, looking to complete the highly sought after three-peat. While the name remains the same, the show has completed a significant transformation since the last competition.
Mid last year, CONEXPO-CON/AGG Radio announced a new host for the monthly podcast, Minneapolis –based contractor, Missy Scherber.
“Since August 2019, construction business owner and social media influencer Missy Scherber has been the voice behind a new series on CONEXPO-CON/AGG Radio called “’Contractor Conversations,’” Scherber and the show’s producers told me, “’Contractor Conversations’ features boots-on-the-ground perspectives from construction business owners and industry experts about their successes, challenges and whatever else on their minds. From workforce development to technology implementation to equipment solutions, listeners can walk away with actionable ways to advance their business.”
Scherber herself is also a small business owner of Scherber Roll-Offs, which helps her give real life perspective to the conversations she has with her show’s guests. It also shapes her passion for the people, equipment, and technology behind the business.
“From the start, our mission with this podcast has been focused on connecting the people, equipment and technology necessary to advance the construction industry as a whole,” Scherber explained, “I’ve loved the opportunity to connect with experts from around the industry to share their stories. Getting advice from others in your field who aren’t direct competitors is invaluable, and podcasts like CONEXPO-CON/AGG Radio are a great way to do that.”
How many opportunities do you truly get in the industry to speak with people who are open to sharing their experiences and “tricks of the trade” to others in their same line of work? That’s a pretty incredible opportunity to hear those perspectives as a listener.
With goals to grow her own business in a significant way, Scherber not only gains insights from others who share that goal, but also talks to people in the world of construction technology about ways certain products can make their teams more efficient and productive.
The new show concept has certainly achieved their goals of sharing valuable perspectives from many influential and fascinating people within the construction equipment sector and is worth a listen for anyone looking to better themselves or their business.
To find out more about CONEXPO-CON/AGG Radio, you can visit their webpage. If you’d like to vote for the show for Best Construction Podcast of 2020, you can do so by clicking or tapping here.
Construction Junkie’s annual Best Construction Podcast of 2020 Competition is underway and the voting booth is officially open. As part of the competition, I will be individually highlighting each of the 12 nominees throughout until the booth closes on July 1. Next up is The Lien Zone Podcast.
Hosted by seasoned construction lawyer Alex Barthet, who is based in Florida, The Lien Zone Podcast is another one of our longest tenured shows to join our yearly competition. The podcast has been nominated for Best Construction Podcast every year since 2016 and even took home the top prize in 2017.
Construction law can be a convoluted labyrinth of information that has the ability to gloss over the eyes of anyone in its wake, but that’s what makes The Lien Zone so great. Barthet has a gift for picking a topic that many contractors struggle with and explaining it in a succinct and efficient way that anyone can understand and appreciate.
“I now create a weekly podcast, having learned to streamline each presentation to just a few minutes, summarizing a specific issue or concept of construction law which may have practical significance to those in the construction industry,” Barthet explained to me, “Though we are a law firm, we work hard to communicate in non-legalese.”
Each episode typically lasts around 10 minutes, making them easily digestible and interesting listens. The show has also begun to include guest interviews with experts in different, but related fields to construction law.
In addition, The Lien Zone has done an absolutely amazing job creating and publishing content surrounding the Coronavirus Pandemic, which has been a source of fear and confusion for so many since it began.
As natural as it seems for Barthet to be a podcaster, it wasn’t quite as obvious to him years ago. When asked about how the show started and has evolved since the show started, he explained: “It took the encouragement of our IT consultant for me to try podcasting. That was several years ago and I haven’t looked back since. The Lien Zone podcasts have now become a standard part of our firm’s outreach and it has produced impressive results. Thousands of folks follow us regularly and that is very rewarding.”
To find out more about The Lien Zone Podcast, you can visit their webpage. If you’d like to vote for the show for Best Construction Podcast of 2020, you can do so by clicking or tapping here.
It’s been a couple of years since we’ve last checked in on the Hadrian X, a masonry block laying robot made by Fastbrick Robotics (FBR) and the company has just announced that their machine has reached a new major milestone: 200 blocks placed in an hour, a feat that the company is calling a “new lay speed record.”
The Hadrian X robot doesn’t use a traditional brick or block system that you may be used to, nor does it use a standard mortar to set the blocks. The materials were specifically designed for their robots, which the company says are “lighter, stronger, and designed to minimize waste” as compared to traditional materials.
The blocks themselves are 12 times larger than a standard brick traditionally used on a house. The blocks are adhered using a specialized glue, which bonds blocks together in 45 minutes. FBR claims that the adhesive also “holds stronger and results in greater thermal and acoustic properties than traditional mortar.”
FBR believes that the faster the robot can lay blocks, the more commercially viable it will become in the future. In the video below, which also shows the Hadrian X H02 in action, FBR’s Managing Director and CEO, Mike Pivac, plans to have investors visit their warehouse to check out the robot for use on jobsites throughout the world -- once travel restrictions are lifted due to the Coronavirus Pandemic.
Check out the video below and let me know what you think!
Construction Junkie’s annual Best Construction Podcast of 2020 Competition is underway and the voting booth is officially open. As part of the competition, I will be individually highlighting each of the 12 nominees throughout until the booth closes on July 1. First up is The ConTechCrew Podcast.
The ConTechCrew is one of the contest’s longest tenured nominees, appearing in 5 of the 6, dating all the way back to 2016. The crew has continued to post weekly shows and in-depth interviews with most of the biggest names in construction technology.
Now on episode 222, the crew has endured several staff changes over the years, but has been able to navigate that without sacrificing any of their high quality content -- a true testament to their passion for technology. JBKnowledge CEO, James Benham, has been the figurehead of the show since its beginning and after longtime co-hosts Josh Bone and Rob McKinney successfully leveraged their tech knowledge into outside roles with other companies, they will still pop in for guest co-host roles. This full-time to part-time transition has led to a few new faces in the co-host spots, giving the show an even greater amount of tech perspective.
“We’ve had to evolve a lot since Rob, Josh and I first got together to get the show off the ground. It was a lot of work in the beginning. Nobody was really talking about Construction Tech on podcasts a few years ago so we had to plow a lot of new ground and figure out the format and what people wanted to hear,” James Benham told me, “Jeff [Sample], James [Hillegas], Buck [Davis], Tauhira [Ali], and others have been amazing additions and have brought a lot to the table. We have changed the way we cover news too to cover fewer topics in a deeper way and to involve the guest. We’ve also gotten to interview absolutely incredible people and even some really famous ones like Mike Rowe, Malcolm Gladwell, Jack Dangermond and more - truly humbling.”
The hour-long show’s format begins with a guest interview and finishes with technology stories from the news. Sometimes the stories they choose aren’t exactly on the nose in relation to construction, but they have the ability to extrapolate what is happening outside the industry and the vision to see how that tech can be applied to construction.
Benham and all of his co-hosts not only love technology, but they live it. Some develop software and hardware and others use it in the field, which allows them the ability to ask their guests questions from many different angles. That experience also helps them explain the inherent complications some tech products could create to their audience.
“People want the straight skinny and don’t want us to dance around the issues - they want to know what’s the hottest new tech, what they should try and they need help filtering all of the information out there into something usable,” Benham explained about his audience, “There’s really so much to track that it’s almost impossible for one person to track it all so they really like that we distill it all down for them.”
To find out more about The ConTechCrew Podcast, you can visit their webpage, watch video of each episode, or listen to the audio. If you’d like to vote for the show for Best Construction Podcast of 2020, you can do so by clicking or tapping here.
Even before the hand washing craze that the Coronavirus Pandemic has caused, it was always a bit annoying to get into your work truck after being on the jobsite with muddy boots and hands. There’s not always an available water source on-site, so you’re stuck dirtying up the interior and cleaning it later. I recently came across a portable washing station that could help solve that issue.
The RinseKit, which was featured on the hit TV show Shark Tank, is a non-powered water spraying system that holds up to 2 gallons of water for mobile rinsing, spraying, and cleaning. When it’s filled with water from a standard hose bib or sink, it can hold that pressure for up to a month, giving the system the ability to spray either in jet, mist, center, flat, or shower mode.
When used in jet mode, RinseKit claims it can spray for up to 10 minutes on mist, 5 minutes on center, 2.5 minutes, and in shower mode for 1.5 minutes with the larger unit. That should be enough to hose down your boots, hands, and a couple tools before it runs out.
The RinseKit Pod, which holds up to 1.75 gallons of water, retails for $109.95 and its bigger brother, the RinseKit Plus, which holds up to 2 gallons and can hold hot water, retails for $129.95. If you don’t have a water source available to you at the end of the day, you can also add a manual pressure pump to pressurize water that you have poured into the unit.
What do you think of this system? Could you see yourself using it on the jobsite?
Long before we ever truly see a robotic uprising in construction, we’ll be using robotics to help augment our natural abilities. I’ve written several articles about exoskeletons, which promise to allow humans to do more with less stress than ever before, but I recently came across a concept that promises to do a little bit more.
The roughly 9 pound robotic arm straps to the users shoulders like a backpack, is strong enough to lift 11 pounds, and can swing up to 7.6 mph. The biggest drawback currently is that it has to be remotely operated by another human being, requiring 4 arms total to operate 3.
That’s not to say the device can’t be adapted to perform autonomous work in the future, it is, after all, just a proof of concept.
In the video, you can see the arm is able to be equipped with different attachments, one that can rotate and grab tools like drills and paint rollers and another than can bash a freshly sheet rocked wall to smithereens with a tiny wrecking ball hand. I can’t imagine how much you would need to trust the person operating the third arm, though, there are so many prank possibilities already running through my head.
It’s certainly got a long way to go, but if they can figure it how to make it work autonomously, how could you foresee a third arm being useful on the jobsite?
Last month, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) announced that they are planning to begin the bidding process for a design of the replacement bridge, which will incorporate lessons learned from the NTSB’s report.
“FDOT has learned valuable lessons since the tragic events surrounding the FIU bridge collapse two years ago. The Department has worked closely with the NTSB and local partners to ensure proactive safety measures are included in the plans for this much-needed bridge,” said Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Kevin J. Thibault, P.E., in a press release. “The Department will ensure all safety measures are in place and are followed so we may provide a safe option for pedestrians in this high-traffic area.”
The design of the new bridge is expected to begin in early 2021 and take 2 years to complete. The construction process is also expected to take an additional 2 years.
According to the Miami Herald, the new bridge will cost $14.6 million total, which is roughly $2 million more than the original. Increased construction costs were cited as the reason. The article also states that FIU received $9.5 million in a settlement from the previous contractors, which will help pay for the new bridge.
Power plants are facing demolition all over the world as country’s move away from less environmentally friendly power sources and abandon older facilities. The good news, for us, is that we get some pretty awesome demolition videos out of the shutdowns.
Power station chimneys are usually pretty exciting to watch, as many are tall and skinny, leading to a pretty dramatic conclusion. When there are 8 chimneys, it makes it even more exciting.
The Hazlewood Power Station in Victoria, Australia was opened in 1964 until its decommissioning in 2017. At one point in history, the station held the title of World’s Most Polluting Power Source, according to Demolition News.
The site’s 8 chimneys stood nearly 450 feet high before they were demolished simultaneously early last week. Demolition News reports that it took roughly 650 pounds of explosives to bring all of the structures down. The project was carried out by Delta Demolition, Australia’s largest demolition contractor.
You can check out the video of the demolition, by Demolition News, below:
Many construction sites are open after nationwide shelter-in-place orders slowed the industry due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, but it’s still not business as usual. Social distancing efforts still need to be in place, but that can be hard to manage. I have heard stories of at least a few construction site shut downs after a positive test from a worker, causing everyone on site to need to get tested, but wouldn’t it be nice if you could monitor who that person came into contact with?
Triax Technologies, a wearable technology platform, has recently released hard hat tags that can not only monitor who employees come into contact with, but also alert workers if they are within 6 feet of each other. If the TraceTag, as it’s called, senses workers within 6 feet of each other, it can react with a visual and audible alarm until corrected, if that optional feature is added.
Some close contact work is allowed under safety regulations, such as team lifting, to reduce physical injury hazards, so the alarms can be temporarily silenced in those circumstances.
In order to collect the data of worker interactions, “Gateways” are placed at exits and other high traffic areas. If workers are not close to a Gateway, the information will be temporarily stored within the TraceTag until it can be uploaded when it gains connectivity. All data is collected passively, so neither the on-site workers nor office staff have to manually input any of the data, but they’ll have it at their fingertips if a confirmed COVID-19 case arises on-site.
Triax is calling their full contact tracing and social distancing technology, Proximity Trace, and you can check out how it works in the video below. (Ignore the fact the workers are hammering on a wall for no reason, with the pandemic it is extremely hard to be permitted to get on any real jobsite as a guest.)
The construction industries method of choice for note taking and filling out paperwork is still, generally speaking, pen and paper. That can pose a problem when trying to fill out paper documents on a jobsite that’s not only dusty, dirty, and muddy, but also when it’s raining. It’s kind of a hassle to bring back a soggy stack of notes to the office and trying to figure out what that big smudge blob. I can’t even count how many times I’ve seen a set of plans with several coffee ring stains on them, as well.
I just recently came across a waterproof, rip proof, copy paper from a company called TerraSlate and, while I haven’t tried it yet, it seems like it could potentially solve a common problem for the industry. The company says that the paper can be printed on any standard laser printer (but NOT inkjet printers) and can be written on with a ballpoint pen, Sharpie, or pencil (although they say a pencil could smear). It comes in a variety of different sizes and weights, although if you wanted a paper big enough full size set of drawings, you will need to reach out to them for a custom order.
The thicker the paper you choose, the more durability you’ll get, but the price rises with it. Although it shouldn’t tear, it can still be folded and hole punched. Perhaps most importantly in these times of COVID-19, it can also be sanitized.
Unless your company is swimming in money, this isn’t going to replace your standard copier paper – it costs considerably more than the good ole ream of the standard stuff. For the smallest pack of the thinnest 8.5” x 11” waterproof paper, you’ll pay a little over a dollar a sheet, but the price drops with higher quantities, all the way down to $0.64 per sheet if you buy 10,000. Still expensive, but could definitely provide value in specific situations, such as jobsite signage or the community set of construction documents.
If you want a weatherproof notebook for yourself personally, there’s always the trusted Rite in the Rain notebook, which comes in many different sizes and varieties. As I was looking through their website, I also saw that they too offer an all-weather printer paper in various sizes and colors. They don’t tout and rip-proof qualities, but they do provide the trusted water resistance that Rite in the Rain users have taken advantage of for years. You can also use ball point pens, Sharpies, and pencil on these notebooks and paper.
Below is a video from TerraSlate showing the features of their waterproof, rip-proof paper. Tell me what you think of these two options in the comments below!
Father’s Day 2020 is June 21, so you better get started on gift ideas if you want to impress dad this year. Whether your father is contractor, handyman, or DIYer, we’ve got a lot of great ideas for him this year.
For more more gift ideas, be sure to check out our past Father's Day Gift Guides from 2016, 2017, and 2018, 2019 or our Ultimate Construction Holiday Gift Guides from 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018, and 2019.
We’ve been lucky enough to be able to use many of the tools on this list throughout the year and there are others on the list that we’d love to try because they have been highly regarded in reviews. It should be assumed that the tool manufacturers have given us these tools for free to test out, but none of them have paid to be a part of this gift guide. All tools on this list have been chosen by us, because we think they would be great gifts.
This post contains affiliate links, which earn us a small commission for the things that you buy. The prices in the links are exactly the same as they would be normally!
Ultimate Construction Father’s Day Gift Guide 2020
This is honestly one of the best purchases I’ve made and it’s so inexpensive. Table saws are essential on many jobsites and workshops, but dust collection can be an issue. If you don’t have an extensive dust collection system or don’t want to deal with the extra noise of a vacuum, this Bosch table saw dust bag is a no brainer. I’ve been using it on my Milwaukee M18 cordless table saw and it collects probably 80-90% of the dust
If you’re house is like mine, the labeling system inside your circuit breaker box is an absolute mess, which makes it extremely difficult to find the correct breaker to turn off when needed. The Klein Tools Digital Circuit Breaker finder is a 2-in-1 tool that not only can confirm that your outlets have been properly wired, but it can also help you easily locate the correct breaker an outlet is wired to. Simply plug the outlet tester into an outlet, bring the receiver wand to your breaker panel, and run the receiver down each breaker until the light indicates that the correct breaker has been found. Of course, you should ALWAYS double check that power has been turned off to whatever electrical system you need to work on before beginning.
Whever you’re installing hardware that requires more than one screw, the slightest misstep when drilling your pilot hole can cause the whole piece to become misaligned. These Bosch Self-Centering bits all but guarantee that your screw will be perfectly centered through the use of a spring loaded housing sized for #6, #8, and #10 screws.
Everybody probably already has a utility knife somewhere in their toolbox or junk drawer, but it’s probably not an OLFA. This Japanese-made knife is actually up to 8 blades-in-one, because you can snap off one section at a time if it gets dull. Paired with their new black speed blades, you not only get the convenience of multiple blades, but an extremely sharp, fast cutting knife.
The OLFA MXP-AL is their newest heavy duty knife, made with an aluminum shell. For a little less cost, the LA-X is a tried and true knife, as well, as it comes with the same blades, but it’s housed in a plastic shell with a rubber overmould.
If you own a truck, you know that securing a load can be a huge hassle, especially if you’re used to dealing with bungee cords or traditional tiedowns. With Quickloaders, there will never be any additional slack flapping in the wind, because the excess retracts back into it. It’s so easy, you can do it one handed. There are various sizes and strengths available on their website, starting at around $20, but the QL4500 is a good one to start with, at around $40.
You, of course, know Milwaukee Tool because of their power tools, but they have also had an extensive line of workwear for construction professionals for years, but they have just recently updated and expanded their lineup. In addition to updated versions of their Workskin lightweight, moisture wicking shirts, they have added heavy duty pocket shirts and hoodies. The heavy duty pocket shirts will align with a more traditional work shirt that many contractors have grown up wearing and the Workskin shirts are great for the hot summer months that are nearly upon us.
After being acquired by Stanley Black & Decker (SBD), Craftsman recently launched a brand new line of around 1,200 new tools. It already appears to be a good move for Craftsman tool lovers as it has breathed new life into the old Sears brand. One of the best buys in the new brand is the Versastack 2-drawer unit. Every tradesman or garage warrior needs additional storage and the Verstastack will not only stack on top of other Versastack units, but will also stack on DeWalt T-stack units, thanks to that aforementioned SBD acquisition. You can get it at Lowe’s for around $35.
Hearing protection is one of those things that construction workers ignore until years later when they realize they have lost a significant amount of their hearing. OSHA has strict hearing protection requirements to avoid hearing loss in workers, ISOtunes FREE Bluetooth Hearing Protectors offer a 22db noise reduction rating and they also limit the audio playback to 85db, keeping you below the actionable noise level.
These wireless ear buds will last for 7 hours, but the rechargeable charging case it comes with will provide an additional 14 hours of playback time.
If you’re looking for a more affordable option and don’t mind the cords, the ISOtunes Pro 2.0 offers similar features at a lower cost.
Keen Utility showed off their new Cincinnati work boot earlier this year at the World of Concrete and it’s hard not to love this boot at first glance. Sporting a classic wedge toe look, the Cincinnati is the beefed-upped heavy duty version of the Keen Utility San Jose Boot, which is a much beloved light duty boot of similar look. this boot is meant to withstand abuse from tough jobsites, sporting a waterproof liner to keep hyour feet dry, Goodyear welt construction to durability, and a super comfortable midsole.
Everyone needs an inflator at some point, whether it’s an emergency roadside tire fill-up, bike tire top offs, camping mattresses, or those pesky pool floats. The DeWalt 20V MAX Inflator is the most versatile of them all, as it’s able to inflate high pressure or high volume and can be powered by battery, 12V DC (car plug-in), or a 110V wall outlet.
Besides its versatility, one of its greatest features is the ability to set the PSI you’d like to fill it to and it will automatically shut off when it reaches that level. You can read our full review of it by clicking here.
During any project, there’s always at least one screw that needs to go in at an awkward angle. Thankfully, there are several multi-chuck drill/drivers on the market that can completely eliminate that frustration, the Milwaukee Tool M12 Instalaltion Drill/Driver being one of them. With 4 separate attachments, this drill/driver is an absolute dream for all of those odd angles and tight spaces you might find yourself in. This tool comes with 4 quickly interchangeable heads: a 3/8” drill chuck, a 1/4” hex driver, an offset, and a right angle.
The DeWalt 20V jobsite fan is a super-efficient, powerful, and convenient option for the workshop or jobsite. Delivering up to 500 CFM of air, the fan can easily last a full day on one battery. If your battery runs out of juice, no worries, because it can also be plugged into an outlet through an extension cord. Rated IP54 for dust and water resistance, it’s ready to be put to work in tough conditions.
Wouldn’t it be nice if you could power a string trimmer, a hedge trimmer, a pole saw, and an edger with the same tool? Well, you can with Milwaukee’s Quik-Look attachment system. By quickly detaching the bottom half of the trimmer showed in the picture by loosening a knob and pressing a button, you can quickly change out to one of the 4 attachments using the same motor and same battery.
