Tell us about yourself? How did you get started in the industry that you are in today?
- I started at E.J Longyear Company in Simi Valley, California, where I gained experience in the manufacturing process of diamond bits, blades, saws, drills, and power units.
How long have you been in the industry?
Been in the industry for 35 years!
What advice would you give your 22 year old self?
Go back and get your Masters! Get a law Degree!! You don't want to be a concrete cutter, I promise you!!
What made you decide to purchase your machine from us?
We do a lot of interior floor removal, such as Hospitals, Health Care Centers, and Government Buildings, Food Processing Facilities, Manufacturing Buildings, Strip Malls, High Rises, etc.
What was the first project that you used it on?
Glenbrook Hospital in Glenview, IL
What was the first thing that stuck out to you once you got the machine on your first job site?
Obvious labor savings (both in terms of time and wear), as well as laborer / (now Sherpa operator) fatigue and less risk of injury.
How have you used the machine since that first job?
Many, many times. We offer: Sherpa Services. Portal to Portal service complete with the vacuum pad and breaker attachments. We have equipped a 350 Dodge dually with an oversized lift gate so we can put both the Sherpa and the Electric Buggy on the bed. We pull a dump trailer behind the set up if the client requires removal of concrete from site. We're writing the use of the Sherpa into our Safety Program / Protocol. We're "recommending" the use of the Sherpa & breaker when a client wants our crew to stop sawcutting procedures and proceed to break around conduits in parts of the trenches where live power or conduits have been detected by GPR and marked with our "tolerance zone" marking system that conforms to the CSDA recommended Best Practices.
How often are you using the machine and on what types of jobs?
Several times a week. Some weeks are busier than others. We have had it on jobs for up to 2-3 months straight for larger interior removal jobs.
What feedback do you have on the machine after using it for time that you have had it?
The guys love it because they're tired of flipping slabs by hand. Works very well in tight spaces.
What advice would you give to someone looking at our products?
If you're doing electric sawing and interior floor removal, the Sherpa is a must have in your fleet.
Do you think you will add more machines like this to your fleet?
Right now, we have 2 in our Chicago based office. We are considering another machine for our Twin Cities Division.
-Jimmy Butler of Butler Coring