Wixom Lake Steam Shovel Removed from Lake Bed After Almost 100 years

[@budgiebreder]

I think its incredible that any part of that rustbucket still turns! Cannot wait to see it restored one day!

[@Petey1378]

It's about time someone saves some part of history!

[@smplyizzy]

What tearing statues down does not help people recall the past?

[@MrYAMAHA32177]

Nice recovery and saving a little piece of history for future generations to enjoy.

[@young11984]

Glad its getting saved, they used some good grease back in those days for the wheels to roll 95yrs later lol

[@Sasskin]

Pig fat

[@kylekelly1167]

@@Sasskin that's my favorite for sharpening on my oil stones. Doesn't ever cog the pores of the stone with dried oil.

[@jacuzzibusguy]

It is my understanding that it is indeed fat from Animals and NOT petroleum.

[@davedoggy]

Almost 100 years submersed under water and, It is not only pretty much intact but also, It still rolls and Even the steering linkage is still loose.

[@jamesthompson8008]

Consider also, was in a freshwater lake, regular cycles of deep cold kept oxidation levels down. Being silted in definitely helped preserve the chassis. Glad to see it retrieved for hobbyists, not scrap.

[@y2kxj]

That’s because is made with virgin steel and does not have any recycled Chineseum steel,,,

[@jacuzzibusguy]

someone also suggested that the oil may have been animal fat rather than petroleum.

[@ironworkerfxr7105]

ya,,,, not china steel for sure !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@greta3315]

@@ironworkerfxr7105 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@arandomsteve2251]

Over here in britain we have the digger from the deep, a 1909 ruston steam shovel left in a chalk pit after its closure. too clapped out to be worth saving And the scrap value too low to make it worth retrieving. The pit became a lagoon and with the jib still visible above the surface the machine sat for decades. eventually it was pulled out and restored and is on display at threlkeld quarry where it is steamed a couple if times a year. While not in the water as long as this machine, it gives me hope that this navvy too, will dig again!

[@Kay-ki7qs]

This is so awesome, that they were able to pull it out!!

[@albertringshauser7267]

Thanks. Enjoyed watching the steam shovel being removed.

[@stephenmacinnes503]

Great video, nice job removing the shovel from the Lake bed

[@bigtrev8xl]

Great video thanks While safety is important, it makes me wonder, how some people manage to cross the road, sometimes ya just have to take a chance..

[@1topfueldrag]

i’m surprised the wheels turned

[@EdenValleyAdventuresUK]

Wow I am glad they got it out great drone shots, loved the video.

[@rjl110919581]

thank you for share video

[@edwardmartin4894]

That was amazing.... Really surprised with the condition of the machinery. This is going to be a fun project. By-the-way: The drone pilot is really good....

[@Thomas_Lemmey]

I would have hated being the excavator operator for this. To many people way to close, you cant safely keep track of them all.

[@lilspark252]

For sure!

[@oldamericaniron5767]

I’ve been there, you just have to tell them to move back and not do anything until they do.

[@ngtflyer]

As the operator he should have stopped and established a safety perimeter. And spun his undercarriage around - working an extreme load over the drives is asking for trouble.

[@hobens1]

Especially blonde boy if I was the operator I would told him to move

[@davidbarnsley8486]

That was some pretty good drone flying 👍👍

[@stevengrotte2987]

How did the steam shovel happen to end at the bottom of the lake?

[@TKHUTTER]

Its a artificial lake.When the lake was created the builders left it in place 95 years ago.i belive because it was to expensive to transport out.the only reason y er ey now have access to it was do to the fact the dam broke and now it was easy to get to...

[@w4fej]

Nice drone work !!

[@mikeanders73]

My wife and I were just talking about this one after watching another steam powered crane start its road to a new life.

[@Lilman3000]

did they stop the people from taking the very expensive old sunk logs that are marked?

[@nealladuke8518]

Very cool!

[@HalfCutGarage]

good excavator op doesnt pick over the drive motors!!! good vid though!

[@stephaneracicot791]

good job to every body

[@fastdadgarage-northsouthch4418]

I was hoping that would be removed, not sure if it can be restored. I hope they try!

[@makingithappen5178]

I wish you good luck, getting that digger to dig again.

[@walkersullivan6201]

Do we know how it ended up in a lake?

[@jacuzzibusguy]

Yes! After building the dam it was determined that this piece of machinery was nearly obsolete and not worth the amount of money and effort required to remove it.

[@walkersullivan6201]

@@jacuzzibusguy Interesting thanks 👍

[@Sailor376also]

I am at 4:02 into the video and there are about 12 people I would have fired on the spot,, the guy in the blue hoodie, several of the men and perhaps women in nice bright orange,,,, I am not on site, I am looking at a video,, but time and again there are people that if one or more chains break they are well within a killing range. There are eleven people in the tableau at 4:02 and every stinking one of them is within reach if a chain snaps. At least they used a spreader bar on the attempted lift of the base. There was no spreader bar when they hoisted the mast was terrifying. Get those curious nimnoes out of there. One or two observers or signalmen within double the radius of the lift maximum. Get the Lookie Lou's out of there. Cannot even watch the rest. It is like watching the zero experience home owner with a rented dull chainsaw trying to take down the 200 year old dead oak tree above the neighbor's house.

[@thomream1888]

@Flash Man granted, but it's even harder to go to their funerals...

[@fredblair4307]

got to agree safety first even with volunteer s

[@dennman8832]

@@fredblair4307 I'm with you Sailor. I was cringing every time those chains tightened up.That's not a job for untrained volunteers.

[@deplorablelibertarian]

Those people aren’t hired help...they are kind of just there watching and helping out with small things. It wasn’t a commercial operation, it’s not a professional salvage company- it’s a couple dudes that hired an excavator. Calm down a little bit and stop being so uptight, it really doesn’t solve anything.

[@Sailor376also]

@@deplorablelibertarian No. Please listen to what I am saying. Especially because they are volunteers,, especially. They are within range of the swing of the load,,, years and years on job sites,, and sometimes as the area safety officer, frequently as the contractor of record and the owner of the company. It also comes of 50_ years on job sites. I AM THE ONE who has seen it go to s**t. The basic rule of thumb is add the length of the chain,, in a V- shape lift, add both sides,, and add the length of the load being lifted. NO ONE should be within that radius. It has been 10 days since I viewed the video,, my memory is that there were 11 men within that radius. There should be none,, or only one, they guy giving signals to the operator. It sends chills up my spine to see 10 extra people within that radius, scares the begeebers out of me. So,,, if I sound a bit insistent,, it is because of concern for their safety. If it were me in the operators chair,, I would simply shut the engine down and ask everyone not essential to back well away. And NOT turn the key back to on until I was obeyed. Where safety is concerned, I have fired people, literally, on the spot. The rest of the time I am a big cuddly bear, coffee and donuts.

[@oldman8268]

Does anyone know the back story of why the shovel ended up in the lake?

[@oldman8268]

@@wouldbepilot3988 thank you

[@appleh8terguy]

i heard a story that the owner went on a hunting trip while the lake was being filled and planned to move it when he got back but the water was already to high

[@edwardverlander7681]

Jordan Mowbray .you tube channel ..does better job on flooding and this removal ...done so many video .great content

[@oldman8268]

@@edwardverlander7681 I agree, he’s doing a great service for his community. At the conclusion of this historic event a visual record will be available for generations to come.

[@RomeKG471]

Great! Thank You! 👍

[@martinroberts4365]

Thanks for this extraction video. I noticed all the steam related parts seem to be missing eg the boiler/valves, cylinder and also the control levers? Its going to be a tough restoration without these parts?

[@jacuzzibusguy]

All of those items were removed by the owner prior to this extraction. Partially to keep them from Being vandalized and partly to reduce the weight of the steam shovel.

[@jacuzzibusguy]

Here’s a link to the video of steam shovel motors and levers being removed: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jHzHmp1-mMqUoZY

[@jacuzzibusguy]

And this one: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qoW5q36ed5eJjs0

[@trentgay3437]

There was a steam shovel in my city park by the river you could play on when I was a kid

[@Rokonroller]

Operator needs to move closer & short chain his load, it would give him 30% more lift. Removing the bucket would give him 1000 lbs more lift S well. Don’t know which piece is more antiquated lol

[@vectorm4]

I was thinking the same thing - not as detailed as you; but was thinking the engineering of the lift is notably off.

[@tonydeleo3642]

How did you haul the crane with the frame hanging so far over the side of the trailer?

[@jacuzzibusguy]

I’m just the camera guy....but I think they simply got away with it because they hauled it on a Sunday. Although they may have had the proper wide loads permits. Or maybe it’s not as wide as it appears.

[@fridaynightgamefilm]

At 8:35, a couple of guys go behind the steam shovel to unhook the chain and lifting bar, while the excavator operator slacks off, not holding the steam shovel from rolling backwards. This was extremely dangerous. I'm glad they didn't get crushed.

[@oldamericaniron5767]

Absolutely correct

[@bencorwin7085]

Captain safety over here! 😂

[@fridaynightgamefilm]

@@bencorwin7085 Dude... that steam shovel is extremely heavy, was on a slope, and it has wheels. The excavator operator gave the chain even more slack as the 2 guys went behind the steam shovel. If it had started rolling backwards over them, they might not be able to get out of the way before being mashed into the mud. Even later in the video you'll see guys following behind the steam shovel as the excavator operator struggles to pull it uphill on a muddy slope. When the consequences are potential serious injury or death, you don't take short-cuts.

[@fredted5115]

@@fridaynightgamefilm In that sand it wasn't going anywhere.

[@dixiemay1996]

Excavator thoughts @ 3:30...." I think I can I think I can" @ 8:35 " I knew I could I knew I could"

[@mikeanders73]

Are they going to replace the dams?

[@jacuzzibusguy]

That’s a topic filled with controversy! There is a plan, albeit a poor one imo, to replace the dams using a process that allows a “non-profit” entity to control the entire process and tax lake property owners almost half a billion dollars, all Without permission from the people. It’s actually quite an incredible story. That’s not even getting into the fact that the Dow corporation, who is downstream, allegedly relies on the dams to control The flow of the river. The former Vice President of Dow is the new president of the “non-profit” that is in charge of rebuilding the dams. It’s quite the boondoggle.

[@mikeanders73]

@@jacuzzibusguy, that is a horrible idea in my opinion, which I realize is not much. It ultimately should have been the responsibility of the company that ran the dams, I would have thought. Good video and thank you for sharing. Glad to see the steam shovel getting saved. Everyone else up there recovering okay?

[@jacuzzibusguy]

@@mikeanders73 it gets complicated there too. The dam owner wanted to lower the lakes for safety to reduce the risk of flooding and the state of Michigan took the owner of the dams to court and forced the lake levels to be kept dangerously high in an effort to protect some aquatic mussels. One of the court actions was within a few weeks of the dams collapsing. The state of Michigan and the attorney general are probably more to blame than anyone else. This story would make a great Netflix special. The irony of forcing the lake levels be kept high to protect a few mussels ended up costing a billion dollars in damage and killing ALL of the mussels.

[@mikeanders73]

@@jacuzzibusguy, a tragic, yet perfect example of government overreach.

[@markbrubaker8585]

How did it come to be left there?

[@jacuzzibusguy]

This machine was used to build the dam, almost a century ago. Upon completion of that task, the machine was pretty much obsolete, and hauling it away required an excessive amount of work. They simply left it on the bottomlands, then filled the reservoir with water. Several decades after being submerged, Fixie's father purchased the machine, with the hopes of bringing it to the surface and making it dig again.

[@michigandon]

What happened to the boiler?

[@jacuzzibusguy]

great question! In an earlier video, they removed the boiler and "steam motors" I think they did this to reduce weight, and also to protect the steam motors from potential vandalism, as these are key to getting the machine working again.

[@NovaProspekt1337]

Wild piloting

[@deweydodo6691]

Drought year there that they could do this ?

[@jacuzzibusguy]

Quite the opposite. Massive spring flooding caused the dam to fail and all the water drained out of wixom lake resulting in catastrophic flooding downstream and leaving “lakefront” homeowners high and dry. It’s a pretty terrible event impacting thousands of people. The steam shovel just happens to be a little ray of sunshine in this terrible disaster.

[@ronmcwhirter3641]

Haven't anyone in this video ever see what a cable or chain can do if it breaks ? Really suprised no one got killed. Very neat to be able to restore this old iron. Great video except the unsafe acts . Safety is no.1. On the job site.

[@turbinepower77]

I live in Lapeer. Why is Wixom Lake drained?

[@GSMSfromFV]

The Edenville Dam collapsed this past May (2020), and Wixom Lake was destroyed. This event was national news. __ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wixom_Lake

[@jacuzzibusguy]

I live in Lapeer too! Spring flooding caused the dam to fail. Wixom lake is man-made and drained when the dam failed.

[@plainwornout3964]

Just so you know the damn didn't fail, the earthen embankment that comes up to the dam failed. Once the water started running through, it washed the dirt away, the dams are still standing. If you think about it, all that would need to happen would be that some burrowing animal would burrow through the earthen embankment, and once a little bit of water started running through the rest would be inevitable. Really tired of everyone saying the Dams failed.

[@jacuzzibusguy]

@@plainwornout3964 while you are correct that the concrete portion of the dam did not fail, these particular dams are made not only of steel and concrete but of a giant earthen berm, sometimes called an earthen dam. These collective parts work together to make the reservoir known as wixom lake. I believe it is correct to say that the dam failed, even though it is the earthen part rather than the concrete.

[@keyman1969b]

Ask Whitmere. The state was issued control several years back by the Feds because of failing inspections and not being maintained. They left high because they didnt want to endanger some mussels. As usual with government control they managed to flood Midland and kill ALL the mussels.

[@robertrosales3420]

What brand and model of drone did you use to capture this video?

[@marvindebot3264]

DJI Mavic Pro

[@mikerobbins5049]

Cool

[@73DiamondReo]

very nice. ive also got a channel with some old equipment like this im rebuilding

[@jacuzzibusguy]

post a link, i'd love to check it out

[@jmcvlam]

The lack of safety is quite astonishing for a country claiming to be developed. Obviously most of them have no idea what can happen if a chain or cable snap. Having said that, best of luck with the restoration. GO STEAM!

[@roycsinclair]

Actually the first moment the shovel moved happened about ten seconds before the moment you marked.

[@bigbird9794]

Old iron is king.

[@eventhorizon1855]

Looks like a fine candidate for yard art, or perhaps a mailbox holder 📪

[@waltermattson5566]

I hope they are able to get it going again. Where is this lake?

[@d2o0z0e8r]

Mid Michigan

[@keyman1969b]

Midland, michigan. Easy to find since Whitmere allowed the dams to collapse to save mussels.

[@USSBB62]

Why did you call them TIRES ?

[@jacuzzibusguy]

I deserve this one. I agree, they are wheels. I didn't catch that mistake until it was too prohibitively difficult to fix.

[@jay-od7kh]

its on the excavator STAY BACK 300 FEET, the operator should have made all of the people keep back.. just lucky a chain didnt brake

[@bencorwin7085]

Jay the safety man! 😂

[@jay-od7kh]

@@bencorwin7085 im not a safety man im a safety officer on a facebook project in europe, and you are ???

[@bencorwin7085]

I’m just a man who thinks the world has turned soft and is overly concerned with safety

[@Chevy4x4dawg]

@@bencorwin7085 World hasn't turned soft, it's all the lawyers and lawsuits that have caused everyone to be hyper safety sensitive...... My background is farm/ranch, trucking, and road construction..... Operated and been around alot of equipment thru the years.

[@super6954]

It also says on the excavator "tool carrier" so could it have a slasher , concrete crusher or hammer fitted looking at all the extra guards on it, is the 300 ft when it's operating that equipment because of flying debris by any chance ? If you want my qualifications, degree from University of common sense, Heavy equipment mechanic, farmer and equipment operator ! And I'll add yes if I was doing that there are to many standing round I wouldn't want there either.

[@pvdl9847]

c'est le rover de la lune ? .....

[@kenneychappuis1853]

That should just buff out

[@ipaddlemyowncanoe.7441]

👍👍😀🍁

[@dougattube]

Thought there was already a guy who filmed this even with a drone.

[@DeanINQUISITORYatesnwo]

so does that mean jacuzzibusguy not entitled to do his own version of events ? amazing the amount of pointless comments on shitetube !! ffs

[@plainwornout3964]

That's Jordan Mowbray

[@agentx7138]

Amasing to see the steam shovel role out on it's own wheels. A decent level of health and safety sadly lacking one wonders if this low safety awareness culture contributed to the dam failure!

[@hobens1]

Tell blonde boy to think about where he's standing in future lifts of that nature

[@jacuzzibusguy]

I’m pretty sure his father is the excavator operator.....but not positive.

[@michaelchamberlain4618]

MGBYAAIJNA 😎 GOOD job

[@ArthurDentZaphodBeeb]

No way that weighed anywhere near 30,000 lbs.

[@literallyshaking8019]

The steel from this would be worth a lot because it could be used in high sensitivity nuclear medical devices. Seeing how it was at the bottom of the lake and produced before above ground nuclear testing, there won’t be any isotopes in the steel like in anything produced after the late 1940s. There a huge demand for battleships sunk during WW1 and WW2 for this very reason. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low-background_steel

[@darthrevan2063]

Their not scrapping it, their restoring it. Least that’s what the description says.

[@dallasdavis3246]

Too many watchers in the way

[@timbailey8254]

Waytogo

[@momon1828]

watching the very first being carried by the newest

[@jeremykastrup6907]

Who downvoted this..?

[@ngtflyer]

Probably experienced equipment operators and those with a clue about safety. Way too many people way too close, operator lifting extreme load over his drives and doesn't know the machine's limits. Everyone on site is lucky a chain didn't snap or the steam shovel didn't slide out of control. Always assume something is going to go wrong. People need to keep their distance. I'm not an equipment operator or construction worker, but I understand basic safety principles and many of those were broken on that site. I do hope the old machine is restored and once again fires up and moves some earth. Amazing that any part of it moves at all after being there for nearly a century.

[@kenolson3064]

I guess the pedestrians couldn't read English, (stay back 300 feet on the boom) That backhoe was operating close to its limits. if anything would have let go, it would have been ugly.

[@robertsanders6463]

Too many gauckers. Doesn't appear to be anyone controlling the move!

[@bencorwin7085]

Why are you narrating like it’s a horror movie?

[@jacuzzibusguy]

because i'm a terrible narrator.....

[@jocko8888]

Who is that idiot (tall, thin, blond guy) standing too close as they try to pull the bottom out. He can't help lift it. In a perfect place if the chain snapped. Then he's up on the trailer waiting for the winch wire to snap and make him a munchkin. Otherwise a good video...lol.

[@coletaylor9861]

Stop trying so hard with the commentary