US Army Scientists Develop Smaller, Stronger, Cheaper Solar Cells

July 27, 2015 Shane Hedmond

Photo by Mountain/ \Ash,  CC BY 2.0 — Photo by Mountain/ \Ash, CC BY 2.0

Solar technology has struggled since its inception to stay cost effective enough to make up for the large initial investment. Government subsidies have helped, but many fear that those will soon go away. Because of that, scientists are fighting to produce smaller, more powerful solar cells to bridge the gap between energy and cost savings and US Army scientists have made a new breakthrough in the technology.

Incredibly Awesome Working 18-Wheel Lego Crane!

July 24, 2015 William Lucus

If you want to be the envy of your construction office, just show up with this masterpiece! It is a 1:23.5 scale model of the Liebherr LTM 1750-9.1 mobile crane made out of LEGO bricks, and it's not just for show either. It's fully drive-able and controllable with a cab that swings into position, outriggers, and a telescoping boom.

Watch Drone Footage of a Historic Detroit Hotel Implosion

July 23, 2015 Shane Hedmond

There are a few ways to demolish a building or structure, including the tipping method or good old American explosive firepower (Insert Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor grunt here). Sometimes you just have to strap some dynamite to a building to get the job done and that’s exactly what crews in Detroit did to dispose of the 81 year old Park Avenue Hotel.

10 Ways Owners Cause Disputes on Construction Projects

July 22, 2015 Shane Hedmond

Photo by Tracie Hall, edited to add title, CC BY-SA 2.0 — Photo by Tracie Hall, edited to add title, CC BY-SA 2.0

Recently, Construction Junkie wrote an article about a research paper that listed the 19 scheduling games that contractors play and it turned out to be one of our more controversial posts, as it was deemed too one sided in the owners favor. To even the score, we’re now examining 10 ways that owners tend to cause problems during construction projects

After Watching This, You Won’t Want to Put Your Hammer in Your Tool Belt the Boring Way Ever Again

July 21, 2015 Shane Hedmond

How do you give a hammer some swag? You let your personal swag absorb into the hammer by not just placing the hammer in your tool belt, but by nonchalantly tossing it into the air and catching it with your tool belt, like Jimmy Brennan Pedro does in the video below.

Construction Junkie is Now on Instagram!

July 20, 2015 Shane Hedmond

For those of you who are on Instagram, you can now follow us @constructionjunkie! On it, we'll post interesting pictures from the world of construction and we'll also keep it light with some hilarious construction related memes.

Cool Tools: Milwaukee Expands M18 Fuel Series to Drilling and Driving Products

July 20, 2015 Shane Hedmond

Just last week, Milwaukee released an industry-first cordless braking grinder as part of their M18 FUEL series to market and they’ve now expanded that to include drilling and driving products.

Scientists Create an Invisible Solar Cell That Transforms Windows into an Energy Source

July 17, 2015 Shane Hedmond

According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), solar electricity use in the United States increased by 34% in 2014 versus 2013. This solar technology could turn a standard window into a viable energy source.

Cool Tools: Industry First Cordless Braking Grinder

July 16, 2015 Shane Hedmond

Cordless power tools, revered for their mobility, are getting more powerful and useful in commercial settings every day, due to advancing technology. The gap is quickly closing with regards to power and useful life between corded tools and their cordless counterparts. Cordless tools also come with the added benefit of reducing trip and falls, as there’s no electrical cord laying on the job site.

[Videos] Construction Crane Collapses are Terrifying

July 15, 2015 Shane Hedmond

Cranes are a staple on the construction site, but can cause devastating consequences if something goes wrong and they happen to collapse. In the best case scenario, thousands of dollars worth of equipment or building damage is created and, in the worst case scenario, people’s lives are lost.