Enormous glass sheet dropdown - GIF

Enormous glass sheet dropdown. This is another one of those disciplines that I appreciate and enjoy watching from afar, but I'll probably never participate in. Too delicate, or hot, or shard-in-the-eye risky for me.

I think this is some sort of special table with air flowing up through it, like an air hockey table. Anyone know?

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Previously:

https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...326#post135142
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...137#post120893
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...626#post132735
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...941#post124932
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...978#post120102
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...427#post122254
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...692#post102204
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...573#post110975

I have seen this technique in action at a window sealed unit factory that I had dealings with, It is the safest way to deal with glass panes of that size as the glass could break under its own weight if lowered slowly or mechanically. The tables are just thick felt covered and the natural cushion of air is the buffer in the final contact as can be seen in the short slide before it comes to rest. It looks scary but it works.

I used to work in theatre and film doing set construction, we would often "float" down the walls of the set using the same technique. We once floated 30m of scenery walls in one hit.

Me to. Been in a couple of glass shops over the years. And this is only a felt or a carpet topped work bench. What impressed me more was delivery guys who unloaded a crate of glass like that all be themselves. A liftgate, timing and knowing exactly when to stop and allow the momentum of backing up allow the couple of ton crate to slide off of the truck into the warehouse. Not for the inexperienced, nor the faint of heart!

Glass, as other manufactured panel products are made in very large sizes and cut to the common marketable sizes we encounter. A look at Pilkington's site shows their maximum, for middle to heavy thicknesses, is 11' x 17'! Particle board and MDF are typically 8' x 24'; plywood, by the nature of it's pressing is usually limited to 4 or 5' x 8,9 or 10', with one exception, no longer in business, the Ralph Symonds Plywood Co, 1941-1980. they had an open press and could make 8' x 50' sheets, which they did on a regular basis. Boat decks and hulls were popular uses as well as phenolic faced concrete 'formply'.....transport cost and unloading logistics were a bit difficult, many times being of equal value to the giant sheets! Fortunately, in my 13 yr stint as a panel products distributor in Sydney, I never had to arrange that...cheers, and yes, I think the displaced air provides the cushioning...but the glass guys do indeed make their skilled work look easy...cheers
Jim