IN A SECLUDED FOREST, NOT TOO FAR AWAY........

There stood a Totem Pole. It was carved almost thirty years ago from a single Redwood log. It was set in a concrete base about four feet square.

Although its characters remained bright and alert, it suffered from the elements of weather and insects.

When I was called in to take a look,.."Max", the property owner wanted to try and extend the life of the pole without having take the pole down. It was so rotten at the bottom, he was afraid it would blow down in the next big wind. I devised an idea for a steel spine that would be routered into the back of the totem pole. The person who carved it had the foresight to cut a groove down the back of the totem pole, so that it wouldn't check or crack. It was widened to accommodate the spine.

The spine was a "T" shaped piece about seven feet tall. It was fitted into a slot in the back of the pole, and then bolted down to the original 4 X 4 foot base. The pole was attached to the spine with two giant "U" brackets. The brackets fit in the grooves between the Totems. Then, the footing was capped with new concrete to cover the steel feet of the spine. It will probably outlast us all.