3rd. Floor beam soffit formwork in progress

My workers had dismantled all the formworks for the 1st. Floor beams and have moved the formworks to 3rd.Floor and have started setting the 3rd. Floor beam soffit formwork.

3rd Floor beam in progress

The 1st Floor beam soffit formworks and tee supports have been dismantled and moved to the 3rd Floor. Today the workers started to plumb the 3rd Floor columns and also take levels for the 3rd. Floor beams. The progress had slowed down a bit because one of the skilled workers is on leave. The target to concrete the 3rd Floor beams on Thursday may not be met. Most probably it will be delayed by 2 days which means that concreting will be on next Sunday.

Formwork to 3rd Floor column completed

My workers finished fixing the formworks to the 3rd. Floor columns
today. They will continue with the formworks for the 3rd. Floor beams tomorrow. They will remove the soffit formworks from the 1st Floor beams and move them to the 3rd Floor.

"It is a painful thing to look at your own trouble and know that you yourself and no one else has made it." - Sophocles (496 BC-406 BC)

Selamat Menyambut Maal Hijrah 1403

To all my Muslim readers

Steel reinforcement to 3rd. Floor column fixed

My workers have already fixed the steel reinforcement for the 3rd Floor columns and have started fixing the formworks for the 3rd. Floor columns. Once the column formworks are up they will proceed to fix the soffit formworks for the 3rd. Floor beams. The soffit formworks for the 1st. Floor beam will be first dismantled and transferred to the 3rd. Floor. I have targeted this Thursday for concreting the 3rd. Floor beams. Tomorrow is Awal Muharram which is a public holiday. Anyhow, my workers will be working.

Common problems in new birdhouses

Harry wrote about the most common problems in new birdhouses and points raised are very true. I had passed through quite a number of standalone birdhouses in the evening and I hardly see any swiftlets flying around the birdhouse. The failure could be one of the reasons mentioned by Harry. Another point which Harry did not mention is the dog kennel entrance which is commonly practiced by the Malay consultants in Kuala Terengganu which is obviously too narrow and too small for the swiftlets' comfort when entering the birdhouse. This type of entry from my observation will discourage the swiftlets from entering the birdhouse.

Side formwork to 2nd Floor beam stripped

My workers finished stripping the side formworks for the 2nd Floor beams and will next strip the formwork for the 2nd. Floor columns. At the same time the 3rd. Floor column steel reinforcement will be fixed.

Those who improve with age embrace the power of personal growth and personal achievement and begin to replace youth with wisdom, innocence with understanding, and lack of purpose with self-actualization. - Bo Bennett

My workers are resting today

Today is a weekend in Kuala Terengganu and my workers choose to take a rest after a hectic day concreting yesterday. I took the opportunity to visit my other farm, that is, Tirok Swiftlet Farm. Since my last visit about 2 weeks ago, there seems to be more bird shits on the 2nd. Floor. Besides the 1st marking which was there 2 weeks ago another marking had just appeared. The 1st marking had also increased slightly in size. I also took the time to check the birdnests on the Ground Floor and 1st. Floor. I decided to harvest those nests which already have babies 2 to 3 times and currently empty. I managed to harvest a total of 10 nests. These nests will be processed for home consumption.

2nd. Floor Beam completed

Eventhough today is Christmas Day which is a public holiday my workers still work. They managed to finish concreting the 2nd. Floor columns and beams. The mobile crane arrived as expected but I had to pay RM650 instead of RM500 for the rental. Today's weather is rather bad and it has been drizzling interspersed with heavy rain the whole day and luckily my workers managed to complete their works without any interruptions.

Merry Christmas

2nd. Floor beam ready to receive concrete

My workers have put in the steel reinforcement into the 2nd. Floor beam formwork and the beams are ready for concreting. I have booked the mobile crane and because tomorrow is a public holiday I have to pay an extra of RM150. I have decided to proceed with the concreting in order to keep progress according to schedule. With progress at 1 week per floor the RC structure will be completed by 1st. week of January 2009. After this I shall proceed with the floor construction consisting of timber joists and cement board. I will not be using RC suspended slab. The 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor and Roof joists will be red meranti timber and act as nesting planks, killing 2 birds with one stone. I will not be showing any floor plans in my blog. I will only show pictures of work in progress. To find out the details, just keep track of the progress.

2nd. Floor beam formwork completed

The 2nd. Floor beam formwork were completed today and ready to receive the steel reinforcement. My workers will place the steel reinforcement into the formwork tomorrow and the beam will be ready for concreting on Thursday. Unfortunately, Thursday is Christmas Day and a public holiday. I have enquired on the rental of mobile crane and was told that I have to pay extra, that is, RM650 instead of the usual RM500, due to the public holiday. I will decide whether to proceed with the concreting tomorrow after discussing with my workers.


"I would prefer even to fail with honor than to win by cheating." - Sophocles (496 BC-406 BC)

2nd. Floor beam in progress

My workers have commenced dismantling the T props for the 1st Floor beams. However, they are only taking down alternate props leaving behind props in between to support the beam until the concrete mature and reach the desired strength (at least 14 days). The retrieved props will be used to supplement the new props being constructed (see photo) to support the soffit formwork for the 2nd. Floor beams.


In life, all good things come hard, but wisdom is the hardest to come by. - Lucille Ball

Formwork to 2nd Floor column completed

My workers managed to complete erecting the formwork for the 2nd. Floor columns. They will start to fix the soffit for the 2nd. Floor beams tomorrow. I have to order additional plywood to make the soffit because the soffit for the 1st. Floor beams could not be removed yet. They will wait for 14 days to remove the Ts and soffit. These Ts and soffit formwork will be used for the 3rd. Floor Beams.


"Those who are free of resentful thoughts surely find peace" . - Buddha .

Steel reinforcement to 2nd. Floor column in progress

My workers while stripping the side formworks for the 1st. Floor beams have also started to fix the steel reinforcement for the 2nd. Floor columns. After the steel reinforcement to the 2nd Floor column are in place, the formworks for the columns will be put in place surrounding the steel reinforcement. This will be followed by the soffit for the 2nd. Floor Beams. I have discussed with my kepala (head of the workers)and decided that unlike earlier on, the 2nd Floor columns and beams will be cast at the same time. In this way the workers could save a bit of energy and time on casting the columns because they do not have to transport the concrete manually. They will be using the mobile crane to transport the concrete. With the columns and beams cast at the same time, the mobile crane will be stretched to its limit. The last time I rented the mobile crane, it finished lifting by about 3.00 pm and I still had to pay the full rental.

No work on site today.

My workers used to work for half a day on Friday, which is a weekend in Kuala Terengganu. However, they didn't work today. They are having a good rest after having to concrete the whole 1st. Foor beams yesterday. Before finishing work yesterday, they had lifted the steel reinforcements and formwork for the 2nd Floor columns to the 1st. Floor.

We learned in World War II that no single nation holds a monopoly on wisdom, morality or right to power, but that we must fight for the weak and promote democracy. - Joe Baca

1st. Floor beam completed.

My workers finished concreting the 1st beam at around 1.30pm today. With the mobile crane still around, they will usthe mobile crane to lift the already assembled reinforcement for the 2nd Floor column to their positions. The formworks for the 2nd Floor are also e ready will also be lifted up for erection.

1st. Floor beam ready for concreting

My workers had finished fixing the steel reinforcement bars for the 1st. Floor beam and will be placing the concrete tomorrow. I have to book the mobile crane today and managed to get the rental reduce to RM500.00 per day because of the further reduction in fuel prices.

I came back to Kuala Terengganu last night and visited the site today. I took a few photographs of the site for the readers to see the progress made so far.

"Two things are infinite: The universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein

Steel reinforcement to 1st. Floor beam in progress.

After fixing the side formworks to the 1st. Floor beam yesterday, my workers today commence placing the steel bars and links into the formworks. My order of steel bars had also arrived today. This mean that work on site can proceed as planned.

In my earlier post I mentioned that swiftlets were not seen in the 'walit sentral' as well as along the flight path when the wind are strong. They could be taking refuge in the Tasik Kenyir or elsewhere in the oil palm plantations. My guess might be right. Today on my way back from Kuala Lumpur to Kuala Terengganu at around 6.00 pm, I came across hundreds of swiftlets enjoying themselves in an oil palm plantation beside the East Coast Highway near the Jabor Toll Plaza. I managed to video tape the swiftlets flying in that area.

1st. Floor beam ready to receive steel reinforcement

My workers have finished putting up the side formworks for the 1st. Floor beam and will start to place the steel reinforcement bars tomorrow. However, there are shortage of 16mm diameter high tensile bars. I had placed order and expected to be delivered by either tomorrow or day after tomorrow.


I read the column Global Trends by Martin Khor in STAR News today. It is titled "Spend the trillions on climate". This is really a good article as the writer called for the two crises of our time - economic recession and global warming — to be tackled together. The trillions of dollars earmarked for economic recovery can be spent to fight climate change. For To read the full article, visit Tirok's Blog.

" Humility is the only true wisdom by which we prepare our minds for all the possible changes of life." - George Arliss

1st. Floor beam soffit formwork completed

My workers had completed the 1st Floor beam soffit formwork and have proceeded to fix the side formwork. I will not be using RC suspended slab for the 1st. Floor. Instead, I am using 12mm thick asbestos free cement board sitting on 2" x 4" timber spaced at 2' 0" centers both ways. This floor will be fixed after the 1st.Floor RC beams are completed.

While shopping in One Utama yesterday, came across a humidifier that atracts my attention. Its the OSIM uMist. Besides only costing RM368, it gives out cool mist and negative ions. this hunidifier is for home use and the con is that the water have to be refilled every 2 days. If this humidifier can be modified to include a float it would be good for the birdhouse. It is much better than the Taiwan humidifiier which are rather noisy and wet the floor. Besides it gives out negative ions which is equivalent to fresh air near a waterfall and I am sure swiftlets will love this environment. There are cheaper versions which cost less than RM200 but they give out both positive and negative ions which is less effective in producing fresh air. Perhaps, someone can use this technology to produce humidifiers for swiftlet farming.

I like the post by West Wing in the Low.net forum today. Here is what he has to say,
"I always like to say that I provide a Swiftlets Sanctuary, a place the Swiftlets can call HOME. A place like their home in the cave which has been disturbed and destroyed by greedy human. I use the word Rancher or ranching because the authority mentioned so. "SANCTUARY" should be the right and true word to use and we only take used nests and we allow the birds to breed and we make the environment as similar and as close as possible like in the cave. We even try to outdo each other in doing so by using automatic equipments and scientific methods in trying to accomplish these. We even protect the swiftlets for predators, harm and keep them warm.........the worst enemy.............. human being."

If you look at my blog address, it is swiftlethaven. That's exactly what I intend to provide for the swiftlets and The Hollow will be about me transforming my ideals into reality, a sanctuary for swiftlets. So, readers keep track of my progress and wait until completion to see what materialises.

"The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly" . - Buddha ...

Work continued on the 1st. Floor Beam.

My workers continued to fixed the soffit (tai pan) for the 1st. Floor. I have to order more 2" x 3 " timber because the quantity on site is not sufficient to make all the props (Ts) for the 1st. Floor Beam. After having check the level and plumb the soffit, the workers will proceed to fix the side formwork before placing the steel reinforment bars. It will take another few days for them to finish the work. Hopefully by the time I goes back on 16th December 2008, the 1st. Floor beam will be ready for concreting. I target this coming Thursday for pouring the concrete.

There are 2 articles in the STAR newspaper today on swiftlet farming. To read the articles, visit Tirok's Blog

Workers working on Friday

Today is a weekend in Kuala Terengganu but my workers are working for half a day before Friday prayers. They had stripped the formwork for the ground floor columns and started fixing the formwork for the 1st. Floor beam.

I will be away on holiday from 12th to 16th December 2008 and I will be keeping track of the progress through phone. For this period there will be no photographs of work in progress.

Ground floor column completed

My workers commence concreting the ground floor column this morning and finished concreting all of them (16 Nos) in the afternoon. The next step is constructing the 1st Floor beam which my workers will start this Saturday.


Yesterday, I mentioned that I did not see swiftlets in the sky. Today, I saw swiftlets in the sky but rather few even in KT town (the walit sentral). In the late afternoon, I saw quite a lot of swiftlets making their way back to town. They flew low and seems to be struggling against the wind. I was at my Tirok Swiftlet Farm to observe the swiftlets coming back from 7.00pm to 7.20pm and glad to inform that they came back in drove.


"If we don't know life, how can we know death?"
-Confucius-

Formworks for ground floor column in place.

My workers have fixed the steel reinforcemnt bars and links and erected the formwork for the ground floor column. All the formworks are in place and they only need to plumb and level the formwork before they commence concreting. I have orderd some more sand and cement for the concreting tomorrow.



Today, I noticed something unusual. Guess what?. I didn't see any swiftlets in the sky at all. Where have they gone? Does anyone out there have any clue. The last few days were very windy. Winds from the North-east Monsoon were blowing very strongly and probably the swiftlets do not have the stamina to fly back fighting the strong wind and have taken refuge inland, probably in Kenyir Lake and the oil palm plantations in Jerangau, Kertih, Bukit Besi, Ceneh and Sungai Tong. Perhaps, readers staying in these areas can tell us whether they see any swiftlets these few days. I heard from a friend who used to repair and renovate birdhouses in KT town that swiftlets did not not return home because of the strong wind and let the baby swiftlets starve to death.

I made an effort to visit one of the feeding grounds near Kg. Tirok and what I saw are only swallows hanging on electric wire. There is not a single swiftlet in sight.

Work resumed on the ground floor column

Fortunately today's weather is fine. My workers have started preparing the formwork for the ground floor column and I expect them to fix the steel reinforcement and formwork by today so that concreting can be carried out tomorrow.

When going through Lowyat.NET Forum on Swiftlet Farming, I came across a post introducing a new swiftlet blog, http://swiftletheaven.blogspot.com. I got a shock at first because the address is almost similar to mine. On checking my blog address again I found the difference in the spelling of heaven. Mine is spealt as haven. Checking the thesaurus on my side bar, the findings for both words are:

Main Entry: heaven
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: place where God lives; wonderful feeling
Synonyms: afterworld, Arcadia, atmosphere, azure*, beyond, bliss, Canaan, dreamland, ecstasy, Elysium, empyrean, enchantment, eternal home, eternal rest, eternity, fairyland, felicity, firmament, glory, great unknown, happiness, happy hunting ground*, harmony, heights, hereafter, immortality, kingdom, kingdom come, life everlasting, life to come, next world, nirvana, paradise, pearly gates, promised land*, rapture, Shangri-la*, sky*, the blue, transport, upstairs, Utopia, wonderland, Zion

Main Entry: haven
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: refuge, port
Synonyms: anchorage, asylum, cover, covert, harbor, harborage, retreat, roadstead, sanctuary, sanctum, shelter

Congratulations Waletkedah !. You have joined the increasing numbers of professionals blogging about swiftlet farming, indirectly helping to publicize and demystifying swiftlet farming or swiftlet ranching as you call it. Let's make swiftlet farming an investment that is respectable and envied by all.


I have finished editing the Front Elevation of The Hollow and I uploaded below for viewing.

Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Adha

Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Adha to all my Muslim friends. Today is the day of sacrifice. Most of the shops are closed and you can't get nasi dagang today. However, there are a lot of daging korban available. Tomorrow is still a public holiday in Kuala Terengganu. However, my workers will work tomorrow provided it doesn't rain. Looking at weather.com, the cloud formation looks threatening. Lets hope and pray that tomorrow's weather is fine.

Today, I edited the back elevation of The Hollow and I uploaded for all to see.



"Always respect another's opinion and another's point of view"
- Sri Sathya Sai Baba -

Another day wasted.

It continued to rain heavily this morning and as a result my workers did not turn up. . This is the 2nd day running that there are no activity on site. Tomorrow and day after tomorrow are public holidays in Kuala Terengganu because of Hari Raya Haji. Tomorrow for certain the workers will not be working. However. they will resume work day after tomorrow and hopefully, there is no rain.

I have managed to come up with the final drawings for The Hollow and I will paste a copy on site for the workers to refer. I have scanned all the drawings into my computer and I will do some editing using Photoshop before I print and give a copy to my partner for his reference.

I haved edited the side elevation and I uploaded for all to see.


"Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life."
- Confucius -

Its raining again

My workers could not work today as it has been raining since early in the morning. The rain today is quite heavy and if they were to continue until tomorrow, there will be flood again. Looking at the weather at weather.com, the weather is not going to improve in the next 24 hours. Have a look at the cloud formation at 8.00pm today below.



There is a visitor at the site today. I managed to capture this visitor in the videos below.

My workers still work on Friday

Today is Friday, a weekend in Kuala Terengganu. However, my workers choose to work for half a day before they go for Friday prayers. They managed to strip all the side formworks for the ground beams and they have also started to prepare the rebars for the ground floor column for fixing.

Luckily, I got back my camera. The truth is I dropped my camera on my bedroom floor without realising it while taking off my belt to ease myself. The camera got lodged somewhere on my bed and its my wife who found it. I am so happy because I don't have to cough out my savings to get a replacement especially during this lean time.


This evening, I spent some time in my Tirok Swiftlet Farm watching the swiftlets flying and entering the birdhouse. I tried out Harry's Black Cloud, alternating between my 'Monsoon' to see the swiftlets response and my conclusion is that the Black Cloud is a good sound and attracts swiftlets into the farm but my 'Monsoon' is slightly better. The numbers of swiftlets entering the birdhouse is beyond my expectation and seeing the swiftlets surging in at 6.45pm is euphoric. Usually the swiftlets used to return around 7.15 pm but today the numbers at 6.45pm exceeded the numbers entering at 7.15pm before this. This is just wonderful. I expect to see more bird shits on the 2nd floor when I enter the birdhouse the next time and hopefully there are a few nest marks already. For my readers information, the 'Monsoon' is my own editing after hours of listening to all the bird sounds that I have and watching the swiftlet's response to these sounds. The selected sounds are identified and edited by cutting and pasting into one file using Audacity. Harry has got a copy of my 'Monsoon'. Initially, I called this composition 'rojak' but from now on I shall call it 'Monsoon' to give it some recognition.