A small pole building for the PT

[BillCroasmun]

Brad,
Thanks for the comments. I was trying to reposition them using a combination of straddling the hole, bear hugging and lifting or by hitting with a sledge. I'll try adjusting via chain and pulling tonight to see if I get better results.

Since I am still early in the game I am contemplating repulling the two corners furthest left in the photo and moving them as far right in the hole as I can to get the overhang in the gable end. I know those holes didn't get dug right on due to a couple big rocks so I may be somewhat limited. If I can get it 23'6" so the roofing goes 3" over each end would that be good?

As for the ground, it drops about 19" from the front right to the back left. Remember this isn't all enclosed though. Roof foot print 24x24, enclosed area is 16x16 off of the back right corner post. The enclosed area has a leveled 15' deep x 8' wide level slag area you can see in the photo. I'll fill and level the other half of the enclosd area after I'm done building. This may sound a bit backwards but I'm going to experiment with some retaining options.

The unenclosed area provides a fairly gentle slope to walk, and drive the tractor, from the higher drive down to the lower back yard. The front 6' overhang area I know I will keep just as is, the other 8' overhang left of the enlosed area may need to get some dirt to level a picnic table but it will be only a few inches at most.

 

[BillCroasmun]

Thought everyone might like to see a brief video of me pulling a post with the bucket of the tractor. This is actually a "simulation". I was only lifting it here for filming purposes. When I actually lifted it I centered the bucket and had a tow strap/cinch strap going around the pole, under the bucket and to the arms. This was to prevent the post from swinging towards me.

After doing this a few times under very controlled situations I do have a few tips if someone else were to try this.

1. You should mount your block as high as you can and still be able to clear your hole. This adds stability.
2. Make sure to use the strap mentioned to keep the top end from swinging your way!
3. Don't pull the bucket back too far! If the bottom of the bucket comes into contact with the post and the top of the post were to move away from you the bucket could pry your support block off.
4. If I were going to do several of these again I would also clamp some blocks on the bucket to stop any side to side movement. I didn't have any issues here but do see how that could cause an issue.

Obviously the most importance piece is to be careful! A ROPS would be a very good idea. That being said I felt very comfortable with it once I did this a few times.

I think if I were to build another pole barn by myself I would use this method to set the posts. Drive up to the posts, raise bucket to the max, bring back down about 8 inches for ground clearance after lifting, tip the bucket up until the bottom is perpindicular to the ground then tip it out enough to offset the bottom 4 to 5 inches. Mount block up the post the same distance the bucket lip is to the ground. Walk your posts up on end to rest against bucket. Add saftey straps then lift it up and drive it to the hole and set it almost straight down.

Just noticed there is no video support on the forum so I'm zipping the video.

 

[Brad_Blazer]

I didn't really mean use the chain to move the position of the post - just to pull it out of the ground.
The bottom of the post needs to be in the right spot and the hole needs to allow it to be vertical. I just lever the bottom over by tilting the post, then return it to plumb. If the hole doesn't allow that I pull the post out and dig. If there is much dirt around the bottom of the post it will not move where you want it to unless you clean the hole out again.

Here is my pole barn. The posts are inches from perfection mostly because of size differences but I planned for that in the design. It has log walls now (firewood stacked between the posts )



3" of overhang is less than ideal but it should function.

Brad

Photobucket.com will allow you to post videos with thumbnail links.

 

[hankus]

Don't know about anyone else but I'm unable to read your zip file. I get a message that the posted file is invalid or corrupted.

 

[Barryh]

Thought everyone might like to see a brief video of me pulling a post with the bucket of the tractor. This is actually a "simulation". I was only lifting it here for filming purposes. When I actually lifted it I centered the bucket and had a tow strap/cinch strap going around the pole, under the bucket and to the arms. This was to prevent the post from swinging towards me.

After doing this a few times under very controlled situations I do have a few tips if someone else were to try this.

1. You should mount your block as high as you can and still be able to clear your hole. This adds stability.
2. Make sure to use the strap mentioned to keep the top end from swinging your way!
3. Don't pull the bucket back too far! If the bottom of the bucket comes into contact with the post and the top of the post were to move away from you the bucket could pry your support block off.
4. If I were going to do several of these again I would also clamp some blocks on the bucket to stop any side to side movement. I didn't have any issues here but do see how that could cause an issue.

Obviously the most importance piece is to be careful! A ROPS would be a very good idea. That being said I felt very comfortable with it once I did this a few times.

I think if I were to build another pole barn by myself I would use this method to set the posts. Drive up to the posts, raise bucket to the max, bring back down about 8 inches for ground clearance after lifting, tip the bucket up until the bottom is perpindicular to the ground then tip it out enough to offset the bottom 4 to 5 inches. Mount block up the post the same distance the bucket lip is to the ground. Walk your posts up on end to rest against bucket. Add saftey straps then lift it up and drive it to the hole and set it almost straight down.

Just noticed there is no video support on the forum so I'm zipping the video.

Bill, sounds like you have your hands full. Hang in there, wish I knew a little more about building pole barns. Looks like your getting some good input from other members here. Can't wait to see more pictures of the progress.

Sounds like you may be getting a little frustrated. Take a time out go have a beer or something and come back to it. When this is completed your going to feel a real since of accomplishment. Man where would we be without our beloved tractors. Nice footage of the PT lifting that post.

 

[BillCroasmun]

Brad, I think the repositioning problem deals with me having a bunch of pea gravel size stones at the bottom of the hole. The post doesn't slide well on it (when using my sledge to adjust it), when I lift it and reset it down it seems to be settling in to the gravel and shifting around. Also, I can not get the small gravel out with the maual post hole digger since it is so small.

I think I am OK now though... last night my brain started working a little better.


hankus, Did you try re-downloading? It sounds like Barry was able to see it. Maybe I used a later compression setting that is keeping an earlier zip program from working. If you still can't get it let me know and I'll double check my settings and reload.

Barry, Thanks for the encouragement! I'm normally a fairly laid back optomistic type personality but I think this cold I'm fighting off has my tolerance levels way below normal. The wife mentioned I was a bit "snappy" the last couple days as well.

So to the members of the forum I apologize for any recent belly aching, and for the wife... I probably owe her a dinner somewhere

 

[hankus]

hankus, Did you try re-downloading? It sounds like Barry was able to see it. Maybe I used a later compression setting that is keeping an earlier zip program from working. If you still can't get it let me know and I'll double check my settings and reload.

I tried downloading the file on 4 seperate PC's here in the house. 3 XP's and 1 Vista, and all 4 reported "The compressed (zipped) folder..... is invalid".

I downloaded a copy of PKWare's zip reader for one of my desktop PC's and it failed to read the file. I even when as far as asking my wife to download the file to her desktop and try opening it, and she couldn't. She prefers Firefox to Internet Explorer thinking it might be a browser issue.

Don't know?? I'm enjoying reading the thread as I just finished my own tractor shed. A pole building would have been much cheaper in my case.

 

[BillCroasmun]

Video zip file try two!

Hope this works for you... after all this work I'm afraid it may be disappointing. It's just a quick camera phone video from the driver seat. I should have had the wife take it from further back.

Nice looking shed hankus! That's something to be proud of.

 

[hankus]

Nothing different with the newer zip file. It's too **** funny, because all the other zipped file material I download still works just fine. Don't worry about it, problem has to be on my end.... but on 5 seperate pc's????

 

[BillCroasmun]

Progress!

OK, I finished my re-positioning have all the posts where they will be staying. Out of the 13 there are three that I couldn't position where they should be due to the holes being off because of rock or root.

The posts affected will not throw anything off, for example one of the exposed "porch" posts is off about 4 inches but it's in line with the header. For some it may be a noticable thing that would drive them nuts... for me, I probably will forget about it before the summers up.

I then put up two of the 16' 2x12 headers and 1 of the 16' 2x4 girts.

He's a poor camera phone photo I forgot to take until the sun had started to set.

If you look carefully above the ladder you'll see the 4' level I have bungee corded to the girt.