Finally, a barn built with our new connectors

[wroughtn_harv]

Interesting suggestion, the warning labels.

I've been considering different options about the screws. One of the fence products I use gets their self tapping screws out of China and to be honest with you, they're the best ones I've ever used. They're designed to grip well in sixteen gauge but will cut into schedule forty without any problem.

Depending upon the source I've seen self tapping screws have a failure or defective rate up to twenty five percent. One out of about four won't cut worth a flip. These from China not only had a super low failure rate but I also liked the fact that they had number 2 square drive instead of the usual hex head.

I realize some people can mess up filling a swimming pool. But I'm hoping that my product will attract that individual that's got some sense and mechanical skills. The person that's wanting to build someting and they're not really into cookie cutter designs.

What I'd like to think we can offer is an alternative to the weld up option. So the guy that is handy and likes to do it himself so he can get a degree of quality assurance will be able to build his building his way.

One of the facets of my thinking is I see things almost in layers. As each layer is exposed I deal with it. On this product the thickest, toughest, initial layer was designing the clip. Manufacturing has been a bugger bear too because I'm not an engineer type at all.

But I have friends. Some of my friends are smarter'n water. They can go up hill without cohesive friction. And my friends are a lot like some of the employees I've had over the years in one way. And that is I can define an objective and they're better at designing a method to achieve that objective than I ever could.

The next layer for me to deal with is real life hands on exposure to my product by those kinds of people likely to be customers. That's going to happen next Saturday.

At the Josephine get together I'll get to see the questions and reactions I'm sure that will be typical for the kind of individual I'll be wanting for a customer. I will make adjustments to accomodate their reactions if I need to do so.

One of the intereting things in modern life is liablity considerations. I would like to think that I've covered most of that. And I'm hoping that I've got lucky in the design in that the person most likely to screw it up won't be likely to buy my product because of it's complexity.

There is a couple of more issues in the manufacturing process to be worked out and we're going to have the engineering done so we can recommend proper construction parameters for building with the product.

However today my biggest concern is at the pond project. I'll be placing large slabs of sandstone on an aluminum frame using a JCB 506C Loadall.

It's got me nervous.

Next Saturday my attention will be all consumed by the connector debut.

I can't wait.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Can you believe it's been a whole month plus since I've visited this thread?

I've been bad. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

First I have to make an apology. I went into this trying to make a complicated building with a system I've designed for a much simpler application.

This has caused two problems for us. One it has upped the skill level required to fabricate with the brackets. Secondly it has increased the number of brackets required.

As soon as I can I will do another project that is simpler and more likely to be the kind most folks will consider building. I believe a twenty four by twenty four or thirty with eight foot walls more along that line of construction.

However, we've had some success. I say we because I've been out on the road for the past three weeks. Scott and friends have worked to finish what the TBN gang and myself started. He's done quite well in spite of being handicapped by my mistakes I discussed earlier in this thread.

Here's a shot of the roof structure over the lean to.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

This is a shot of what they-we have gotten done as of this morning.

I got in yesterday evening. Scott left for Colorado Thursday morning, something about a renegade elk that deserved being hunted down and killed like a dirty dawg. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif So it'll be a couple more weeks before it's complete.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

One of the complications this building brought to the table was the overhangs or lean to's. They presented spans I wasn't comfortable with handling with only four inch purlins.

So I designed a beam not unlike a laminated beam you see out of lumber at the lumber yard. Two four inch purlins held in place with the brackets at the posts with a six inch purlin vertically between them.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Here's a close up of the south west corner of the west lean to.

The rafters of the lean to were supplemented with three inch purlins to allow the four inch to be used in a vertical position.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

We used the same laminated beam idea over the doors to the shop. I don't believe this would have been necessary, we could have just used the strength of the sheets. But we have rafters coming in mid span. So I adjusted accordingly.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

This might help you see how the ridge is constructed. The rafters come up and are connected via brackets attached to a pipe pilot. The purlins are connected to the rafters using the purlin to purlin brackets.

This picture was taken with a telephoto lens. So the vertial wall structure appears to be inside the ridge construction. It's an optical illusion.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Here it is without the telephoto distortion.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

This system isn't for everyone I know.

But I believe it's a good choice for the individual that wants a metal framed building they can build themselves with a minimum of equipment and help. It also offers the opportuntiy to finish out including doors, windows, and insulation with off the shelf products located at their nearest hardware store.

In this building we're going to cut in a exterior walk door. The steel supply want's three hundred plus for their metal framed door prehung door. It's a great door, worth every penny.

But we're going to use a Home Depot hundred dollar exterior prehung because we can and it's all we really need for this particular installation.

More later.

 

[texredneck]

Great job Harv. I personally like the ole weld up types..but youre right its not for everyone and neither is welding. So youre finding a niche for somoene who wants the building without necessarily the welding. Works for me /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif And just so you know I agree with your sig line... Life is good /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif