I feel like Spencer junior!

[Anonymous Poster]

Fortunately, I had bolted it together partially, but had not nailed it yet. So I was able to unbolt it, and put the four pieces back up one at a time and then re-clamp it in place and bolt it back together.

What actually happened [took a while to figure out, as I did not bump anything and was moving real smooth when it fell] was that I forgot to remove those sticks that I had nailed to the top of the 2x12 when I was trying to raise it manually. When I curled the bucket back, the sticks pulled the post. The clamps on this end of the post held tighter than the far end. But the far end of the beam only rested on a 2 inch or so shoulder...so it was pulled off that shoulder and fell.

I will have that end bolted solidly later, but was not at that point yet. The clamps I was using were totally adequate to hold things in place in heavy winds...but not string enough to fight the tractor's loader curl power...

If you look carefully at the attached photo, you can see those sticks, now pulled apart, still attached to the 2x12.

Lost an hour or more in the process of putting that beam back up...could have been worse!

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Well the day is almost done, and I am almost caught up on the photos...this photo shows the fallen beam back up and the cross beam that goes over the doorways in progress...

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Another shot from a slightly different angle...

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Final shot from the other side.

This is where I left off today. I used some pipe clamps in combination with 2x4 pieces to make clamps to pull the individual pieces of the built up beams level with one another before nailing or drilling...you can see these at the center of a couple of those beams. Makes a nicer end result.

It's work, but fun too. Better watch out or permaGrin will set in and then I won't get any credit for the work I'm doin'... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Yesterday was a one of those great day...blue skies and not too warm...

Started the day with a run to home depot for some more wood. Mostly 16' 2x8 for rafters. Had high hopes of getting started on the rafters today...I could not believe it would rain again today!

I can't carry too much since it is a passenger van and the wife expects me to keep it in good condition. I miss my old cargo van!!!

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Load of wood is now down at the site...time to get started...

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Beam up 8x12 that crosses the entrances now waiting for the second [outside ] 26 foot 2x12.

I clamped the first three boards together and nailed from both sides before putting up the final one. The final one is also nailed in [I love my newest friend, by the way, a framing nailer] before I bolted the thing together.

I marked the pieces ever three feet and left a 4-inch-wide "no nails" section so I could drill and bolt as I feel like it without having to worry about hitting any nails.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Manually putting up that other long 2x12 was a piece of cake not that there is something to rest it on.

These cheap pipe clamps are wonderful "third hands."

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Before nailing/bolting these built-up beams together, I use clamps to pull them tight and square. Probably not necessary in the vertical direction, but it ends up making things look more even so I take the extra minute to do it. I may have mentioned this before. Here is another example...

I haven't decided how I will secure that end of the beam yet. Those long 2x12s I had on hand were a little short. The center ones fine and the two center ones will offer ample support for any load I put on the beam in the future. I don't really expect to use it for any lifting, so the fact of the matter is that it probably could have been a double 2x8 and functioned fine.

Then again, not that it is there.... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

The beams at the entrance end are pretty much bolted together now.

That top one is long and will stick out beyond the roof. There will be a two foot roof overhang. Since I plan of using the end of that beam as a lifting point, I did not notch the support post, because I wanted all four 2x12s the beam is made up of to carry whatever load I lift. So the beam rests on top of the post and is held in place by 2x6s bolted on each side.

Before things are done here I will probably beef up the bracing somewhat. I think the way it is would probably be fine, but strong is always better and only takes a little time to make happen.