New Pole Barn project getting started.

[Darrenone]

Sometimes you need the little dudes to fit in tight spaces.
Looks like a good worker

Yep, he's my little tractor freak. According to him, the L3130 is his and he just let's me use it until he can drive it without me. Very thoughtful of the boy. He drives my cub cadet zero turn mower (not with the mower engaged of corse, his mother forbids it) better then my wife. He is very cautious and has never run into anything. He has a little 4 wheeler of his own but prefers to drive my wife's Yamaha 350. At 5 yo he can operate the backhoe ( and do it very well), drive a dozer and operate a mini excavator. He knows that you have to work hard to get the things you want.

 

[Darrenone]

My little man. Sorry that these are off topic

 

[srs]

Darrenone, Looks great! FWIW I would add quite a few diagonal braces to the underside of the trusses to keep them from folding over in high winds. It looks like you have a few in place but the more the better. The diagonal braces will really tighten the trusses up and make it a lot safer, and only costs a few bucks for the 2 X 4's. Just my 2 cents of course!!

 

[Darrenone]

Darrenone, Looks great! FWIW I would add quite a few diagonal braces to the underside of the trusses to keep them from folding over in high winds. It looks like you have a few in place but the more the better. The diagonal braces will really tighten the trusses up and make it a lot safer, and only costs a few bucks for the 2 X 4's. Just my 2 cents of course!!

Thanks srs. Before we left for the day we added quite a few diagonal braces to the trusses for just the reasons you mentioned. Last summer a huge pole barn 10 miles from me had all the trusses blown over and it was a disaster. I want to get all the permanent purlins on and all the bracing on as quick as possible. Just not as young as I once was and climbing the trusses is a much slower process now. I do appreciate the input as I appreciate all the help I can get.

 

[Depmandog]

I added two strong backs (one flat 2x4 and a 2x4 on each side sitting on its side) which formed a trough - placed one along each future row of lights (on top of the bottom rafter). Really added strength to the roofing system plus made a nifty wire tray.

I have also used it as an anchor point a few times to hoist something out of my truck (before my FEL was purchased).

You can fab sections on the ground, staggering the joints of all three boards.

 

[Darrenone]

Ok, I worked both Saturday and Sunday and only managed to get the purlins up. Frustrating but at the same time it is progress.

 

[Darrenone]

Progress is frustratingly so but we are gaining.

 

[beppington]

With that big tractor you have there you could have easily made a jib and set those trusses by yourself and saved even more $$$.

That's what we did: Strapped a long 4x4 alongside 1 of the long teeth on my grapple-bottom bucket, attached trusses to it 1 at a time, & lifted & set them in place. Worked very well. Poles are 16' tall (above ground) & trusses are 4/12 slope which equated to 4' tall in the middle, so total height jib had to reach was ~20'. That was about the extent of what my jib concoction could reach, but if it needed to be higher we would've just made a longer jib. Trusses don't weigh much individually, not mine anyway (24' long trusses span + 2' overhang) .. I could carry 1 by myself ... just couldn't lift it 16' high

 

[Daronspicher]

Very cool project, thanks for sharing so much about it.

For the two tone tin on the walls.

Is the lower piece still metal, or is that a no rust plastic thing?

 

[Darrenone]

Very cool project, thanks for sharing so much about it.

For the two tone tin on the walls.

Is the lower piece still metal, or is that a no rust plastic thing?

Hey Daronspicher, thanks. The lower section is the same metal as the upper. The ideal is just to break up the wall and hopefully look a little nicer. No other reason