Spencer's Pole Barn Project

[Spencer]

Re: Spencer\'s Pole Barn Project

Well maybe one more photo. This is an aerial view taken from Google Earth. This is a few years old so it does not show the pole barn yet, but it does show the site for the barn. This must have been taken after I pulled out all the stumps and started filling the site with fill sand. There could even be a pole or two in the ground, it is just not a good enough resolution to tell. The fill sand sure does stick out next to all of the trees. You can also see my "storage yard" where I keep all of my tractor implements. I sure would like to build some sort of shelter in the "storage yard" to keep them in, but I guess I better finish this barn first.

 

[Spencer]

Re: Spencer\'s Pole Barn Project

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Long time in the works but very nice job. I'n a way, I feel that I have been a part of this project after watching the photo's in progress. You sure have given me many ideas plus the encouragment to try the big projects.
When this is finished whats the next project?
PJ )</font>

Thanks PJ, I'm just concentrating on getting this thing far enough along to get my final inspection. It sure will be nice to be able to work in the barn instead of on the barn.

 

[Spencer]

Re: Spencer\'s Pole Barn Project

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Spencer - What tool/method did you use to cut the siding for Gable ends. thanks )</font>

Dullpain, I used a 9" Morse Metal Devil circular saw with a 68 tooth blade specifically designed for cutting thin steel.
http://www.metaldevil.com/evolution.html

This is the same saw as the Evolution 230Xtreme
http://www.evolutionpowertools.com/usa/usaevolution230xtreme.htm

 

[Spencer]

Re: Spencer\'s Pole Barn Project

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Barn is looking ood. In one of the photos it looks like some trees are awefully close to the building. Perhaps it is jsut the photo. Are you concerned at all about falling trees or limbs as an endangerment to the barn?

Also how is your life going? As I reacall somewhere in this thread I think you quit your job, too many days on the road, I think it was. Perhaps I am thinking of someone else.

I was not able to view the webcam as i didn't want to sign in. however I am enjoying the photographs you are attaching.

I hope you will take this with a smile, and that is how it is intended. I am always wondering who will finish first. You with your barn or Harv with his Building a pond. Now I know Harv has the pond basically built but do to the drought in the area he has not displayed any photos with water in it (that I am aware of correct me anyone if I am wrong about that).

Between harv's pond project and your barn I wonder who will finish first. Seems liket here should be some kind of trophy, simply for endurance and perserverence. You are an inspiration to all of us. )</font>

ROX, yes there are quite a few trees near the barn. There is no way my wife would have allowed me to take out all of the trees that could possibly fall onto the barn. I try to think of the trees that are real close to the barn as my "blockers". Hopefully they will block any falling trees that are farther away from the barn and stop them before they hit the barn. Ya, thats my story and I'm sticking to it.

Life? Well it has been quite a change for my whole family. My daughter started Kindergarten last fall and I was glad to be home so she could focus on school and not my absence. She seems very secure now and is doing great in school. My wife is also very glad that I am home, but she will be even happier when the barn is "done". Winters had ususally been slow for me at work, but last year and the year before were pretty busy. Before that though I use to only work about 15 days or so from the holidays up until about tax time. I always had to plan my finances accordingly to get me through the winter. That is how I have been getting through this winter. I have been living off of last years profits just like I usually did to get through the winter. Only this year I don't have my normal work to return to in the spring and that has kept me awake more than a few nights. Especially with the ton of money that I have had to shell out for materials to get the barn finished up. I have to start looking into work here real soon, it should be interesting.

As far as who is going to finish first, Harv or I, I am sad to say I haven't had time to keep up with his thread so I don't know how far along he is. I know both Harv and Eddie have some great threads going and I am looking forward to sitting down and reading them someday.

As far as a trophy goes, I think that should go to Muhammad and Hakim for allowing me to keep this thread alive all of these years. I sure hope they have all their data backed up and have backups of their backups. I would hate to lose this archive of my project along with all of the helpful advice and encouragement that I have received.

 

[cjfling]

Re: Spencer\'s Pole Barn Project

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( And, after my experience running a Ditch Witch through only 40' linear feet of cement-like hard pan to install a gas line, I was expecting you to say that it didn't turn out so easy. But, after seeing your pics of that beautiful 400+ foot trench, it looks like you mastered that task pretty good.
)</font>

Don, it wasn't easy at all. The tires on the trencher would load up with the soft sand. The tires looked like they were bald because they had so much sand on them. I kept having to kick the tires to try and knock the sand off of them. There were times when the trencher would just not move any further. For liability reasons I cannot explain my solution to this problem at this time.

A solution for the DW's tires getting clogged up was hooking up an ATV or similar device to the tie down loop between the wheels, below the handle and keeping slight pressure on the DW with the ATV. (Not that I know that from first hand experiance.)