Art told us the SIP truck was scheduled to arrive between 8:00 and 10:00 am so we decided to sleep in a bit and get caught up with some work. We arrived at the site around 10:00 am and there were SIPs piled high around the cul-de-sac. The truck was long gone! It didn't look like there were enough panels for the whole house, including the roof. As we later learned, two more trucks would follow with the remaining panels. The crane had arrived but not the operator who was Amish. He could operate the crane but not drive it to the site!
Art and his crew were busy raising the replacement braces that had arrived safely on the SIP truck and a couple of other smaller (!) beams that they could manage with the help of the Traverse.
Today presented the biggest challenge of the entire job - installing the beams at the peak of the house. The first thing the crane did after it was in position was to lift a 25 foot piece of scaffolding that was supported by the "basket" (the red platform on the Traverse's forks) and carefully threaded through two top beams already in position. At one point Art realized they forgot to put one of the braces on the Traverse before it was raised. But the Traverse and the crane were already occupied, so Art put the brace on his shoulder and climbed up the ladder. Now that's back breaking work! And, Murphy was at work on this one...Art had grabbed the wrong brace so this time Chip carried the replacement brace up the ladder! (see the pictures!)
The most difficult piece to put in place was actually a "sub-assembly' of two rafters and a perlin (the perlin connects two rafters) which formed a large H. The rafters are each 17 feet long and the perlin, 16.5 feet long. This was one LARGE assembly that had to be lifted up and over the peak. Other than the drone of the crane and the wine of the generator, no one said a word as we watched it swing and sway as the crane hoisted it slowly and carefully up into the sky. I suspect I wasn't the only one holding my breath! Art attached a rope to the one corner to help guide it but with something that massive, a piece of rope wasn't terribly effective! As the operator lowered the piece into place there was a man at every corner to guide each beam into the designated slot. How critical it was that this assembly and the rest of the structure be 'square' or all four pieces wouldn't fit. As they were trying to wedge it into place the whole assembly slipped a couple of inches. It made quite a loud noise and I shrieked, totally forgetting that the crane was still holding it, just not taught! After getting three corners securely in place they detached the crane sling and attached it to the horizontal beam at the peak. The crane actually lifted the whole house which created enough give to pop in the fourth corner. Whew! What a relief when that one was done!
After that challenge I think they decided to take a breather and install some easier beams. The next two beams were the ones we were waiting to see - the year 2010 was hand carved in to each one. One carving will be visible when you walk in our front door and the other will be visible from the great room. The first beam glided into place but the second one almost got away from the crane operator. It was swinging too much and hit adjacent beams several times. I winced and cringed every time it hit. I think the operator was a little overwhelmed at that point.
Ralph and I had an appointment so sadly we had to leave for about an hour and a half. By the time we returned everything was completed including one final complex section of joinery which formed an inverted V in the great room. While the crew cleaned up we walked around the perimeter of the house, admiring the structure from all angles.
In just two and half days the timber was raised - how amazing! Looking at the structure I realized it was even more beautiful than anything I had seen in the all the books I have through for so many years. I realized it exceeded my expectations and my dreams.
Tomorrow is SIP day - we are curious to see how they are installed. Where do they start? How are they attached to each other and the plate? How does one go on top of another? How are they installed in areas where there are no timbers? It will be very interesting but at the same time it is almost a shame to cover up all that wood!
Art and his crew were busy raising the replacement braces that had arrived safely on the SIP truck and a couple of other smaller (!) beams that they could manage with the help of the Traverse.
Today presented the biggest challenge of the entire job - installing the beams at the peak of the house. The first thing the crane did after it was in position was to lift a 25 foot piece of scaffolding that was supported by the "basket" (the red platform on the Traverse's forks) and carefully threaded through two top beams already in position. At one point Art realized they forgot to put one of the braces on the Traverse before it was raised. But the Traverse and the crane were already occupied, so Art put the brace on his shoulder and climbed up the ladder. Now that's back breaking work! And, Murphy was at work on this one...Art had grabbed the wrong brace so this time Chip carried the replacement brace up the ladder! (see the pictures!)
The most difficult piece to put in place was actually a "sub-assembly' of two rafters and a perlin (the perlin connects two rafters) which formed a large H. The rafters are each 17 feet long and the perlin, 16.5 feet long. This was one LARGE assembly that had to be lifted up and over the peak. Other than the drone of the crane and the wine of the generator, no one said a word as we watched it swing and sway as the crane hoisted it slowly and carefully up into the sky. I suspect I wasn't the only one holding my breath! Art attached a rope to the one corner to help guide it but with something that massive, a piece of rope wasn't terribly effective! As the operator lowered the piece into place there was a man at every corner to guide each beam into the designated slot. How critical it was that this assembly and the rest of the structure be 'square' or all four pieces wouldn't fit. As they were trying to wedge it into place the whole assembly slipped a couple of inches. It made quite a loud noise and I shrieked, totally forgetting that the crane was still holding it, just not taught! After getting three corners securely in place they detached the crane sling and attached it to the horizontal beam at the peak. The crane actually lifted the whole house which created enough give to pop in the fourth corner. Whew! What a relief when that one was done!
After that challenge I think they decided to take a breather and install some easier beams. The next two beams were the ones we were waiting to see - the year 2010 was hand carved in to each one. One carving will be visible when you walk in our front door and the other will be visible from the great room. The first beam glided into place but the second one almost got away from the crane operator. It was swinging too much and hit adjacent beams several times. I winced and cringed every time it hit. I think the operator was a little overwhelmed at that point.
Ralph and I had an appointment so sadly we had to leave for about an hour and a half. By the time we returned everything was completed including one final complex section of joinery which formed an inverted V in the great room. While the crew cleaned up we walked around the perimeter of the house, admiring the structure from all angles.
In just two and half days the timber was raised - how amazing! Looking at the structure I realized it was even more beautiful than anything I had seen in the all the books I have through for so many years. I realized it exceeded my expectations and my dreams.
Tomorrow is SIP day - we are curious to see how they are installed. Where do they start? How are they attached to each other and the plate? How does one go on top of another? How are they installed in areas where there are no timbers? It will be very interesting but at the same time it is almost a shame to cover up all that wood!