A few more big pieces in place.

Today we jumped all over the building. Measurements were checked in readiness to lift the steel beams and the trusses we buit for each end of the vaulted ceiing. Then it was time for a whole lot of climbing and some fancy balancing. The front beam went up in a hurry. A few bolts were tightened up by Harold to complete the process. 

Then it was off to the rear of the house to put up the structural steel for the patio roof. The columns had been put in place yesterday with everyone helping and a little more than a little grunting in the process. The two horizontal beams were first. I did the fastening at the wall end with some good sturdy welds. Next was the rear truss. It too required to be welded into place. A microlam beam through the top completed today's lift. Until we haul the fill into the back area the patio roof looks very tall. The pictutre was taken from ground level which currently is about five feet lower than it will be when we are done.

Once the beamwork was in place we went inside to see how the view would be from inside. The old house is still in the way for now but the mountain view to Vedder Mountain will be gorgeous when we move into the new house and tear the old one down.

We also wandered out to the road to see just how the front of the house was looking with the latest additions. The center window is becoming more and more the focal point of the house and looking less tall - as per plan. I can hardly wait until all the trusses are in place and the overhang is complete. The big trees we are sculpting will complete this picture with grand style.

We've pretty much worked out all of the details in regard to planning rockwork, and trim. I'll be firing up the router tomorrow to work on the first pieces. The crew is busy screwing the mesh to the side of the house in preparation for the fiberglass-reinforced-concrete to come very soon. As soon as a few more trusses are in place next week I'll be working on designing and testing out the eyebrows to see just what we will do. Stay tuned for more progress...

-grampa dan

More trusses and steel

Tody was one of those days where everything seemed to happened at once. The truss truck arrived first, with a big load of the smaller trusses. He was barely positioned before the second semi arrived with the load of structural steel. While Harold's crew unloaded and positioned the many trusses, I helped sling up the steel columns and beams.

The trusses were set in place or stacked around the building. The steel beams need to be in place before we can install all of them.

The rest of the day was spent setting up the steel columns and readying the wall pockets for the steel beams to be lifted into place tomorrow. The columns will get a lot of attention in the weeks to come, and will eventually resemble knarly rooted trees. The steel columns alone radically changed the look of the house. The porch is suddenly defined.

This evening we were reviewing and planning details for the new house when Phoebe came to explore. She wanted to see her new secret upstairs room. I put up a ladder and gently coaxed Phoebe up to the top. Phoebe decided it was all much, much too high for her taste - at least until there were proper stairs and perhaps a real railing too!

It was another great day in a continuing series of great days. Tomorrow should be more of the same!

-grampa dan

All trussed up

Today, work continued on many fronts. The carpenters were busy framing portions of the roof, filling in the areas not covered with the trusses. The attic bonus room floors are pretty much ready for plywood.

On the main floor the first of the inside walls went up today. They define the living dining room and change the look of the entire floor. I can hardly wait to see some trusses up on them soon!

The structural steel beams and posts arrive tomorrow as well as the second load of trusses. These pieces will dramatically change the look of the house yet again. We've been busy as well out back by the shop, building the two large trusses for the front and rear of the house. We know from experience that any time something is high it can easily double or triple the time spent building it. The key to minimizing the scaffold time is to do as much of the work as possible on the ground and then lift it into place.

The large steel trusses I welded up yesterday were skinned with plywood to make them appear much larger.

We also took the time to measure out and plan how we would decorate the beams with routed details. 

We have a little more work to do on them first thing in the morning just before they are lifted into place but they are looking pretty cool already.

Things are shaping up pretty fast and tomorrow will be another day of big progress. Stay tuned...

-grampa dan