After all the joint cutting, test fitting, hole drilling, chamfering, end sealing, and much much more... the frame is getting ready to be assembled. While some of us are finishing off the test fitting of bent 2, we have brought the components of bent 1 over to the erection site to be assembled.
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| Unloading Bent 1 with the Crane |
The first thing we needed to do was unload the parts off the flat deck and move them into their approximate positions. Once done, it is on to final assembly. Thanks to the test fitting we did while in the shop Jamie and I were able to assemble bent 1 in about an hour.
Once the bents have been assembled the first frame is raised with the assistance of a crane. It is plumbed with a level and then braced in place. The connecting girts along with their knee braces are attached next. When the girts and such are ready the next bent is tilted into place, this one goes more slowly because the previously attached connecting girts and knee braces must be fitted to the bent while it is being raised.
Traditionally, raising a frame was a community event, when a barn was built and raised it would require hundreds of people using pulleys, and poles. Often an all day event it concluded with a huge barbecue and a dance that would run through the night. This frame is somewhat smaller and so is the crew. We celebrated with pizza and beer.
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| The Whetting Tree - A Timberframer's tradition to give thanks at the end of a raising. |
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| Principal post seen from the outside. |
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| Principal post seen from the inside. |
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| The Pendant at the end of the Hammer Post. |
Pretty sweet project - I've really enjoyed working on this one and getting to know the guys I built it with. Cheers to all of them and their future frames.
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