Saturday, November 24, 2012

The home stretch

It was an early start this morning, and I can see my mornings beginning earlier and earlier as we get into summertime in order to beat the heat. I'm beginning to understand why tradies knock off at three in the afternoon... :)

First on the agenda today was to cut the timbers for the last wall sections. I was slightly more organised today in that I drew up my plans and worked up my cut list at the pub last night, so by 8:30 or so I was ready to start assembly.

The two lintel timbers to go above the window are heavy suckers, and I didn't fancy my chances of lifting the frame with them installed, so I assembled the window frame without them and lifted it up first.





Now, I've been looking at this window in my 3D model for months and months, but it's not until you put it together, stand it up and look at it that you realise that wow, this is a bloody big window!! I'm not entirely sure how I'm going to install the actual window in this opening; it'll be touch-and-go getting it through the door and there's a 2m drop on the other side!

A problem for another day, I think.

Next up, the lintel timbers:


These are pretty heavy lintels, so I'm really glad I assembled the frame without them. No way I would have been able to lift this section by myself otherwise...

The second-last frame section going together (sans top plate, I've learned that lesson ;)  ):



.. and finally, the last one.


A top plate here, a brace or two there and before you know it, we've got a building! :)


I'm absolutely thrilled to get to this point! I had hoped to get all the wall frames up before the trusses arrived, but to be honest I didn't think I'd actually get it done. With any luck now, the delivery driver will be able to lift the dwelling trusses onto the wall frames for me, which will save me a shedload of effort.

So next weekend I'll focus on finishing off all my tie-down requirements, install the rest of the permanent bracing, and fix all the frames down to the slab (currently they're all just sitting there). Oh, and just maybe I'll get distracted from that lot and take delivery of my roof trusses!

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