1973 Blue Bird

Rudy · Post by **Rudy** » Sat Jun 18, 2011 8:41 pm

The tops of these posts are being cut on a three degree angle. The girders will be installed on them.

The girders are notched, then hoisted up with the machine. Once they are set atop the poles, a 1/2 inc hole is drilled 18 inches. The hole goes through the girder and into the poles.

Then an 18 inch piece of 1/2 inch rebar is hammered into the hole, effectively pinning them together.

A lovely chunk of cedar cut from the bottom of one of the poles before it was stood up.

Rudy · Post by **Rudy** » Sat Jun 18, 2011 8:45 pm

The 1/2 inch rebar being cut. A carbide disc was put on to the chop saw.

CJ holding the end of the 20 foot piece of rebar.

Rudy · Post by **Rudy** » Sat Jun 18, 2011 8:51 pm

An especially pretty cedar which will be one of the interior posts.

Scraping off some of the bark that was still left on this pole. Zac bought these cedars a couple of years ago with this house project in mind.

Rudy · Post by **Rudy** » Sat Jun 18, 2011 8:59 pm

The first girder (beam) has been notched and is getting ready to be installed.

Later on, we used a different method to lift the girders into place. You will see pics of that, as well as the notching of the girders.

The girder has been set and pinned into place.

Rudy · Post by **Rudy** » Sat Jun 18, 2011 9:03 pm

Now, three posts have been installed.

Rudy · Post by **Rudy** » Sat Jun 18, 2011 9:10 pm

Some of the prettier cedars are being dragged in. They will be on the interior row.

Rudy · Post by **Rudy** » Sat Jun 18, 2011 9:22 pm

The tops of the posts were cut on a three degree angle

A view of the existing posts and three girders. The back row only has three girders. The middle row will have six girders. Three of the middle row girders will meet the three back girders.

Here are six more posts going in.

Rudy · Post by **Rudy** » Sat Jun 18, 2011 9:26 pm

In the foreground, you can see how three girders will continue.

In the background, there will start another three.

Rudy · Post by **Rudy** » Sat Jun 18, 2011 9:42 pm

I especially like this photo. The pitch of the girders closely matches the grade of the hill. Keep in mind that the rear posts are 18 feet tall. The log that you see on the ground is just one of the many we have that will be used for purlings.

Eventually, the sides of the house will be back filled with dirt. Also the roof will be covered with dirt, and there will be grass growing on the roof. More on that in the future.

The three feet of posts that you see sticking up above the grade will have rear facing windows.

The sides of that area will not be seen as the dirt will be graded to form a smooth dirt covering from the roof to the existing hillside.

More pics of the three girders.

Dennis The Bus Dweller · Sat Jun 18, 2011 9:44 pm

Wow, This is a great project

Rudy · Post by **Rudy** » Sat Jun 18, 2011 9:50 pm

After the crew left that day, Zac brought the big machine into the woods so that he could drag out the next series of girders.

These were big logs. They span twenty feet from the existing posts to the next series of posts. The span of the first series of posts from the rear to the front is 12 feet. The rear girders have a five foot overhang off the rear of the house.

Rudy · Post by **Rudy** » Sat Jun 18, 2011 9:57 pm

Another day begins with a happy Zac.

Rudy · Post by **Rudy** » Sat Jun 18, 2011 10:00 pm

Some views of the next row of posts awaiting the girders.

Rudy · Post by **Rudy** » Sat Jun 18, 2011 10:04 pm

Notches cut into the girders so that they fit on top of the posts. These notches were cut with a chain saw.

Rudy · Post by **Rudy** » Sat Jun 18, 2011 10:19 pm

Twenty foot girders are set into place and pegged.

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1973 Blue Bird

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