raising the walls

[Daver]

Hi I have just made some post and beam walls and I am about to raise them up but I am a little unsure as to the best method to do so. I planned on making a frame so I can have the crossbeams which will join the two walls together suspended in the air so when the walls are pulled up they would basically be able to meet. Maybe I can get some other tips as well from you more experienced builders. I have been trying to attach a photo but I can't quite make one 15k it would be so small you would need a magnifying glass to see it..

Thanks in advance!

[Jim_Rogers]

Daver:
you can send me the photo and I'll reduce it for you or you can send it to me and I'll just look at it (send it via regular email).

There are several ways to raise a wall. what are you're current plans to do so?

Jim Rogers

[Daver]

Hi Jim, As mentioned I will make a frame to suspend the crossbeams, then raise each wall using come alongs from trees on the opposite sides. I am just concerned whether I will actually be able to do this so the crossbeams will slide in to the rising walls. I know the first wall will not be so difficult. But the second wall might be more difficult because of the angle of the rising walls mortises with the crossbeam tenons. I will send you a picture. If I still have your e-mail address. Thanks Jim.

[Jim_Rogers]

Here are Daver's pictures:










Jim Rogers

[Jim_Rogers]

Daver:
The first thing you need to do is to create a "kicker". A kicker is a set of blocks to prevent the bottom of the posts from sliding on top of your sill.

Here is a sample of a simple kicker set of blocks:



These are 2x6 planks. The bottom one is 2' long the riser is 1' tall and the third one is 22" long or so.
You nail this down to your sills in position that the riser is in line with the inside of the post.
This will prevent the posts from siding down your sill as you try to pivot them up to a vertical position.

Once you have created two of these "kickers" then put them in place and using your plan of attaching a come-a-long to a nearby tree, and the frame top most beam, lift your first bent up.
Do this before you construct and raise any cross beams.
Have some helpers there and do not do this alone. If the wall is nearly vertical it can shift to vertical very easily so be careful and have a safety rope attached to the top beam pulling in the opposite direction as the come-a-long is pulling to prevent the wall from going over to far. Or make the kicker a lot taller, but that isn't the best.
Once the wall is vertical, attach some temporary braces to it using some 2x stock from near the top of the wall to the sill like this:



This will hold your frame for you, while you continue to erect it. Put two or more nails in each end of your temporary brace to hold it firmly. And put one on each outside of the frame. Some people put them both to the sill and to the ground outside the frame attaching them to a stake.

Now raise your cross beam and place it into the raised wall frame. How ever you raise it is up to you. But if it has braces to it from each wall frame then be sure to put that one in also.
Once you have that cross beam in the erect wall frame put a peg in it to hold it but don't drive the tapered peg in all the way. You may need to move this beam up and down a little to line up the other end.
Support this cross beam with a temporary support system.
Now if you have some pipe staging that will work. You can use a step ladder as long as you do it so that you can remove the ladder after the frame is done.
What we use is call a support ladder. We create these on raising day by taking two pieces of 2x stock and nailing a cross piece from one to the other to create the "rung" of the ladder.
To do this you have someone hold up your cross beam in nearly the correct position where it will be, while you assemble this support ladder.
To assemble it stand up a 2x8, for example, inside the beam and one outside the beam. Now if the floor is on then the inside one will sit on the floor. The outside one may go right to the ground if there isn't a good spot to stand it on, so plan on having one long enough on the outside to reach the ground and the cross beam.
When you have these two standing up, nail a small piece of 2x4 across from one to the other, under the cross beam. Make sure of your heights and place this "rung" 3/4" too low so that the beam isn't in the correct height location. You'll need that 3/4" later.
Here is a drawing showing what I mean:



You do this with and to both cross beams.

Then you raise you other wall to meet these beams.

Now when and as you bring your second wall to vertical you have to line up the tenons on the cross beams to the mortises on your posts.
If you have your "rung" 3/4" to low then all you have to do is climb up your step ladder and lift that cross beam that much to align the tenon to the mortise and it will slide right in.

Then align the other cross beam doing the same thing and pull the frame together with your come-a-long and peg it off.

Try it and see how it works for you.

And ask more questions.

Jim Rogers

[Daver]

Thanks Jim I will soon be giving it a try! I will send you a picture when it is up..

Daver

[beetle]

Has anyone ever attempted to raise Bents with a extended reach all terrain fork lift?( I am not sure of the proper name for these so forgive me.) One trade name would be by Gradall.

Just curious and would like some opinions.

I either need to go back to school or we need to get a spell check thingie here at FF  ;)

[Daver]

Hi Jim, The walls are up I will take a photo today. It went pretty good.. It all fit pretty good.. I may need advice from you about the rafters how they attach to the wall plates. The job I am doing the rafters should stop at the outside of the wall. I am just puzzled how they should be held in place.

Thanks!

Daver

[Jim_Rogers]

Daver sent me this photo of his frame:




Good job Daver!

Jim Rogers

[Timber_Framer]

Nice!

[JoeyLowe]

Daver:

That is a mighty fine looking frame that you are standing up there.  Keep us posted on your progress.

Jim:

What software do you use to edit the pics with.  I'm having trouble uploading my pics.  Is it better to post on my site and link to the pics? ;D

[Jim_Rogers]

I use Adobe photoshop 5.0 Limited Edition that came with the computer.
But you can use any photo program.
First you have to reduce the size to no greater than 350 pixels left and right or up and down.
Then you have to see how many kb's that is by doing a properties check. If it's more then 15kb then you have to either reduce the quality or the size again to get to a smaller kb amount.
Once you've got it under 350 x 350 and less than 15 kb it should load ok.
If you have any more problems you can just send them to me and I'll reduce them and send them back to you. and you can post them, or I can post them for you. Whatever you want.
Jim Rogers

[Daver]

Hi Jim I have a recent picture of the timber framing job I have been doing.. I just put up the rafters last week.. Could you resize my picture I will e-mail it to you.. Thanks Daver

[Jim_Rogers]

Here is Daver's frame:




Nice job Dave.

Jim Rogers

[Daver]

Thanks Jim! I appreciate all your advices... I will keep you posted on the progress..

Daver  ;)

[Daver]

Hello Jim, I've been away awhile.. But I am back... I have some updated pics of my building... In my albums..  It's taking a while to build it's hard to get the materials..

[logman]

Nice looking frame Daver. 
Hey Beetle, I wondered the same thing the other day passing by a
rental place on my way to finish my barn raising (crane).
I just happened on a website after that for a post and beam
barn company that was using an all terrain fork lift to raise
their bents.  I'll try to find that site again and post it.
Hey Jim, can I send you some pictures of my first frame
as a business and get you to post them.  I also have
pictures of my timber frame home I'd like to post
but just did get a digital camera and still don't
know how to do some things.

[Jim_Rogers]

I can help anyone with posting pictures, just send them over....

Jim Rogers

[lazy-river]

Very nice frame daver.

Here is a pic from a raising last year using a JD skid steer and fork lift extensions.  the building was 12x16 with three bents.

[Daver]

Thanks! I wish I had a machine like that I did my whole frame job myself with no machinery all I used was come-a-longs off of trees.. And good ole leverage..  It was tough but I can't believe I did it all myself.. My first post and beam.. Now I am trying to do all the finish work... Inside flooring but it is very difficult to find just simple floor boards/planking..

Very nice frame daver.

Here is a pic from a raising last year using a JD skid steer and fork lift extensions.  the building was 12x16 with three bents.

[lazy-river]

I tried to do it the ole fashion way the first time and I found that I was not prepapred and did not have enough people.  All that time cutting the frame and then it was ready to put up, but i did not have a plan.  lucky the neighbor has that nice machine.  we needed to get the frame up fast as the weather was coming and my buddy had to go back to work.

no sawmills in the area for rought cut?  i can help you out here in central PA if you wnat to make the trip......about 3:40 minutes to central philly.  lots of pine and hemlock.

again, great job on the frame.

[Daver]

Yeah, There is one saw mill near me but they don't seam to want to do business they are never cooperative so I stopped going to them... They are not very enthusiastic.. I am willing to travel a little I am near PA... I need flooring that will measure 1 1/2" after planing  8" wide... because I have 18" spans between the beams.. Preferrably Oak, possibly another type hardwood.. Depends on what is available.. 

Dave

[Jim_Rogers]

Logman asked me to help him post some pictures of his house.
I have created an album in my gallery with his pictures in it.
Here is a link to his album:
https://forestryforum.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=1021

Some very nice pictures there of some very nice work......

Jim Rogers

[logman]

Thanks alot Jim for posting those pictures and thanks for the compliment
on my work.

[Stephen1]

Very nice Logman!
Davey keep at it the hardest work is the finnishing.