# Progress



## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

I put the barn construction project to bed last fall with the first story completed and a tarp over it. I buried posts like I was building a pole barn, put 2 2X6's across the top, and 24 foot long floor joists on them.










Got a slow start this spring but am making progress. The first thing was to take the plywood off the opening for the large doors, build them, and hang them. CHECK









Next started on the roof. I had an extra 24 foot floor joist/I beam so I used that for a gin pole. I braced it so the weight lifting the gable end wall would be on the stiffest side.









I built the gable end wall on what will be the second floor. Then used a block and tackle to raise it. It's amazing what a lone individual can accomplish with a block and tackle.









All the way up.








I built some trusses and lifted them the same way. Don't know if it's standard construction practice to build the gable end wall 1 1/2 inches smaller that the trusses, notch the first 2 trusses, and put in horizontal 2X4's to make a very sturdy overhang but that's what I did. I didn't finish putting in the 2X4's for the overhang because I needed the sawzall and that was at home.








So far so good.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

That is SWEEEEET!


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## hiddensprings (Aug 6, 2009)

Looks awesome!


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## crehberg (Mar 16, 2008)

Looks great.. thanks for keeping us updated!


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## fordy (Sep 13, 2003)

............You must have a heck of a snow load given how close those trusses are together ! And , I just remembered you're in Minnesota , OK now it makes sense . , fordy


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## FreeRange (Oct 9, 2005)

Very impressive!


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## RonM (Jan 6, 2008)

Looks good


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## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

Nice lifter too.


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## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

fordy said:


> ............You must have a heck of a snow load given how close those trusses are together ! And , I just remembered you're in Minnesota , OK now it makes sense . , fordy


Yes, MN. 
I tend to overbuild because I'm not sure of my engineering. Also, I'm only going to do this once in my lifetime (I'm 67) so I'm going to do it to last. Trusses are 16 on center which puts them directly on top of a floor joist which seemed best.


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## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

I camped on the land over the summer. Finished building and erecting the trusses.









Then I built the overhangs and ears. Last weekend the guys I let hunt; Josh, Chris, and Jared came up. We worked "can see" to "can't see" both days. Put up most of the plywood and synthetic tar paper.









I can do the rest of the plywood and tar paper myself. Just need to rest up a bit first so I went home today. Wound up cleaning the mouse nests out of the Bronco's heater ducts so I have heat for the winter. Seems to be a annual chore the last few years.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Big difference with the top on. Good job.


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## Wind in Her Hair (Jul 18, 2002)

Wonderful progress and just in the nick of time! Old Man Winter is coming!  What a monumental achievement for someone working alone!


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## mreynolds (Jan 1, 2015)

Those trusses look real sturdy. They should last a long time for you.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> Wound up cleaning the mouse nests out of the Bronco's heater ducts so I have heat for the winter. Seems to be a annual chore the last few years.


Put some 0.25" hardware cloth over the ends and you'll not have to clean them again.


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## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

So I finished the plywood and tar paper and put a tarp over the big door on the second floor. Put the camper in the barn. I'm all done for the winter. Good thing, I'm sick and tired of hauling pieces of lumber up the ladder.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

Good job!


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## Wind in Her Hair (Jul 18, 2002)

Looks great! Impressive progress and all buttoned up for winter!


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

That's good to hear that you were able to do this by yourself. I'll have to remember how to lift the trusses. I had planned on doing it from the ground with a 2x3 push pole to flip it up against a stop.


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

Impressive, most people have no idea what a gin pole is or how to use a block and tackle. The expression hell for stout, comes to mind.


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## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

I've always stolen my best ideas from someone else. The picture in post #10 showing the complete trusses shows I put a small Christmass tree on the peak although it is kind of overexposed. Surprised no one commented on it.


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## Wind in Her Hair (Jul 18, 2002)

Nimrod said:


> I put a small Christmass tree on the peak


I guess I didn't notice that - it just kind of blended in with the tops of the other pines in the background! I see it now that you mentioned it. 

It must feel great to have it all buttoned-up for winter!


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## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

I'm a builder and normally kind of roll my eyes at some of the "questionable" projects folks post photos of. It looks like you know what in the heck you are doing, very nice work and nice project !


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## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

Another summer and more progress, although not as much as I'd hoped. Ain't that always the case? I had hoped that Chris and company would come up one weekend and help put up shingles but they decided not to hunt my land this year. The DNR found a case of chronic wasting disease in my area and put new regulations on what you can do with deer shot in my area. the guys opted not to deal with them. I wound up putting up 52 bundles of shingles myself. Some of the synthetic tar paper needed to be replaced to. I also put on 15 gallons of white primer. 










Finished for winter. Didn't have wind and weather for a coat of oops paint after I finished the roof. 










Note the base for a cupola. Gonna have one for ventilation and topped with a weather vane. 










The weather forecast looked bad for this weekend so I drained the well, put the camper in the barn for the winter, and went home yesterday. This is what I woke up to.










Not as bad as ND but I am glad I'm where I can snuggle up to the wood stove. Now I have to block up and split 5 cords of oak. 










Not bad for a one eyed fat man, eh? (ref True Grit)


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## po boy (Jul 12, 2010)

Looking good.


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## Wind in Her Hair (Jul 18, 2002)

Well done, Nimrod! And thank you again for the lovely tomatoes. I have been enjoying them since returning from Texas!

Time for us to dig in and get the pre-winter chores completed. Sadly, during a break today from splitting and stacking firewood, I managed to wound myself and take myself (temporarily) out of commission. My poor Cabin Fever had to complete today's chores alone.  Phooey. 

I hope your progress means you won't have to get back up on that roof anytime soon. Lordy. What a feat for a one-man crew! Well done!


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## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

WIHH, Glad you got back in time to enjoy some of the tomatoes before they spoiled. CF said he doesn't like tomatoes. Did he just step off the Mayflower? Back in those days tomatoes were thought to be piousness. Only witches and warlocks could eat one without dying. What does that make you and me?

I am going to get back up on the roof to build the cupola. I hope to do that from inside the cupola though.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

Nimrod said:


> WIHH, Glad you got back in time to enjoy some of the tomatoes before they spoiled. CF said he doesn't like tomatoes. Did he just step off the Mayflower? Back in those days tomatoes were thought to be piousness. Only witches and warlocks could eat one without dying. What does that make you and me?
> 
> I am going to get back up on the roof to build the cupola. I hope to do that from inside the cupola though.


I said I didn't like GREEN tomatoes. Thank you for the summertime treat.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

52 bundles? Uff dah! I hope that you had a lift to at least get them to the roof..


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## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

No lift. I carried them up the ladder 10 at a time. When I roofed my house years ago there was a flat spot so I had the shingles delivered to that spot via a conveyer. This time no flat spot and up on the roof delivery not an option.

That's OK. It got me in shape for the blocking, splitting, and stacking firewood I"v been doing since. Five full cords so far.


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## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

Finished with firewood. Total six and a half cords.









The forecast is for a warm winter here.


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## melli (May 7, 2016)

Nimrod said:


> Finished with firewood. Total six and a half cords.
> 
> View attachment 80496
> 
> The forecast is for a warm winter here.


Did you see the upcoming forecast?


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## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

I didn't get as much done this summer as I would have liked. On the outside I put the first coat of paint on using oops paint and covered the base for the cupola with shingles. Inside I finished screwed down floor on the second story (was in a hurry when building so nailed it). Wired lights on first and second floor. Decided not to move over there 'till next summer because Covid shut down the community center and I was planning on showering there in the winter. No point in busting my but to get moved this summer.


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## random (Jul 23, 2020)

Looking good, too bad you didn't get farther on it


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## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

This summer I put on more paint, finished the trim around the doors, put in a window that I scored at the Reuse Center, cleared a small room in the corner that has the window in it, installed a window AC, mounted the first of 2 Pennsylvania Dutch Hex Signs, built the cupola, and topped it with a copper eagle weather vane. I wish I could have afforded a bigger weather vane but you do what you can. I will finish painting another Hex Sign over the winter and put it on the other side of the second floor door. 

Got too much work at home before the snow flies, 6 cords of oak blocked up but needs to be split and put in the woodshed and some work on the Bronco..


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