September 12 - Fussin' with Trusses

Positioning and 
Adjusting Trusses

Sixty foot trusses are big and heavy. When the weight is being borne by a crane, they can be easily pushed into place by hand. Before they are nailed down it is still possible to move one with a sledge hammer. In this picture, Nate is either catching a quick snooze or eyeballing down the trusses to check alignment.

It must be the latter since when he jumped up he pointed and the truss was shifted a little 'that way'. Being still cabled to the crane, it was an easy move.

Once the truss is nailed down and the crane has gone home, the job gets a little more complicated. Andy, Tim and Sam team up to adjust the location of the four ply truss.
Now three-quarters of an inch on a building this size does not seem like a big deal to me, but to other folks it is important enough to fuss over. So, first take the nails out from the base on both ends. Then use the tines of the forklift to nudge it a little. Oops. too much. Attach the tow strap and pull it back a smidge. Ah! Just right!


















Then on the inside. let's move the wall and its anchored post just a bit. Push on the top of the wall a little with the lift. Then get the big machine involved to position it correctly.




Now that we have the big forklift here, let's take the weight off the post so we can move the bottom where it needs to go.

Loosen all the hardware and shove the post temporarily on to a block. Get the hardware out of the way, locate a new hole placement for the anchoring bolt, and drill. Re-position the post, lower the forklift tines and put the load back on to the post. And just like that, an adjusted truss without the misalignment.









I still think it would have been easier to do when the crane had it up in the first place, but then again, that may be why I am the chronicler and not the builder. I lack the gift of foresight but abound with smart-aleck hindsight.















About the Posts - 




















The eight posts that carry the weight of the entire center section of the trusses and roof are made up of laminated toothpicks.



The technological changes in building materials over my short lifetime have been phenomenal. We see historical pictures of huge western redwoods, cedars and fir trees being cut to provide building materials for a rapidly growing nation as the population surged westward. Trees cut with the mind of them being a limitless resource. Now, through technical advances, heavy load-carrying posts are glued up from pieces that would have been burned in the woods without making it to the sawmill. Amazing.

  

The posts must be secured to the concrete slabs that were poured. These slabs provide a solid footing for the post but also add weight to keep the roof from being blown off. While gravity keeps the posts in one place, two size pretty-big through bolts are needed to keep the posts from unexpected leaping off the slab.

Ben drills holes from both sides, first with a smaller bit to provide pilot holes, then with a big auger so the bolts can be pushed through and secured with nuts on each side of the bracket. I admire Ben's persistence in sticking with this boring job.

















The Ironworker in Training - 
Brian mentioned when he was hauling rebar for the concrete footings that he wanted to add ironworker to his resume. He appears to be continuing this pursuit. Here we see him mastering the art of looking relaxed while sitting on a beam.

Admittedly, a wood beam at twelve feet off the ground with a solid foot rest does not yet show mastery, but one has to start somewhere.












I add the photo below as inspiration for Brian to continue the pursuit of his dream.