Just A Thought

I was sitting here looking at my last post with the pegs in the bucket and thinking that maybe I should have somehow tried to make the pegs myself. By the looks of the eight sided pegs I figured I would only have needed a table saw and some oak boards and I could have done these myself. The problem is I have no table saw and nowhere to put the thing and where would I get the oak boards from. I guess it was bothering me that these things weren't cheap and if I put two per joint like I planned then I would probably need about 100 more than I have already bought. This is in addition to the learning process I am going through trying to figure out the best way to use a gin pole for my small barn project. I am sure that one will help out especially if I only have a couple of people helping me but again the thing isn't cheap and the logistics are all new to me. I purchased a strap from Tractor Supply that is really too long but it looks sturdy and if I wrap it a one or two  times around the beam then the 20' stap is effectivly reduced to the length I need. The strap has the hooks with the spring loaded self locking lever which I liked and has a hook at both ends. This means I will need two straps and end up with four hooks coming together at the block. Four hooks coming to one hook is not going to work so I purchased what I'll call an adapter but the end that will accomidate the four hooks isn't large enough so above is a picture of my compromise. This is one strap so imagine two of these hanging on the block. I don't know about you but I'm thinking this looks a little rediculous although I do believe it will work. I guess my point is I'll tackel these issues one at a time so for now I'll just pay for someone else to do the pegs while I try to figure out the best way to put this thing together and not hurt anyone.

Really Hot outside, Ordering the joist hangers, and buying the pegs and straps for raising.

Got New straps for raising!

New Pegs or wood nails. Probably gonna need more. I'm soaking these in a mixture of linseed oil and turpentinde. These are 8 sided and 12" long. I didn't count but should be approx. 80 per bucket. 

Pegs oiled and ready. Since these pegs appear to be dried when they arrived, I believed it was a good idea to oil them so they wouldn't draw moisture from the timber surrounding the pegs. Probably make them go in a little easier also. I Hope.

The Learning Continues

Just purchased this Double Pulley Wood Block and Tackle for 3/4 inch rope to help with lifting during the assembly process. Got it for about $80 with shipping which is a whole lot less than a new set. Now I have to pick out  a nice straight pine that I can gert and peel to use for a gin pole. I have never used one so thanks to the internet I should be able to figure it out. Here is pretty good website that explains the setup and safety. I figure a bent will weight just under 1,000 lbs. so with a couple of strong backs and a pulley at the bottom of the gin pole to redirect the pull and hooked to a tractor, the bents should be pretty easy to upright once assembled.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/navy/nrtc/14251_ch6.pdf

Another really good site that describes the construction of a similar shed as mine is:

http://www.forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=16300.0
and

http://www.forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=30792.0

Although my maximum beam  length by design is 12', I believe that it will still be beneficial for me to use a gin pole if I can figure out how to do it effeciently and safely. I still need to find me a single redirecting block for a 3/4" rope.