Trusses Continued...

Ok.  We found a crane, or my brother did, on Craig's List.  And in Scio of all places.  Only $65K.  Not a problem.  So, I'm going to go to heavy equipment operator school and start a new career.  Not!

Actually, there's a crane place here in the area.  He came out yesterday and looked at the situation.  It wasn't good.  It didn't matter which end of the building he set up at, he couldn't have reached the other end of the building.  He also didn't think he'd make it up the driveway.  We thought we were sunk.  I was looking at Plan C...making these trusses firewood and getting some smaller pitch standard trusses which would weigh about 1/2 as much and be more manageable.  I was sick about it.  Thought I'd loose what little breakfast I had eaten!

But, the crane operator came through for us.  As we had the crew there waiting for the crane to show up, he walked around and around and finally said to Gene, "You know.  These aren't so heavy, really."  And proceeded to show the guys how to scoot the ones that were up there over and then using a 'pole' tilt them up.  It worked!  They proceeded to set the 8 trusses that were all ready on the building.

The crane guy left to get the crane and try to get up the drive way to set the others that were left on the ground.  But, he was right, he couldn't get up the driveway.  He had to back up (no room to turn around once he's up here) and he just couldn't make the corner.  Argh.  So, the Truss Co. will come up either today or Monday and set them up there.  The just couldn't get both bundles of them up there at the same time.

First truss in place!  A big Woo-Hoo! broke through the crowd!

Truss #2..obviously.

Looking in the door.  Killer room up there!

All 8 Set.  Ready for the next 9.

We have to thank our intrepid crew!  Mike, Chuck, Fred and Chris.  Without them and the crane guy, this wouldn't have happened.  They have all earned themselves some shop time!

Today, Chuck and Gene are madly trying to get plywood over the garage/carport to get he humungous blue tarp over it for the coming rains.  There's no way we'll get it roofed this weekend.  The breeze way trusses have to be set and plywood and inspected before roofing can start.  And those can't be set until the Truss Co. has gotten the next bundle of the shop trusses up, as they'll interfere with the process.

We also have to thank Chuck and Dee's oldest son, Mike...also Gene's nephew...for the suggestions for some of the bracing.  Namely the vertical wall bracing on the end.  Mike's a construction manager for a large commercial firm in Bend and has set many large trusses.  These are babies for his crew!

Ok, off the the races today!

Party on!

Gene and Coleen