2-16-08
 
 
 
Early in the morning, the two front poles are in position. Block & tackle are attached to one already.
 
The east pole leaning on the west wall, waiting to be rigged, then lifted.
     
 
A scene from inside the basement. Both butt ends are wedged against their respective walls and the one diagonal floor log brace is still in place.
 
When the crew showed up, we didn't waste any time getting started...
     
 
...and Ted wasted no time goofing off.
 
John used the tractor to lift the first log a little and increase the pulling angle from the opposite side.
     
 
Ted and Dave watch from the west wall as John lifts the log and Jeff props it with a plank.
 
The log is now propped high enough to begin pulling it up from the opposite side.
     
 
Our next best thing to bolt cutters.
 
So far, so good. This pole went up without a hitch.
     
 
Dave keeps tension on one of the guy ropes to steady the pole as it goes up.
 
John and Ted use a plank wedged against the diagonal log brace to kick the pole tight to the corner.
     
 
One of our local pilot friends said "hello" with a few
fly-bys.
 
With the west pole standing and out of the way, John and Dave use the log rollers to move the east log into its corner.
     
 
The block & tackle are attached. Next are the guy ropes.
 
John lifts Jeff up on the forks - much nicer than a ladder.
     
 
Jeff ties the 60-ft. guy ropes above the pulley block.  
The guy ropes of the west pole were tied off in front and in back of the house, while the block & tackle were tied off to a large tree trunk.
     
 
Guy ropes are tied on and the pulley block is hanging in the right direction. We're almost ready to lift.
 
Ted uses a hammer and a punch against the axe head to expand a link in a chain that's used to help hold the pole in place.
     
 
Just like the other poles, we raised and propped this one to help with the pulling angle.
 
Mike and Dave keeping tension on a guy rope.
     
 
Well, it's up, but it's tipping a bit. Fortunately, we had two concrete spikes next to the concrete pad which kept the butt end from kicking out.
 
Next order of business was to get a log over the wall and laying corner to corner on the floor to brace the last pole we just raised.
     
 
John pushed the log over the wall with the tractor.
 
The same log, just before it tipped over the wall.
     
 
John operating the White 4X4 tractor.
 
Jeff relaxing while the others work on getting block & tackle hooked up to the opposite end of the bracing log to lower it into place.
     
 
John climbs up on the wall to help get the chain secured for the block & tackle.
 
Wrapping the chain around the log for the pulley block to hook on to.
     
 
Paul and Dave pull on the block & tackle lead line to lift the log still sitting on the wall. They then slowly lowered the log into position inside the wall.
 
With the log brace on the ground, Ted and John use the plank and wedge method again to move the butt of the pole into the corner. They ended up snapping the plank instead. 8-)
     
 
They even tried using the log rollers to spin the log into the corner. That only went so far. We ended up using a plank on edge at a low angle and that worked.
 
That's Bret using a section of pipe to straighten out all of our damaged rebar pins.
     
 
John had the idea of using 4x4 lumber as 45-degree bracing, just for added safety. Each end was secured by driving a piece of 1/2" rebar like a nail through the beam and log.
 
Bret tries his hand at pounding a rebar spike through the top of the 4x4 and into the pole.
     
 
A finished and very secured corner.
 
Quite a site from inside the basement looking up at the two front poles.
     
Paul adds one last safety measure by screwing a board
over the chain to the sill plate so the chain can't slip off.
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