It’s been a while since I last posted, but we’re still making progress on the barn. I’ve been feeling an increased urgency since I noticed the leaves falling with alarming regularity. About two weeks ago, I took down the scaffold I had erected on the second-floor deck to raise the ridge and rafters. I used the stock to build another scaffold so I could shingle the eave on the main gable.
Working up there, I felt quite secure because I included a handrail with an intermediate support. High work is much nicer when you have a sturdy platform that you can trust with your life. I also knew my son would insist on climbing up there to check things out, so I made everything extrasturdy.
Next on the agenda is siding and window installation. I’m using verticle siding made from native pine. The stock, which was sawn locally, has live edges. I’ll have to straighten them so I can rip the boards to a uniform width. I also plan to shiplap them, so I’m trying to figure out the best way to do so. I’m thinking a dado set in my portable tablesaw will be the fastest way. I plan to build infeed and outfeed tables to make the job safer and easier. If you’ve ever done anything like this, I’m hoping you’ll share your experience.
Read more about my barn here.
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This is one of the planks I made to set the ridge and nail the rafters. I'm sliding it onto a new scaffold I made to shingle the eaves. I know OSHA hates homemade wooden scaffolding, but I think it's a safe and efficient way to reach high work.
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This is my first time up on my new scaffold. It was surprisingly sturdy, which is good, because I'm not really fond of heights. I only do high work because it needs to be done.
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I guess you could say our family is comprised of creative types. Here my son is amusing himself while my wife and I work on the roof. Our new barn will be an indoor environment where we can all work on projects together. It's going to be awesome.
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Roof nailers are one of the best time and labor savers I can think of. I bought this nailer ($200) just for this project, and I can easily say it has paid for itself already.
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It might look like I'm right at home up here on the roof, but I really don't like heights, and I think I'm probably the slowest roofer on the planet. On this day in particular I was thinking, "I wish I didn't have to go up there today."
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My wife and I met on a Habitat for Humanity construction site where I was working as a construction supervisor and she was a volunteer coordinator. She often reminds me that she moved more than her fair share of construction debris under my direction. I guess some things never change.
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I was jubilant when I nailed the last cap shingle to the ridge. The drop cloth prevented damage to the shingles as I scrambled up there. It also provided a little cushion for my backside, although not quite enough of one to make it comfortable, especially for somebody who spends most of the day in a comfy office chair.
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i would use a router to do the ship lap...do 2 passes....trust me it will be easier.......
Hand held or in a table?