Build log: DIY rotary sub for contemporary HT in 100 year old house? - Page 7

Ok, so the 800 lb beam arrived today.



It's 199" long.



Getting it off the truck was pretty easy. My friend Dave was there to supervise.



Getting it into the window wasn't too hard either, but took about an hour since I decided to use a manual "come along" (love that name). I wanted to get a bit of exercise - weird, but true.



I used a variety of methods to pull it in.



Here's the special ramp I made to get it into the window without breaking the pipes. The wood is angled and wedged against the joists so that the ramp wont get pulled out from the window. The vertical 2x4s also make sure the beam doesn't fall off the ramp to the side.



Getting it onto the first dolly.



800 lbs rolls really easily on dollies.



Here is the beam under the old beam ready to be installed!



I did some "Celebratoring" afterward.

Safety is my main priority in getting this beam installed! The hardest part about yesterday was drilling into the beam to attach the come along hook. I think I was just using crappy bits, but I only had two in that size. I've drilled into metal 1000s of times and this was the most difficult. I need to drill a few holes today to secure the wood into the I beam to nail the joist hangers into. Hopefully that will be less of a struggle.

I am a bit sore today. I guess that means I got a good workout!

Thanks PT. I was never worried about getting it in. Lifting it, will be a bigger deal. Hopefully I'll do that today when I get some motivation.

The beam is so I can remove that support -- otherwise I'd have to have an 8 feet wide room. I'll be able to get about 16 feet with the beam. I also will be moving the beam up 8" into the joist area, so I'll gain a bit of height and a cleaner room. That way when my PJ is ceiling mounted, I won't have to put it in front of the beam. I can position it anywhere on the ceiling.

Celebrator is really strong, thick and sweet. It is a double Bock. It is very tasty and will knock me on my a$$ since I'm a lightweight.

Oh, and yes, I'll be able to recycle the temp wall lumber. I'll be using it for the permanent walls.

I drilled a test hole in the beam and it went quickly. That was nice.

I have two of the four 2x8s comprising the old beam out. I'm taking a break since the next 2x8 is a bit harder to extract. The 2x8 is toe nailed to some of the joists.

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. (The sawsall is being used to cut out the beams anyway.) The 2x8s are nailed to each other also, so the combination of the nails in two directions is making it difficult. I think I'm just about rested up to try again....plus a cheese sandwich for fuel.

No more old beam! Our house fell down shortly after taking this pic.



It already feels more open. Now, I need to put the new beam in! I have to go to HD for supplies.

I'm cutting the joists and putting the bottom of the beam flush with the bottom of the joists (or nearly so). So, I'll have 8" more height than before.


True!

I went to HD and picked up my joist hangers....except they are all made for 2x8s (1.5" thick) and not the 1 7/8" thick joists I have. Crap.....more research.

Thanks ICBM. I'm packing the I beam with the old wooden beam and then using face mount joist hangers: http://www.strongtie.com/products/co...s_rough-df.asp

I called around and even the local lumber yard I use said it would be 1-2 weeks! I just called: http://www.connectorsonly.com and they have them in stock and are shipping them today. Likely I'll get them Mon or Tues. That is the quickest I'm going to get so I jumped on it.

I can still lift the beam into place, but the joists won't be connected for a few days. Ugh. I have it all supported, but still!

ah....I guess I jumped the gun. I'm not ready for the hangers yet anyway. Packing the I beam now. Then I have to get it raised, etc....

I'm pretty tired right now. I want to get a bit more done before I call it a day. I don't want people saying I'm a slacker!

What, you aren't pulling your fair share? Shame, shame!

Since people have asked a bunch of times, I thought I'd show you how the beam is attached to the joists so that I don't have the beam hanging below the joists.

Old beam ripped to size and then used to pack new beam. Sample joist hanger demonstrates how joists are hung from beam. (Joists have to be cut to allow beam to be placed in this way.)

I think I added 200lbs of wood to the 800lbs beam! I have two 2000lb winches - one for each end. I have one hooked into the joists and it is able to lift one end. Now I just have to get the other winch installed.

I just found another small leak in my heating pipes last night. I am really methodical about sweating the pipes, but there's always a joint that has a leak! I'll have to drain the system *again* to repair it. It won't take too much effort, but still...

I'll be ordering some windows today too.

Happy Halloween! I wish I could lift this THT by myself. I think it would be fun to place it on the porch and wire it up for unsuspecting trick-or-treaters.

Here's the beam ready for winching. I've already confirmed that it will go up....now I have to get the courage to do it.

There is always next year!

Apparently I didn't fix the one heating leak I had. Grrr.... I have to drain the system again -- although I thought there might be a low temp solder I could use that wouldn't require draining the water. I'll have to ask at my plumbing supplier.

I ordered replacement windows and Green Glue/clips/etc today!

The windows might take up to 4 weeks though. Hopefully it will be a lot sooner. I will frame the inner walls before they get here. The windows look like an easy install.

Hey Chas. Good points.

Yes, I will be only able to get it to the joists with the winches. I will then put jack stands under the beam. I plan on putting some secondary supports under it as well, then cutting out the joists above the beam. Then jacking it the last 8" with two sets of jacks alternatively.

The winches have 4 bolts each attaching them to the joist. I have raised the beam up with the winches a few inches and jumped on it. I'm about 200lbs, plus the dynamic load is several times higher. I don't think there will be problem, but there is no guarantee in anything. Ever worked under a car with just one jack??? (I always use a secondary support.) Cars weigh 3000+ lbs!

Well, I think I thought it through, but I welcome any advice that would prevent me from killing myself!

If I didn't think I could do it, I wouldn't. I am perfect willing to pay for roofing work, for example.

Every difficult task can be broken down to many smaller tasks.

In case I didn't make it clear before. Under no circumstance should anyone ever attempt this yourself. I don't know what I'm doing, so don't blame me if you do the same as me and kill yourself.
(Translation: this is not a tutorial, please don't sue me if you don't know what you are doing and end up hurting yourself.)