2008 has shown itself to be a very wet year for us. That, and the fact that all sorts of other jobs needed doing to link up all cottages to the new biomass boiler, caused substantial delays in getting the log store up.
Only by September did we get to the point where progress was beginning to show. This is the first fitting of the first of four roof trusses.
After some minor adjustments the joints connecting tie beam, king post and rafters were completely tight. This part of the truss is held together by an angled wedged tension joint between tie beam and the bottom end of the king post; the rafters are locked into the king post by means of tenons and mortices, which are always in compression so don't need any pegs.
Some time later we could start final fitting; just before the frame was going to be erected. This is one of the posts with one of its braces and part of the wall plate. The metal pegs are for test fitting only. All joints are draw bored, which should keep them nice and tight, even when the timbers will have dried and shrunk.
We erected the frame with the help of Wayne, one of our neighbours. Being only three the frame went up relatively slowly. After the first day this is what it looked like.
Subsequently one by one the tie beams were lifted into position. The English Tying Joint requires that you first put up posts, then drop in the plate, and then drop on tie beams/roof trusses; one cannot lift whole bents into position in one go. Therefore we decided to go about it in the most low-tech way possible: by manpower alone. The heaviest parts were just about manageable by two people. John on the left; neighbour Wayne on the right.
This shows a tie beam just before pegging into position.
First rafters and king post go up to form the first truss.
And here all four are up.
A little later with the ridge beam in position ...
... and not long after that the frame was almost completely ready to receive its roof. The only thing that is now still missing is the "ladder" which will extend out from the westernmost rafter, to carry the roof sheets across the gable wall and to carry the barge boards. Brackets for that are visible on the rafter.
Once the roof is on we can prepare the timbers for the lean-to, which will go at the eastern end (left in the photo) of the main part of the log store. With the roof on we shall be able to do that protected from the elements, so we shan't be held up by bad weather as much anymore. Thank God!
