Over the last year or so I've alluded to a product I've developed that enables a person to build a metal building with minimum construction skills and tools.
The patent attorney has the prototypes and sometime in August we'll go into production under a patent pending situation.
So if we can find someone willing to buy the materials for a twenty four by thirty or forty building I'll provide the connectors and expertise and we'll do a norte tejas get together shop building barn raising if ya'll want.
It'll make a great September-fall get together. Someone will get a barn-shop at about a fifty percent discount and the important part, we'll get together and see how much older everyone's gotten since May.
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It's been awhile in the making. And the inspiration for the whole thing started with two influences. One was a friend wanting me to come up with some new products his factory could manufacture. The other was all the interest shown here on TBN by members wanting a chance to build a metal building that would be strong, simple, and not require welding or equipment they needed to rent to do the job.
The patent application is in the mail. The attorney says I can now share it under "patent pending".
We're building a twenty four by forty shop with twelve foot walls, three-twelve pitch roof, and a sixteen foot overhang on each side. It'll have two twelve foot wide openings for roll up doors and one service entrance.
First we had to lay it out.
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Then we had to drill holes and set posts.
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After that is was time to form up the shop floor. This is a picture of the brick ledge kind of thing we do on metal buildings. We use a two by two (one and fiva eighths by one and five eighths) nailed to our forming lumber. This gives us a ledge for the sheet metal to go down beside the slab and still have a floor so the varmints don't have easy access.
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One of the things we did was put in the plumbing in the slab for a restroom if one is ever required down the road. It only takes a couple of minutes now but would be a major project later. We put in the P trap and ran the three inch PVC beyond the wall. We also put in a future water source access.
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We mixed the concrete on site for the slab.
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It took a lot of sand, gravel, and cement. We started mixing about two in the afternoon. It took sixty mixer loads. We had it all poured just before eight in the evening.
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Now we'll measure up twelve feet from the slab and cut all the posts to height. The overhang posts will be cut about three feet four inches shorter than the barn posts.
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When everyone arrives Saturday morning for the barn raising we'll have the posts cut to size and they'll have a coat of primer.
What makes this work and what I've applied for a patent on is this principle.
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These come in rights, lefts, straight throughs. The idea is the brackets are placed on the posts and attached via self tapping screws. Then the four inch purlins are cut to fit between the posts and then attached to the brackets or connectors with self tapping screws.
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Originally I came up with one piece that was a right, a left, and a straight through. But then as I saw confusion in the eyes of those I showed them to I realized maybe offering three pieces would be easier for folks to understand.
This is a shot of a corner using the original design.
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Here's an example of one wall attaching to another.
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When the purlins are attached I think it comes a little easier to see the simplicity of the system.
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One of the things I like most about this system besides it's simplicity is the framework for the outside wall is also the framework for the inside wall.
Usually a metal building built conventionally has to have a stick (lumber) wall built inside to accomodate insulation, sheetrock, etc.
But with this system one can frame in the wiring, plumbing, insulation, and then hand interior siding of choice.
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One of the most intimidating aspects of building your own barn-shop-garage is the roof framework. This system makes it a snap. Not only doing the trusses, but doing the rafters too. All without welding.
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My purlin to purlin connectors are also part of the patent.
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The same purlin to purlin connectors enable one to frame up openings. Here's a window.
But a door frame is no more difficult.
This isn't a product for everyone. But for a person that's a little handy, has a method of cutting pipe and purlins and tool for putting in self tapping screws, it opens a whole world to create personal space.
It applies to building fences or any other kinds of walls. The particular original example was a portable loafing shed.
I can see people making garages, barns, sheds, walls, and doing it themselves with minimum skills and tools. Yet getting all the fun those more skilled and better tooled thought was only theirs.
I would appreciate any comments or questions.
We're protected under patent law right now. Anyone who ventures into copying and producing is taking a chance of severe civil penalties if we're granted a patent. Now they can take a chance that we won't get the patent and it won't mean anything.
However, we've got one heckuva patent attorney. Attorneys are about "what if?" This one has "what if" cornered, hog tied, and half dressed out for lunch.
We hope to have these available online within two weeks. I'm also hoping we can advertise them on TBN. After all, if it hadn't been for all the posts about barns I probably wouldn't have been so aware of the desire to do it yourself your way but still doing it right.
Of course the proof is in the pudding. The pudding is the barn raising this weekend in Josephine TX. If the TBN'rs show up and it's a hit we'll know we were right.
But let's say there's a problem. Heck, I started with a problem, right? So then we just fix it.
( I'm curious what kind of vertical load the brackets can hold or the self tapping screws since they seem to be taking the load?)
The vertical loads are carried by lip on the clip (one half inch twelve gauge, or the shoulder of the clip in it's arcular shape if the clip is placed under the connector. We are having an engineer give us our numbers. As I've designed it that will depend upon the strength of two number twelve self tapping screws in shear.)
( Also can your purlin connectors be slipped in in the middle or do you have to slide them in from the end?)
They're designed so the purlins roll onto the connectors. The erection scenario would be to attach all the connectors to the pipes. Then cut purlins one half inch shorter than the span. The purlin is rolled on to the connectors from vertical leg over onto horizontal one. It won't fit the other way.
( Wish I was closer I would love to join in on the fun at Josephine so I could get some practice for mine. I think you got a winner Harv
Can I have the Northwest sales region )
A lady in Lebanon Oregon's beat you to that. Sorry.
BTW we're wanting to do a shed or two at her place the middle of next month as a demonstration. You and all other TBN members in the area are invited to attend and join the fun.
I'm not to worried about the wind effect. The original loafing shed was a twenty one by twelve. I put it on a trailer and hauled it fifteen miles at sixty to sixty five miles an hour. I intentionally tied it down only by the base framework to see if it would take the wind loads. It did fine.
I'm building the brackets at a factory that was originally built in 1948. The first breakers were installed by me for the welding plug. Everything else is fused. Three phase, but fused.
Here's the big dawg of the house. Eighty tons of personality.
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The break gets a lot of work when doing my brackets.
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Here's some purlin to purlin brackets we made today.
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I have to cut down the four by eight sheets into two foot widths for this shear. It's willing, but.............
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Since we're in a low production mode right now we wanted a method to produce the clip that makes it all work without getting into a big investment.
One of the old guys here came up with this.
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The cut and drilled blank is put into the vise. The vise is closed forming the curve.
The blank rides on a lip that insures every piece comes out the same height from base to inside curve of retaining lip.
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The retaining lip is formed via ball peen hammer.
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Don't laugh.
It works.
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See?
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In a discussion yesterday we talked about that very thing. They expressed concern about the strength of the screws and I explained that the screws weren't my concern. It was someone going down to HD or Lowes and buying some of the their fence posts instead of using pipe.
We will have a disclaimer explaining the difference between the different gauges or wall thicknesses of pipe or pipe appearing material.
What I like best about the system is it enables the builder to explore options not offered by other methods. It offers the flexibility of wood construction but with the strength and corrosion resistance of steel.
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I got a copy of the patent office search from the attorney the other day.
It was interesting to say the least, what the professional searchers looked up that could conflict with my application.
I find the USPTO site a ton of fun. If you enjoy just searching for the sake of searching then do "quick" and use the information available.
It's amazing what's patented. Awhile back I found a patent that was granted rather recently on pipe and succor rod fencing. I don't know how that one got through unless the examiner hadn't been out of Washington DC their whole darn life. They sure has heck had never been to Texas or Oklahoma!
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I've been considering different options about the screws. One of the fence products I use gets their self tapping screws out of China and to be honest with you, they're the best ones I've ever used. They're designed to grip well in sixteen gauge but will cut into schedule forty without any problem.
Depending upon the source I've seen self tapping screws have a failure or defective rate up to twenty five percent. One out of about four won't cut worth a flip. These from China not only had a super low failure rate but I also liked the fact that they had number 2 square drive instead of the usual hex head.
I realize some people can mess up filling a swimming pool. But I'm hoping that my product will attract that individual that's got some sense and mechanical skills. The person that's wanting to build someting and they're not really into cookie cutter designs.
What I'd like to think we can offer is an alternative to the weld up option. So the guy that is handy and likes to do it himself so he can get a degree of quality assurance will be able to build his building his way.
One of the facets of my thinking is I see things almost in layers. As each layer is exposed I deal with it. On this product the thickest, toughest, initial layer was designing the clip. Manufacturing has been a bugger bear too because I'm not an engineer type at all.
But I have friends. Some of my friends are smarter'n water. They can go up hill without cohesive friction. And my friends are a lot like some of the employees I've had over the years in one way. And that is I can define an objective and they're better at designing a method to achieve that objective than I ever could.
The next layer for me to deal with is real life hands on exposure to my product by those kinds of people likely to be customers. That's going to happen next Saturday.
At the Josephine get together I'll get to see the questions and reactions I'm sure that will be typical for the kind of individual I'll be wanting for a customer. I will make adjustments to accomodate their reactions if I need to do so.
One of the intereting things in modern life is liablity considerations. I would like to think that I've covered most of that. And I'm hoping that I've got lucky in the design in that the person most likely to screw it up won't be likely to buy my product because of it's complexity.
There is a couple of more issues in the manufacturing process to be worked out and we're going to have the engineering done so we can recommend proper construction parameters for building with the product.
However today my biggest concern is at the pond project. I'll be placing large slabs of sandstone on an aluminum frame using a JCB 506C Loadall.
It's got me nervous.
Next Saturday my attention will be all consumed by the connector debut.
I can't wait.
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Thanks to MF1455v for the following information
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Marking out location of the barn.
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Thanks to MF1455v for the following information
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Barn all marked out, string lines pulled and ready for Iris to get dirty digging some holes.
Sure wish I could have stayed longer. Looking foward to next week.
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We had a good day.
I didn't get there until after nine, sometime after nine.
But being late meant little when I saw these two smiling faces.
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We had a real cook doing the cooking of the meat. Jerry is a good friend of the fella getting the barn built. He just had hip replacement two months ago and this adventure is his first real activity since.
He did good. We had two kinds of smoked chicken. Brisket that thought it was good enough to out taste prime rib. And smoked redfish caught the weekend before Katrina hit the coast.
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Even Maxine the Walmart was too full to beg for more. (I'm sure you've seen the free puppies at a Walmart parking lot)
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We all know TXdon is retiring next month.
Since he came up all the way from Lee County country for this day we thought we'd put him through the retirement paces.
First we had him clean the tailings left in the holes after I'd drilled them with Iris.
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Next we got him on the blue devil and he picked up the mixer.
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And Portland cement doesn't jump into the mixer all on it's own. It needs leadership, a push if you will.
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Don was good. But Philemon was better, something about flare I believe.
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See what I mean?
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Of all the things Don did with us today. And he did a lot mind you. There was one thing that showed his talent to absorb technique has to be inate.
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I believe he had fun with us today. He got to hold posts while we poured concrete into the hole.
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We had a great day. It was even better because we had some real deal TBN'rs on hand to enjoy it with.
I'll post some pictures and dialogue on what we actually did and how the barn is coming up in "projects".
It's coming together just fine.
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It is amazing, this age thing. The very same hill, the exact tractor, and yet when my son in law drives onto the hill he just can't rise to the height of TXdon.
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Well folks the slab is ready for the barn raising. This is what we've got to work with.
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The slab is where the barn or shop portion of the building is located. But on each side out over dirt or gravel is a sixteen inch lean to or overhang.
This building will be built with four inch C purlins, schedule forty pipe, and my patent pending connectors.
Yup. I invented a bracket or connector that enables one to attach purlins to pipe with self tapping screws.
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This one is right hander. But we have left handers and straight on throughs.
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The get together is this Saturday, the twenty fourth.
It will be a get together of the usual suspects. TBN members getting together for good food, great stories, and those who want to participate, a barn raising.
The meat will be provided. There'll be brisket, chicken, ribs, sausages provided by the host. We'll be bringing some of Miss Glenda's delicious coleslaw and of course, her cookies. We'll also make sure there's plenty of Red Diamond tea, sweet and unsweet.
There is limited shade. So we highly recommend sun screen.
Keep in mind we'll be working with power equipment. So safety glasses and gloves are required.
We'll be doing a lot of screwing around. If you want to bring your own cordless or corded screwgun or drill please mark your equipment and batteries. It's so easy to end up with a pile of batteries and someone will go home with the oldest ones and they might not have arrived with them necessarily.
I'll have a chopsaw set up on a stand. We'll also have at least two portabands on site. The screw we'll be using will be five sixteenths hex head self tapping. I'll have a bunch of bits on site so if you don't have one and want to participate, you can.
We'll have plenty of ladders etc.
We will have fun.
I now turn the mike over to Bird and Jim for organizing who brings what.
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Thanks to Bird
First things first; got to prepare for the food.
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Thanks to Bird
Starting to install the connectors; some high .
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Thanks to Bird
And some lower . . .
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Thanks to Bird
OK, they're ready to start dinner when we're ready.
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Thanks to Bird
It's starting to come together
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Thanks to Bird
Nope, OSHA would not approve
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Thanks to Bird
When you gotta get up high, you do what you have to.
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Thanks to Bird
Actually this is not a circus act, nor is Harvey planning another sky dive from this altitude.
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Thanks to jinman
Just like our projects, everything is a team effort including taking pictures. I'll add a few to Bird's and help fill out some more details.
This first picture is a close-up view of a corner bracket. Actually a corner bracket is two brackets and two tabs aligned and screwed to the post.
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Thanks to jinman
Here is a similar bracket with a view from the bottom so both tabs are visible. Note that this orientation of the brackets makes a corner bracket, but one of these brakets and one tab are used anywhere a door opening would need a purlin attached on one side only. Harvey's system allows multiple uses for the same brackets.
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Thanks to jinman
I'm using the term "bracket" to mean the stamped out portion of Harv's fastening system. Harvey may use a different nomenclature so I hope I'm not confusing the issue by calling them brackets and tabs and assemblies.
Here is James putting a straight bracket onto a post. The straight bracket goes on a post that is part of a flat wall to mount a purlin on each side of the pipe.
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Thanks to jinman
There are several different brackets for special applications. In hindsight, I wish I'd had Harvey lay them all out so I could get a picture of the entire system. I didn't get that shot, but I bet you can see it soon if you follow Harvey's news of his invention as he posts more details here on TBN.
Here is a photo of Harvey holding "bracket school."
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Thanks to jinman
Here are our "smokers" cooking up some deeee-licious brisket, sausage, and chicken.
It was sure good to see Ron (rotr) back and making great progress. We also found a home for the lonesome "blue lawnchair" that has shown up at every gathering without anyone to claim it. It turns out it was Ron's. So the little lost lawnchair has returned home.
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The plans right now are for the flooring under the overhangs to be base (crushed concrete).
I'd like to express our (mine and Ms Glenda's) appreciation of all those who attended and their contributions.
She told me that while us guys were out there getting after it one of the ladies pointed out that the reason all of us guys were getting along so well was because we're all workers.
A very wise observation I do believe.
I was running about twenty five to thirty percent below my usual pace. More than once I stepped back and was impressed by the efforts and skills of my fellow TBN'rs in action.
I'm sure some of them will pay dearly for the next couple of days and nights for our time in the sun. I know they had fun but I also know that it was hard work and hard work will make you pay from head to toe for doing office work during the week and then coming to visit on weekends.
I didn't get a chance to take any pictures over the last couple of days. But when I get out to the barn I'll take some pictures for the thread up in "projects". Hopefully some of those pictures will help some understand what we were doing.
Since you have to be a member to have access to this thread I'm confident everyone already understands the why.
I had a wonderful time. I hope everyone else did too. I learned a lot about my brackets. Mostly that the problem with them has a lot less to do with their design and more to do with my inability to communicate effectively.
I can't wait for Bobby to get home and get all of his stuff uploaded so the TBN membership can see more pictures.
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Thanks to bgoodman
Link to bgoodman's photo allbum Pictures
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I got over to Scotts about eleven or so and left last night about seven thirty. We had a good time.
One of his neighbors is named Frank and I was really hoping he could make our get together. He's a lot of fun, a hard worker, and his wife is from Mexico and can cook. Whoa that woman can cook.
Yesterday when I got there he was already with Scott getting after it on the building.
As you can see, we got a little done.
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Scott was very impressed with my internet friends and the way they worked. After cleaning up last night we were talking about the system and how long it would take a regular crew to frame up the building etc. He said, "if we'd had that crew we had yesterday working with us today the building and overhangs would be framed and ready for skin."
It was still a little shakey until we put in these braces. Before you could shake a post and watch the trusses rock back and forth with the framework. After the brace was in shaking the post would cause twist in the whole building but the truss assembly was a solid unit. One wall sheet or diagonal along a wall would have stopped that twist.
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Thanks to jinman
( After seeing the pictures he took and his descriptions, don't tell him, but he'll soon see a wroughtnharv with hat in hand on his doorstep. )
I'll be glad to help where I can, Harvey. I'm fascinated with this process and defining the steps required to build a successful building with your brackets from the first shovel hitting the dirt until the final product is completed. All the little items that are currently only in our imagination will be fun to document. I'm talking about the addition of plumbing, electrical, insulation, and finished inside walls. That's when the value-added side of your invention will become obvious. I'm convinced the "system" includes much more than the brackets. Your product is a finished building with quality features not found in other systems. Its bonus is it's also much easier/simpler to build than the normal steel barn structure. Hey, if Simpson can make stick building easier, why can't you make building with C-purlins and pipe just as easy.
Bird: I don't know why you say my pictures are any better. They are just different and I got lucky with the light on the close-up shots. I do admit that I've taken several hundred thousand pictures with my camera and I know it probably as well as anything. If I pick up a camera I'm not used to, I'm all thumbs.
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You don't know how much I appreciate your vote of confidence Jim. And it really makes me feel good that you can appreciate it for what it is. You see, it's because of guys like you and Don that inspired me to try to come up with a system that enables the handy person to build their own metal building.
The biggest problem I'm having with it at this point is getting people to see it in a manner they can relate with. That'll come with time I'm sure.
Bobby came by yesterday afternoon and visited with us for awhile. So he'll probably have more pictures on his site soon.
Today we'll be back on the pond project. But next weekend we'll get the building's framing completed and start the skinning.
This is how we made the header for the door openings. We had a truss right above them. We'll put up the walls before we do the roof. So the skin will make the header one solid unit before us big boys are walking on the roof.
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Thanks to txdon
"I can do that."
That is the phrase that kept going through my mind as we were building. The system is designed so I can do it by myself. There are no heavy structure members and with a boom for the tractor and scaffolding or tall ladders it would be safe and easy. Yep Harvey, I think you have a winner there for the do-it-your-selfer.
This was a perfect day for building, overcast and in the mid 50's. Here is a picture of Jim and I putting on a double corner connector. Harvey one more thing you need to invent is a tool to hold the clip to pole while it is being screwed on. It would replace Jim (you could call it a "Jim Wrench") and truly make it an accurate, easy, one man operation.
TXDon
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Thanks to txdon
Bill and Scott cutting horizontal wall c-beams. This is a 10 second operation with the chop-saw.
TXDon
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Thanks to txdon
Where's Harvey?
Oh, there he is, obviously keeping our better halves intrigued with Tall Texas Tales.
TXDon
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Thanks to txdon
Now here is the beauty of the Harvey's connectors. just put up a pole, (permanent or temporary) attach these ridge connectors........
TXDon
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Thanks to txdon
....attach a C-beam to the ridge connector and to a pole roof connector........
uh oh no picture....
Then attach a horizontal level c-beam to the bottom of the top two c-beam competes the truss.
(By the way I'm making up the names of the connectors. I"m sure Harvey will have technical names.)
Since this was a Get-together a lot of time was spent talking with our TBN friends, and that's a good thing. I had to take a recovery day today, but back to the desk job in the morning and day-dreaming of building my barn/garage with a lot more clarity now. Thanks Harvey.
TXDon
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Thanks to jinman
Like any truly world-class lazy man, I keep thinking about how this system could be made even easier. Several 10' stepladders comes to mind, but a roll-around scaffold would be even better than that for the high work. Now if you are truly lazy and can foot the rental fee, a scissor lift will be something that will bring a smile to your face. Since you don't have to have the C-purlins cut to exact length (1/2" to 3/4" short is perfect) you can almost cut all the pieces and lay them into position before you start to do any high work. A little organization and planning along with the right tools will enable a 1-man erection of the entire building frame. Two people would be best, but one of those persons will be holding the connector brackets most of the time. As you pointed out Don, a "jim-clamp" would sure come in handy.
I also have an idea that came to me in a flash yesterday that I'll have to discuss with Harvey. I think it's a way to save yourself one or two trips up the ladder for each pole bracket. Since Harvey is familiar with the bracket manufacturing process, I want to discuss it with him before saying much more. I'll get some illustrations of what I'm talking about together and then see if he thinks my idea is possible or just folly. Leave it to me, the lazy man, to try and make an easy system even easier
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Isn't it great?
The way things work?
I come up with this idea to help guys like Don and Jim and now they're perfecting it. That's the way it should be.
A scissor lift would be the cat's meow if one had a concrete floor and twelve foot walls. When I came up with this I envisioned eight foot walls which would only require an eight foot ladder if someone wanted a steep roof.
I've been working on a helpmate tool. Something that would locate the bracket while it's being attached. The biggest problem is most of the ideas work great for one position but are in the way for another. But I'd got a design in mind that will be a universal fit. It'll work for straights, ends, and corners. All the installer will need is a clamp, vice grips, c-clamp, etc.
What I'm hoping to do is take this design and try to form it from a piece of steel with one function of a punch press. If I can figure out how to do that the cost will be minimal. Something where we can put a helpmate in each package of ten brackets concept.
I realise that's against modern business principles where everything is to be looked at as a profit center without any consideration of intangibles like good will.
But modern business is still seeing screws as only nails with ridges. After all, it's a cookie, er, uh, potato chip, cutter world, right?
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What I'm thinking about is a formed piece of twelve gauge the conforms to the radius of the pipe with arms located ninety degrees from each other. These arms are punched and shaped to hold the bracket level while the clip is secured.
This piece could be made with one pass through a punch press. And to keep the cost down for the installer it wouldn't include a clamping mechanism. A standard Vice Grip four inch welding C clamp would be recommended.
The concerns in my mind for this piece are that it not interfer with the installation of the screws holding the clip. Either for the clip holding the single piece or the situation where there's a corner and two clips are being installed.
The way I see it the arc of the piece will conform to the pipe and guarantee the proper orientation of the arms in relationship to horizontal bearing.
Let's say these pieces cost a nominal amount, three dollars. This would be actual cost to the manufacturer and distributor. An installer could purchase the number of pieces they felt comfortable with handling and had clamps to grip them to the pipe.
If they had three they could clamp the two ends and do one post inline at a time if they were using a string for alignment.
Another reason for the piece being just a simple aid instead of complicated clamp is it's only good for one function. If we included a standard Vice Grip C clamp the cost would go up by twenty dollars per unit. And if we permanently attached the piece to the C clamp it would be a waste of installer money and show poor taste on our part.
The way I see it we make our money off the brackets. If we provide aids to make the brackets easier to install then we'll sell more brackets.
Call me old fashioned I guess.
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