Week 8: Sheathing, CAD and the Steel Beam

Next week we should have the fir 4 x 10 joists (here being delivered)  up and bolted to the new steel beam.  

Kaleb bolting in the steel beam to the 6 x 6 post

The locations of the steel tabs and  4 x 10 beams is very critical so I took some time to precisely draw up their locations in CAD
(Computer Aided Design).

The steel beam weighs approximately 1,200 pounds.  To lift it in place we used two beam lifts,  seen here.  Two of us were able to lift and position it without any problem whatsoever.  This was the heaviest beam I've installed and, with the use of the beam lifts, the easiest.

The beam was a little long, so we trimmed it just a bit with the plasma torch.   Not pretty, but it does the job.   This end of the beam is hidden in the wall so it won't be seen. 

Here  Justin is welding up the steel tabs.

Here the steel tabs are visible on the top of the steel beam.  To these we will be bolting the new fir 4 x 10 beams which
hold up the second floor.

Before installing the beam we made sure to have sheathing in place which helps stiffen the walls.   Door and window openings will be cut out later.