27.02.2021 Go north, old man.

 *

 Saturday 27th 36F, 8.30. overcast, cooler. Fuzzy cloud breaking up to sunny periods at 08.00.

The weather continues dry. I think I will get the mitre saw out and make some more cross braces. Then I can build more frames. The more frames I install the stiffer the outer building should become by geometry alone. I have bevelled only enough 4.2m lengths of 2x4 timber for two more frames. Which could be added to the western side before I dismantle the veranda. 

I was hanging out through the dome's, open observation slit yesterday. This was due to a lack of safe access from below for lifting the 4.2m lengths through the remaining veranda joists. The shutters were very close to the upright posts as I worked around towards the south east. There will be even less of the northerly veranda remaining. Because of the larger footprint's bias towards the south west. Much like the lobe of a circular cam, or hula hoop, captured at its widest eccentricity in a WSW orientation.

The southerly side was by far the easiest area to work on while I practised raising fames. The ground extends outwards at the same level as the imported, gravel pad. From now on I will have to move upright frames further around the building. With much poorer access. Not to mention all the oak trees.

Ladders will have to be standing on the original garden slope beyond the raised, gravel pad. There is a much bigger drop [three feet] outside the gravel pad on the west and northern sides. So access from below is not remotely as easy. 

Which strongly suggests I drag the present frames right around the building. While I still have the northerly veranda to work from. The existing frames would only get in the way as I moved new frames around to the north side of the building. They would have to be moved along, outboard of the existing frames. Adding new frames in the west and south is easily accomplished later. After the rest have been moved and fixed on the other side of the building.

It was difficult enough to remove the veranda fascia boards even in the south with good access. Which suggests I saw the fascias away in short sections on the western and northern sides. Then the upright frames can be easily threaded over the bare veranda joists. Wasting more hours on saving short length of weathered timber is just foolish. The projecting joists can all be trimmed back later when the frames are fixed upright and together. 

There is one major difficulty in fitting new cross braces when the uprights are fixed together. Ideally the braces ought to be added while each frame is unattached. Or even while constructing them on the ground. The problem then is deciding where to put the extra braces. 

Building frames, while balancing the bare posts upright, is not remotely as easy as it might appear. As can be seen in the one I left half finished in the SE. The 2x4 braces are too heavy to hold with one hand while holding a rechargeable drill/screwdriver in the other. Doing so from a ladder is like a circus, plate-balancing act!  While I could try to build frames on the northern side there is no flat ground and lots of trees.

10.15 43F. I have moved the three frames around to the rear of the building. Presently struggling with the fascia boards. I have removed all the visible screws and sawed the ends away. Now the rest of the board won't move even with the crowbar!

12.15 48F. Stopped for a rest. Problem solved: Extra screws hidden by the veranda floorboards. I have removed the northern veranda and raised the three existing frames. There is nothing left to get in the way of raising more frames.

16.15 Sunny afternoon reaching 49F. Tidied everything up and then stopped for the day. Tired and aching all over after 7 solid hours of work. Managed to raise two more frames in the west. Cut a load of mitred braces. Still need to bevel more upright posts. I'm rather pleased with today's progress. I thought removing the veranda would be much harder than it was. 

I have lost the "free scaffolding" asset but there was really no choice. The frames would have to pass right through the veranda. I was disappointed by the condition of the tops of the veranda joists after exposure to three years of rain. The "mineral powder" anti-rot treatment seems to have had little effect. 

I should have covered the tops of the joists in plastic. To protect them against standing water trapped by the boards. If I add a veranda to the new building it will have to be a better arrangement. A simple balcony at front of the building, at observatory floor height, is all that is required. The entire dome can be rotated to the balcony access point if high level maintenance is needed.

*