Forum:

homestead

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Posts: 2603

posted 10 years ago

I put in a want ad on craigslist for plywood and sheet metal and lo an behold I found some! and its fairly close to me! this 30x60 barn was destroyed by a tornado in early december. I couldn't pin them down for a price so I finally told them I would give them .50/foot for the sheet metal and they said I could just have whatever lumber I can salvage. yipeeeeee! our probable new house doesn't have any accomodations for my goats and I can probably salvage enough material to at least mostly build some goat huts. haven't worked out all the kinks in the design yet but I want them to be movable so I can use them in pasture rotation. the real trick will be making them sturdy enough to withstand being dragged around by a tractor.

[img]http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n52/havlik1/permie%20pics2/permiepotrait3pdd.jpg[/img]

"One cannot help an involuntary process. The point is not to disturb it. - Dr. Michel Odent

Susan Monroe

Posts: 1093

Location: Western WA

posted 10 years ago

Well, that should provide some building materials!

If speed is of the essence and you can get hold of some baled straw, I've seen people make four baled walls with an opening and just laid sheet metal flat on the top as a roof, held down with those 2-hole concrete bricks. The important thing was that the roofing had to extend quite a bit beyond the bale walls to protect them from rain.

After the first winter, the straw can go to the garden.

Sue

Leah Sattler

Posts: 2603

posted 10 years ago

that is a good idea sue I might end up doing the strawbale shelter or something similiear. i want to make movable ones that have long term useful lives but.....I am going over there today to try and start salvaging and by the time I get 4 or 5 sheets off I might change my mind about how much stuff i am going to get off of there! its not going to be easy (or safe) climbing all over that stuff and propping ladders to dismantle it. there are nails and twisted sheed metal everwhere. and then simply moving a 10' peice of metal alone is going to be a chore. if it is windy they will just lay in place until a calm day. I can just see me detaching one and then losing it to the wind while trying to get it on the trailer. hopefully I won't be checking into this site from the hospital tommorrow!

we could use the trusses we have to go ahead and build a real barn (that is what dh wants to do) I am insisting that we not build any permanent structures until I ahve been there for spring storms.(so far I think I have won that won:)) my shed I use now is in the worst possible place on our property for run off. we didn't build it but whoever did wasn't thinking. i dont want to say that about myself next year! I also want to get a good feel for all the other aspects of the property before committing to a barn site. I'm looking forward to having water and electricity in it and Iwill need to work that into my plan for its location.

[img]http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n52/havlik1/permie%20pics2/permiepotrait3pdd.jpg[/img]

"One cannot help an involuntary process. The point is not to disturb it. - Dr. Michel Odent

Susan Monroe

Posts: 1093

Location: Western WA

posted 10 years ago

Is doing it alone your only option? It's going to be difficult, as you pointed out, and might easily be dangerous, too.

Sue

Leah Sattler

Posts: 2603

posted 10 years ago

I survived! removed most of the metal off the roof and managed to pry off some 6x6's that I can use to build a small pole building for the ponies or chickens. going back today to get more metal but also going armed with a circular saw and some wrenches. I need some 2x4's and found some good heavy duty hinges to harvest that are bolted on. i figure it will be easier to just cut off longish sections of 2x4 rather than pry them apart. I'm generally on my own with this kind of stuff but I may actually get some help this weekend.

I was complaining to my husband last night how I could get so much more off of it but several of the walls are still completely intact and I simply can't lift them to access and dismantle them. I think when i started talking about buying and extra jack to jack them up or some pulleys to utilize some leverage he started thinking about caving

there are several 15-20' 6x6's that are screwed on but I can't get to the side to unscrew them. the metal is almost completely intact on those walls too but I I just can't get at them. managed to prop one up on a wheelbarrow and crawl under but that was a smallish section. I don't feel safe doing that on the 30' walls. yikes. leah pancake. they really need to be completley flipped over.

its kinda fun. I'm so bored this time of year.

[img]http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n52/havlik1/permie%20pics2/permiepotrait3pdd.jpg[/img]

"One cannot help an involuntary process. The point is not to disturb it. - Dr. Michel Odent

Susan Monroe

Posts: 1093

Location: Western WA

posted 10 years ago

Just don't do what a fool in the Midwest did a few years back. He wanted to demolish a grain silo, so he fired up his tractor and rammed the bottom of the silo with it. The silo fell on top of him.

Be careful.

Sue

Leah Sattler

Posts: 2603

posted 10 years ago

oh my! that is funny......sorta

. at least he can't vote or breed now right?

ok that was just mean I know

[img]http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n52/havlik1/permie%20pics2/permiepotrait3pdd.jpg[/img]

"One cannot help an involuntary process. The point is not to disturb it. - Dr. Michel Odent

Susan Monroe

Posts: 1093

Location: Western WA

posted 10 years ago

I don't think he died, but he had some broken bones.

But there are shallow areas of the gene pool that need more chlorine.

Sue

Leah Sattler

Posts: 2603

posted 10 years ago

more booty!

picked up a load of free lumber. large pallets made to move steel and lots of wafer board from broken down boxes. it was all going to go in the crusher! what a waste.

the building I started using the wood once I got home. this will be a three sided shelter on skids, so I can move it to our new house asap. I will hopefully get it near finished today, I ran out of daylight yesterday and had a very sleepy 4 year old on my hands so I had to quit. I will be hopefully gleaning some shingles off craigslist to roof it before it could be considered competly finished, will just have to bide my time and surf the ads everyday for that.

[img]http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n52/havlik1/permie%20pics2/permiepotrait3pdd.jpg[/img]

"One cannot help an involuntary process. The point is not to disturb it. - Dr. Michel Odent

Leah Sattler

Posts: 2603

posted 10 years ago

its coming along. so far it has cost me nothing but a few gallons of gas to go pick up the wood (well, some of the hardware was purchased but is left over from other projects) I just need to scare up some trim, to cover my shoddy cut lines and a few spot where I couldn't quite work the sheets in straight without an extra hand, oh well

) some paint and shingles or some other roofing material.... it really is amazing what you can do with salvaged material!

[img]http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n52/havlik1/permie%20pics2/permiepotrait3pdd.jpg[/img]

"One cannot help an involuntary process. The point is not to disturb it. - Dr. Michel Odent

Gwen Lynn

Posts: 736

posted 10 years ago

Really nice job, and singlehandedly at that! Excellent!

Leah Sattler

Posts: 2603

posted 10 years ago

all done! not too shabby for FREE. ha ha ha ha. yes, I'm gloating.

starting on the next one!

[img]http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n52/havlik1/permie%20pics2/permiepotrait3pdd.jpg[/img]

"One cannot help an involuntary process. The point is not to disturb it. - Dr. Michel Odent

Leah Sattler

Posts: 2603

posted 10 years ago

gettin more stuff built!

future hen house

rabbit hutch/to be used as a brooder after dearest bunny dies

another shed for the goats.

also got a truck bed liner to use on the floor of the larger shed and green plastic-like flooring (I have no idea what it originally was) in the smaller shed. that ought to ease cleaning and preserve the wood bottom for a time anyways. there will be no floor in the hen house because it is small enough that I can move it around as needed.

[img]http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n52/havlik1/permie%20pics2/permiepotrait3pdd.jpg[/img]

"One cannot help an involuntary process. The point is not to disturb it. - Dr. Michel Odent

Gwen Lynn

Posts: 736

posted 10 years ago

Looking good! You've been a busy little carpenter! The cage material on the rabbit hutch looks mighty familiar!

Looks like you'll be moving a village of structures to your new home.

Leah Sattler

Posts: 2603

posted 10 years ago

WenVan wrote:

Looks like you'll be moving a village of structures to your new home.

yep. I may be an idiot for not waiting and building the stuff there. but I figure, I would be moving the building material anyway and I have the time now and a few lucky breaks in weather so I need to use them. I dont' want actually moving day to be delayed because its to bitterly cold to feel a tool in my hand or all the material is down there and I am up here with kidding goats.

[img]http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n52/havlik1/permie%20pics2/permiepotrait3pdd.jpg[/img]

"One cannot help an involuntary process. The point is not to disturb it. - Dr. Michel Odent

Gwen Lynn

Posts: 736

posted 10 years ago

After it's all said & done, I think you'll be glad you are doing it in advance. It may mean more trips down there & back, but you'll have ready made shelters for all!

Susan Monroe

Posts: 1093

Location: Western WA

posted 10 years ago

I am visualizing a large flatbed semi delivering a bunch of new sheds to your new location!

Sue

Posts: 92

posted 10 years ago

How'd you like to spend a month or two in NY state???

Good for you!

Laughter is the best medicine.
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