Options for raising the glulam ridge beam, Victoria Cottage

[CREATIVE1]

My ridge beam is 30 something x 12 x 6.  I have located a crane, but it is an hour away and will be expensive to get to the site.  I'm hearing that one option is a knuckle boom and a stump truck.  ??

[Don_P]

Depends on his lift height and your needs, remember he has to go over and clear the walls. A 5-1/2x12 dougfir glulam weighs 16 lbs/foot so it looks like you're under 300 lbs. Especially when doing it by a marginal method think about what happens if it swings or the wind blows. A large excavator might be another option.

This is a shot of gin poles used in the construction of Biltmore;
http://www.biltmore.com/images/content/biltmore_img_construction_site3.jpg

I've also used pump jacks very well braced with the ridge slung underneath, this does not put you in a safe place if anything goes wrong and is outside of their labelling.

In the end a crane is usually cheaper than most alternatives and far safer.

[PEG688]

It depends on your exact conditions.

IF you have balloon framed gable end walls , you might be able to frame and stand your exterior walls , maybe even sheath the sides inward toward the center , maybe even all the sheathing could be put on IF your ridge beam does not stick out beyond the gable end wall over all length.

  IF those conditions can work for you , you'll have a 'chase' between the king studs on each gable end Wall your beam can be 'trapped' by the wall sheathing , BRACE YOUR GABLES VERY WELL IF YOU TRY THIS , and the king studs will 'trap' the beam side ways.

Then use wall jacks , if you had four that would be best , one on each side of the beam on each end , the wall jack 2x4's can be braced together , maybe use some plywood / OBS to make a gusset , use screws as these gussets and or braces will need to be added to as the beam and wall jacks climb the 2x4's .

  I have raised a few big glue lams this way , it only works IF you have that clear path all the way to the top.

You do need to make sure you have the jacks far enough off the gable end walls to allow the trimmers / posts to be inserted under the beam once it is jacked up into position.

The other tricky thing is wall jacks do not allow you to 'jack down' they are designed to only go up , so you need to #1: NOT jack the ridge to far past it's final height. #2: Once high enought get the post under the beam then wiggle , or cut the 2x4 jack post out.



Also insure you pad out the under the jack posts so you don't punch then thru the sub flooring  Like DonP mentioned the crane or boom truck would be safer , but some times you just can't get one to the site or in the cases I jacked beam they where inside buildings so over head lifting just would not work .

  G/L PEG     

[CREATIVE1]

The guys were concerned that the knuckle boom might damage the beam, which will be exposed in the final design?

[PEG688]

The guys were concerned that the knuckle boom might damage the beam, which will be exposed in the final design?

Whats a knuckle boom?
The 'guys' being a subcontractor? If he bid your job , generally he's responsible to figure out how odd lifts are done. Unless the General Contractor , which in this case may be you , have noted some other option / condition.

 
 

[PEG688]

I googled Knuckle boom's , why would that hurt the beam? You'd use straps like a , I guess , normal boom truck would use,

 

  wide straps should protect the beam.

 

[CREATIVE1]

The guys were concerned that the knuckle boom might damage the beam, which will be exposed in the final design?

Whats a knuckle boom?
The 'guys' being a subcontractor? If he bid your job , generally he's responsible to figure out how odd lifts are done. Unless the General Contractor , which in this case may be you , have noted some other option / condition.
The "guys" are us and our friends, including a framing contractor and a remodeler.  I don't know what a knuckle boom is either--except that it's a kind of crane.
 
 

[PEG688]

The pictures I googled showed a sort of folding crane as opposed to a telescoping type like I posted a photo of.

They'd be limited in reach and height, you see them on trucks delivering septic tanks , smaller ones on propane tank delivery trucks ,etc.

Glenn's boom truck might be considered a knuckle boom , it's maybe a sort of area specific name.  Like some folks call a soda a "Coke" whether it is really a Coke brand  or not.   

 Do you have access to wall jacks? If you let the GC friend read my post he might have a better time understanding what I saying. The terms I use are trade terms and you may not has a feel for what I saying.  

 The wall jacks would take the beam straight up , you'd use the walls to 'hold' it steady , it would be trapped by the trimmers and the wall sheathing , you'd need to cut it about a 1" short and when you nail your trimmers in place you need a little wiggle room , say 1/4" total side to side between the trimmers. Once the real post is in place  you'd nail the trimmer tight to the post to close that "wiggle room gap" you'd need while jacking.

 What would the total lift be , sub-floor to ridge beam final placement?

     

[davidj]

We dropped in our 30'x18"x6 .75" glulam this weekend.  Best $270 we've spent!  It took 15 minutes, along with the 50 minute drive each way it just pushed us up to the two hours @ $135/hour minimum charge (from the local truss company).  I've had 8' two-by-fours that were more hassle to put in place than the 900lb glulam - the crane turned a tough, scary job into a breakfast-time neighborhood get-together.

[CREATIVE1]

We ended up renting a crane and operator @$145/hr, should be there tomorrow.  Our problem was, nearest crane for hire was about an hour away.  The guy with the knuckle boom said he could do it, but he wasn't thrilled.

[Don_P]

I thought of this thread after getting a pic of today's fun. This is a knuckleboom folded straight out with 2 telescoping sections extended. The strap is around a tree and he's pulling himself back up the bank. We learned today that big trucks have very little hang time when doing ski jumps  .

[PEG688]

We ended up renting a crane and operator @$145/hr, should be there tomorrow.  Our problem was, nearest crane for hire was about an hour away.  The guy with the knuckle boom said he could do it, but he wasn't thrilled.

How did your beam setting go?