Raising beams for a high deck

[MikeT]

Is there a favorite trick any of you folks have for raising a 6x12 beam that is 16 feet long onto posts that are 10-15 feet high?  As you can gather, this is for a deck onto my house which is on a sloping lot.

Thanks,
mt

[peter nap]

I have the same problem on one end of my barn.cabin. Nail a 2X4 to your post so you have a few feet above the top of the posts. Hook a comealong to each and take her up.

I have several beams for the loft that have to go up 30'.

[MikeT]

Thanks, Peter.  I think I am tracking.  I have the 2x4s and a comealong.  But I am on the ground and the top of the post is 12 feet above my head.  Do I run the comealong cable up and over the end of the 2x4 and down to where I would attach it on the beam?

mt

[peter nap]

Hook the free end of the comealong on the 2x4 and the handle end on the beam...or you can use a pulley on the 2x and fasten the handle on the post.

Chase it up using a ladder.

You can do this with pulleys and rope. The beam isn't that heavy, it's just awkward.

I would brace your post with a 2x4 if you haven't already. The ladder is puts some pressure on it unless you have a really long step ladder.

If you brace it and have 2 ladders and ladder jacks, you can walk the beam up a couple of rungs at a time on the jacks.

[MikeT]

Got it.  Thanks.   My slope is steep and high wind and rain are forecast for the weekend,  so I will likely sit tight for a bit until two undesirable factors are eliminated--not much I can do about the slope.

mt

[peter nap]

I don't know if your working alone or how old you are but....a word to the wise. I've fallen more times than I can remember and once upon a time, I'd get up, say a few choice words and get back at it.

I'm a little more delicate these days. A safety harness goes a long way. Just make sure you do NOT attach it in the back if your working alone. You need to use a pruisik knot or something like it, in the front, so you can get down.

[glenn kangiser]

As Peter mentioned - the pulleys and a rope could be good.  I used to install rollup doors with two ropes on a special set of snatch blocks.  Nice thing about the rope hoists (block and tackle) is that they can be long enough to control everything from the ground and be tied off to something as you adjust or hoist the other.  Great when working alone.  

Stuff about setups.  http://www.howstuffworks.com/pulley.htm

A block and tackle with a brake may be available at a hardware store  (possibly as a fence stretcher then put as much rope as needed on it) or you can make a simple one without a brake with pulleys.

http://www.miniscience.com/projects/pulley/

[peter nap]

I hadn't thought about a locking Pulley, Glenn. I suggested The come alongs so he could work on one end at a time. Good Idea!

[glenn kangiser]

I got working on my truck today and didn't have enough time to find a pix or supplier for the locking block and tackle.

Lehman's has it but it should be available other places too.



http://www.lehmans.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=4022&itemType=PRODUCT&iProductID=4022

Block and Tackle

for Smaller Jobs

Many old-timers come into our store looking for this item. They know it's a huge help when pulling or lifting anything heavy. Capacity is considerably less than "More-Power" Puller, but it's lighter, faster, cheaper and it can pull/lift a longer distance. Load can be locked at any height. Steel blocks, pulleys and swivel hooks, self-locking block tackles, sheave diameter 27/8", 500 lb safe lifting capacity. Comes with 50 ft of ½" rope, 7½ lb,
imported.

[glenn kangiser]

...or 2 sets of these from Harbor freight for $5 per set =$10

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=92309



plus rope http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=90761

@ 2x$4 = $8

Would get the job done for about $18.  This method would require tying the ropes off - no brake as the Block and Tackle has, but would get the job done cheaply.

[JRR]

My wife and I (both very gray) recently raised two built-up beams (4x14, 20' lg) ... but only 10' or so, to the top of stone columns.  The beams included some rebar for stiffness, so they were pretty heavy.

Fearful of an injury, I built a temporary "channel" up the side of the columns.  This guaranteed that the beam(s) could not fall "away" from the column ... only down in the channel.  Then we started out with pinch bars, raising the beam just a bit on each end .... then raising the saftey blocks in the channel ... then starting over again.  As the beam go higher, we switched to floor jacks as the lifters.  We did a lot of heavy lifting, but there was never any personal risk.

The attachment of the channel rails (2x6's) to the columns would occassionally have to be relocated as the beams move upward.

.... thanks for decking screws!

[JRR]

Hoped I could find a good old photo.  But guess most got erased.  Did find one that shows the two (unpainted) beams already atop the stone columns.  The rig is still in place for lifting another homemade beam up two 4x6 posts:.

.
... now I see the stone columns are only about 8' in height

[glenn kangiser]

Looks like that worked well, JRR