Cuyamaca Cottage--Hoisting the Ridge Pole

[flyingvan]

  Getting the ridge pole up solo was a big step.  I took some 4x6 and made this 10' jig, and built a block and tackle system inside it.  It's bolted temporarily to the frame.  the 6x12x24' beam was on the other side of the wall from where the ropes were---that way if anything failed, I wouldn't get squished

   Here i is almost to the plate.  Once it rested on the plate, I took the jig all apart.  Then it was a matter of scooting it up each gable frame a little at a time, clamping as it went so it wouldn't slide back. 

   Hardest part was lifting it, turning it, and setting it into the Simpson Strong Tie.  First attempt I was about 1" to short to lift it in, so had to set it back down, add to the board I was standing on, and try again.  Once this was up work accelerated---having something to tie to, measure from, lean a ladder against, all made things easier

[duncanshannon]

wait... did you set that huge beam all by yourself??

[flyingvan]

Well, yeah.  It wasn't even the hardest day---tipping up the balloon framed wall takes that distinction

[Don_P]

I'm bumping this and hope you don't mind flyingvan if I post a pic of rigging along the same lines.
This is a double 28' LVL ridge the homeowner and I placed with a setup similar to flyingvan's. There are well braced end supports and we are lifting from near the center from a well braced pair of site built posts with a timber across the top from which we dangled a chain and come-alongs. Leapfrogging come alongs up a chain I have lifted things pretty high.


Make certain both catches engage in each position with each stroke, I'm pretty certain my shoulder injury began when I failed to check the catch pawl and dropped a '35 pickup truck, oops! You don't want to do that with a ridgebeam  Go slow and check everything often. A chain hoist up top is a much safer way than come alongs, we've been using one on this job and although it is a beast to set, I'm sold.

[flyingvan]

I like your solution.  It wouldn't have worked in my build (too much existing house in the way) but I can see why that was a good option there.  Ridgepoles are real widowmakers.  You'd have a tough time convincing me truss built lightweight roofing is better than conventional ridgepole and rafters, but I can see why it's done often---unless you have access to a crane and a way to get it in. 
Having the ridgepole in is good....Work speeds up since you have something to hang from, lean ladders on, measure from...

[flyingvan]

Also I like how you cradled the beam on the posts sandwich style.  Cheaper than the Simpsons I had to buy, and more solid (with the strongties, things will flex left and right until you get some sheathing up)