After getting the exterior walls up and braced I had a couple of spots where the top of the wall needed a little adjusting in or out to get them all lined up straight. For the spots that needed to come "in" that adjustment was easy. But, for the spots that needed to go "out" that was a little tougher. I am working by myself, so I don't have someone to push, and someone else to be standing by ready to re-nail the brace when things are straight.
I read John Wagner's "Working Alone" book and didn't particularly like his method. I have a large turnbuckle and I just kept thinking that it could be used to solve this problem.
Here are a couple of pics of what I came up with (which worked great).
Here's the whole thing. A plywood sleeve fits over the end of the 2x4 brace. It is about 8" long by 5" wide. Just twist on the turnbuckle and you can move the wall "out".
(https://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g73/Lovett1/TurnbuckleJig1.jpg)
Here is the end of the turnbuckle embedded in plywood outer pieces. The inner pieces are cut to fit the recesses of the hook on the end of the turnbuckle and are epoxied to the bottom piece. The top piece is held on with screws so I can take this thing apart if needed.
(https://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g73/Lovett1/TurnbuckleJig2.jpg)
And here is a close up of the turnbuckle piece embedded in the outer sleeve. The turnbuckle pushes directly on the end of the 2x4.
(https://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g73/Lovett1/TurnbuckleJig3.jpg)
I'm sure there are probably better ways to do this, but this worked for me. If I ever rebuild this jig I will try a half inch bolt (about 7" long will do) that I will then embed in the plywood block.
P.S. I know I could have attached my ratchet strap to the fence in pic one and pulled the top of the wall "out" that way, but that fence isn't mine AND it's pretty old and rickety.
It's amazing what you can figure out when working by yourself. With the eyebolts I would have just used a bolt with washers on both sides of the plywood sleeve which runs through the eyebolt once inserted into the open end of the sleeve. But you got it done that's the main goal.
The turnbuckle has a hook on one end and an eyebolt on the other. I just wish it had an eyebolt on both ends.
I think it would work though. If the hook was prevented from turning and bottomed out against the 2X4 it would be able to push as well as pull. I was sort of worried about the C-clamp slipping off the 3X4 wall in the pull direction.
Good idea, Tony. Working alone, you have to be inventive.