The 45 degree steel beam is 90″+ high-off the rocky beach sitting on the concrete-based pedestal as described in the previous blog. The second beam is there to ‘triangulate’ the structure and make it strong. The steel beams are angle-steel, almost 1/2″ thick and double-hot-dipped galvanized. They are BC Hydro-salvage fallen power line tower parts. They ARE strong.
Salvaged steel beams
The long beam is 21 feet long and weighs 220pounds. The shorter one is almost 12′ long and weighs a mere 130 or so. The joists are 2×12’s ‘sistered’ in to the pre-existing deck structure. When that is up, we deck over but currently don’t have any 2×6’s for the decking. Sal hinted that we might use a mixture of 2×8’s and 2×4′ to deck…….hmmmmm…..?
More Hydro salvage (pillar for deck extension and funicular rails behind) plus ramp salvaged from fish farm in foreground
“So, did you rig up a lift or something to place those beams or did you just work Sal extra hard?” asked my neighbour when he dropped by to see it. He’s read the book.
Killer Drill
Drilling through beam using the Badger portable drill press
His visit cut into the work-day which is remarkably short as a rule and thus made shorter yesterday but we still put up two joists before the Malbec called. We may finish the remaining sisters and be ready to deck today. Tomorrow for sure. I say ‘may’ because I am likely to run out of the 2x12s but I would run out of the short lengths and Sal is insistent that we can ‘make em’ from 2×8’s and 2×4’s so that we don’t have to stop.
Cobbling is SOOoooooooooo out-of-character for the work-site partner who usually brings a little OCD to the equation.
Cutting steel beam to length using our neighbour John’s fabulous machine
“That’s not like you. Usually you want everything perfect. The same. Appearances have to be right. That’s your schtick. It’s me who says ‘oh, it’s good enough. No one will see it. It’s strong – that is all that counts. Wazzup?”
Overview of work site adjacent to Boat House
“Shut up and keep working. I am not that rigid. And, anyway….I want this all done before our guests arrive. Now, focus!”
Deck Frame in Place (strong enough for ANY load the barge delivers)
So I may be ‘making’ the remaining two joists out of parts. I may be decking like a quilter.
All Work and No Play
Slave-driver Sal is back on the job!
Our Off the Grid Home 
Looks good! Those galvanized angle brackets and posts are excellent salvage pieces. You scored.
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I knew it at the time. They were selling then for $1.00 a lineal foot. $22.00 a beam! $20.00 for the pedestals. I bought eight or ten beams and four pedestals. These are the last ones. The hard part was NOT the price; it was carrying, storing and wondering if I would EVER use them all. Well, I have now and I wish I had more. Steel bin half empty or bin half full? In this case, I see it as full-full. They did good work for me and still are.
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The glass half empty ( pessimist).
The glass half full (optimist)
The glass contains alcohol ( smartest)
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I really should NOT have implied that they beams were a bargain. They were…and they were not. I paid $400 to ship ’em up to the barge and then another $150 for the barge. Mind you, a few other things came along but you get what I mean. Plus, I have carried those beams all over the property (they get more valuable with handling). Some things they can give you for free and it is still too much. But these…well, I like these.
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Looks great! I’m of the “o-c-d” persuasion, as well. “So, we’re going to make a 2X12 out of two other sizes, aligned vertically edge on edge. How exactly is that different from using a, not cracked, but split entirely piece of framing lumber?” Or, words to that effect. Anyway, it looks like fun. You kids be careful out there.
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Sal is usually the OCD person. I only want to please the kind of girls I go out with…but that is SAL and so I am forced to do as good a job as I can…which is still mediocre but better than the Red Green style I would normally do.
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Do you have a hard hat ? Steel toes? Safety gear ? Construction adhesive ?
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Yes, I do. Nicely stowed away for when they are needed. Brand new, unused safety gear. The best kind. Used safety gear seems to be all mangled and bloody. Yuck. My theory (which is as respected as Jesse Ventura’s) is that safety gear puts you at a major disadvantage from the get go. Then you can’t move and then you get hurt. If I built in the nude, I’d be fine. Others might get sick or hurl themselves off of cliffs, but I’d be fine and likely have a better tan. So, I compromise. I wear good boots. Shorts. Ear protection and eye protection. For everything else, there is my BC Care card. I never leave home without it.
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I noticed in one of your photos you were wearing glasses and your ear muffs were nearby.
I believe the photo title was “Killer Drill” ( perhaps “serial killer WITH drill” might get more attention).
Ive worked in LOTS of dangerous jobs. Ive hurt my neck more times banging my hard hat on some unseen low object (because hardhats have “beaks” which blind the wearer from SEEING the aforementioned low object) than I can remember.
Hard hats for work outside with nothing above you but sky…..ridiculous.
Safety nazi’s rule the world but never have to actually lift a hammer.
Eyeglasses and ear muffs, common sense.
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Thank you, DC. Logic and sanity, perspective and experience, been there, done that….those who have done it, know it. Those who have not, read the book….which, by the way, was also true for us doing the reading 11 years ago but now we have the eleven years behind us and can think for ourselves. Open sky means no hard hat.
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Safety gear is for chumps needless to say.
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Oh, damn…now I have to say that I actually AGREE with some of it. Sometimes. It’s just, well, you know….some of this new found safety madness is not only stupid but counter productive. I went nuts a couple of decades ago when our local elementary school designated the block around the school as a ‘no-ride’ zone meaning: do not ride your bike. Consequently, the area became clogged with bad drivers dropping small children in huge SUVs 3-deep on a narrow road. Danger everywhere you looked!
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