Ridge Beam, Trusses, Loft Beams, Top Sil, Squaring

I love the rain.  It keeps everything cool and green just the way I like it and we get an abundance here.  I wasn't so thankful this weekend.  I'm trying to learn from my near death fall from last weekend to not work in the rain tired and alone.  That made getting much done a little tricky as the rain kept starting and stopping.  I would uncover the saw, climb the ladder, put in a screw and it would start raining.  Then climb off the ladder, cover everything up and wait.  Repeat.

My big goal was the get the walls square so further work could depend on that accuracy.  Everything I've read says if you don't start square that error compounds as you go.  The walls started out a half inch off from each other, better than I expected but still something I wanted to correct.  I used braces to push the walls.  I tried using ratchet straps.  I tried shimming.  I even tried looking at it sternly.  I wasn't really getting any closer to an equal measurement.  I did however get a nice step aerobic going on as I went up and down the ladder.  I also swore quite a little bit at my tape measure.  It's not easy to measure by yourself.  I ended up nailing the bugger to the top sil.  There was probably an easier way.  Then when help arrived we decided to undo the carriage bolts and whack the walls.  That fixed some related problems but didn't actually fix the half inch problem.  In the end I decided that putting up the second top sil plate, loft beams, and eventually rafters would magically push it into the zone of correct.  Plus extreme amateur me built this house and a half inch is probably the smallest mistake I'll make.  Close enough.

We also picked up the 18' ridge beam and house wrap while I had access to a truck.  In between the rain I put the completed trusses into place.  They look good up there but I'm still a little unclear how the rafters will rest flush on top of the trusses.  Maybe when I get the ridge beam up there and cut the birdsmouth cut (extra points for lingo?) in the rafters it will sit right.

Double Top Sil Plate

birdsmouth

Trusses installed and temporary loft beams in place