OtraBanda: Final Rafter Work

We have one more rafter to make - the gable-end overhang rafter - before we can start installing the OSB sheathing on the roof. But before we got to that all the attic rafters needed stabilizing. We've put a couple of pieces of OSB on the rafters that allow us to work up there without the need of the scaffolding but there was a lot of wobbling so spacers needed to be attached to minimize that.

Rick found a great tip in one of the many reference books we've been using. You set a nail in each end and bend it over so that you can hang the spacer in place to nail it. It worked great! It frees up your hands so that you're not holding the spacer in place while you're trying to attach it. The picture on the right shows most of the spacers in place. What a difference they made!

Next we needed to construct the rafter. We did it much the same way we did the last rafter we installed but there the similarities stopped. This rafter was going to be more complex and a lot harder to install.

Here Rick is measuring for the joist hangers that needed to be attached for the spacers.

To get this rafter up we were going to need help - at least mechanical help! Rick built a "gizmo" that attached to the existing trusses and stuck out with a pulley on the end. Here he is attaching it in place.

Gizmo in place ready to attach to rafter. The top of the roof pitch is 17' above ground! This was going to be challenging!!!

Rafter is attached and the lifting process begun. You can see the decorative gusset on the front of the rafter.

Finally up! This was not an easy job - even with the gizmo! And there were times when I questioned whether we'd get it up at all. I know we would not have been able to do it without the gizmo!!!!