Bob's caboose build

[bobhenry]

Here are a few more pics. It's kinda sorta starting to look like something.





This little guy was dubbed Handy Andy after dropping a truss top on my head I decided I needed a 3rd hand.

[bobhenry]

Two days of work and you can barely tell that anything was done. Mid-ninty all weekend and every time I went in for a beer and a cool down in the AC I changed shirts. As each hit the floor they sounded as if they just came out of the washing machine. They were just soaked with sweat.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~





This side shot shows the fender areas now headered off with double 2x6’s and the two intermediate studs were notched 2x4’s to allow the cabinets to set back into the wall a couple extra inches. Also the two intermediate truss pairs are now installed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


This one shows the a few of the ninty three blocking/nailers that have to be added. I think I installed about 30 of them so far. The purlins alone will require over 60.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



This pics shows the purlin going into place. No I didn’t get lucky they do not line up perfectly but they were within an 1/8 “ to 3/16 “ , a little jig saw work and all will be well.

[101camper]

Bob, this is fantastic. We anxiously await every installment of your most ambitious build thread!

[S. Heisley]

Looking through my "crystal ball," I see a lot of work in your future. But then, if it is a work of love and interest, is it really work?
What do you expect your new home will weigh when completed?
Will you take it places or is it meant to be your "stationary" home on wheels?

[Juneaudave]

Really looking good Bob!!!!

[mezmo]

Hi Bob,

Just wondering how you are keeping things square and plumb
when installing everything - one of the many challenges of alfresco construction.

You must be like me when working and building - especially in the heat -
Gallons Of Sweat Equity !!!

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo

[bobhenry]

Thanks Guys ( and gals)

I was beginning to think I was talking to myself

A have built hundreds yes hundreds of mini barns and yes it is a challenge to keep a build square and true when the floor may or may not be dead level. I was extremely impressed that the long purlin runs were as accurate as they were only being off 3/16 or less, (yep just enough ya can't bend a 2x4).

During building I use a half sheet of plywood and use the factory edges only as a 4 foot framing square to keep all verticals true plumb to the floor. The use of a properly checked and adjusted power miter saw helps to keep all end cuts true and square as well. The liberal use of a tape measure checking top middle and bottom of all verticals in each bay helps keep things as designed. I even made measurements from front to rear to be certain I remain on true two foot centers always being careful to check top middle and bottom measurements. The installation of the 22 1/2" drywall nailers helps keep my interior verticals on 2 foot centers as well. P.S the corners blocks are 21 3/4 just an FYI. In one of the previous pictures you see a heavy duty load cinch strap diagonal across a bent. I had a bowed stud leg and didn't catch it until it was installed so I took several days to train it. When I released it it was not perfect but acceptable. Side to side measurments were checked as well. All in all it is within 1/4" of being right on and some of that can be reclaimed with the aid of the cinch strap to persuade the members to better alignment as the siding goes on. Tommorrow is the 4th and a day off from work so I hope to get the purlins in and the plywood roof deck installed so I can tarp the beast from the weather. So as a public opinion poll what color are we gonna paint it ? (remembering I have a red and white barn already). Green, yellow, blue ,white, and burgandy have all ran thru my mind. I am actually gonna test Kabota orange with a linen white trim package. My only fear is it will look like a giant halloween lawn ornament.

[S. Heisley]

What color? It's probably too soon to say; but, I'm thinking yellow because it gives you color while still being light enough to help fight the effects of the sun.

[Ned B]

Bob,
sheer idle curiosity here, but what's that sucker going to weigh in at?

[bobhenry]

I'm at 1598 pounds of lumber at this time. This does not including the frame.
With siding and rubber roof in place I will be at approx. 2504 pounds
The weight of the windows and doors will be offset somewhat by the sheathing and stud removal.

I am realistically thinking 5,000 pounds when livable.

Before I started the build I loaded the frame with 2 units of 2x4x16 at the plant and towed it thru the lot that's 588 boards at 21# each , that's 12,348 pounds so I am not worried yet.

The Tumbleweed fencl is 7 x 18 and dry weight completed on it is approx 5700 pounds. This unit has stick built truses and a loft floor that mine does not. The light weight plywood dome truss tops on the caboose weigh about 10 - 12 pound each far less than a stick built truss. I know the 2x6 legs look over designed but I wanted some in the wall storage and still be able to over insulate the wall cavities. A new commercial 26 - 28 foot travel trailer goes 6000 to 7000 dry and over 5 ton loaded.

[pappaw]

wow Bob, really has a shape now.

Cheers!

[bobhenry]

Got outside on the 4th at 7:30 am and started installing purlins and making a couple corrections to some boo-boos I had made. I cut off the 2x6 legs that extended above the plywood domed truss material



and added missing screws here and there. By 10:30 I was spent, it was in the high seventys when I started and very rapidly climbed to 95. I was ringing wet with sweat and simply gave up. Washed up and took a drive to investigate the camp grounds the Indiana Tearjerkers will be visiting on the 19 th thru 21 st of this month. After the 3+ hour road trip arrived home and fixed dinner and took a power nap so I could get up by dark to go see the local fireworks display. I am ashamed I didn't get more done but its just too hot.

[pjo129]

Great work, Bob. Especially in this heat

I hate to say this though. I think you have to go with red on this one.

[bobhenry]

So Pete are you gonna come visit us in Winimac for the summer gathering ?

The Saturday night pot luck dinner is well worth the drive for a day visit and YOU and YOURS are mosy cordially invited.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
so we so far have one yellow and one red vote

[pjo129]

Not gonna be able to get there this year. Just don't have the cash.

Already planning on next year. Hopefully in our own trailer.

I've enjoyed keeping up with your build, This is quite ambitious.