More and more, I try to make it possible to raise my frame by hand, partly because of the cost and damages of bringing a crane , and also because I am a traditionalist, and also beacause it just plain sounds fun to do.. I have reduced the size of my design and complexity of my frame and it now seems quite feasible to collect enough people on a select few days to raise this modest 20 by 30 frame. The 2 full length 30 foot plates seem to be the most difficult part of the assembly . The height at the eaves is 12 feet from the bottom of the subsill so I am not sure exactly how one would go about getting this full length plate up and fitted into the roughly 12 foot tall post tops. I recently came across a technique in an article by Jack Sobon in the green guild book called parbuckling which spoke of a way of raising the top plate up on top of these extended posts. It seemed that there was some rigging attached to the post tops and the plate was somehow pulled up to the top. I am quite confused as the there was not enough detail in the writing or the photo to understand it fully.It seems this would put a lot of stress on the tiebeam -post connections as you are lifting up the plate? I really would like to find a way to raise my frame without stressing the connections and members too much as I hear that much damage can be inflicted during the raising. Perhaps if I strap the bents well at these connections the stress would be minimal? Can anyone elaborate or explain this parbuckling technique more fully? Also does anyone have any other tips or tricks for raising by hand that might help me to develop a better script for my own barn-frame raising? Just in case it helps, the frame is a simple 20 by 30 foot english barn style frame with 12 foot eaves height, 1-2 post extension above the tie beam,12/12 pitch, 20 foot clear span on the 3rd of four bents spaced at 10 feet on each bay, collar ties only on the end bents, with principal- common rafter pairs ,no ridge beam. Thanks. Always appreciative of the wiser. tb

Perhaps you are refering to the idea of running at least two ropes down from the post tops, under the top plate, then back up to the top to a come along or several strong hands. The plate rolls its way up the sidewall, could be tied off at any point. Maybe you would need 4 ropes for your 30 footers...

How about using two gin poles and a couple of block and tackles?

I am uncertain of how to construct a proper gin pole and was half hoping that with enough people , it might be unnecessary. Mark, how exactly are these rope lines attached to the post tops? does it seem to you that it may stress the assembled tying joints? Just the basic rope ratchet puller would be suffice or better to use a hand cranked winch? Thanks for the input .

I've never tried to lift a timber like this, I imagine the ropes would be attached to the tiebeams, then run over the tops of the posts.... There has got to be an interesting moment when the timber comes to the top??? how does it get over onto the post top tennons??? perhaps a strong 2x piece need to be nailed on the inside of the post???

How much do you estimate each plate weighs? How have you lifted so far when cutting the joints?

Seems to me like you'd want to build a 2x ramp to attach to your posts to pull them up, much like the loggers use to load their trailers.

Depending on the size and weight of the plate you may be able to get away with one gin pole.
We built one here and then built a windlass to wind up the rope.
Works great, here is a shot of just the gin pole with two 8x8x16' timbers weighing 500 lbs total:



Here is a shot of the windlass (wooden winch):



Here is a helper tailing the line:



With this setup, I was able to pick up these two timbers totaling 500 lbs with one hand on the handle of the windlass and one hand on the camera to take a picture:



The load was 500 lbs, the blocks had four pulleys in them so the mechanical advantage was 4 to 1 so 500 / 4 = 125 lbs going to the windlass. The windlass mechanical advantage is based on the diameter of the drum vs the diameter of the circle at end of the handles (if I understand it correctly). Which is 13.5 to 1. So 125 lbs / 13.5 = 9.25 lbs. There are four handle ends so 9.25 lbs / 4 = 2.31 lbs if four people were turning the windlass. So alone, I only had to push one handle about 10 lbs pressure to lift 500 lbs of timbers.

Works for me.....

These are small enough to be transported around to different sites for raising frames.....


Jim Rogers
Have gin pole and windlass and will travel.....

Nice setup Jim. The loader makes a nice portable "base of operations" for the gin pole!

I've got some pictures I scanned of a little bigger stepup. The following are from a book "The Barns at Wolftrap" by Richard Babcock. He and his crew dismantled, moved and restored two huge barns all using only a gin pole for lifting. (Richard was kind enough to allow me to scan/post these as long as he was given proper attribution).

He inspired me to build my gin pole and windlass.....

All my gin pole and windlass designs were reviewed and approved by Jack Sobon....

Jim Rogers