Saturday projects

Saturday, May 25 Frost this morning! When I thought to check the temperature, it was 37*! On Memorial Day Weekend! It was windy and chilly(sunny too) most of the day and the guys each worked on different projects. Tad spent a few hours mowing down hay, Dad dug the footers for the bulk tank to rest on and dug up lines for the parlor, and Shawn replaced bolts in the 6X6 posts. There was a mix up when our concrete brackets were ordered, and the company thought we were putting up laminated posts instead of the treated posts our builder used. So they sent regular zinc coated hex bolts. When Merle saw this while they were putting the bolts in, he told us this wasn't going to work. We had to change out all the zinc bolts for galvanized or stainless steel bolts. If we didn't, the treated posts would start to react with the zinc and eat the bolt up in less than a year. Today when we removed the zinc ones, they were already starting to turn black after only 3 weeks! The bolts were 1/2" 7" long bolts with a hex head. We soon found out that not very many suppliers carry this type of bolt, most were only zinc and 6" or 8" long. The company that sent the brackets said it would take 45 days to get the other bolts in. It was holding up finishing the parlor walls and that would delay the project too long. Levi thought a carriage bolt would work, so I went to town for enough galvanized carriage bolts to put around the doors. They did work after being tapped through with a hammer. Dad was able to pick up the other bolts we needed to finish the outside walls and the short wall in the parlor. Shawn finished drilling the rest of the holes in the posts, and changed out all the zinc bolts. While the men worked, Diana, the children and I went to Kayla's graduation party. So I wasn't able to get pictures today. Sorry, this is a boring,wordy post!!
Posted by: Dora