Jumping the Moon Dairy - the next chapter

[Mini Horses]

Reflective paint on roof?

https://www.amazon.com/HEAT-BLOCK-R...ocphy=9003887&hvtargid=pla-580615814145&psc=1




ETA: Are any of the pony walls salvageable?

 

[babsbag]

I think that all of the pony walls are ok. I don't even think that the 4x4's broke, the soil was just wet beyond belief and the outward force just pushed them over...I think. Won't know for sure until we take it apart. If we rebuild it there will be 2000 lb blocks behind it and it will never fall over again.

 

[Mini Horses]

I think that all of the pony walls are ok

Just thinking you could use them along with the carport and save some $$$. I'm tight!

 

[babsbag]

I'm tight too. I would LOVE to save enough money on this rebuild to buy some more solar panels. The cost of electrify for the dairy is killing me.

We are looking at literally raising the current barn. Anyone have some ideas on how to lift the center of this beast? It needs to go from ground level to about 17'. I wish I could rent a crane but getting one into the area might be a challenge.

 

[farmerjan]

House jacks inside? I am not a very good carpenter type person... but I remember years ago my family raised the inside roof on a building with house jacks inside. Then they pulled the walls back in with cables that went through the walls to plates outside. I realize you can't do that with yours, but would a framework of some sort inside to support the pipework, be possible? Because it was all wood, they did it in stages, but think you could do yours faster?

 

[Bruce]

It would be a slow process with house jacks, their full down to full up distance isn't very great but it would be possible. You would have to have enough cribbing to keep increasing the height of the jack as it hits it's max "throw".

I assume we are talking about this:

Are the pipes bent or only down because the pony walls collapsed outward? If the latter, could you raise it by lifting the longitudinal pipes at the outer ends or would that just cause them to bend in the middle of the structure with the weight of the laterals and fabric? If that isn't likely to happen, perhaps the bucket on a tractor, one on each end, could get it up a fair distance?

 

[babsbag]

 

[babsbag]

The center joint of each rafter is bent quite badly. We would cut it and put a sleeve over it. In hindsight there never should have been a joint there in the first place...bad design IMO. Thinking about raising it is probably just a dream and taking it down and starting over is most likely the logical thing to do. But all those screws....and asking my friends to help again...guess I will find out who my friends are...LOL

 

[Bruce]

Unfortunately I think you are right, no real way to fix the rafters without taking it apart. But .... if you mark all the fittings with a permanent marker, straight line from the fitting to the pipe you should be able to find the screw holes easily and it won't be AS hard as when you originally put it together.

 

[ragdollcatlady]

I just saw all the damage last night as I was catching up on the thread. I am so sorry @babsbag ! So frustrating! I hope the insurance comes through quickly so you can get on with whichever remedy you choose.

I can't even build functioning fences, I am amazed you were able to get that big of a span up in the first place. As grateful as I am for all the rain here in my valley, it is frustrating having weather that we aren't used to. My normally adequate shelters, just aren't cutting it right now.