Change of Plans

74 degrees - another beautiful day.  Some small flying bugs but I don't think they were mosquitoes.

This morning I had to take care of some business over email but then began working on the Pointed Playhouse again.  I was left alone except for a telecon that lasted an hour at noon.  I would like to say that it was a productive day but my expectations were greater than my accomplishments.

I started up on the second floor measuring the dimensions of the opening and referencing my Sketchup drawings for the dormer window.  The distance between the rafters was fairly wide, 46 1/2 inches, and I thought that I would take advantage of this space by creating a larger dormer to give a little more space for the kids up in the loft area.  Thankfully my neighbor Royden came by and we talked a little about the project.  He made some very valid observations - (1) the rafters should splay out like the other larger rafters, and (2), the dormer should be narrow.  I initially explained to him that I had this great idea about creating a little more space by widening the exterior facing wall of the dormer but as soon as he left I changed my mind and went with his suggestion.  He was right.  The design of the overall building would not look correct if I did not make the dormer narrow, which must be slightly wider than the window.

Here are a few pictures from the layout of the framing and the plywood sheathing.  I again used the plywood to draw out the placement of the 2x4s.

Framing standing up as I applied the beam ends.

I used a hand plane to get the joints to fit tightly.

Layout over the plywood sheathing.

Original plans - deviated.

I then used the hoist to get the small end wall up after I nailed the sheathing onto the framing.  It was a little precarious as I lifted the wall in front of the window on the first floor.  I bet that people who do this for a living install the windows toward the end of the project.

Soon after the picture I ran upstairs to lift the wall using the rope.

I also decided to keep the ridge beam for the dormer simple and did not cut a birds mouth and opted for a cut similar to the lower beams but on a larger scale.  This beam is about six and a half inched tall.

The two short rafters that I cut to attach to the main ridge beam were installed down to a new horizontal 2x6 that I nailed high up and between the existing opening for the dormer.  I measured a level line from where the dormer ridge beam sits and to the sides of the main rafters to know where to cut the short rafters.  The horizontal piece now carries the other end of the small ridge beam.

See the new, small ridge beam?

Dormer face leveled and nailed.  The small ridge beam is installed too.

Well, I said that I was not going to do this but I found myself working in the dark.  Nothing dangerous but I had to use the light on my iPhone to find everything before I came inside.  I'm very happy with the scale of the dormer now that I can see the finished framing up on the Pointed Playhouse.