Truss

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I own a small health club on the eastern edge of Lake Huron, the building originally being a Catholic church. After a particularily nasty snow/ice storm last Feb, snow-loading caused a dip in the floor near a support post in the middle of the weight room. After poking around this summer as to the problem of the dip, I discovered, to my horrors  that I had a cracked floor joist. Unbelievably, this 6X6 post, which is obviously weight bearing, was being supported between two 2X12 joists by 3 2X12 blocks sandwiched together. The old saying "built like a church" doesn't hold the same "weight"  with me anymore. What to do????? And how the h3ll does this relate to a welding forum????I can, and have, fixed most everything in the club, but this one was at the edge of my expertise. Time to call in the cavalry (Dad).First thing we did was procure a couple of 32 ton bottle jacks...Because this is above a hallway with high traffic, a truss was required, but an additional problem was the doorway. This meant we needed a steel header to replace the block wall header that was there as well.Note the stress on the steel plate in the pic below...A piece of I-beam, 2X6 X 1/4" rect. tubing, and a buzz-box...Fortunately, all of this took only one (long) day...Today, reinstall the washroom door, and other cosmetics. Let it snow!!!
Reply:Nice to have access to equipment and handy old fellers (dad) isn't it?  Nice work, thanks for posting.  Had a similiar situation several years ago in building an addition on Dad's old farm house.  Due to an odd, low ceiling height in the original house and wishing to match it with the addition we had only 5" over a very expensive triple pane insulated sliding glass door for a structural header.  Dad told me not worry and get busy on other aspects of the project.  He went to town, came back and disappered in the shop for a while and came out with the most beautiful 5" I-beam I have ever seen.  Two 5" channels welded back to back with cut down 2X6 fir inserts in each side.  Yes, we tend to over build everything.Old farm boy type welder/fabricator
Reply:I work with structural engineers all day, and they would call that engineering "farmer-style". I always reply with "I'll try hard not to be offended by that..."  Being from a rural community myself, I spent my early years visiting my uncles on "the farm". Nothing wrong with farmer inginuity and craftsmanship. Sure they may call them saddle-back barns, but alot of them are still standing just fine.I think that's where I learned my own brand of fabricating and repair. In alot of cases I tend to subscribe to - - "GO BIG or go home!" Nothing wrong with that.Cool Pics.Weekend MigBackyard MechanicWelder: DECASTAR 150E, Wire Feed w/ Gas Potential (not currently using gas)
Reply:good job..i call it a support beam..paint it up and forget it  ...zap!Last edited by zapster; 09-02-2006 at 12:06 PM.I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:I'd call it good.