Day Two

        This is where we began day two at.  Our goal to get the last roof pieces on, attach the roof stabilizers, finish the vent lid, and tighten all the nuts and bolts.

        By our calculations we thought we would be done by early afternoon....WRONG.  It was another 9:00 quitting time. 

        Do you like our make-shift ladder?  On day one and most of day two this is how we got in and out of the grain bin.  Two straight ladders tied with a piece of wire.  Not so much safe, but it worked temporarily.   

        First we finished installing all the roof panels.

         "I'm ready babe.  Wheel me back to the middle." 
         After we got each roof panel attached to the center ring, we had to start thirteen nuts and bolts that span the length of the panel to hold the two pieces together. 
       

        From the scaffolding my husband started the first six nuts and bolts skipping the third row. I used a tall ladder to get the next couple bolts, skipping the eighth bolt. Then my arms were too short to reach so someone on the outside held the bolt while I screwed in the nut from the inside.

        Last piece!



        The roof panels went together smoothly.  Next came all the challenges. 

       First we attached the rods next to the manhole and tighten all the adjacent nuts and bolts.  These will serve as the ladder to the center fill whole. 

        Next we attached the brackets on the third and eighth row from the top.  These two rows have stiffener pipes that encircle the bin to give it support since this style bins lacks rafters.  This took a little while because we had to cut the pipes to fit our bin. 

        We also installed the platform that gives you something to stand on as you go from the ground ladder to the manhole or from the manhole up the bin to the vent.  The platform is so nice now, but will be even more handy when we have all the rings on.   

        Another task for the day was to install the outdoor light.  Late harvest nights will be much easier when you can see what you are doing while unloading the semi into the auger. There is no power to it yet.  We are getting all the electrical work ready.  Soon M & M Electric will come and connect electricity to everything.
       It doesn't seem like a lot now, but with all the little problems that popped up along the way it took us all day.  Huge thanks to a couple neighbors and my dad for working through the hot sticky day!