SOLON & BEYOND: Last of how to tear down a barn

by Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

Now for the last of Jeff McAllister’s words on How to Dismantle a Barn.

Check all beams to see if the pinyons and wooden hard wood pegs are solid for they alone hold the barn together. All barns have many rafters. Either all rafters, or perlins and rafters, or perlins and rafters, have a short upright or bigger support for snow load. I have to prep these, cut half way then you can pull them. Never be in the barn. Always on any pull be out of harms way. Any discarded boards with nails sticking out should be placed anywhere with nails down; even the littlest placed anywhere with nail down, the littlest things can be dangerous. Many barns have shingles on them. As I tear them off I have to move my ladder over for another arm risking. When down to do this I always tread all broken shingles down. This alone could possibly save my life because should I accidently fall on any unright shingle, they could become a knife. SAFETY FIRST.

In working alone I am responsible for myself. I’ve witnessed others tearing down barns where they scare me. First thing they do! Have a radio blasting, no warning could be heard. No one is watching what the other does, the discarded lumber is sticking up with nails every where. It’s in my mind an accident is in the making!

Hope many of you have liked Jeff’s sharing how he (with SAFETY FIRST) has told you the safe way to dismantle a barn. His phone number is 672-4071 and it might be wise to call him before you try it because I might have made some mistakes in copying it! Thanks, Jeff for sharing!

Lief and I spent a week in Rangeley recently, and had a wonderful time! The only problem we had was trying to get home safely on Saturday, Oct. 17, in the most awful snowstorm I have ever ridden in. We packed up early when we saw how big and threatening the huge snow flakes were coming down, it was a totally white world, never saw it like that before! Lief is a really good driver, and he started out going very, very slow, but even so, we were slip, sliding all over the ice covered road. We never did meet a truck to do any sanding! What made me sit on the edge of the seat was that the cars coming toward us were going their usual fast speed! It wasn’t long before we came upon two cars that were in the ditch! But, thank God, we made it home safely, with no problems, and my hair was already white enough!

And now for Percy’s memoir: You never know until you try. And you never try unless you REALLY try. You give it your best shot; you do the best you can. And if you’ve done everything in your power, and still “fail” – the truth of the matter is that you haven’t failed at all. When you reach for your dreams, no matter what they may be, you grow from the reaching; you learn from the trying; you win from the doing. (Words from Laine Parsons.)