After three weeks, the foundation has been completed. Everyone was notified that Saturday, February 7 was to be the day of the RAISING! We all gathered at the Museum at 8:30, had a few goodies for snacks, instructions on the order of procedure for the day, a reminder about safety, and went to work. Couldn't be a more beautiful day for the raising of a beautiful building.

The foundation was constructed by the Museum. If memory serves me correctly, the concrete posts are 6 feet into the ground and the metal pipes in the concrete are 8 feet deep. Scaffolding was already in place. The plan for the day was to set the bents onto the pipes, complete the attachment of the purlins and finish by tack-welding the pipes to the metal plates on the bottom of the bents.

With LANCE'S MAGIC TOUCH driving the Goodall crane, the bents were in place by lunchtime and secured by the first purlins. After lunch, it was Lance at the wheel of the Goodall, a crew up on the scaffolding, a crew moving purlins into place and Phil Goettsch in charge of the Commander squaring things up for completion about 4:00 p.m.

What a great project! Great people working and learning, and becoming excited about Timber Frame construction...the home school kids who will be helping Fritz this summer...United Rentals of North San Diego County who donated the use of the Goodall crane...the unofficial Knothole Gang from the museum keeping an eye on everything...the excellent instructors from all over the country. Everyone who helped...MANY THANKS TO YOU ALL!

We're sure the Antique Gas and Steam Engine Museum will make good use of the stage for its events in the coming years.

A CD is available in the break room at the college with all of the pictures taken. If you would like to borrow it to make copies, please do.