I don't even know how that happened - very easy to be slack when working from home.

As compensation I worked well in to the dark.

First thing I finished priming the two outer beams (finished the fish plate welding and half the priming earlier in the week).

Then I notched the ends of the two 500 mm stubs to fit the inner face profile of the middle PFC beam.

I also scavenged around for cleats - I found 3 completely new one I had made earlier but never used. I also managed to cut one out of a previously trimmed beam.

Most of the day went on welding all this lot together.

On Sunday I might be able to add in a "landing pad" in the middle of the centre beam.

This will eventually take a 1000 mm x 90 x 90 x 6 mm upright column.

Sunday

All of today went on creating the "landing pad" - cutting a piece of steel for the pad, cutting out two knee braces, butt welding the pad on to the existing beam, welding in the knee braces.

To avoid deforming the beam with all the welding heat I dragged in another length of PFC and clamped the work securely to it.

While waiting for welds to cool down I also started working on drilling a number of 12 mm holes on the underside of the beams.

This will allow the assembly to be bolted down onto the underlying stud frame.

In the recent past, when bolting frames down to the 1.5 mm wall thickness floor joists below I have used a 6mm pilot drill followed by the 12 mm drill.

I was using the same combination for drilling into 8-10 mm thick steel and finding the pilot hole very hard work.

However, now that I think about it, before I was using the sequence : 4 mm, 8 mm then 12 mm when drilling into PFC's.

On Monday I will give that a try.

I still need to get these holes drilled and the enamel coat on to the beams by next Saturday if I am to have any hope of installing it then.

Monday

I visited Rudds in Midvale and bought new drill bits, lifting eyelets and 8mm coach screws.

Using a sequence of 4,8, 12 mm drill bits I made much better progress on drilling the holes.

The lifting eyelets will temporarily attach to the top of each beam as it is lifted in to place - much easier to lift from above and also avoids damaging the enamel of the beams if using chains.

The coach screws will be used to pin the beams to the LVLs below to stop them moving independently.

I'm halfway through the final paint coat at the moment.

Tuesday

This morning I finished drilling all the 12 mm holes in the central component and started applying metal primer.