Saving a Sheep Shed that was built in the 1800's... Part 2

We didn't continue with the roofing, but instead we had to restabilize the old shed from the interior and cut the hole in the North side (the side where the horses are,) so we can turn it into a barn and the horses can get inside it from the back side.

The Man-Child dug some deep holes along the North side / inside wall. He put long rail road ties in the holes and then attached some bracing lumber to the interior North wall and to the new rail road tie posts. Then, he dug some deeper holes in from the railroad ties about 8' and he put in some old utility pole posts. He put some huge timber framing inside from an old deck we salvaged a few years ago. He dug down in front of the post braces on the South side of the shed where it was falling over and used some come-along and huge chains to ratchet the middle of the shed back together - back stable and bolted it all with huge lag bolts.

He says it won't move again for another 100 years, or so and I believe him~!

The Rail Road ties were salvaged from somewhere and the utility poles were from a few demo projects he done in the past. The lag bolts he used where left overs from a home he built years ago that has a horse barn under it.

The West end of this shed has a huge storage bay in it with its own garage door. There is some pretty awesome stuff in there - that's where I drug the vintage patio chairs out of that I redone last year...

The East side of this shed has 2 open bays where the sheep and Charlie hang out in the daytime.

This old shed even has a large, old, wooden grainery inside. That's where Gerty the chicken hen hides her eggs from me...

I was thrilled when he took down the chains he used to pull and hold the shed together - I ran into them, tripped over them and tangled myself up in them over and over again... 

(=

Once he got all of the rafters repaired and reattached to the new bracing and once he got the old bracing stabilized on the South side, he started cutting out the center of the North side of the shed where he's making the entrance so the horses have their own barn.

Little Ray ran over and told Saddler, "Dude, they cut a hole in the shed!"

Then, he yelled, "I get the pink room..."

*Kidding - there is no pink room ~ yet...*

(=

It's amazing, but no chickens were injured in the saving of this old shed "so far..." ~knock on wood.

Considering all the power tools, all the stuff falling and all the commotion, it was crazy all 14 survived under our feet all weekend.

Occasionally one would fly up and stare at the Man-Child with one eye and inspect his workmanship, but all seemed to meet their approval.

I even had a blue and brown egg lay'd right next to the door on my way back to the house to cook dinner.

Apparently they're happy with the progress so far...

(Hey - I found my Peach Iced Tea right there by the door~ I looked everywhere...)

Of course we put up a powder river gate on the hole in the shed. 

I don't need the horses going in playing with the hammers and chain saws just yet...

Total cost of the project so far = $28.00

Serious~!

We're hoarders and we challenged ourselves to work out of our piles for this rescue...

Nothing like a dirty days work - Next time, stay tuned for the rafter build over the hole in the shed, the reconstruction of the South facing wall and the painting of Little Ray's pink room...

(You never know what might happen next around here...)

Have a Wonderful Week~!