23.07.2025 Carport feet.

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  Wednesday 23rd 62F/16.7C. Overcast and breezy. A mixed forecast of early showers and possible sunshine. The whole area is subject to a flood warning due to streams and rivers overflowing their banks. I can't say yesterday's rain seemed record breaking but I wasn't out in it. I stayed indoors all day. The security cameras showed that even the local cats were sheltering elsewhere. Their normal perambulations were totally absent.

  Up at 4.50 after sinking into a string of unpleasant memories.

 7.00 It could go on raining lightly for another hour. I'm going for a walk.  

 7.30 The drizzle was being blown by the breeze. Very quiet this morning. No warbles singing but I heard numerous wrens. 

 The morning was spent packing a very large parcel, weighing it [at 20kg] and prepaying for delivery. Then off to a parcel drop-off centre and doing a bit of shopping while I was there. 

 After lunch I made a trial assembly of a foundation block, adapter plate and carport leg. If I use doubled nuts on the 16mm foundation block stud [threaded rod] they can become lock nuts. 

 Which will allow me to adjust the height of each leg independently after the event. If one or more legs should sink over time. Easily checked with the laser level. Before and after erection of the carport. There is a threaded insert cast into the tops inside the blocks. Experience suggests the threads be greased to resist rusting. 

 The adapter plates will be just above ground level. Hidden beneath the galvanized feet of the legs. Once the blocks are buried in the self-stabilizing gravel. My experience in lifting all 24 concrete blocks from the former observatory. Is that they hold remarkably well as ground anchors.  

 I struggled to lift some of them using the high lift "farmers" jack. All thanks to their gentle taper. Which would force the hard ground to expand away from the blocks. Should they try to lift in a storm. I shall tamp the gravel tightly around the blocks as they are back filled in their individual excavations.

 The generous dimensions of the blocks resists sinking under load. The blocks are 16x16cm square at the top. 18x18cm at the bottom and 50cm high. 

 I may buy new 100mm x 16mm galvanized bolts instead of using studding off-cuts. Which would simplify the lift and lower, leveling system further. By removing the need for double [locked] nuts above the plates. Requiring just doubled nuts below. [as shown] There would never be any chance of the locked nuts above becoming accidentally loose. While hidden, out of reach, inside the carport legs.

 Dinner was sardines on toast with halved tomatoes. 

 

 

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