Using a cable come-along connected to one of the girders, we were able to lift the cross-bracing pole off the floor.

Stephen was a big help steadying the log while we lifted it.

The butt end got nudged over to the window where we could start feeding it through.

With the log suspended, we swung the log part way through the window where John could pick it with the forklift.

John picks up on the butt end with a chain wrapped around the log and fork, ensuring it won't roll off.

We then moved the log over and onto the retaining wall. This time, the forklift just picks up the end with a chain hung from a fork.

Inching it further out through the window.

Next, we squared the log up more with the window, which brought the top end over to the GSLs.

Now, it's just a straight shot through the window. John pulls up closer to the house while Bob prepares to reconnect the chain closer to the balance point.

The log is out.

Bob steadies the log while John carries it back toward the house to the patio area.

We decide to use this pole as one of the two outside lifting poles we'll need to set the ridge pole, so John sets the log down with the butt end near the basement wall where we'll stand it up.

Taking away a few more sections of one of the dismantled lifting poles.

Just like we did while prepping the four main lifting poles, we rigged the top end of this pole with block and tackle before standing the pole up.

To safely stand the pole up against the house, we'll need at least a tag line out to each adjacent corner. Here, Bob rigs up a chain and pulley around the SW cap log.

Rigging a chain around the RPSL that the lifting pole's lower block will hook to. This will be the main lifting connection.

The pole is ready, with the block and tackle already connected near the top, and the butt end near the house.

With another tag line, we got the lower block lifted up to Bob...

...who hooked it to his chain. This will be the lifting point.

Paul pulls on the fall line a little to get the top of the pole to slide over so it would be perpendicular to the house.

The pole is ready to be lifted. All tag lines are connected and secured and the block and tackle is tied off to the forklift, ready to pull.

A view from the top of the wall where the lower pulley block is hooked to the RPSL's chain.

Jeff puts the forklift in reverse and the pole lifts off the ground. Paul is able to push the pole to keep it perpendicular with the house.

We really didn't need anyone to control the tag lines because they stayed tied off to the lowest overdangles.

There was the possiblity of the pole swinging to one side or the other as the tag lines slacked up, but we had that covered. If the pole began to swing to the east, we just pulled it back with the west tag line and tightened it up again.

Continuing to lift, as the pulley ropes are now horizontal. The upper block is directly across from the lower block on top of the wall.

We've almost got it as high as we can lift it with the lower block connected to the chain on the RPSL.

The pulling angle is getting too steep.

A view from the indside. Since we can't lift any further with this configuration, we need to make some changes.

While the pole is held in position, Paul hooked one end of a 2" ratchet strap to the wall and Bob pulled the other end around the pole with a rope.

After Paul pulled the other end back up to himself, he tightened it up enough so we could remove the block from the RPSL chain.

Paul checks everything out before Jeff pulls the forklift forward to create slack in the block and tackle so Paul can unhook the pulley.

The strap is now holding the pole, and the lower block has been connected to the opposite wall to finish pulling the pole up against the wall.

The pole is almost vertical at this point. The block and tackle lines are snagged near the top of the RPSL due to all the tension on them.

Time-out while we tighten everything back up and make sure our straps are ready to secure the pole to the wall.

Paul says everything is going smoothly up top. After getting the tackle lines freed up, we started pulling the pole the rest of the way in to the wall.

It's up! Now to tighten the straps. We've got the 2" ratchet strap at the top of the wall, and a heavy chain passing through the bottom two courses.

From outside the back (south) wall, notice that the lifting pole is set just east of the RPSLs. This is because the ridge pole will be raised from the west side.

The base of the lifting pole, sitting in a depression we shoveled out of our stone patio base.

Looking up the pole, you can see why we couldn't use this in the walls. That top third is awful crooked.

With the work finished on the rear lifting pole, we turned our attention to setting the first inner RPSL. In this picture, we've got the RPSL picked up and suspended over it's pin and Paul is steadying one of the plumb bobs.

The RPSL is held up only about 1" above the pin so we can mark the pin location on the bottom to drill the hole.

A cable come-along is anchored to a nearby concrete pier and used to pull the bottom northward and out of the way so we can drill the hole.

We've dug some stone out of the way so the drill motor and 18" bit will fit under the RPSL.

Paul handled the drilling on this one. A 5/8" bit is used for this hole, only slightly larger than the 1/2" pin diameter.

The pin doesn't need to be tight in the hole, as with all of the pins in the wall logs. Those were 1/2" holes for 1/2" pins. These are drilled oversize by 1/8".

Lowering the RPSL down onto the pin. Notice how far off-center it is.

This was the pin location we determined based on the calculations to have the log basically plumb AFTER it is notched 2" into the 2nd floor girder 18 feet above. So, at present, the log is out of plumb sitting on the pin and pier, until it is notched into the girder which will move the top toward the south about 2".

On to the second inner RPSL. Paul is up on the extension ladder tacking in a nail for one of the two plumb bobs we'll need.

Wrapping the plumb string around the nail.

Both plumb bobs are hanging - one on the east side of the pole, and one on the south side, roughly 90 degrees apart.

Tying one of the guy ropes we used to be able to move the top of the RPSL east or west.

It was getting late. The RPSLs were secured to the girders and we called it a day.

Paul enjoying his coffee next to the rear inner RPSL.