Back to good weather today, so after sorting out a planning permission at the Mairie, Ii resumed work on the dormer. First job was to finish making the opening in the roof.
Next job was to insert new rafters to frame the opening (the old rafters aren't in the right place or even square to the roof). The rafters have to be threaded between the existing battens, the purlins and some internal finishes which I can't remove. It's a tight squeeze!
First problem was that I realised the space formed by the existing rafters isn't regular. The old rafters are tree trunks - they taper along their length, they are also bent (sagging). I don't have my circular saw here so had to use the chainsaw to rip the new rafters into shape.
Second problem was getting them in. The projected line of the rafters doesn't clear the top of the wall, so when I threaded the rafters into their new location they got stuck with about a foot to go on top of the wall! nothing for it but brute force.
Third problem was that because the roof sags, although the upper part of the new rafter was perfectly aligned with the old one, at the bottom the new rafter continued the pitch line of the upper roof and ended up way to low relative to the wall plate. As in the photo below.
Again brute force seemed to be the only option. the roof is certainly stiffer now!
Before the end of the day I got the first dormer rafter up too.
If the weather behaves tomorrow I should get the remaining roof structure up and watertight - just in time as the eyelets on the tarpaulin are ripping out.