1/21/08 I called and talked to Curt Pritchard of CP Sheet Metals to talk about my problem now that I knew a little more about the extent of the damage. He was busy so we didn't talk long. I did find out that the replacement panels have to be the same configuration. I had previously thought that a special panel could be made that would have an overlapping rib on both sides. Instead, you have to cut a slit in the existing overlapping rib and pass the raw edge of the new panel into that slit and then work the panel the whole length up under the existing rib. Then it is snapped down on the other side in the normal way.

1/22/08 I went up to the property for 3 days: Tuesday through Thursday.

I arrived at 1:00. It was a clear and sunny 18 degrees (12 degrees inside the trailer). There had been no new snow since last week. I drove in halfway to the trailer just as I did last week. As soon as I was parked, Bert and Ernie showed up for dog biscuits and hugs.

After moving in and having lunch, I went up and built a fire in the wood stove. Then I got the extension ladder out and set it up against the roof next to the slipped panels. I used two C-clamps and two short 1x2s to stand the ladder off so it wasn't resting on the overhanging sheet metal. The 1x2s were bearing on the fascia board and were clamped to the ladder.

After a little trial and error and practice, I managed to cut one panel off at the roof line with a pair of right handed tin snips. I know the job can be done more easily and efficiently if you have both a left and a right hand pair, but I don't.

Then I went down to the snowbank and cut that panel off about 3 feet above the snowbank where it was kinked. That freed up a 6 or 7 foot piece which looks salvageable to me. If I can only salvage this much from each panel, that will mean that I will only have to buy and haul new 13 footers. I think I can haul those in the pickup with no problem. If there is more that is salvageable under that snowbank, I will have to buy even less.

On Wednesday it was 6 degrees out when I went to work. I started by cutting up a bunch of old poles for firewood. It took a while to start the saw, but it eventually started and ran fine. It's still not as good as it used to be, though.

I started a fire in the wood stove and then went up and cut off the other two panels at the roof line. It got easier after I learned a few techniques and tricks. I cut off two more 6 or 7 foot lengths that are also salvageable. Then I rigged up a lever system using a 2x4, a 1x2, and a couple clamps to try to pull panels out of the snowbank. I couldn't do it. They must be frozen solid under there. I gave up and decided to wait until spring to get them out.

Finally I went back to work on my normal project of varnishing the loft walls. I planed the next log down from the troublesome cap log. This one is a nice lodgepole pine which is very nice to work on. Before the end of the day, I had scraped about half of it so it was ready for varnish. Then I swept up the chips and vacuumed the wall and floor.

On Thursday morning it was 6 degrees again. I varnished the surfaces that were due for another coat. I took a picture of the new roof line and the three panels sticking up out of the snowbank. Then I.closed up, had lunch, and left for home at 11:30 in the morning.