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© Copyright, 2016, Roger A. Hopkins
Revised Sep-12. 2016 Page 14
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Aligning the structure
The main challenge in building the kiosk is getting the two legs vertical, parallel, and exactly 4′
apart as measured from the inside edges of the legs. Additional complications are that the tops of
both legs need to be at the same level, and the fronts of the two legs need to be in the same plane
(in other words, not twisted with respect to each other).
We have had the best luck with the following
sequence:
1. First, try to get bottom of both holes at
approximately the same level. Do this by
leveling a board between the two holes and
then measuring from the board to the bottom
of each hole. If you find a slight difference,
work with the less deep hole since the other
one can be filled in slightly. This will be the
first leg. If there is a difference of more than a
few inches (for example, you hit bedrock),
then work with the deeper hole, planning to
cut the bottom off of the other leg. (If you
can’t get both legs at least 24″ into the ground,
consider moving to another location.)
1
st
law of kiosk building: The huge
boulder or bedrock will always be
found 20″ into the second hole.
2. Put both legs in their holes.
3. Clamp one end of a 5′ furring strip to the front
face of the first leg. Then, with both legs approximately vertical, clamp the other end of
the furring strip to the other leg. This will make sure that the fronts of both legs remain in
the same plane as you align the first leg.
4. Make the first leg accurately vertical using a good carpenter’s level. The leg needs to be
vertical left and right as well as front to back. Then use 1″×3″×12′ furring strips as braces
to hold the leg in position. One brace should be anchored well to the side and the other
well to the back of the kiosk. Make sure that the side brace is in the plane of the front of
the legs and that the back brace is 90˚ from that.
5. Fit the ridge beam in place between the two legs and use it to level the tops of the legs.
Measure any difference and then correct the second leg by filling in its hole or cutting off
the bottom of the leg (or deepening the hole) to brings the tops level.
6. Check that the first leg is vertical and aligned in the plane of the front of the legs.
Figure 16.
ligning the legs