You have a delightful way with a story, Di...but then Jimmy seems to provide you with your plots and dialogue with no real effort...what a hoot! DH wasn't into car mechanics but my son from the age of 10 or so ran the neighborhood bicycle repair shop out of our garage. He moved on to installing booming noise makers in cars...what a treat that was! Had to enforce the rule that they would be tried out in the industrial park ...NOT in our drive! And yes, eventually rebuilding/restoring his Toyota Landcruiser and working on his friends' cars too...but in son's case I felt better about him working at home...guess you'd rather be there than not in case of accident, too, huh? You're right, though, it doesn't add anything to the ambiance of the garden to hear motors racing or starters whining...josh

jmntnc Here is a simple sketch of the girder assembly I suggested. By all means use screws (3" or 3-1/2" deck screws are great) and glue or construction adhesive per john wa, ditto on the drilled pilot holes. The single large eye bolt photio posted by broke not is exactly the type of eye bolt I had in mind. The one he posted is a one piece "forged" unit. You can also get one piece "welded" units where the eye loop is welded back to itself. DO NOT USE any of the "unwelded eyebolts shown in broke not's first photo, they are strictly for light duty and could "uncurl" under a heavy load. The "welded" or the "forged" type are both OK and 1/2" size will hold anything the girder can bear.

I see I am not the only one with this problem. I moved into this house 9 years ago. I loved the fireplace because I never had one NOW I HATE IT. It has sat there taking up space in the center of my house never being used. The weather here never really gets cold. We are lucky to see a few snowflakes fall and then melt when they hit the ground. The front of the fireplace is open to the living room. The back is covered by a wall of sheetrock in a bedroom. The problem is the walls are holding up the wight of my roof. So do I put in more support to the wall I wil leave standing? Or should I build a wall on the back of the wall still standing? Or should I take my husbands advise and leave it alone because it's to much trouble. Of course when it comes to remodling he never agrees with me until it is finished and then say's "I am glad you went ahead with it I really like it." Of course you do honey I done all the work. HAHAHA! I am a do it myself person love to take it apart but has to have help putting it back together. I can't vission things until it starts going together. Should I give in and call in the perfessionals or can any one help this board to death lady who needs something to do? Tired of looking at these things I don't like. Always in to something Thanks, Kat

A gazebo, tall tree, and cranes. Got it. Yesterday at work they were installing four large sections of the Berlin wall inside a glassed-in gazebo in front of the building I work in, using a honkin' big crane to hoist the 6500 lb concrete slabs over the tall trees along the road. I laugh at your puny cranes. :-)