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Rip it in half lenghtways and rejoin it once up. It's laminated strips anyway, cut down one of the seams. I imagine it's going to be on a frame so strength shouldn't be an issue. Could always use dowels/biscuits in the join.
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I've just spent 10 minutes tugging at it and it seems very solid.
It wants to be solid as it's a purlin and supports the roof and prevents the rafters from deflecting. Honestly I think @nefarious has already given the best advice you are going to get in how to do this. Figure out a way to support the worktop so that you can do the lift in stages. If it were me I'd screw a couple of ratchet straps (using washers to hold securely) into some of the joists up there on either side of the hatch, then run them under the work top like a sling. Lift the work top a foot then tighten the straps to take the strain then repeat, resting when needed. Once the worktop starts to go through the hatch it should be pretty securely held but I'd still keep CYOA Jr. away, and avoid standing under the worktop if at all possible.
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I've just spent 10 minutes tugging at it and it seems very solid.
Surely there must be a thread for humblebrags?
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stevo_com
Bobbo
mespilus
@CYOA
So the second photo should show the beam in front of the hatch as you come up - I've just spent 10 minutes tugging at it and it seems very solid.
On the opposite wall at the same height is the last photo (with the window) but the beam isn't visible - whoever started converting the loft before the previous owners didn't finish but they started there. I could, I suppose, saw out a section of the plasterboard.
Is it sane to string some kind of rope/ratchet/pulley up there that wouldn't pull the beams together / break them?
The beam isn't higher than 2 metres so once it gets to the max height (less the distance of any pulley) the worktop is going to need to be pushed / pulled up manually (perhaps with the strap-underneath solution mentioned earlier).
Tempted to just book a bloody dormer conversion in and get someone else to do this.