Author Topic: time to stop being a wannabe (Read 30694 times)

Fla._Deadheader · « **Reply #20 on:** June 04, 2003, 04:10:20 pm »

AWwwww, DanG. You're jist parshul to carts cause ya found a woods full of 'em a couple of months ago !!

WAYYYYY back, I agreed to using the carts from the mill through the kiln was the way to go. I was just pointin out that if ya want side doors, That's NOT a big deal. They could be sealed up fairly easily.

hawby · « **Reply #21 on:** June 04, 2003, 07:25:45 pm »

Actually the setup I have drawn up (in my mind's eye) will initially be an end loader with carts, but will be in a configuration that will be easy to convert to a side loader. But, if I use swival castors I may even continue to use the carts.

I agree that it would be possible to re-seal the side doors adequately if I decide to go that route.

My biggest concern is creating enough "flat" space for air drying prior to loading the chamber. I am currently constructing a 12' by 28' deck. I see that as being a staging area for the chamber.

As my inventory grows, I have another 40' on the back side of my shed that I could also deck. I have toyed with the idea of "solarizing" that area, as it has a Southern exposure. What do you longtimers think of pre-drying with solar, then DHing. I have not had time to look at the archives to see if there has been a discussion on it before.

I am anxiously waiting for the financial aspects of this adventure to get taken care of.... next month!!!

hawby

OneWithWood · « **Reply #22 on:** July 01, 2003, 03:41:46 am »

How swale it is!

Well it starting raining before I could finish taking the site down to grade so I did not get the swale finished the next day.
Here is a pic of the site now with the swale dug out and the batter boards in place. This weekend I am renting a mini excavator to dig the trenches. I hope to have the footers in next week. It all depends which way the storms blow. . .

Norm · « **Reply #23 on:** July 01, 2003, 04:30:25 am »

Looks like your making good progress with your site. I have been debating trying to do the same here as our shed is open on one side. Not sure I want to tackle that big a project by myself. Are you hiring help or doing it all yourself?

OneWithWood · « **Reply #24 on:** July 01, 2003, 07:42:00 am »

I get a lot of help from my close friends me, myself and I

Originally I was going to hire out the grading and foundation work but the bids came back so high I could not afford ot go that route. Doing everything myself means the project will take considerably longer but the price is right.

Bro. Noble · « **Reply #25 on:** July 01, 2003, 07:47:54 am »

And you can always look at and say to yourself "I DID THAT"

Noble

OneWithWood · « **Reply #26 on:** July 01, 2003, 07:51:56 am »

You betcha!

Larry · « **Reply #27 on:** July 01, 2003, 05:01:48 pm »

OWW,
You find out real quick that hired labor gets very expensive. Thought you might enjoy a few pictures of the live in shop I am building.

Year 01. Site work begins late in the year. I am building on a sloping ridge but I didn't want to build on fill dirt. Thought I would cut the top of the ridge off and build a 3' tall stem wall at one end. Got a few bids and decided to learn how to lay block. All I got done was the slab and the stem wall before winter.

Year 02. Got the building closed in.

May this year. Mostly done on the outside and about ready to put up paneling and drywall on the inside. I am building in Arkansas but decided to go with indoor plumbing so that is taking a little extra time.

Site work begins.

Trusses going up.

Late November last year.

May this year.

Should be completed by this winter. I am building 300 miles away from home so only work as time and money permits. So far the only hired help I have used was concrete guys to pour and finish the slab. Also hired a crew to put the tin on the roof as it was 27' long on one side. The labor bill was almost the same as the material bill. I did everything else by myself.

Got the timber frame sawmill shed and kiln laid out with most of the white oak cut. House is also laid out so that will give me something to start on next spring when I move into the shop.

AtLast · « **Reply #28 on:** July 01, 2003, 06:11:43 pm »

VERY nice Larry

OneWithWood · « **Reply #29 on:** July 02, 2003, 08:27:59 am »

Looking good, Larry! I will need some help finishing the slab. I do not think I can screed the large sections by myself. How did you go about setting the trusses yourself?
I have decided to go the stick frame route as I think it will be easier to raise the walls than to set posts myself. With a little luck I will get the footers dug, formed and poured within the next few days. Then it will be time to set block - my least favorite part of the whole project.
If any one has any suggestions on how a one man crew should approach the various aspects of building I would greatly appreciate the advice

dewwood · « **Reply #30 on:** July 02, 2003, 12:39:44 pm »

Larry
Very nice looking building!

OWW
Glad to hear things are progressing. The one area I hired help was with the concrete, I had everything ready and hired a friend of mine to bring his crew and power screed(boy are they nice) to pour the job. It was money well spent, trying to pour that much by yourself or with well intentioned but inexperienced help is very difficult.
On the trusses could you make a boom to fit your dozer's loader to lift them up into place? We used something like that to put our rafters and headers into place. This might be another area to have someone around to help if possible.

Good luck!
Dewey

Haytrader · « **Reply #31 on:** July 02, 2003, 01:03:21 pm »

OWW,

There is a product available for blocks that anyone can use. You dry stack the blocks and plaster this stuff on both sides. It has fiberglass strands in it making it really strong. I have laid a lot like this and it is still there. One was a trap shoot house, which was partially underground. Another was a long farm building that we moved and raised 4 ft. with blocks to accomodate taller equipment. Another application was a double wide mobile home. I poured a shallow footing under it and stacked the blocks and just coated the outside since it was not a load bearing wall. All these were say 15 years ago and are still looking good. OH, I also stuck some rebar in the footing at the corners, doors, and periodically and after the blocks were laid, I poured concrete in the holes where the rebar was.

Haytrader

OneWithWood · « **Reply #32 on:** July 02, 2003, 03:41:22 pm »

Thanks, Haytrader. I will look into it. If it is easier to mix and stays workable longer than mortar it would be a blessing.

Larry · « **Reply #33 on:** July 02, 2003, 05:14:44 pm »

OWW,
To raise the trusses I knocked together an upside down "U" that I bolted to the frame of the log forks on the FEL. At the top of the U put a block and tackle to hold the top of the truss. The bottom chord of the truss sets on a 2X4. Tied the sides of the truss to the frame so the wind wouldn't blow it when I raised it. I have seen a few other ways of doing it like a fabricated boom pole that fits on a front bucket and know one guy that built something similar in design to an engine hoist which goes on his three point.

To set the trusses I left a 10' section out of an end wall to drive the tractor through. Put blocking up on the top plate to keep my spacing. As soon as I got the truss against the block climbed the wall to adjust the side to side spacing. Usually only had to pull the truss about a 1" one way or another but that was always the hard part. Nailed in my hurricane straps on the bottom of the truss, through a purlin on top and ready for another one.

A note on trusses. They are all identical if you keep them in the order that they come off the truss jig when made. Turn them around end to end and all kinds of errors pop up. Makes it very hard to get a flat roof.

I stick framed my walls on the slab. For the long walls 16' sections. After they were framed lifted them with the log forks and set them over my anchor bolts. That really worked slick and it was fast.

A lot of times it took longer to figure out how to do the work than the actual work itself.

The best advice I can give to anybody working by their self is to have plenty of "C" clamps. Cell phone on your hip and somebody to check on you once in a while just in case you get in trouble. Did I mention plenty of "C" clamps?

Send me an IM if you get stumped. May not have the answer but might have a different idea.

Haytrader · « **Reply #34 on:** July 02, 2003, 09:26:31 pm »

OWW,

The advantage to this product is you don't have to know how to lay blocks (which I do). You just stack them up like Legos and smear this stuff on. You don't have to worry about mortar thickness or for that matter, mortar at all. Just use a cement finish trowel and spread it on kinda like stucko (upward motion). It is a lot quicker too.

OneWithWood · « **Reply #35 on:** July 03, 2003, 08:52:01 am »

Haytrader,
I only need one course of block. Do you still think it would be advantageous. You have my curiosity piqued.

Larry,
Thanks for the play by play. I am thinking along the same lines and it is nice to know someone else has done it. I know what you mean about the C clamps

Haytrader · « **Reply #36 on:** July 03, 2003, 11:00:28 am »

OWW,

Hmmmmmmm....If your footing is smooth, this stuff would be the thing but if the footing is not perfectly smooth, then the mortar under the block would take care of that.
Or.........why not form up with 1x8 or rip some 1/2" ply and just pour a short stem wall. That way you don't have any blocks to cut at doors or corners.
I should find out the product name, I suppose, instead of calling it STUFF. ha
I had a lady with a leaky foundation once and I dug down bout two shovels deep, let dry, wire brushed the remaining dirt of the wall and applied this product and it solved her problems. It has just been to long ago to remember. Guess my age is showing, huh?

OneWithWood · « **Reply #37 on:** October 28, 2003, 02:14:57 am »

As usual it has taken longer than I wanted to get the drains in, footers poured, and a course of form blocks laid. Here is the status of the saw barn as of now. I hope to get the slab poured before thanksgiving. Need to put in the blueboard for the kiln the vapor barrier and the reinforcement wire down before the concrete. As soon as I get back from a business trip I will get back to it.

I know the pics are small but I think you can make out the openings for the doors. The rough section in the middle on the left is where the kiln will go. The mill will be located just inside the 20' opening in the upper right.
It won't be long and I will finally be making sawdust!

OneWithWood · « **Reply #38 on:** October 30, 2003, 03:21:18 pm »

And the plan continues . . .

Today I completed Cutter I and Cutter II training for the Game of Logging. There were about 15 in the class with the majority being active loggers and forestry personnel. One of the active loggers brother won the regional game of logging last year. The training was excellent. There were two absolute novices, one had never cut a tree down and the other had cut only one. I was the lone wannabe in the crowd. Well I must have paid attention and learned some things because I won the competition!
Now I may have won the competition today but I ain't got no swelled head. I know I need to practice everything I learned a lot before I can consider myself an accomplished feller. But I do feel real good at the moment

Larry · « **Reply #39 on:** October 30, 2003, 04:16:28 pm »

OWW,
Between now and the time you return for cutter 3 your surposed to cut a few trees. Write down your questions and why something didn't work like it should have. That will be the first question the instructor asks when you return. I wish I had cut more trees and written all my questions down.

Congratulations on your good finish

but if the pros are sharp they will practice to and won't be losing points due to drop starting, no ear muffs, chain brake, and etc.

Hope you do great in cutter 3 & 4.

News:

Author Topic: time to stop being a wannabe (Read 30694 times)