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My timber frame build

Started by Ljohnsaw, April 22, 2013, 01:25:11 AM

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Darrel

Quote from: fishfighter on July 13, 2017, 06:32:51 AM
I'm sure by now you have a cut list for your build. ;D

I remember seeing his cut list in the form of a 3D scale model.  :)
1992 LT40HD

If I don't pick myself up by my own bootstraps, nobody else will.

Ljohnsaw

Quote from: fishfighter on July 13, 2017, 06:32:51 AM
I'm sure by now you have a cut list for your build. ;D

Yes, I do.  Funny thing about SketchUp generating the list.  It likes to round up to the next 2 foot length.  I read the description (loft joist that spans a 12' bent) and it says I need some crazy length (16').  So I do some adjustments on the fly (cut 14').  Just trying to make use of the free logs for the "short" stuff.

Friday and Saturday I'll be back up and at it.  I know I still need thirteen more 5x9x14' joists and a ten 8x8x10' posts.  And I need a bucket load of 4x6's for girts and braces.  Won't get them all but I should make a good dent in that.  Then I'll decide if hauling logs up the hill 25 miles is worth it (again) since I can only get 2 or 3 on my trailer and manually loading them I can get 2, maybe 3 loads a day.
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Ljohnsaw

Update 7/15/2017:

Finished up my stack of logs.  I kept track of what I was cutting out of each log and adding up the BF and comparing to what the calculator says.  I am just using the Doyle scale, the lowest number.

Getting better - first calculated log at 218 and I got 154.  Next calculated at 182 and I got 150.  That big square log calc'd at 229 and I got 290!  Now I'm getting about 10% more than Doyle.  Is that good for a band mill?  Should I be getting more?

This log I turned into a 8x8 and four 2x8 15' long:

 

My stack of 4x6 girt and brace stock is growing:

 

11 out of 19 required 5x9's:

 

A few more 8x8's added to this stack (longer ones) and a few 2x8's, 10's and 11's:

 

And started a new stack of 8x8's (shorter ones, 10'):

 

Mill is working good with a few tweaks here and there.  Down to my last blade - ordered another 15 pack (free shipping from WM).  Found out there is a WM dealer about 25 miles from me that does resharp so I will take my remaining 11 blades to them tomorrow.
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Ianab

The bd/ft scales try and work out the maximum yield. And that means the 4x1 that you threw out in the first slab.  Now if you have no use for a 4x1, or it's value is less than the time it takes to cut and edge it, then it goes on the firewood pile and you forget about it. So if you are concentrating on beams, or production rate on low value wood, then you might not hit the scale. If you are working to maximise recovery, then you should get more than scale on a band mill as it's set up to estimate recovery on a 1/4" kerf circle mill. WIth the thinner kerf you should get a couple more boards, but they will basically be from the outside slabs. But that takes extra cuts and edging. 

Log scales also underestimate small logs. This is deliberate because small logs slow production. So it's easy to cut 15db/ft from a log that scales as 10. But you will probably go broke cutting them because of extra time taken. Hence the mills want to pay less for a load of smaller logs, and the scale is how they adjust for this. 

The log size you have there is more "normal", and so the scale is more accurate. Assuming you recover ALL the board, then you should expect slightly above "scale" (~10-20%)
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Ljohnsaw

Ianab,
Thanks for the write-up.  I think others will gain a better understanding as well.  What's the history behind the 3 scales in the Tool Box?

I was kind of seeing what you were saying - small logs I did a little better over scale then the larger.  That square log was just a bonus being nearly a cant!  Yes, I could have gotten some more 1x4's (which I do need and would have boosted my numbers even more) but didn't feel like chasing them.  It was too darn hot and I will have plenty of opportunity in the near future.
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Ljohnsaw

Update 9/5/2017:

Basically took the month of August off for vacation and getting my son back in school.  Then a heat wave.  The heat broke finally so I made a trek up the hill to mill a little today.  I have this pile of logs that I hauled up the end of July.

 

I milled up the two bigger ones - a 19" and a 22" x 16'-6".  Got a couple of 8x8s a 4x8, 5x9 and a collection of 4x6s and 2x4s.  Totaled 546 bd-ft in 6 hours of milling, hauling lumber and stacking.  All the light colored stuff:

 

 

 

 

The day ended with a great thunder storm!  The rain felt great!
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Magicman

It's good to see that you were able to make some sawing progress.   8)
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Ljohnsaw

Update 9/6/2017:

Yesterday I milled up the two longest logs in the picture above (the ones closest to the camera).  They yielded 546 bd-ft.  Today I milled up the next three logs to the left.  They were shorter - 12'6", 10' and 7' but fatter - two were 24" and one 21".  They yielded only slightly more lumber - 577 bd-ft.

The piles are growing!

 

 

 

 
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Darrel

That is looking real, real good!   8)
Are you going to be able to start your timber framing before the snow flies?  :snowball:
1992 LT40HD

If I don't pick myself up by my own bootstraps, nobody else will.

Ljohnsaw

No.  Seeing what damage the snow did last year, I'm not going to attempt to have a frame up and not be ready to make it weather tight.  The plan is to mill all the wood I can and be ready to roll as soon as the snow melts.  That could be anywhere from March to July... ::)
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

jimdad07

Looks great, your mill looks like it's working well for you...major accomplishment right there on its own.  Good job.
Hudson HFE 30 Homesteader bandmill w/28' of track
Couple tractors, a bunch of chainsaws and not enough time to use them.

Ljohnsaw

I was having some issues with the mill (you can see a dive on an 8x8).  Had to tweak the in-feed guide - not enough down pressure and angle was off.  Now it is cutting straight and square again. 

I had a little over 1,000 bd-ft on the blade and was still cutting well, just having to push a little harder (dull).  Just to make sure it was used up, I hit my log stop (second time now) :-\ I think I've passed my Journeyman's test... :D
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

jimdad07

Quote from: ljohnsaw on September 07, 2017, 12:16:22 PM
I was having some issues with the mill (you can see a dive on an 8x8).  Had to tweak the in-feed guide - not enough down pressure and angle was off.  Now it is cutting straight and square again. 

I had a little over 1,000 bd-ft on the blade and was still cutting well, just having to push a little harder (dull).  Just to make sure it was used up, I hit my log stop (second time now) :-\ I think I've passed my Journeyman's test... :D

You are now a professional!
Hudson HFE 30 Homesteader bandmill w/28' of track
Couple tractors, a bunch of chainsaws and not enough time to use them.

Darrel

Quote from: jimdad07 on September 07, 2017, 12:38:07 PM
Quote from: ljohnsaw on September 07, 2017, 12:16:22 PM
I was having some issues with the mill (you can see a dive on an 8x8).  Had to tweak the in-feed guide - not enough down pressure and angle was off.  Now it is cutting straight and square again. 

I had a little over 1,000 bd-ft on the blade and was still cutting well, just having to push a little harder (dull).  Just to make sure it was used up, I hit my log stop (second time now) :-\ I think I've passed my Journeyman's test... :D

You are now a professional!

Heck, if IJohnsaw's a professional, what am I?  A DanG artisan that's what!!! :D :D
1992 LT40HD

If I don't pick myself up by my own bootstraps, nobody else will.

Ljohnsaw

Update 9/13/2017:

Spent yesterday milling the last three logs in the pile.  The smallest was 12" DSE and I was only able to scrape out a single 8x8.  Only milled 325 bd-ft and did it in about 2 hours.

Today I decided to get started on installing the glass block in the basement window openings.  Got them 3/4 of the way there.  That last course is going to be interesting to install...

 

 
I should have used spacers to make it perfect, but good practice for when I do some in my house.

 
The day started out sunny but clouds moved in by the afternoon with thunder rumbling around me.  Packed up to head home and my truck battery was dead :(  Had to MacGyver it - found some scraps of 12 gauge wire and used the battery out of my backhoe to give it a jump.
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Ljohnsaw

Update 9/18/2017:

Finished up the glass block.  Why does everything take twice as long as it should and four times as long as you think it will? :-\  Three hours to add that last course...

 

 

On to making some stucco to do the outside of the walls.  Remember how much snow I got last winter?  My mixer was sitting on a slight hill.  The snow piled up and caused the frame to wrack a little:

 

That put stress on the cast yoke frame and the cast bushing:

 

 

So home it went to braze it up.  Got the bushing side pieces (3) put back together but my oxygen regulator seems to have blown a diaphragm and now has runaway pressure.  Off to borrow a friends set of gauges.  I'll probably rebuild or have rebuilt both the Acetylene and the Oxygen since they are both the same age (bought new about 8 years ago).
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Darrel

If it ain't one thing it's twenty or more!
1992 LT40HD

If I don't pick myself up by my own bootstraps, nobody else will.

Ljohnsaw

Update 9/20/2017:

Went up today to retrieve some scaffolding for a buddy and also had him help do some stucco on the west wall.  We were at it for about 3 or 4 hours - we ain't professionals! :D  I mixed up the first batch a little thick and it was a lot of work to apply.  The next 4 batches were just right (peanut butter) and we flew along with them.  That is about 250 sq-ft covered.

 

The day ended up with a heavy downpour for about 5 minutes and then a steady rain.  Tomorrow's forecast is to be pretty cool (50) with a shower at 2pm.  Will see - I'd like to finish this wall up.
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Magicman

Even with the setbacks, it's good to see you making some progress.  The glass blocks look good!   8)
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Ljohnsaw

Update 9/21/2017:

A few asked when does the snow start.  Well, the last day of summer.

Went back up today because it was supposed to only rain a little bit in the afternoon.  The road was wet from the rain just ending when we got there at 9.  Got the first batch of stucco up and it started to rain which quickly changed to sleet and then hail :-\

 

 

 

It stopped and we continued.  Got the second batch up and it started again a bit more fiercely.  Snowing like like crazy - was dropping what looked like Styrofoam bits.  Very white little balls and bounced like crazy.  Stopped for lunch to wait it out.  Stopped again and got the third and final batch up before the temperature dropped and we froze our fingers.

 

 

 

Next week the Sacramento area will be back up in the 90's and my property should be in the low 80's.
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Ianab

QuoteSnowing like like crazy - was dropping what looked like Styrofoam bits.  Very white little balls and bounced like crazy.

It has a name, graupel
We sometimes get snow like that, especially if it's "just" cold enough to snow. Doesn't form regular fluffy snow flakes, but it's not solid ice like hail.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graupel
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Darrel

We get that here sometimes. Some folks call it popcorn snow.
1992 LT40HD

If I don't pick myself up by my own bootstraps, nobody else will.

Ljohnsaw

Update 10/5/2017:

Been a little while since the last update.  Working on finishing some of the stucco work.  Then applying Thuroseal to waterproof the wall.  I don't really like just plain concrete finish, especially since this is such a massive wall.  I like the finish the Thuroseal did on the below grade work (brush finish) and I had an epiphany.  I got some concrete colorant (dark brown) and mixed that with the Thuroseal.  A 50 pound bag is $40, mixed with a gallon of water and a gallon of admix ($12.50) and two bottles of colorant ($12) and I get 5 gallons of "paint".  I'm going to do two coats (recommended) so I will have a 40-50 mill layer of "forever" paint ;)  I covered about 700 sq-ft with $130 worth of materials.   I used up two bags of Thuroseal for what was done here (sorry about the over exposure):

 

 

While doing that, one of my neighbors called.  They had taken down a number of trees - some rotted.  He had a friend that was going to take and mill the logs but backed out.  Anyhow, 4 good trees were bucked into 12' logs for a total of 22 logs!  Fairly level ground, I just have to retrieve them and "drive" them over to my place about 1,000' away.  I will probably throw 3 or 4 or ? on my trailer to save the travel time on my Skytrac.

 

 

 

 

Sorry, nothing for scale in the pics.  The biggest butt log is probably 26-28" and the smallest top log about 12".  Too bad they were cut so short.  I only need two more 8x8 that short, the rest need to be 14-18s.  I do need a LOT of roof decking, maybe I'll make a lot of 2x8x12'.  My slab pile is going to grow some more - burn ban since June.  Probably won't be able to burn until after November or December.
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Magicman

It's good to see you stirring a bit.   8)
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

fishfighter

Progress is always good. ;D

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