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Donated Red & White Oak and Poplar

Started by Jeb, June 22, 2015, 06:20:05 AM

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Jeb

Although a member for a few years I haven't been on in quite a while. It is indeed good to be back.

First a little background. My wife and I have a small farm in central Virginia which we use as a 'ministry center' for hosting pastors, missionaries and others in that type of work. We have been here for 5 years now and have been able to convert a couple of the existing structures of this former tobacco farm into nice, useable buildings.

A couple weeks ago a builder friend of mine called with an offer I don't want to pass up. He has a small lot that he needs to clear in order to build an office park (just what we need!!). He has heard me talk for some time about building another structure here at the farm so he would like to donate the timber to us for that purpose. I went down and looked at the trees. They are REAL nice white oak, red oak and poplar. Some are pretty big (4' in diameter) and all are very long. He will have the trees felled all I have to do is have a suitable means to haul the timber back to the farm. I've contacted a logger and he is ready and able to take on the job.

There are MANY questions swirling around in my head but if I could just get some of the basic ones answered I would be most grateful.
I don't want to accept this gift only to have the timber rot once it gets here. So, before I accept, I want to have a pretty good idea of the steps it will take to move a project like this from stump to frame. Here are some of my basic questions:
1) Should I mill it to size right away?
2) Should I mill the lumber to a 'general' size or mill to sizes as specified in house plans?
3) Are there any plans that take one from stump to frame showing milling dimensions?

Thank you for your help and advice.

--Jeb

Den-Den

I am not as experienced as many here but will offer an opinion.
Do not turn down the offer if you have a mill.  Get your frame plans done before cutting beams, the logs will store for a while (especially the white oak) if end sealed and not in contact with the ground.
You may think that you can or may think you can't; either way, you are right.

BCsaw

Welcome back Jeb.

I would start with a plan. Know what you want to build and the rest should fall into place.

Timber frame, stick frame, etc.?? It sounds like timber frame, so search the internet, lots of great ideas on buildings.

How long until you build? If it will be a longer period, I might be inclined to go a bit over size to allow for shrinkage and twist. They could later be re sawn to correct size.

Proper planning is never a bad thing. Figure out all your needs, foundation, roof, etc. The build will go much smoother.

Keep us in the loop and good luck! ;D
Inspiration is the ability to "feel" what thousands of others can't!
Homebuilt Band Sawmill, Kioti 2510 Loader Backhoe

sandsawmill14

Quote from: BCsaw on June 23, 2015, 12:02:03 AM
Welcome back Jeb.

I would start with a plan. Know what you want to build and the rest should fall into place.

Timber frame, stick frame, etc.?? It sounds like timber frame, so search the internet, lots of great ideas on buildings.

How long until you build? If it will be a longer period, I might be inclined to go a bit over size to allow for shrinkage and twist. They could later be re sawn to correct size.

Proper planning is never a bad thing. Figure out all your needs, foundation, roof, etc. The build will go much smoother.

Keep us in the loop and good luck! ;D

x2 if its timber frame

    when im sawing lumber just to have on hand i will saw it all 2x12and stack it to dry  then when i get ready to use it i resaw to what i need. the reason for 2x12 is it will saw either 3 2x4 ,1 2x4 &1 2x8, or 2 2x6 with no waste. if job calls for 2x10 i just use 2x12( bigger is better anyway ;D) all the side lumber is cut 4/4 and just left random width.  works well for me anyway :)
hudson 228, lucky knuckleboom,stihl 038 064 441 magnum

Ianab

Once you can get the logs sawn and under cover on stickers, then the wood is generally safe to store. The white oak last the longest, and is probably what you want to use for the frame? If you left that for 12 months it would still be fine. The less durable poplar you would want to get sawn and dry ASAP.

The main thing is going to be your main structural beams, so you will want some basic dimensions for those. Lengths and beam sizes etc.

As you say you can saw the side boards into into 2x whatever and rip them later to make the other sizes you need.
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Brad_bb

Like everyone said, you need your plan first.  Design what you need, then cost out the project, then figure out plan B's where you can cost reduce.  For example if you want 18 inches of stone veneer at the base of the building, you can nix that if budget is too tight.  If you plan board and batten wide oak siding, you may be able to nix that for lower cost sheetmetal siding.  Start with your wants, and your budget and design with plan B's in mind.  It will take you minimum 6 months to design and produce your construction drawings.  You want every detail spelled out so that quotations with your GC will include everything.  You don't want add on after add on driving your cost up.  It should actually take you closer to a year than 6 months to to complete your construction drawings/design.  If you're building a sawmill shed, this doesn't apply.  I'm designing a workshop now, and it's not just a simple pole barn.  We are at the 7 month point and it'll be probably 2 more months to get to the finished drawings and costing and drawing revisions.  I pushed the schedule faster than I should have.  I should have taken a full year, but I was dead set building it this year. If I had it to do over...

You haven't exactly said what you want to build did you?

The logs can be end grain sealed with Anchorseal (quickly order at least 5 gallons), and can sit up off the ground and should be shaded/covered.  In a building is best, under a tin roof is better, under shade cloth will work as long as they can breath and dry out quickly.  FYI I recently bought some used shade cloth from a local landscape place.  They use shade cloth over frames for plants that they don't want in direct sun.  Shade cloth can shade by 40% or 60% I think depending on the grade.  The nursery uses 3 heavy shade cloth tarps on their semi.  One or two of theirs were torn or worn so they replaced them all.  I bought the used one that was still good.  They've also sold used ones off their frames when they replace them for tears etc.

As was said the White oak can be stored the longest.  I would not cut anything until you know exactly what you need.  When you do know, decide if you're going to have a crew cut the whole frame in a short time(2 months), or whether this will be cut over a much longer time.  If the latter, I'd cut oversize and re-mill closer to when you're going to use it.  If you're going to do it in a short time, mill it to size right before cutting joinery and get it raised right away.  You don't want drying and twisting and bowing to occur between cutting joinery and raising.   Once it's raised, then it's held in position while it dries.  But you also want to be ready to close it in to the weather asap.

That is why you need to take a year for design/drawing/and planning.  You need your work crews lined up, your material deliveries lined up, windows, doors, roofing etc...
Anything someone can design, I can sure figure out how to fix!
If I say it\\\\\\\'s going to take so long, multiply that by at least 3!

Brad_bb

How long are the logs going to be bucked?  In the  shop I'm building, I have truss bottom chords that are 36 feet and 26 feet.  I have eave plates that are 24, 22, 18 feet, and principle rafters in those lengths too.  I have posts that are 12 and 16 feet.  Keep this in mind.  If they buck the logs to 12 or 16 feet, you're going to have more limited use when it comes to timber frame pieces.  Portable mills will have a hard time cutting the lengths beyond 16 feet.  Stationary mills tend to have extensions which allow them to cut the longer lengths.  The downside is that you have to buck longer logs and get them there, which may cost you more on that end.  When I stated milling last year, I didn't realize how many of the frame members would be so long.  I ended up getting most of my timber from a mill that had the capacity and the long logs.
Anything someone can design, I can sure figure out how to fix!
If I say it\\\\\\\'s going to take so long, multiply that by at least 3!

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