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Getting ready to pour my long awaited slab.

Started by Dave Shepard, November 22, 2015, 06:25:38 PM

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Dave Shepard

We got the form done today. 8'x60'. Long enough for a12' and 24' extension. Going to do a two foot grid of rebar next. I can't wait to get my stationary legs on the mill and bolt everything down. 8)



 
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

YellowHammer

Nicely done.  From the photo, it looks like the mill is already tugging at the leash to get on its new pad.    :)
Congratulations on the upgrade, especially now that the weather is turning wet and soggy. 
YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

jmouton

  that will be real nice when its done ,,,  we did the same thing  except  ours is 35 x 14  ,  we did 2x2 on our rebar too  worked good until i dropped  a 32 inch  16 ft  oak log  on it and cracked it  ,, oh well  it is alot nicer to be on concrete than  gravel   ,,,get it done before it starts  gettin real cold concrete does not cure very well in cold ,,,,   i do concrete for a living  ,,,


                                                                                                            jim
lt-40 wide ,,bobcat,sterling tandem flatbed log truck,10 ton trailer, stihl 075,041,029,066,and a 2017 f-350,oh and an edger

jmouton

oh ya   ,, by the way dave ,,,  use 6 bag concrete with only limestone ,,,, none of this other crap called cementicious ,,,its not good and not as strong even if your concrete dist says it is ,,


                                                                                                          jim
lt-40 wide ,,bobcat,sterling tandem flatbed log truck,10 ton trailer, stihl 075,041,029,066,and a 2017 f-350,oh and an edger

Chuck White

Dave, will you be putting down plastic sheeting for a vapor barrier?

You could get condensation coming up through the concrete, and you could have the gravel sucking the water out of the mix without it, neither of which is good!
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

Andries

That pad will be a big improvement.
I'm jealous Dave, it'll be level, strong, easier to clean, and best of all, it'll stay put!
As the frost comes into the ground here, I'll have to constantly be fussing with re-aligning my setup 'til mid-winter.
Then, as Spring comes, time to start all over.  ::)
LT40G25
Ford 545D loader
Stihl chainsaws

isawlogs

Having a dry area to work off of...  8)  Get your hands on some rubber mats to walk on. Your feet will love you for it !!!!!    :)
A man does not always grow wise as he grows old , but he always grows old as he grows wise .

   Marcel

Dave Shepard

I think we are putting down 6 mil poly, but we are putting something for sure. Waiting to hear if we are putting the rebar in tonight. I might need to find a miner's headlamp, though. :D
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

scsmith42

Peterson 10" WPF with 65' of track
Smith - Gallagher dedicated slabber
Tom's 3638D Baker band mill
and a mix of log handling heavy equipment.

POSTON WIDEHEAD

I sure would like to write "Goat was here" in the wet cement.  :D
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

jmouton

just put your hoof print instead,,  poston,, :D :D :D


                                                                                                             jim
lt-40 wide ,,bobcat,sterling tandem flatbed log truck,10 ton trailer, stihl 075,041,029,066,and a 2017 f-350,oh and an edger

Dave Shepard

Rebar and plastic is in. Moved the mill out of the way. Did some rough grading and got a pile of gravel staged. Now I just have to watch the weather.



 
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

barbender

With the cost of Redi-mix, I always screed my base with sand to get it right on so I don't have to waste so much mud. I've seen guys pour a house and garage slab and have 6 yards extra :o That's because they spend minimal time on the prep and then just order way too much mud too compensate. This is my most extreme example of this, I've seen a lot of more minor examples- my point is it usually pays to spend a little extra time on the prep. It's satisfying to know there is only 1/2 a yard left over, rather than 2 1/2. Either way, your sawmill and you are going to be happy on that slab, Dave!
Too many irons in the fire

Dave Shepard

My grade is pretty DanG close. Put the form boards on and had to lift the far right corner about 1/2", and had to dig in the close end about 1" for a few feet. I knew the close end was a little high, but it was dark, and it was the finish end and time for supper. :D I set the grade in the stone using a laser level. I rake it off until I get a "high" beep. That is usually less than an inch total deviation. Hard to be more accurate when you are working with a coarse aggregate.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

landscraper

Quote from: barbender on November 29, 2015, 06:41:59 PM
With the cost of Redi-mix, I always screed my base with sand to get it right on so I don't have to waste so much mud.

So I'm not the only tightwad after all!  With 3000psi going for $115 a yard down here (just got a 5% price increase announcement for the new year too - hurray!) I can't afford to waste a wheelbarrow load due to sloppy forms and grading.  I tell my guys all the time that we don't get bonused on being thicker than spec, just penalized for being thin.
Firewood is energy independence on a personal scale.

rasman57

Quote from: Dave Shepard on November 29, 2015, 06:14:27 PM
Rebar and plastic is in. Moved the mill out of the way. Did some rough grading and got a pile of gravel staged. Now I just have to watch the weather.


Looking good!  What does the plastic barrier do for your slab? 

Banjo picker

It will help keep it dryer...stop water from wicking up from the ground.  Banjo
Never explain, your friends don't need it, and your enemies won't believe you any way.

Dave Shepard

 We did our pour today. Ran short, despite being assured they could get more than enough on the truck. Fortunately there was another truck ten minutes away that had just finished a pour and had enough left to finish mine with less than a wheelbarrow left over. 8) It was floated, then finished with a "Fresno", which left a great finish for what I'm doing.



 
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

brendonv

"Trees live a secret life only revealed to those that climb them"

www.VorioTree.com

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vorio-Tree-Experts-LLC/598083593556636

Dave Shepard

Yes it is! Next, I need to figure out how to span 60'. :)
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

Darrel

Quote from: Dave Shepard on December 11, 2015, 07:30:25 PM
Yes it is! Next, I need to figure out how to span 60'. :)

It's called cantilever. I know of no other way.
1992 LT40HD

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

mapleack

For the 60' span I'd check scrap yards for steel roof trusses. The kind you'd see in a walmart or lowes store ceiling.
Norwood LM2000

Peter Drouin

A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

jwilly3879

Poured my garage slab last week, 20x30, enough for the wife's car, a place to work on stuff out of the weather and to store my tools which are scattered through 3 different sheds on three pieces of property. 14 yards of 4000 psi concrete.

Dave Shepard

 I got about half way through the demobilization process this afternoon. I have to attach the BX tomorrow and then start the leveling process. It's sure going to be nice not having that axle in the way! Just waiting for the next person to ask me if my mill is portable. Sure, if you can pick up a 15 ton slab with a mill bolted to it. ;D



 
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

Kbeitz

Collector and builder of many things.
Love machine shop work
and Wood work shop work
And now a saw mill work

Dave Shepard

Prize?

The mill can cut 45' with that BX on it, but the slab is long enough to accept another 12' BX, for a total cutting capacity of 57'.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

customsawyer

Two LT70s, Nyle L200 kiln, 4 head Pinheiro planer, 30" double surface Cantek planer, Lucas dedicated slabber, Slabmizer, and enough rolling stock and chainsaws to keep it all running.
www.thecustomsawyer.com

brendonv

Whats your plan dave?  Will you now cut timbers for your boss?  Or for your own projects and future plans?  Maybe a sawing service?
"Trees live a secret life only revealed to those that climb them"

www.VorioTree.com

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vorio-Tree-Experts-LLC/598083593556636

Kbeitz

Quote from: Dave Shepard on December 25, 2015, 07:26:19 PM
Prize?

The mill can cut 45' with that BX on it, but the slab is long enough to accept another 12' BX, for a total cutting capacity of 57'.
I think your going to need a wide spread on your forklift forks.


Collector and builder of many things.
Love machine shop work
and Wood work shop work
And now a saw mill work

dean herring

Just curious,but are 50' trees common in your area?
Failure is not an option  3D Lumber

4x4American

I had a quick concrete question, don't mean to hijack the tread but it's on the topic of concrete, I want to put up a roof over my sawmill and was figuring on doing sonotubes, can I use bagged concrete like post set or do I have to get stronger stuff from a concrete plant?  Or would I be better off to try and get some telepone poles to jam in the ground?
Boy, back in my day..

Dave Shepard

Quote from: brendonv on December 25, 2015, 09:48:57 PM
Whats your plan dave?  Will you now cut timbers for your boss?  Or for your own projects and future plans?  Maybe a sawing service?

The plan has always been to cut my own material, and do a little custom work on the side, but not really pushing that. I have a few customers that I cut for, and they have all used custom sawyers before, so we don't have to go through the whole training period like you do for new customers. Because I'm not mobile, that limits the amount of one or two log jobs that I will do, unless the customer can transport material. This is partially by design, but more a byproduct of having to be set up permanently on concrete for the bed extension. For custom work, I would prefer to have a few regulars over having a higher volume of small jobs that may lead to a lot of misunderstandings by people not familiar with what to expect, like the guy who wanted all 1"x12" boards from his 12" diameter logs. :D I may saw long stuff for work, but I don't have a handle on that right now. We have a 12' extension at work, and I wouldn't be surprised if my boss buys his own 24' soon. My mill was the reason for the original contact between me and my boss last summer. I would prefer to do all of our sawing just because I am set up for it with a more productive mill, but that may not be the best economics for him when you consider trucking.

Quote from: Kbeitz on December 25, 2015, 11:21:07 PM
Quote from: Dave Shepard on December 25, 2015, 07:26:19 PM
Prize?

The mill can cut 45' with that BX on it, but the slab is long enough to accept another 12' BX, for a total cutting capacity of 57'.
I think your going to need a wide spread on your forklift forks.




I've handled a lot of ~50' logs. The standard 48" spread is fine. Sometimes the butt end is denser, so it throws you off when judging center of gravity.

Quote from: dean herring on December 26, 2015, 09:11:23 AM
Just curious,but are 50' trees common in your area?

There are a lot of good trees that will make 50' saw logs, but it's hard to find people who are having them cut. Also, it's hard to send a logging crew, then a trailer truck and payloader for half a dozen logs. Member bill m cut some really nice pine for a project a few years ago and used his 55hp New Holland to get them out. That's an easier mobilization than moving a 648JD, but we've done that, too. Developing contacts with the loggers so they know when they have something more valuable is key. It may mean stock piling cants and then resawing for a specific job later.

Quote from: 4x4American on December 26, 2015, 09:19:38 AM
I had a quick concrete question, don't mean to hijack the tread but it's on the topic of concrete, I want to put up a roof over my sawmill and was figuring on doing sonotubes, can I use bagged concrete like post set or do I have to get stronger stuff from a concrete plant?  Or would I be better off to try and get some telepone poles to jam in the ground?

I don't know the best answer for that. Even with a sonotube, I would want a good base underneath, although you can get the "bigfoot" bases for sonotube, or you can get the big plastic forms, I don't remember their name, but they use a lot of concrete. I would think that if your roof is fairly small, i.e. not supporting a 60' clearspan, then you could probably use poles stuck in the ground.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

Den-Den

Quote from: 4x4American on December 26, 2015, 09:19:38 AM
I had a quick concrete question, don't mean to hijack the tread but it's on the topic of concrete, I want to put up a roof over my sawmill and was figuring on doing sonotubes, can I use bagged concrete like post set or do I have to get stronger stuff from a concrete plant?  Or would I be better off to try and get some telepone poles to jam in the ground?

The bagged mix can be plenty strong if mixed with the right amount of water (too much water makes it weak).  I often get "Maximizer" bags which claim 5000 psi strength (they make one cubic foot per bag), regular bagged concrete is usually rated 3000 - 3500 psi and makes 2/3 cubic foot per 80 lb bag.  Don't forget to include some rebar.
You may think that you can or may think you can't; either way, you are right.

Dave Shepard

I would think the time and cost of bagged would make it more appealing to find phone poles, or some nice locust and just sink them. I guess you need to figure out what the soil can handle. If you have good soil, you may not need any kind of footing.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

Ljohnsaw

Quote from: Den-Den on December 26, 2015, 12:10:25 PM
Quote from: 4x4American on December 26, 2015, 09:19:38 AM
I had a quick concrete question, don't mean to hijack the tread but it's on the topic of concrete, I want to put up a roof over my sawmill and was figuring on doing sonotubes, can I use bagged concrete like post set or do I have to get stronger stuff from a concrete plant?  Or would I be better off to try and get some telepone poles to jam in the ground?

The bagged mix can be plenty strong if mixed with the right amount of water (too much water makes it weak).  I often get "Maximizer" bags which claim 5000 psi strength (they make one cubic foot per bag), regular bagged concrete is usually rated 3000 - 3500 psi and makes 2/3 cubic foot per 80 lb bag.  Don't forget to include some rebar.

You need to figure out your roof load (snow?) for your area (live + dead) and translate that to the post loading.  I think the typical soil can hold 2,500 psi IIRC.  So divide your post load by 2,500 to give you the number of square inches you need of "footing".  That will tell you if the Sono tube is big enough to handle the load.  If you want your redimix bag concrete to be stronger, toss a shovel or two of Portland in the mixer with each bag.

My neighbor was redoing his huge porch and adding a few more posts (14 more) and a landing for a new staircase.  He asked me how much concrete he would need.  I figured 3/4 yard for the landing (pretty big) and another 1/2 for the posts.  Later, he swapped out the 6" sonos with 8" and dug big footings.  We mixed up a whole pallet (54 bags, 1 yard) in two hours and didn't finish the sonos  :-\  Ordered another pallet and had 8 bags left after finishing the landing slab.
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.

Bruno of NH

4x4 is there a concrete plant near you that makes the 5ft precast units . I can buy them for $120.00 each delivered to the site . They work great .
Bruno
Lt 40 wide with 38hp gas and command controls , F350 4x4 dump and lot of contracting tools

Arkyrick

Dave I notice you have a portable sawmill and you mentioned you were going to bolt it into place on the slab, is that standard practice to bolt ones sawmill to the slab? Mine is setting on PT 6x6s and I cut out a recess for the bottom of the legs. I plan on pouring a slab in the future and am wondering will I need to bolt it down?
LT 35 hydraulic portable "73"Ford 335 tractor - lots of chains

Arkyrick

Never mind I was looking at your first picture with the mobile sawmill next to it when I posted my question I hadn't read the whole thread sorry
LT 35 hydraulic portable "73"Ford 335 tractor - lots of chains

Dave Shepard

There are two reasons for bolting this mill down, at least. The first is that without the axle on, there is a chance that the mill could get tipped over backwards. The other is to pull the crown out of the main tube. On a perfect slab, the weight of the sawhead will flatten the beam, but I want to pull all of that out and shim the entire mill and bed extension as straight as I can. I've had this mill and bed extension on concrete before, and it's really nice to have the axle off and the stationary legs on.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

Peter Drouin

Nice job,
Good your bolting the mill down, It will walk sideways on you. :D :D
Can't wait to see a 60' door
My 45' will look small, to yours. :D


 
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

4x4American

Wow, I can't believe I missed this thread for so long.  Thanks for all the good replies, guys.  I'm not sure how to figure out post load, but at this point the plan is to buy treated 6x6s because I've had no luck finding 18' black locust.  Which I'm disappointed about.  It seems that around here the locusts grow all skwerly, back where I used to live there were some nice tall straight locusts all over.  Anyways, have decided on a 14' ceiling, to allow room for a forklift or tractor to load/unload mill, 40' long, and 16' wide.  Tin roof.  We're in a sandy kinda clay.  Bruno, yes there is a precast place about 20min down road from my house.  Thanks for the idea.  Is this something the building inspector would tell me I should do or do they not get into the dirt side of things?  Headed out there now to meet my boss to go over some earth moving stuff. 
Boy, back in my day..

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