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Timber frame Cross for church

Started by kng, June 08, 2017, 09:01:21 PM

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kng

Our church is wanting to replace the timber frame cross in front of our church due to bad checking. I believe the cross is red oak, because that's what was growing there originally, and after it died they sawed it up for the cross.







They want to replace it with white oak logs, which I have two 10' logs that are about 13" and 20" diameter.  The cross is about 7.5"x8.5" and 9 foot tall. 

How should I approach this?  Should I box the heart?  Can I cut the half lap joints green?  I was planning on putting 3 ~1" white oak pegs cut from the same log.

Thanks for the help!
-Kyle
2015 LT15G19 with Power Feed and custom trailer

PC-Urban-Sawyer

Hope they're not going to throw out that "Old Rugged Cross"...

Herb

kng

Good point Herb!  I'm not sure what the plans are for the old cross.  What do you recommend? Re-saw to get boards from the old tree, or leave as is?
2015 LT15G19 with Power Feed and custom trailer

Roger Nair

If you can, try to cut the logs to yield free of heart timber and trim off sap wood.  With out a heart the checking in the new cross would be more minimal.  Water seeping into the joint should be addressed by sloping the top surface and the bottom surface should have relief cuts so a drip edge is formed.
An optimist believes this is the best of all possible worlds, the pessimist fears that the optimist is correct.--James Branch Cabell

Briankinley2004

If the old,one is still solid you can fill the cracksmwith epoxy then coat with thinned CPES. Finish coat with varnish and it will be born again 😀  You can also use same procedure on the new one with several coats of spar varnish assuming it is dry

Don P

I don't think you'll be able to get free of heart with the logs you mentioned, that would help with checking. I'd be tempted to put a copper cap on the horizontal wood to keep water from soaking in.

kng

Do both of these look like white oak?

2015 LT15G19 with Power Feed and custom trailer

btulloh

The one on the left looks like post oak to me.
HM126

kng

2015 LT15G19 with Power Feed and custom trailer

kng

Will the post oak and the white oak grain and color be different? I asking if it will be obvious that the horizontal and vertical beam doesn't match.
2015 LT15G19 with Power Feed and custom trailer

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