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Looking for a little help on a wood shed

Started by jmerchan, April 27, 2015, 02:52:06 PM

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jmerchan

Hi all - I would like to build myself a wood shed... rough sketch is below.  Construction is some hybrid of pole barn/post and beam/timber frame I guess.  Never really built anything before.  I bought a Haddon LumberMaker and cut a bunch of beams.  Now I am trying to figure out the best way to join these all together... I would like this to be strong, but relatively simple for a beginner.  Also it's just a wood shed, so not overly concerned with aesthetics.



For the back set of posts I have four 7-8" diameter, 8' locust poles.  For the front posts I cut four 8x8x11' locust beams.  I plan to bury all 2' in the ground and probably trim the 8x8s so shed is 6' in the back and 8' in the front.  The beams are 4x10x12' and 4x10x14' ash and one red oak.  I was thinking one cross beam in between each set of posts about 5' up.  I would assemble each of these as a bent and then lift them up with my tractor and drop them into the holes.... square it all up and then drop the beams on top.  Simple shed roof with 2x4' rafters 12" o.c., OSB and then some old rubber roofing I have lying around.

For the cross beams to posts I was going to try cutting a simple shouldered mortise/tenon.  Looking for some input on how best to secure the beams to the posts.  Also how few braces can I get away with and still feel good this won't fall apart anytime soon.  Thanks in advance.

jmerchan

Also I will add a few other things.  I did buy Sobon's Timber Frame Construction book, which is where I learned what a bent is  ;D.  It also inspired me to do something more clever than just notch the posts, drop the beams on and carriage bolt it all together.  Also if you're wondering why I cut 4x10 beams vs something more square (which seems popular) it's because I knew nothing about timber anything and had an architect friend run a beam calc on what would span 12' with this roof/snow load.

Seems like a popular approach would be scarf joints to make these separate beams one long beam.  And then set the beam on top of the post with a little mortise/stub tenon to hold it together.  That sounds difficult.  Do you cut them on the ground and then raise/attach them together piece by piece?

Here is an idea where I would cut a 4" centered notch in the 8x8 posts and do a half lap joint of sorts on the intersecting beams, with two pins to hold them together and to the posts.  Plenty of beam bearing width but not sure there's enough wood (relish?) after the peg to keep from breaking off.



Finally I will add a short list of tools at my disposal:  lots of chainsaws, along with beam maker and now alaskan mill.  Router, 7 1/4" circular saw, drill press, drills, jigsaw, soon to be a hand saw.  All sorts of squares and levels.  Shopping for a 1 or 1.5" timber framing chisel and would like to get by with just one for this project.

beenthere

Welcome to the Forestry Forum.
Ask your architect friend about joining your beams mid-span (away from at the top of your posts) for more beam strength.  Has to do with moments.. he/she should know what that is about. 
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Magicman

Welcome to the Forestry Forum, jmerchan.   :)
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