Whoa, I might have bit off more than I can chew: BIG BIG logs

[MotorSeven]

After a two year delay I am finally back working on the log house. I didn't have enough ERC on my place, was unable to get any local loggers to deliver any, so after 6 months of false promises, no returned phone calls & my ignored calls, I started a google search for ERC in TN. After a few phone calls and sticker shock I found a Mill East of Nashville that specializes in ERC and bought 300 6x6x12' milled logs for $20 ea. This was not much more than the raw log quotes I was getting.

Anyway, they are on the way, so I then focused on getting Hemlock for my rafters. My neighbor who is a logger just happened to get into a stand about 3 miles down my road. Unfortunatly they are big, but after the "circus of cedar saga" I decided to take them. I just drove up and looked at the loaded truck....good grief, half a dozen of them are over 24". I had them cut at 25' becasue I need 23'8" long  5"x10"rafters.

Sooooo, it looks like I am going to need some advise on how to turn the big bastages on my LT15. Loading them onto the mill will also be fun..........

Dang it I have loaded the Hemlock oic's into my alblum, but can't open th elink to post them here........

[MotorSeven]

Ah ha....:

[Bibbyman]

Hire someone with a hydraulic mill to come in and saw the oversize ones.

Sure is nice when the logger comes in with a picker truck!

[MotorSeven]

[MotorSeven]

Bib, the problem with that is I don't think any mobile guys around here have an extension. And I really want to do this myself.... :

[red]

feast or fammin  take a minute or two and just remember it all burns

[Bibbyman]

Bib, the problem with that is I don't think any mobile guys around here have an extension. And I really want to do this myself.... :

LogRite Arky special.

[Coon]

Seven, bring them logs over to me and I'll wrastle with em.   ;)   :D  I got acess to another 20 feet of track if needed.   ;D  

[MotorSeven]

Seven, bring them logs over to me and I'll wrastle with em.   ;)   :D  I got acess to another 20 feet of track if needed.   ;D

I do go to MB at least once a year....but shipping these things to "Sasquatchland" might be a wee bit expensive :D

[Ga_Boy]

Bib, the problem with that is I don't think any mobile guys around here have an extension. And I really want to do this myself.... :

LogRite Arky special.









Bibbyman,

It still brings a smile to my face every time I see the picture of me hanging off my Arky stick.  If I remember correctly, that was the second load of logs.  We were goofing off before we unloaded when Dan took that picture.  We had no idea what we had gotten our selves into on that job.  It was three days of hard work, but we had a blast recovering those big logs.




Mark

[Tom]

Don't be intimidated.  Those logs are just right.  The best logs to saw, to me, are 20" to 25" diameter.   Two people with cant hooks should have no trouble turning them.  I'll bet that you will find that you can turn them yourself.   I'm talking about 5' cant hooks too.  Just eat a good breakfast.   

[Bibbyman]

We sawed for 7 years on an LT40 manual.  Some of the biggest logs we've ever sawn - larger than the ones I see on the truck and we only had cant hooks.  Sometimes we used a hi-lift jack or come-along.

[MotorSeven]

Ok guys I'll give it a shot...but I think I'm going to need another and bigger LogRite cant hook.

[Tom]

They will sometimes turn easier if the bed of the mill has a bit of wax put on it, or most anything to use for lubrication.  Something that won't make the log stick.   I think you will be surprised with how much leverage you can generate when you hook your cant hook into the but end of the log.   I'd go there first and if the log doesn't want to behave, move to the center.   The bigger the part of the log you get hold of the better your advantage. 

Also, if you have trouble turning against the dogs, "slide" the log away from them a little so that the log can begin to roll.

[Coon]

But Seven, aren't those logs from all those money trees you have up your way?  ;) :D I could take you out sasquatch huntin' while you're here as well there are plenty trophy specimen for you to choose from.   :D   

[Bibbyman]

They will sometimes turn easier if the bed of the mill has a bit of wax put on it, or most anything to use for lubrication.  Something that won't make the log stick.   I think you will be surprised with how much leverage you can generate when you hook your cant hook into the but end of the log.   I'd go there first and if the log doesn't want to behave, move to the center.   The bigger the part of the log you get hold of the better your advantage. 

Also, if you have trouble turning against the dogs, "slide" the log away from them a little so that the log can begin to roll.

Also...  Go over the logs with a chainsaw to trim all the knots and bumps off as close to round as possible.  It's amazing how much harder it is to turn against even a small bump or knot.

[thecfarm]

I think the hardest time will be when you cut one slab off. Hard to keep the log in place and dog it in too. It will try to roll back on you. I had to have the wife come help me once on a log that size. As soon as I had 2 slabs,sides off, it was flat and I could dog it in myself.

[MotorSeven]

Hmmm, didn't there used to be a member discount when ordering off the links here on the forum? I have a MegaHook in the checkout area I see no promo or discount...am I missing something?

[ladylake]

I think the hardest time will be when you cut one slab off. Hard to keep the log in place and dog it in too. It will try to roll back on you. I had to have the wife come help me once on a log that size. As soon as I had 2 slabs,sides off it was flat and I could dog it in myself.

  It really helps to rotate 180*, once in a while I rotate 90* and the log refuses to stay against the stops even with my chain turner.  These are nasty crooked knotty logs or I'd be rotating 180.   Steve

[Dan_Shade]

A handyman/hi-lift/farm jack can help turn the monsters too.  Set the jack against the log, and lift the jacking part against the log and pump away.  I don't have a picture...

An engine hoist with a chain and can't hook hook will do it as well.

You could also wrap a chain around the log and roll it against the backstops with a truck or tractor.  Use care, this could flip the mull on its side.

[MotorSeven]

Well in case anyone else is planning on ordering a Peavy or Hook, I checked Woodmizers price... on their Logrite's and it was $10 cheaper and shipping was half as much as ordering direct. So my MegaHook in ORANGE is enroute!

[Tam-i-am]

Motorseven

It was Logrite's plan to sell through dealers, so we can concentrate on manufacturing and bringing new tools and ideas to market.  We have suggested retail prices which dealers can use or not.  We do not undercut our dealers.

It is stated somewhere on the forum that we offer what we label as Scratch and Dents to FF members for big discounts.  A scratch and dent tool has a blemish somewhere, sometimes the powder coat is scratched or pitted.  Sometimes the hook itself has a blemish.  Nothing that would keep the tool from working at its best.  If we don't have a scratch and dent tool then we either offer free freight or a discount depending on the order.

With all that said you either need to call us or when you place your order through the store you need to identify yourself as a FF member in the comment section.

[Bibbyman]

 



Here is the first LogRite cant hook to ship from Wood-Mizer - before it was scrached - I don't think it's dented yet. 





The shorter "mill special" was special made for Pro-Sawyer Mary in WM orange.  Here is Dave Mann of Wood-Mizer showing how it's done.

We have two loaders and a hydraulic mill but still find uses for 4 logRite cant hooks.

[MotorSeven]

Motorseven

It was Logrite's plan to sell through dealers, so we can concentrate on manufacturing and bringing new tools and ideas to market.  We have suggested retail prices which dealers can use or not.  We do not undercut our dealers.

Tammy, you know my wife said the exact same thing this morning(Im feeling a little ganged up on ;D). I do understand the dealer thing and I have to say if the price was close(r) I would order direct from Logrite because I know there is more profit margin there for you. I ordered a 60 Peavy from y'all a couple of years ago...the thing is amazing. Thanks to this thread I learned about the Mega Hook & Woodmizer is shipping it today. Between the Logrite Peavy and Cant I am feeling a little better about rolling these beasts.
I'll keep the sctatch & dent thing in mind but I had not read about that before...thanks.

[Tam-i-am]

It's all good as Woodmizer is a sponsor also!!

[Bibbyman]

Tamiam,  I know where you're coming from.

We sale fencing lumber to a lumber yard/farm supply place some 20 miles away.  They get an order for oak fencing lumber and leave us a message with specs and quantity, etc.  We come in and respond with when we can deliver and do.  They write us a check and we're gone.  They've spent the time dealing with each customer and making the final delivery, collecting, etc.  We can saw.  That's what we do best.

I had a load go to them early in July.  Got to the office to pick up the check and they were talking about getting it on the truck to deliver.  They mentioned it was going back almost to our mill.  Turned out it was going to one of our old customers.  We had sawn for him a number of times but he was awful bad about making appointments at off times to pick his stuff up and then not showing up.  He quit ordering from us and went to our "competition".  I'm sure he thinks he's getting a better product now that he's paying the middle man.

[MotorSeven]

The Mega Hook arrived yesterday...that was fast. The name is fitting and looking at this monolith I am wondering if my puny 6'4" 230 lb self is enough to get it moving .......maybe I should eat more BonBon's :D

[paul case]

congrats on the new purchase. i never wanted one of those. still dont. good to know how to get one but if its bigger than my 48'' logrite can turn, i use other methods.
my little forklift is a big help but i rarely turn a log with it. just pick up the pieces and reload. i was wondering if you were trying to make multiple 5''x10'' beams out of one log? even if you were it makes more sense to me with a manual mill to make some cuts and slide them off to the side to reload and edge after the log is all cut. this greatly decreases the size of the log and it is considerably easier to turn. i usually only turn 1/4 each time so there is less turning altogether. my mill has a hand winch with a cant hook on it to aid in turning the  biguns and it gets some use, but i usually turn with my 48'' logrite. it works great. i bought mine from my mill manufacturer at a farm show and avoided shipping completely.
Tammy,
thats a great set of tools youall make. no mill is complete without one.  here is my logrite when it was new.







the last 2 pics are my log turner set up on the ez boardwalk 40. i have turned serveral 26'' to 34'' logs with it.  good luck. pc

[MotorSeven]

Paul that log turner is not a bad idea. I picked up a HF manual winch set up with a short boom like the ones that go in the bed of a truck. It was missing a few things but it was ony $20 at the flea market so fabbing that up should be pretty easy. If I can't get 'em turned with the two Logrites than I will look into this.

[MotorSeven]

Well, y'all were right, they are "doable". I had some help so we tackled some of the biggest logs. This one was 24" after we trimmed off the flair and the 55 horse tractor could not pick the whole thing up, so I had to drag & roll it to the mill, then lift one end up at a time. We used the chain method to turn it and it actually works quite well, you just have to go slow and easy. This log turned out 4 - 5"x10"x24' rafters:

[MotorSeven]

8 done...only 16 more to go!

[Jeff]

Nice!  Working right next to the pond eh? ;)

[MotorSeven]

Nice!  Working right next to the pond eh? ;)

Ha, yes, we got pummeled with 36 hrs of straight rain from TS Lee. It was drizzling all day yesterday while we sawed....it's nice to have a roof over the mill!

[zopi]

Nice! A solution I came up with for you guys on a manual mill, I set up a tripod over the mill...made out of fout by fours...has a rigging ring hanging from it...hang a portable electric winch from it or a chain fall...wrap the log and dog the chain to it...slow, but hey.

[WDH]

Nice mill and shed!

[thecfarm]

Looks good. Any longer and you'll have to have an extension.

[MotorSeven]

Looks good. Any longer and you'll have to have an extension.

...and a bigger tractor...and a bigger mill shed...and...... :D

[WDH]

It is a vicious circle, it surely is  .

[MotorSeven]

Update:

Well, with help I milled the whole whack of Hemlock....THE 78" Lorgite Cant Hook Rules! I have 19 5x10x23' rafters.....5 short :'(  I called my logger last night and he promised to help me find a few more trees. My log walls are almost done..lacking one row. I am cutting and peeling Poplars tomorrow for the tie poles. I set the loft beam today that I milled out of SYP...5x10x30(two sections). So until the Hemlock arrives I will be milling the loft floor joists out of SYP....3x6x16'.
I can't wait to get the roof on...this cool spell has me worried that winter is coming on hard and fast .

[WDH]

I am very jealous.

[5quarter]

Very nice place indeed. I'm not a timber framer, but it seems that the beam on the left in the photo needs a second post. enough load and it might split along its length. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

[Magicman]

A log cabin bunkhouse is in my future.  Thanks for sharing your pictures.

[MotorSeven]

5Q it is going to have a 8" pocket screw in it from underneath....just haven't got to that yet. You are right the "L" notching leaves a weaker side(ok for lighter stuff) so fo my ridge rafter it will be a 60 degree slant joint...no notch.

[MotorSeven]

I want to thank everyone here that helped me on these big logs...they are now all up living as rafters in my house:





I start decking the roof tomorrow.............!

[clww]

Very impressive work and photos, too! 8) Please keep updating us.

[WDH]

Man, I love that building!

[Magicman]

Where was that sky hook when I needed it  ???

I love the building.  Really, I'm jealous.   ;D

[ljmathias]

Very nice work, Motor- looks like you're going to have a 2nd floor or loft in the house?  Pretty wood- you going to stain or seal it?

Lj

[MotorSeven]

Yes the skyhook was a life saver, it only took us 5 hrs to hang 24 rafters and the two section ridge beam. It was $600 bucks well spent.

Lj, pressure wash and seal on the outside, 40 grit disc sander on the inside(my shoulders ache just thinking about that).

I looked high and low for some air dried sawmill 4 quarter to deck the roof, but the prices for 2100 sq ft were around $2K for Pine and Hemlock. I ended up with kiln dried finished SYP 2x10's from {cough}Lowe's....$1400.

[Marc Thornton]

Looks real nice.  I'm jealous too. 


Just a thought, should you be staggering the joints on those roof boards?

[Magicman]

I am also curious about carrying that course all of the way to the ridge rather than all of the way across the eve.   ???

[MotorSeven]

I am also curious about carrying that course all of the way to the ridge rather than all of the way across the eve.   ???

It's a 44' run, two- 16 footers and one 12 footer. I only had 12 footers on the truck, 16's are en-route so I used the 12's first up and over. I know some of you would stagger the seams, but with 5x10 rafters I really don't see the need. Also I can control the "drift" easier doing it this way so my boards come out dead level up at the top. Halfway up I start measuring up to the peak on both sides and adjust each board so the measurements stay the same. Trying to do that over 44' would be a nightmare.

[ljmathias]

What about measuring down every 4-8' and snapping a line across?  That wouldn't be too hard, to my way of thinking, plus it would buy you a whole lot more stability in case of strong winds- but then, I live in hurricane alley and that thought is always in the back of my mind when building anything....

Lj

[edkemper]

For the few of us that build log homes with natural unprocessed green logs, the pictures of the logs on the truck are viewed as Log Porn. Nothing gets us as excited as seeing large diameter logs ready to peel and stack. One bigger log for the Ridgepole would be a perfect dream.

[MotorSeven]

Here are some updated pic's. The decking is on and I still need to rip the last boards up at the ridge. I spent 10 hrs up on that 10/12 pitch tar papering my myself..it was not fun, but the rain started later that night which put a smile on my face




This was my answer to spread the weight of the ridge support over the 10' door opening: a Crows Foot....Peace Brother:








I order the metal this week, basement slab gets poured in a few days. I will be on the mill this week cutting out the 2x6 gable studs and window frames. Hemlock board on board will go on the outside.

[Magicman]

Your project is a class act.   

At least yours is progressing.  Mine has been at a standstill for four months.  Maybe things will soon slow down and I can get back to it.  Keep us updated.