I guess this is the official start of my timber frame build. 8) 8) First, here is what it is supposed to look like when finished:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/LJohnSaw2BCabin2B2013-04-20-b.png)
The first step is to clear the land. I spent about 4 hours today messing around and ended up with this:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_Clearing_1_marked%7E0.jpg)
The plot is level from left to right (pretty much) but there is a hollow between the front and the back, perhaps a foot or two. The driveway (where I am taking the picture from) is about two feet above the garage floor so a little work will need to be done there. There big green pile on the left is a burn pile - hopefully I will get a producing well and will have water so I can burn before a burn-ban is put into effect. ::) Very dry winter. The tall stumps I left for the backhoe guy to knock out the roots when he comes on Wednesday for the septic mantle dig/test. All the trees in the middle and the big ones you see in the back will be knocked down as well.
The big stuff on the right will be used for my timbers. The well is marked to dig behind me and to the right, about 50 feet, almost inline with the right side of the cabin. This is the top of my 10 acre parcel. More pictures to come after Wednesday.
I'm next in line to have my engineer (Ben) review my plans for structural and then I can complete my drawings (details) for submission to the building department. He's busy the beginning of this week with a timber frame bridge rehab. It will will probably take me a couple of weeks to complete the drawings.
Looks to be potential for a beautiful setting.
Now, how do you protect it from a forest or brush fire?
I will clear all brush from within 50' (I belive that is the code requirement) and all trees 75 to 100'. All the trees have 50 years worth of dead limbs either attached or on the ground around them. Lots of cleanup to do. The area south and south west (up wind) was devistated by fire in 2001 - very little of anything left. Some trees about 10' or so sparcely populate 1,000's of acres. So I'm safe for a number of years right now.
Its been a couple of weeks and here is some progress so far:
Here was the cabin site in March 2013 as compared to the picture up top:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/03_Future_cabin_site_March_4th.jpg)
The septic leach field can NOT go up by the cabin - far too many rocks to be able to do something. SO a site-hunting we went (county inspector and my engineer). We found something down the hill that is working out. Water table down 8+ feet and not a rock in sight (down that is):
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/13_Where_leach_field_will_go.jpg)
A line will go out from where I'm standing and another parallel line to the left (looking north-northwest). Now turn to the west and there is this old road snaking through the trees:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/01_Old_road_before.jpg)
After a few hours, it looks like this:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/03_Old_road_after.jpg)
Go all the way out to the end of my property, turn around looking east-northeast:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/09_Old_road_after_looking_east.jpg)
Not much to do with the cabin build but very rewarding just the same. I found lots of cedar that had been down for quite some time (buried in tree litter) and solid as a rock. I feel good about using this as sill material for my cabin.
Go back to the previous picture and turn to the south - this is the road back (UP) to the cabin site. It will have a trench dug for the effluent pipe line from the septic tank to the leach field:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/14_View_from_leach_field_up_new_road2C_old_road_to_the_right.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/15_Going_up_new_road.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/16_Further_up_new_road.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/19_For_scale_-_atv_is_4_foot_wide.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20_Near_the_top_of_new_road.jpg)
And finally, the trees you see in the sun are where the back of the cabin (north side) will be:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/21_back_of_cabin_will_be_visible_from_here.jpg)
Quite a hill, 500' to the cabin site and probably 150' climb. A blast on the ATV!
Nice looking property. Is it a large lot or acreage there?
I've got 10 acres. I'm building at the top because the freeway noise is minimized and I will have year-round access. This was not even the bottom. I've got another 300 feet north that drops probably 75' more!
Update:
I'm working both my septic and well at the same time. The county lost a "promise to pay" form so they could not process my check ::) for my septic plan. Just sent them another one. Of course they wanted another fee...
My well was another story:
First well (yep, more than one was drilled) started out in loose rock and soil. So the standard $18.50/ft was $110.00/ft for concentric drilling - pulling casing (7") down behind the bit. And I needed 95 feet of it! (do the math...) Came out in a volcanic layer (promising water...) but only picked up 1/2 GPM (needed 1 to get a building permit). At 290' hit a clay later (what the heck?) for 80'. Hit granite and went to 520'. Then it got messy as the clay layer kept caving in. Had to abandon.
Moved 50' and started over with a larger casing (10") so we could negotiate the clay layer later on. Switched back to conventional drilling at 60'. At 140', they called me to see what I wanted to do. They had 60 GPM :o coming out of the well. The dilemma was we know that clay is down there and if we stop here, we cannot re-drill if this well dries up - I'll have to start over. Had we not drilled the other well, we would just call this good.
My driller said, if this was mine, I'd call it good. So I did!
So now, I've got 60 GPM sitting at 15' static level below ground - life is good (if not expensive!). All totaled - I'm at just a bit over $20k invested (I expected to go about $14k). I didn't take pictures but 60gpm down a hillside sure makes a big mess!
Next up - installing the septic and getting my structural engineering results back from the PE.
That mess is all behind you now. You're not the only one that has stories about a well. Just never know what will happen.
Looks like a very nice forest you have there.
Quote from: ljohnsaw on June 04, 2013, 01:27:59 AM
I didn't take pictures but 60gpm down a hillside sure makes a big mess!
I know that's right, especially if they used a surfactant to help keep the solids suspended as they were drilling. It took weeks for me to get my driveway back into good shape after we drilled the well.
Glad to hear you got your well behind you. Ours rang in at 50+ gpm and the driller stopped as he was afraid if he went deeper he'd hit a dry vein and lose it.
Are they making you put in a conventional septic system?
Wow, 60gpm! That's pretty impressive.
The site looks like it's gonna make a great spot! It will be fun to follow your progress. popcorn_smiley
Quote from: danreed76 on June 04, 2013, 07:21:17 AM
Are they making you put in a conventional septic system?
I kept getting bad vibes from the county and the engineer that "engineered" systems were the norm in my area. As it turns out, I'm going conventional because we found perfect conditions for the leach field, albeit 500' down the hill. Now the only issue is digging a few holes up at the cabin site for a 1,000' gallon septic tank and a pair of 300 gallon tanks for water (one drinking the other fire suppression).
Later this week or starting next week I'll have the backhoe guy back to make my driveway, clear the building site of all stumps and rocks and dig the holes for the tanks. The county has all my forms and fees now so I should have the the septic plan approved this week. Now all I need to do is finish my detail plan work so I can submit for a building permit.
Quote from: ljohnsaw on June 05, 2013, 01:06:12 AM
Quote from: danreed76 on June 04, 2013, 07:21:17 AM
I kept getting bad vibes from the county and the engineer that "engineered" systems were the norm in my area.
I guess I should have said allow you to put in a conventional system.
Looks like we'll be going the same way (using an alternative leach field product like e-z flow though, as washed gravel is approaching the price of gold). I had started looking into separating the gray water (water from sink and shower drains) into a "holding tank" that could be pumped in for flushing toilets (use the water twice before it goes to septic) but the county folks started twitching pretty good when I started asking those kinds of questions.
I'm using the EZ Flow styrofoam product as well. 80 linear feet of 12"x36" is $666 (nice number), 1,000 gal tank @ $925 and 500' of SDR35 glue up @ $650
Quote from: ljohnsaw on June 04, 2013, 01:27:59 AM
Update:
Next up - installing the septic and getting my structural engineering results back from the PE.
Got a note back from the structural engineer. My timber sizes pass (a couple could be downsized) and I don't have to put in any shear walls 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) At least that is what he says - we'll see what the county has to say about that. My open frame passed and he commented that adding the plain board walls will only make it better (stiffer).
Back to work on the SU and Layouts to submit to my engineer for review before sending in to the County.
Also, working on my mill. This thing is turning out to be a tank! Very heavy duty. I'll start another thread on that once I get enough done to take some pictures. I've designed it to handle 40" x 36' (I have the need for 32' beams).
Quote from: ljohnsaw on June 13, 2013, 12:46:57 AM
Quote from: ljohnsaw on June 04, 2013, 01:27:59 AM
Update:
Next up - installing the septic and getting my structural engineering results back from the PE.
Got a note back from the structural engineer. My timber sizes pass (a couple could be downsized) and I don't have to put in any shear walls 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) At least that is what he says - we'll see what the county has to say about that. My open frame passed and he commented that adding the plain board walls will only make it better (stiffer).
Back to work on the SU and Layouts to submit to my engineer for review before sending in to the County.
Also, working on my mill. This thing is turning out to be a tank! Very heavy duty. I'll start another thread on that once I get enough done to take some pictures. I've designed it to handle 40" x 36' (I have the need for 32' beams).
All good news! 8) Especially the part about showing us some pics of your mill build, that sounds impressive! ;D
Work is continuing but slow on my mill build. I just fabricated some leveling legs to add and the first set of track will be done. I need to get the other sections done and up to the property (running out of room at home). I'll keep the 8' section here to use in the build of the head. I picked up an old heavy duty boat trailer (the frame anyhow) to use to haul my mill and other stuff. I will be upgrading the single axle to a 3,500# straight from the 1,500-2,000# drop. Then I figure I can move some lumber with it as well.
The county FINALLY returned my approved permit for my septic - so now we can continue (legally) with my septic install. Naturally, we found a large bolder where we planned to place the tank. My backhoe guy is attempting to split with a Bentonite compound (drill holes, pour in and it swells to split the rock).
I got my markups back from my structural engineer (FTET) and modified my drawings (slightly). Waiting for final so I can submit my plans to the county. My FasWall ICF block should be arriving somewhere between 7/20 and 7/22. I'll post some picture of those when they get here.
Thanks for the update.
Jim Rogers
Time for an update.
My structural engineer has stamped my drawing 8) Now I'm working on getting a set of pages prepared for the mandatory fire suppression (sprinkler system) that is required in California since 2010. Once that is done, I will go for permit.
Prerequisites for a permit? Water and sewer. I have the producing well and the Heath Department signed off on my septic a couple weeks ago. I spend a number of days returning my road to service. We dug it up to place the effluent pipeline down to the leach field. I tried to upload a 9meg video :o here, but was too big :-\ So, I uploaded it to YouTube:
http://youtu.be/5oe2CoByDY0
I start at the bottom (sorry for the quality - I used my flip phone) and you see the leach field. I head north on the west line, turn right to the east line and head south to the D-box. There are some pink markers for the ends of the two runs as well as the green covers for the view ports. I could not see what my phone was recording due to glare so it didn't come out so well. Next, I pass by the D-box where the pipe splits for the two runs. As I travel up the hill to the septic tank, I look at some hose bibs for watering the road (nasty dust) and places that still need some fill. The big rocks on the sides of the road all came out of the 12" trench. The trench got pretty big in places. I put as much rock back in the trench as I could - so I'm still short some dirt. The bottom half of the road is actually much smoother than it was before the trenching.
I stop at the top by the septic tank (that needs to be buried, still) and then the north end of the building site. I get a shot of the SkyTrac and a portion of the FastWall blocks (you can see about 1/3 of them).
Next, I will be laying out where the footings will be poured in hopes of a fast County approval of my plans. I would like to get the footing done this year if at all possible. ::)
The overall look of the cabin is still what is shown on the top post.
Update:
Already had snow twice (and melted) at the site but did manage to do some clearing (and covering my septic tank). This is looking north from my driveway (runs east-west). The septic tank is to the left of the big rock in the sun on the left side.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/121115_cabin_site.jpg)
The six orange stakes mark the ends of three 12' foundation walls that will support the deck sitting in front of the cabin. This will be 12' high but back-filled 2 feet.
I attached a little skid-steer bucket (44" wide) to my Skytrak and moved a lot of dirt in the background (pile of dirt on the right by the pine that will be coming down). Did so quickly but making a new 72" bucket that is heavier duty to work faster and later, to back-fill easier. I mangled the skid steer bucket a few times,.so I'm getting much better at welding ;) 7018 is a bit tricky to work with, but sure is pretty.
And this is some of what I pulled out of the ground (tip of the iceberg thing...).
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20131018_Rock_3_footers.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20131018_Rock_6_foot.jpg)
This big one (6 foot across) I could not lift, only slide with my Skytrak that has a 9,000 lift rating. I looked up the weight of granite and this calcs out to 18,000+ pounds :o
I finally got my sprinkler plans back (about 12 weeks ::)) and I'm in contact with Cal Fire to see if I can be exempted. The engineer calls for 33 sprinkler heads, 600 gallons of storage and a 5 HP pump :o, all to be done off-grid ??? I looked up Honda pumps and they have a unit that will do 61 gpm @ 51 psi but my engineer is calling for 65 @ 65! I figure I will need an auto start gas model, if I can get one big enough or get the engineer to back off a little.
We are getting three days of rain this week with a little snow up the hill so my construction may be at a standstill for the winter :(
Back to the mill build.
I doubt seriously he'll back off! I spent 17years at an auto manufacturing plant as the fire protection.cooridinator. (firecord). Pressure. and volume put fires out. Room size dictates need, there are more factors that are figured in but it comes back to how much per room. 600 gallons wont go far even if only 1 head opens. If it were me, i would shoot for 1000 gallon tank and a much biger pump. this way if something were to go wrong (ie. broke pipe) some water would reach the head in need. also inquire about a dry pipe system cause year old sprinkler water stinks.
Firecord,
Yeah, old water is nasty. I've talked with a few of the installers - they all agree that a dry system is more prone to failure and maintenance issues. What's your take? The thing is, my cabin is more likely to burn down from the outside than the inside being in a state forest! That's why I'm doing a steel roof and concrete siding.
Dry pipe is an extremely simple set up. There is a basically a flapper valve at the point of entry, the surface area of the flap is slightly larger than the pipe. Put a little water on the top and charge with air. When a head opens the pressure goes down and valve opens. no chance of water freezing and bursting pipes when your not there. also forgot to tell you that your pump will have to be listed or fm approved. If you're using a gen-set the valve could also start it and you could use elec. pump.
Enjoying your thread. Thanks for taking time to produce it.
Just finished reading up on California's regulations. A prime example of gov bs. Smoke detectors save lives, sprinkler systems save property. anyway after some searching there are several gas pumps from the 7.5 to 14 hp range that will meet your requirements. pipe your 60 gpm well to your fire system holding tank with a back-flow preventer and you'll have plenty of water. I personally would shoot for an exemption which is allowable in some counties.
Firecord,
Agreed!
Thanks! If you would, please PM me the pump manufacture/models (or post here for others if that is acceptable). I would convert from gasoline to propane since the shelf-life of the propane is a bit better than gasoline ;). My well can produce 60gpm but I will only have a Simple Pump that puts out 3.2gpm when the sun is shining. I was planning on some domestic storage (300 gal) and fire storage (now 600 gal required) slightly below grade in my daylight basement to prevent freezing.
Since my fire engineer has already drawn up the plans for a wet system (because they feel that is the best and only way to do it in my climate), what is the best way to approach them with a dry request so I don't annoy them?
http://store.primopumps.com/Davey-Firefightersup_sup-Pumps/products/8/ here is a link for what is called a prection system which is more fail safe than. a dry-pipe. however it requires electronic activation from an alarm panel. http://www.vfpfire.com/systems-pre-action.php there are also systems that are filled with antifreeze. but cal fire says NO. as for your engineer he works for you just tell him what you want. plenty of info on net to research pros and cons of each type. the pump must comply with nfpa 20 if over 5 hp and what ever system u go with is nfpa 13. nfpa is not a law its only a standard or recommendation that you cant go below due to cal fire requirements.
New to the forum and just saying howdy. I wish my well was 60 gpm. I am lucky to get 3. Jim are you on?
jpjarhead,welcome to the forum. Looking to see if Jim is on line here? Look to the left of his user name. There is a small box,will be white if not on line, green if he's here.And hover your mouse over that box and it will say online or off line too.
thanks, PC challenged. yep I was looking for Jim, but figured out how to send an email.
cfarm do you have any experience with TF?
Nope,Not one little bit.
Those are very impressive trees and rocks, I'd have to get a way bigger saw.
Get all the fire protection you can. Get some cameras also. I like the concrete siding/walls idea too.
I built a TF camp up north. I got a call a couple of years back that my camp burned to the ground. The fire marshal (FM) ruled it arson.
About two weeks later on a stake out the FM car burned to the hubcaps. (That was ruled arson also. Pretty much right on the spot.) The state police have a good idea who set the fires, but they can't prove it in court.
QuoteAbout two weeks later on a stake out the FM car burned to the hubcaps
Need an interpretation of what this means... thanks. Feeling a bit dense here. ;)
on a stake out ??
FM car ??
burned to the hubcaps ??
Quote from: beenthere on November 27, 2013, 12:33:44 PM
QuoteAbout two weeks later on a stake out the FM car burned to the hubcaps
Need an interpretation of what this means... thanks. Feeling a bit dense here. ;)
Quote from: beenthere on November 27, 2013, 12:33:44 PM
on a stake out ??
Officers doing surveillance to try and solve the crime. Kind of wonder how their car got set on fire if they were in it?? ::)
Quote from: beenthere on November 27, 2013, 12:33:44 PM
FM car ??
FM = Fire Marshal
Quote from: beenthere on November 27, 2013, 12:33:44 PM
burned to the hubcaps ??
i.e. nothing left of the car - totally burned up.
Thanks ljohn
I guess my post was a little cryptic. I didn't want to hijack the thread, but we can learn and consider from all sorts of experiences.
The fire marshal and two others were watching another camp in the area. They were out of the vehicle and spaced in the woods around the camp. Sometime after midnight they decided to leave. They discovered a game camera that they had placed was missing and they saw the glow from where their car was parked.
The camera was never found and the car was a total loss.
All hell broke loose when the car burned. Sheriff, State Police, K-9, Fish and Game. Searching the woods looking for clues. That was arson number four. My camp was arson number three.
Funny, but the license plate to the car was removed and found up and around on the side of the gravel road by my lot half a mile away.
Routestep - no problem, I always like to hear thoughts from others. There are a few cabins in my area and they have cameras. We are right on a main road going into a campground (Thousand Trails) so there is a bit of traffic every day, all day ::) Fortunately, my build site is just over a hill from the road so I don't hear much but the big diesel pushers.
Firecord - got a call back from the Davey pump guy. He felt I should do some pushback. The code (as he reads it) requires two 12gpm sprinklers for residential. Even if you double it, that is only 48 (50 gpm). I tried to read the code and I found that need to have 4 heads operating in the most distant spot on the line (11.3.1.1). I am an open frame so I'm not sure if the pressure requirement is 7 psi (11.3.2.1) or 20 psi (11.3.4.2 - heads are greater than 8' apart). Still have a little more reading to do in section 22.4. Running 50 gpm @ 7 (or even 20) psi is a huge improvement over 65 @ 65! :o
Not seeing your prints I can't do the calculations, but its like any other project. Pit 2 or 3 different companies against each other for best design and installation = savings. I'm sure another company will review your plans for cheap and may even do it for free and offer a different option. We always contracted a design firm then shopped out the drawings. this could be your answer. As for the law I'm sure it was because all the large sprinkler companies lobbied your congress for it. Laws like that are nothing but money makers.
Side note : NFPA. is like the BIBLE no two people read it the same!
Its been a long long long while with lots of discussion on what is really needed. A pump supplier actually sent me the pertinent code sections that I forwarded to my engineer to read :P. They finally said ok and redrew the plans with two heads running instead of four. The requirement dropped from 65 gpm @ 65 psi down to 26 gpm @ 32 psi. 8) Now that is doable off of a battery bank. They are not sure the County will go for it but in my talking with the County, they will not interpret the code - they go by what the engineer says! :D
Now to submit the plans - oh yeah, we finally got some rain yesterday. The last rain was way before Christmas and the last snow (6") was before Thanksgiving. They were predicting 8-10" up at 8,000' with a few inches down at 5,000' (I'm at 5,800'). I was up there yesterday (in the pouring rain) and there was about 1" of ice in places where I almost cracked my tail bone!
Got word back on March 7 from the county. They accepted the fire plan and love the timber frame and foundation (Thanks, Ben the structural engineer - Fire Tower Engineered Timber, Inc.). I omitted a few details that they want to see. I am building under Title 25, sparsely populated rural development. As such I do NOT need a heat source or electricity. If I use wood as a heat source, I don't need to do heat calcs (for windows or insulation). However, since I have plumbing (which I neglected to draw on the plans), I need a pump which draws power - so I need to do electrical drawings. I will have a tank-less water heater, so I need to do energy calcs for that - seems pointless, its a tank-less and is the most efficient thing you can buy! I didn't show balusters on the stair cases, so I need to draw that up as well as indicating the window sizes. I also had to go out and survey the road/easement so I can show it is built according to the fire code/fire marshal specifications. I've finished half of the changes so, onward and upward!
No snow on the ground - temps up a 5,800' are upper 30's overnight, 50's-60's daytime. I know, the minute I have my building permit in hand, 10' of snow will dump on my property!
Once again, a long time between posts. After a bit of back and forth, but as of 7/17, I have a permit in-hand 8) 8) 8)
I had to have the lot line surveyed (building within 60' of lot line) and it moved quite a bit from the initial flagging. I started looking into having a waver from the fire department (they set the 30' minimum setback for clear space requirements). Since my neighbor's property has a large gravel lot against my building site, they said no problem. However, the county wants a ton of paperwork, more surveys and other junk :( So, I remeasured, slid my building site and I can just barely get it on the level area. I didn't want to cause another 60+ day delay.
So, time to start digging so I can pour my footings and do my block foundation before the snows that we might get this year (not much last year, or the year before). I need to get some prices on local concrete and rebar. I have to do it in two phases. Phase 1 is to pour the footings with rebar sticking up every foot and then stack the Fastwal with rebar and fill that in phase 2.
Debating whether to collect "free" 2x6's for the form boards or to hurry up and finish my sawmill and make my own 2x12's from some of the trees I took out last year to make my road down to my septic.
Minor diversions in my cabin build. First, I made a new bucket for my SkyTrak - a 6 foot one. Here is what it looked like when I finished it:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20140616_Bucket_Front.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20140616_Bucket_Rear.jpg)
Works great for gravel and dirt. But it doesn't like the big rocks I have :( So, after a day of digging it looked like this:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20140805_Bucket_Damage_001.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20140805_Bucket_Damage_002.jpg)
Note how straight the back is now! I torched the nice creases, leaving a little to act as a hinge. Do you think LogRite is missing an opportunity to market their tools...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20140806_Bucket_Damage_005.jpg) :D :D
With the help of a 12 ton bottle jack:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20140806_Bucket_Damage_006.jpg)
Its back in shape again. I reinforced the top edge with some leaf springs, thinking they are tough. I also put in some on a diagonal in the top corners to strengthen that area. I managed to snap the leaf springs in two places - not as tough as I thought. Re-welded and back in action.
So, I have water and septic at my site and a lot of nasty, fine dirt that just coats me from head to toe. So, I decided to make a bath house (6'x8'x7'h). Same roof pitch as my cabin plans and features a 32"x32" one-piece fiberglass shower, a sink and a (low flow) toilet. I cut and nailed up the panels in my driveway and will transport it flat on my trailer. I have some foam insulation and will finish the inside (paint) before taking it up there. Should be able to assemble in about 2 hours.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20140817_Shower_House_001.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20140817_Shower_House_004.jpg)
Decided to add some plywood on the ceiling joists and a little ladder. We now have a tiny cabin! I'll put a queen air mattress up there and have a fold down bed down below for a twin air mattress. I was hoping to install it this weekend but I needed to run the sewer line. You can see where it comes out of the septic tank in the background at the end of the pipe that is not connected:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20140821_Sewer_Line_to_Shower_House_001.jpg) Turn to the right and the bath house will be up on the flat in the far background.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20140821_Sewer_Line_to_Shower_House_002.jpg) The shovel (way back there by the 4" sewer pipe) is between two big rock that I didn't pull out when I was digging. I have about 10 feet more of trenching to do and then I'll make 6 anchor pads to bolt the floor beams on to. Hope to do that Saturday. I will have a battery and solar cell to run lights and a 12v RV pump (20 gallon water barrel), a propane tankless water heater and a pressure tank (that will eventually go in the cabin). Just need a BBQ and it's home!
When done, my son and I can run up Saturday morning, work all day, spend the night and work part of Sunday before heading home. Don't have to take the Pop-up camping trailer up and down the hill so much.
Let the building begin!
Back on post #41 from 1 year ago ::), I was debating on whether to pick up come "free" 2x6s (old decking) for the form boards or finish my mill and make my own. Well, my mill is up and running and I made some boards
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Bandsaw_First_Log_4.jpg)
And quite a stack of some other 2x8 and 2x10. I started on the lowest corner (North West) using my 2x12s to start forms for the foundation.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin20150730_002.jpg)
This is looking SE. The NW corner is about 3 feet lower than the SE corner so I will be stepping my foundation. Placement of the cabin was kind of determined by that giant bolder.
Going camping soon so there will be no progress for the next 2 weeks.
I've spent a few more days working on making boards and using them up. I'd say I'm at the 50% point now:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin20150901.jpg)
This is the SE corner looking north-ish. The bottom of the picture is missing the left side board as is the one going to the left. This is one of three foundation walls that will be holding up the porch (12' deep). A 4x8 door will be centered about where my level is resting on the form board. To the left, in the next bay, will be a 9' wide x 8' high garage door. At the top of the shovel handle you can see the form boards from the previous post. This corner is 4 feet higher than the opposite corner. After I lay the rebar, I will put the cross pieces on the forms where the footings step down. If you know where to look, you can see them (3 on this side) - bad photo angle.
I only have a few 2x8s left so I drug out 5 more logs to slice up tomorrow. Looks like they will make me a bunch of 2x6s and 2x8s and maybe a couple 2x12s out of one log. Its nice to be able to use these logs up before they rot any more. Some of the wood is REALLY nice, almost clear.
Back on May 28th of this year, I was digging the trench for the water line from the well down to where it will enter the basement and on to the bath house (behind the trees on the left):
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_-trench_20150528.jpg)
That was just to the left of this picture from today - the form boards are in! 8)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_4th_forms_2_20150916.jpg)
I still need to run the flat rebar (down the left side and on the far end), put in the blocks where the foundation steps (down in this case) 8" each step (five total on this side). Then I need to add the vertical bars 12" OC for the ICF blocks.
John:
Any of those bad fires in your area?
Jim Rogers
Looks great, must have been some serious boulders to bend your new bucket.
Quote from: Jim_Rogers on September 17, 2015, 09:43:01 AM
John:
Any of those bad fires in your area?
Jim Rogers
The "Valley" fire is about 2 hrs west of me (not a direct route to it) and the "Butte" fire is 1 hr south-east. Both fires are near my previous employer's generation sites.
The Butte fire has been prevented from impacting the site and the employees had been evacuated from their homes but are all back now, no one lost their homes. Some 6,400 structures threatend with 252 residences & 188 outbuildings destroyed and 17 structures damaged in that 70,000+ acre fire. Thought to have been started by a live tree hitting a power line (PG&E and CDF are investigating).
The Valley fire was unusual - it started as a 400 acre fire and updrafts sent embers flying miles downwind which spawned more fires. It grew to 40,000 acres in 8 hours! :o Structures Threatened: 7,650 residential and 150 commercial properties
Structures Destroyed: 585 homes destroyed and hundreds of other structures are know to be destroyed as well in this 73,000+ acre fire. My fellow ex-employees are starting to return to their home, though some had lost everything - extent unknown at this point.
Both fires are still burning with less than 50% containment. Rain and cooler temps yesterday helped. Over the past weekend, the sky for miles was filled with smoke and it got nasty at time here.
Spent quite a bit of time bending rebar to make the #5 vertical rods on 12" centers. I had picked up over 100 pieces of 9' #5. I made two bends 12" apart at the center and then two more 9" (or so) 90° out so I ended up with a pair of "L" connected at the bottom. I tied those to the three rods in the footings. Had to do a little custom bending here and there. So a day of bending and a day of placing give me this:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_5th_forms_1_20150923.jpg)
Notice in this picture, the big rock?
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_5th_forms_2_rock_20150923.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_5th_forms_3_rock_20150923.jpg)
There probably should be some dowels (rebar pins) set in there, right? How many and what spacing?
On this rock, it doesn't protrude as far into the forms. Should I still dowel it?
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_5th_forms_4_rock_2_20150923.jpg)
And no, these rock were not coming out. I did manage to pop out a couple 6'x7'x8' rocks, but these would not budge. Kind of wished I move the foundation over another foot or so, but you never know what you could run into...
Might be a good idea to pin it, that spot might weaken your foundation a little. Looking great though.
Re: rock inclusion into footings - pin with rebar.
I had a (email) conversation with my engineer and the county. The county wanted some new calc on how this will be handled. My engineer took the pictures (from above) and added some annotations and representation of rebar pins to be place on 12" intervals, minimum of 5 pins. They said that will be adequate and does not affect the calculations.
I spend the better part of 3 days using a jackhammer to drill eight 3" deep holes (all the engineer said was necessary) in the sloped rock. The vertical one does not need any. Then I epoxied in some rebar long enough to go at least 12" up into the block wall that will be set on the footings.
I called and scheduled and inspection for today (Friday) back on Wednesday - when I was done with the epoxied-in rebar. The automated system gave me Friday and a confirmation number. I called back to talk with a real person and questioned the Friday appointment since the web site says they only do "East of Yuba Gap" on Mondays. My property is AT Yuba Gap exit. She assured me that it would happen on Friday.
Thursday I spent the day clearing out my slab pile from by the mill (probably a cord of firewood) and all the trimmings from around the footing forms to make it look good for the inspection (and better footing when we pour).
This morning, just as I was about to call to find out what 2-hour window I should expect them, the county called. They said they don't do my area "East of Bowman" (which is about 10 miles west of my property) on Fridays - only Mondays. I explained to her that a real person confirmed the time - she just said they won't be out... >:( :-X
So, Monday it is. In the mean time, I picked up almost all of the concrete rubble (demolished slab) in the gravel field (adjoining my property) and added to my firetruck turnaround (required by the fire marshal). Didn't get a picture but might snap one on Monday. In digging out the rubble, there was this troublesome piece of rebar. I decided to finally get it out before I poke a hole in my SkyTrac tires. I chained it up to the forks and lifted - it zipped along, rounded a corner and popped out a bunch of concrete blocks filled with concrete - stuck in pairs. Other than mangled, the 20' length of rebar was clean - no concrete stuck on it. Doesn't surprise me, the chunks of concrete slab had the 1" river cobble stuck on one side and an impression of the remesh. They just poured the concrete on the remesh and never lifted it into the wet concrete. Yes, they used round river cobble (landscape marble rock) as a base for the slab. ::)
I made 7 or 8 trips with my 4'x5' trailer pulled with my ATV. Probably 1,000# per load. Was kind of a challenge to keep it moving in the gravel without digging in. A lot better than using the wheelbarrow! There is probably 3 or 4 more loads to move that I will probably do on Monday either when I'm waiting for the inspector or after (if they show up early). Then I should be ready to have the concrete trucks and the pumper wash out in that area. I have to drive by (over) this gravel field to get to my cabin (easement) so I'm cleaning it up so it looks decent. I told my neighbor that I want to get rid of the gravel - you really can't drive on it - you sink. He's good with me disposing of it. I will use it around my footing for the drain pipes - really all that it is good for.
Wednesday is the scheduled pour - 24 yards to fill about 180' of footings - weather forecast is calling for rain late in the day. We should be done by 12 or 1 pm. The rain shouldn't hurt the footings.
Progress - concrete! 8)
So rain was predicted for Wednesday, so I backed it up a day. Concrete was scheduled for 1:30 in the afternoon (big PG&E job in the area took the morning). Pumper arrived and set up by 1:00. First concrete truck arrived at 2:40 :-\
I have no idea what I was thinking when I ordered 24 yards. It was evident when the first truck was done with the first 10 yards that 24 was way too much. Second truck arrived just a short while after the first truck was finished washing out. He got lost... I canceled the cleanup truck of 4 yards but was stuck with the second 10. We finished up the forms by 3:30 and dumped the remaining 3 to 3.5 yards in an area I had placed broken slabs for the firetruck turnaround. I guess I'll keep adding to that and make a nice parking area ::)
It did rain on Wednesday so I returned on Thursday and Friday to remove the forms, level some dirt, mark where doors and windows will be in the ICFs and measured with my transit to see how good (or bad) the footings came out. Not perfect but not too far off. I need to set the first course of ICFs in mortar, so I can adjust for the differences. Its just a pain because I have 5 steps in the foundation (on each side).
Here is what it looked like Thursday morning:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_8th_forms_1_20151029.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_8th_forms_4_20151029.jpg)
And Friday evening before I went home:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_9th_forms_1_20151030.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_9th_forms_2_20151030.jpg)
More rain predicted for Sunday and mix of snow on Monday. Will return on Tuesday to do some work - looking at a week of sunny days, but highs in the low 50's. Starting Thursday through Sunday, my brother is down from Ashland and will be helping me square up and bed the first course, then dry stack up the first 6 feet (8 feet in the back) and hopefully have an inspection on the 9th. My goal is to get that poured so I can backfill the two feet I need for frost protection (footing will actually be down 3 feet).
More progress. With my brother and my son's help, we got started on laying the first layer of FasWall block in mortar. The remaining courses are dry-stacked and then filled with concrete (pumped in). We spent the later part of Thursday, and all of Friday and Saturday setting and laying block. We had two additional helpers on Friday and one on Saturday. Here is my brother teaching my son how to lay mortar:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Message_1446846767928.jpg)
My son would deliver the blocks (12x24x8) where needed, packed up insulation that was removed from some of the cells and fetched tools without complaint. He did a fantastic job and now knows how to set block!
Here is what we had at the end of the last day:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/DSCN6628.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/WP_000693.jpg)
The long wall on the right was the last stuff done. With that done, I can dry stack a LOT of blocks. The mortaring is better than half done now - another 75' or so to do out of 180'.
Light snow falling today Heavy snow falling tonight :( and supposed to be clearing up for the rest of the week but rain again next week. :(
Moving right along. Great work. Glad to see the family is getting involved too.
Went up today with my son and his friend to play in the snow. Looks like Monday delivered about 4" of snow. My mill and storage shed:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_20151111_1.JPG)
My walls look like this now:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_20151111_2.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_20151111_4.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_20151111_3.JPG)
Pretty, but sure puts a crimp in the construction. I scraped the snow off the tops of the walls and it should clean up tomorrow as it warms up a bit. I'll probably go up on Friday to add some blocks.
Looking good. What is that white stuff? ;D
Setting up and using scaffolding is slow. I decided I needed something more adjustable. So I made a Scaffold platorm for my SkyTrac:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_Mobil_Scaffold_20151113_1.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_Mobil_Scaffold_20151113_2.jpg)
I made it so it can slide on the forks long-ways or short-ways. The railing is down the middle so I can work from either side. It easily holds 24 blocks with room to work.
That made it easy to place a lot of block quickly. I position it just above the current top block so I can reach over the rebar and don't have to bend down too far to place it.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_Foundation_20151113_1.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_Foundation_20151113_2.jpg)
The rest of my block is snow-locked! I cannot get my SkyTrac to it - no tread on the tires and no chains. If I don't get too much more snow during Monday's storm, I'll have to handle the blocks individually to continue my foundation.
Well, I went up the hill on Wednesday the 18th and found my site like this:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_Foundation_20151118_1.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_Foundation_20151118_2.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_Foundation_20151118_3.jpg)
Its not much (for you guys back east), but 6" puts a bit of a damper on things. I cleaned the snow off the tops and dry stacked another 2 pallets (108 blocks) on the existing walls. Couldn't do any mortar setting of blocks on that day.
Went back today (Friday) and cleaned off the remaining slush off the footings and laid a few blocks up to the steps in the footings.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_Foundation_20151120_1.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_Foundation_20151120_2.jpg)
With these few blocks added, I could now stack another 2 pallets. Tomorrow I hope to lay a lot more of the remaining first course with my son's help. There is about 64' of block to lay (32 blocks). If I get all or most of that done, then Sunday will be a high-volume day dry stacking block - hoping to knock out about 5 or 6 pallets!
More snow expected on Tuesday :( My cabin is at 5,800', snow level is expected to drop to about 2,500'! :-X
ljohn
Making progress, albeit some slow.
Be careful, as it looks like there are plenty of very slippery spots, and many bad things to fall on, on your way down.
Thanks for the pics...
Rocks,rocks and more rocks.
When they was digging for my foundation everything was going good until the bedroom was dug. :( Had to call the dynamite guys in. That moved the ledge or whatever the excavator could not move.
Good luck to ya!!
Saturday, I drug my son up to help me with laying block. We spent a few hours (setting is SLOW) and got to this point:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_Foundation_20151121_2.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_Foundation_20151121_1.JPG)
The new blocks are the backwards C on the footings.
OK, I cheated, I took those pictures this morning because I forgot yesterday and didn't have the "good" camera.
My sister and my son came up today and were hauling blocks. By lunch time today, the mortaring is DONE 8)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_Foundation_20151122_1.JPG)
And by 4pm, hauling lots of block, we worked on the western wall. I used up the last of my 1,000 rebar tie roll. Need to find some more. Using a roll of wire is just too slow.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_Foundation_20151122_2.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_Foundation_20151122_3.JPG)
My sister suggested a slide to get the blocks from the driveway (left of picture) down to the footings. I had made a concrete chute a number of years ago from a blue plastic 55 gallon drum cut into thirds. Worked pretty well for getting the blocks down to where we needed them. The hill is steep and covered in snow and mud - too slippery to make many trips to haul the blocks.
We covered the insulation side of the blocks to be ready for some snow Tuesday/Wednesday. The forecast is looking better - less precip than the "big" storm they originally predicted.
Going well, I see.
What machine do you have entrapped within the block walls? Is the plan to drive it out some day, or lift it out?
That is my Davis Little Monster backhoe. Once the first lift of blocks are filled with concrete, I will use it to move that big pile of rocks before I have a bunch of gravel and dirt brought in to backfill for a base to my basement slab. I will fill two feet above the footings (three blocks high) - so I need LOTS of fill. That is one block below the current west wall height next to the Davis. I figure I might as well use a couple yards of big rocks/mini boulders!
I can always lift it out with my SkyTrac ;)
Good plan...
Site as of 12/1/15 :(
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_Foundation_20151201_1.jpg)
More snow predicted for tomorrow...
1/1/2016 Update:
Another month has gone by with a number of snow storms, followed by rain and more snow. My construction is on hold - high of about 30° on the first of January. As I walked around the corner of my driveway:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160101_Untouched_1.jpg)
My neighbors said there was a little snow accumulation...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160101_Untouched_2.jpg)
The pair of 2x6 sticking up is my little 4x5 trailer that I was going to pick up for a chore the next day. I decided to leave it since it was frozen to the ground! You can barely make out my mill bed under the snow. I'm glad I got most of my sloped roof on my truck box so the snow wouldn't crush it.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160101_Faswall_Blocks.jpg)
There is just about 2 feet of snow on top of my blocks. These are somewhat protected by trees so more than that actually fell.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160101_Foundation_2.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160101_Foundation_1.jpg)
Not the same angle as the previous pictures but it sure looks like a lot of blocks have disappeared!
Was raining up there yesterday and today. More foul weather for the next week but I'm on the elevation margin of rain / snow so I won't know until I get up there again.
Update 2/9/16:
There has been a number of storms with the snow line going up and down the hill. I was hoping for more rain than snow so I could get on with my foundation. Emailing my neighbor who goes up every weekend, she said the snow was melting fast and on their south slope, it was barely sled-able. So I stopped by this morning. The hill looked fantastic! Smooth (from all the rain) and probably a good foot to foot and a half. I should have known as there still some patches of ice on the road heading toward my property. My property is on the north face of the hill (compare to the 1/1/16 photo above) - my mill is under there somewhere:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_20160209_03.JPG)
First, I had to dig out some blocks:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_20160209_08.JPG)
Then I had to dig a flat path to drag a makeshift toboggan board with blocks:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_20160209_17.JPG)
So I could set them up to melt some ice and be ready for tomorrow's placements:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_20160209_16.JPG)
Under there is my Davis backhoe - a good 3.5-4' of snow sitting there:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_20160209_18.JPG)
We do have a great sled run coming down from my other neighbor's property:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_20160209_11.JPG)
Update 2/10/16:
Daytime temps upper 50's/lower 60's. Overnight upper 40's - warmer than Sacramento.
Spent the day up there placing more blocks - about 240. Something you can't do with normal concrete blocks - building a wall with 4' of snow on the ground! While the snow made a great scaffold, it was a bit of work popping the blocks apart (some froze together) on the pallets and climbing out of the hole as I used up 2 more pallets!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_20160210_1.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_20160210_4.JPG)
Added 2 layers of block all the way around except for the front area where the porch will be located as well as the garage and man doors in the front wall. I need to dig that snow out so I can continue there It's hard to judge progress as my work gets buried. I use the water tank and metal scaffold as a gauge. One more layer will be at the 6' mark (half the height) for the front section but the property drops off on the back (north-west corner). That wall is close to 9' now.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_20160210_5.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_20160210_2.JPG)
I had dispersed rebar around the foundation but it is buried under the snow - and I don't remember exactly where it's at. So I dug down a few feet to my main pile to get enough to continue tomorrow.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_20160210_6.JPG)
Once I get the porch area built up, I could call for an pre-pour inspection, not that I will be doing it anytime soon!
Perseverance I'd say... that is some tough work.
Thanks for the update.
Bare ground under the trees.
Spring is around the corner and then you'll be flying.
Good pictures.
Quote from: WmFritz on February 11, 2016, 03:55:04 PM
Bare ground under the trees.
Spring is around the corner and then you'll be flying.
Good pictures.
:D :D
The "normal" amount of snow is 12 feet. I have about 4 now. This is an el Nino year so it may be "above" average. Four years ago - 16 feet and didn't clear until the 4th of July :o :-\
Update 2/12/16:
Spent an hour digging out about 40' of block that was buried under about a 4 foot drift so I can add on:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_20160212_1.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_20160212_2.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_20160212_3.JPG)
Slow going work. The blocks "expand" a little when placing them. You can only get them so snug. The instructions call for cutting the end off one block (in each run on each course), slice out the necessary amount on each side and re-attach the end with some long deck screws. Were you see the short wall (right side of the man-door), every block in the corner had to be trimmed (along the long run). I just bought a 20v circular saw so I don't have to fire up my generator. It is so light compared to my Skill worm-drive. A real pleasure to use.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Cabin_20160212_4.JPG)
Since I will be making swinging doors for the 9' wide garage door in the left bay, I am going to cheat a little. The man-door opening is a bit over 4' rough. I will just slide the wall section between without trimming blocks. The garage door will be a tad less than 9'.
Wow cutting the block would definitely slow progress. You are doing a great job! You have great sticktoitivness!
Update 3/2/16:
Decided to add another row of block to make it an even 1/2 way point on the build (6' of block on the front, 9'-4' on the NW corner where the grade dropped off).
Had to spend the day extending the rebar, move block (lots of wet, heavy ones) and walk the top of the wall laying blocks. The only trouble was when rebar wanted to goose me :D
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160302_Cabin_1.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160302_Cabin_2.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160302_Cabin_3.JPG)
Just have to finish the front section and tap the blocks into plumb.
Looking good. I know that you are anxious to reach a point where you can say; "OK, I'm finished with that".
Looking at your first pictures I can see your property is way overstocked for the mixed conifer zone of California. If you are not experiencing drought mortality or bug infestations, they are coming your way. Don't be too sure the next fire will be years down the road - it may be this summer! If it was me building where you are I'd be clearing ALL small trees and brush out to at least 150' and better 200'. Big trees are fine to leave closer if limbed up past your future roof but be aware of windthrow during winter snow storms. I know you are eager to get your house up but it will all disappear in minutes if you are not prepared for fire.
Winter is a good time to cut and burn brush and small trees instead of laying blocks - save that for summer when its warm and you can't burn. The power of a wildfire is awesome and humbling to behold and CA has seen fires recently that even 200' of firebreak cannot stop or slowdown. Fire will really move through young / overstocked stands.
Don't know how long you've been in CA or what you've seen but it is getting worse each year. Don't expect the firefighters to save your house - make it so it can save itself. You don't want to be there when a wildfire is coming (and it will come!). Talk to a local consulting forester or a CALFIRE forester on what you need to do to protect your future home and property. What you've done so far is the minimum to protect it from a mild fire. A rager will take it all.
For 10 acres there are options for thinning that won't be too painful in paperwork but may cost you a bit to get a logger in there depending on how much marketable volume you have. Don't know if you filed a 3 acre conversion with CALFIRE for your home site but that would be a good start towards clearing around your house. CALFIRE frowns on not getting the proper paperwork done. When you talk to CALFIRE don't say you've cut a tree yet just "I'm PLANNING on building a home in such and such an area - what do I need to do to make it safe from wildfire and how can I go about thinning my 10 acre forest" and go from there.
Markets are soft (mills are choked with burnt wood from wildfires) now but its a good time to start looking at options to get something done when the snow melts. You will want to enjoy your new home for the rest of your life and maybe pass it on - don't let a wildfire take it all from you!
Well, I've actually had CalFire on my property to discuss the layout of my driveway (required for permit) and clearing trees. Really nice guy and said I was on the right track. Didn't mention any forms to fill out. I pointed out what I was going to clear and he said that was a good idea. I will not have ANY trees or bushes within 100' and low trees or bushes (don't really like the brush on my property at all - too many thorns) for the next 100-150'. That will put the tall trees 200'+ away and all down-slope. They will be even with or lower than my eve line.
I'm a native Californian and have been in Northern California since 1979. I've seen my share of fires so I'm being very cautious.
My property is very steep and I don't want to sell timber. What is useful, I will use to make my cabin. What is not useful will be thinned and become firewood. Yes, there is bug kill but for the moment, only the trees that were damaged during putting the forest road in for the septic plus a few here and there.
Most of the bug kill is about 2,000' lower elevation. My property has seen rain throughout the drought during the summer (thunderstorms) so that has probably been saving the trees.
Glad to hear you are making informed decisions. Remember that it is Cal Dept of Forestry and Fire Protection and the fire guys are often not up on what the forestry guys require and vice versa. You've got plusses going for you in that you're not selling wood so most permits go away and you're doing the work yourself so no Licensed Timber Operator required. Remember fire travels fast and hot on steep ground so I'd go at least 300' below and take out all small trees and brush. Prune bigger trees up to 20' an have no trees where the crowns touch and better to have two crown widths between leave trees. You're probably good clearing 150' uphill and on the contour. Your ideal driveway would be able to turn a 40' RV around without backing up (think fire engines and water trucks) but if the fire guy says ok with what you got keep at it. Don't get lulled when it comes to bugs as they will come no matter where you are if your forest is overstocked; they just come quicker to drought stressed trees. 10 acres is a big job by yourself no matter what and sooner is better than later to get it thinned. Just so you know Im a registered professional forester in CA (the great State of Jefferson) and I hate to see people put houses up and not be informed about fire and the rules and regs that govern CA forests. Looking forward to seeing your project come together!
I know how important that snowfall is up there, but I'll bet your ready to see it gone.
Looking good though.
Quote from: RPF2509 on March 15, 2016, 07:38:11 PM
Prune bigger trees up to 20' an have no trees where the crowns touch and better to have two crown widths between leave trees. You're probably good clearing 150' uphill and on the contour. Your ideal driveway would be able to turn a 40' RV around without backing up (think fire engines and water trucks) but if the fire guy says ok with what you got keep at it.
Thanks for all the info. There are some BIG Incense Cedars (some pictures way above) that I will not be taking down and I will be clearing so they won't be in danger. The Planning Department gave me guidelines for the driveway requirements for the fire department. That is why I had them come out to actually see what I had in mind. There is a requirement for a hammerhead turnaround because of the distance from the main road. That turnaround must be within something like 30' of the structure. Seems crazy to me - who would want to bring their firetruck that close to a burning building? These are NOT ladder trucks! They also want a 50' radius on the curve from the easement to my driveway. It is actually about 45' R but he was fine with that.
Quote from: WmFritz on March 15, 2016, 08:54:58 PM
I know how important that snowfall is up there, but I'll bet your ready to see it gone.
Looking good though.
Yes, yes I am. I just got another 8 to 12" of slush dropped on my property Saturday and Sunday. :-\
Temps will be holding in the 50s and 60s during the day so by next week, I should be able to wrap up this and call for an inspection so they can see I'm making progress.
Update 4/13/2016:
I went up today to straighten the walls (tapping the blocks in line) and got a little side tracked. I moved out 10 empty pallets and shuffled 2 partial pallets out of the way. Then I used the Skytrac to move some dirt. I did straighten one of the long walls. Most of the snow is gone now.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160413_Cabin_2.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160413_Cabin_3.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160413_Cabin_4.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160413_Cabin_5.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160413_Cabin_6.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160413_Cabin_7.JPG)
I'm going back up on Friday to finish the blocks and take my Case Trencher up to use the blade to move some more dirt.
Here is what 4 or 5 feet of snow does to a bucket!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160413_Cabin_8.JPG)
I know that you are anxious to get back to that project. 8)
Y'all sure do have to go thru hell to build something out there. Sure glad we don't. ;D
Looks like you should be getting close to start throwing some timbers up.
Quote from: fishfighter on April 15, 2016, 06:25:00 AM
Y'all sure do have to go thru hell to build something out there. Sure glad we don't. ;D
Looks like you should be getting close to start throwing some timbers up.
Well not quite. I have another 9 courses of block to put up (6') after I fill these with concrete! It should go faster with no snow, however. Of course, it snowed Wednesday night and probably a little more last night. On the traffic cam, it looked like some really wet snow - about 1" - but most of it melted by yesterday evening. Going up today to check and finish prepping for the inspection.
Made it up today. Got about 1" dusting of snow Wednesday night and maybe some of it last night. But more snow melted. I took up my Case Davis trencher to use as a bulldozer. There is a bit too much play in the cables and linkages so the steering was a bit difficult. But I did manage to fill in the water pit. Now it's quick sand (dirt)! Hope it sets up soon.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160415_Cabin_1.JPG)
The long walls (62') are nice and straight and plumb. Ready for inspection on Monday.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160415_Cabin_2.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160415_Cabin_3.JPG)
Just for reference: The two blocks high you see in the doorways - the slab will be even with the top of the Third block. So a lot of fill is needed. The walls as they exist now are only 4' above the slab (6 blocks). I have another 6' (9 blocks) to place on top after this pour to fill the cores.
I am enjoying watching your progress. Keep on keeping on. ;D
I had my inspection today and sort of passed :-\
Because of the slope of my building site, the north-west corner drops down 3'-4". The block wall will go from 12' to 15'-4". He wants the engineer to sign off that it will be strong enough. Since I'm putting a mile of rebar (now over 6,400' :o), I think it should be good.
Also, he's not comfortable with lifts more than 6' in height. My back corner is 9'-4". The second lift will be an even 6' all around. I need something in writing that this is ok.
He signed and put "pour at your own risk"! ::)
Congratulations on the inspection! I always sweat them no matter how much I've prepared and haven't failed one yet.
I poured my ICF walls at 9'6" with no issues with a very flowable pump mix. We did it in 3 lifts of 3' each. only "near incident" we had was when the vibrator got hung up on some rebar and the power switch broke at the same time and wouldn't turn off (what's the odds). The forms started to bulge just as I got to the power plug. We also used a 3" cement hose to make the flow more controllable.
Seeing your ICFs are of a different design, they may be able to handle more pressure. If you have one available, you could always pour the taller sections up to 6', give them 30 or so minutes to kick over, then finish them up to final height and consolidate the lifts with a vibrator or by swabbing a piece of rebar up and down in each cell a few times.
-Dan
Thanks for the vote of confidence! The manufacture's sales rep said he regularly sees 8' lifts and "professionals" do 12'. I figure I'll just jiggle the rebar that is in every hole to get it to settle. The manufacture says to pour 24" at a time going around and around. Not exactly sure how you can measure that down a really deep hole... I plan to use my Skytrac boom with scaffolding on the forks for them, especially on the tall walls.
I read a book on concrete one time. And it said not to pour a deep wall from the top. The reason why is because all the stones in the concrete will hit the rebar on the way down and not get mixed into the concrete correctly.
You need to fill it from the bottom up using a pump and hose to make sure that it is mixed right and sets up right.
Good luck with your pour.
Jim Rogers
Quote from: Jim_Rogers on April 19, 2016, 04:57:03 PM
I read a book on concrete one time. And it said not to pour a deep wall from the top. The reason why is because all the stones in the concrete will hit the rebar on the way down and not get mixed into the concrete correctly.
You need to fill it from the bottom up using a pump and hose to make sure that it is mixed right and sets up right.
Good luck with your pour.
Jim Rogers
That would probably hold true with "normal" concrete mixtures. I have to use 3/8" pea gravel concrete for these blocks. The manufacturer has worked out all the kinks (I hope!). They also recommend using a 2" to 2½" hose to limit the delivery and to let the concrete flow into all the cavities. They recommend against using a boom truck - too much velocity coming down the hose.
How are you going to pour it?
Jim Rogers
Some pumps are just the pump and the hose no boom truck.
Quote from: Jim_Rogers on April 19, 2016, 09:43:26 PM
How are you going to pour it?
Jim Rogers
Some pumps are just the pump and the hose no boom truck.
yes, hiring a pumper trailer guy.
Quote from: ljohnsaw on April 19, 2016, 02:39:25 PM
Not exactly sure how you can measure that down a really deep hole...
I had a bit of an advantage as I could see (at first) the horizontal rebar in my forms for a depth gauge. By the time the day ended, we had just established a pace that we moved at steadily that kept us filling at a 2-1/2 to 3 foot rate.
Quote from: ljohnsaw on April 19, 2016, 09:53:33 PM
yes, hiring a pumper trailer guy.
A line pump (trailer pump) should definitely be easier to handle and to control your flow rate. When the boom truck operator started the pump it was a minute or two before you could hear it break over at the highest point of the boom and he said "Here it comes!" There wasn't a lie in that little 3 word sentence... it was a-comin'!
A few lessons I learned; wear good heavy jeans and a long sleeve shirt, and have a change of clothes ready for when you're done. Also, you may want to make sure you have a bottle of white vinegar. I ended up with a few burns from the concrete (my shirt got saturated and I kept it on the whole day). When I peeled the shirt off and realized I was burned, I tried putting aloe gel on it; painful mistake! Vinegar neutralizes the caustic and while it stings at first, it stops the burning action of the lime. Nowadays I keep some vinegar in the toolshed and even after little concrete projects I wash up and then wipe down with a vinegar soaked cloth just in case (yeah, the burns hurt that bad that now I'm over-cautious). As I was dealing with that, one of the truck drivers was standing there waiting for me to sign his ticket and said "You gotta watch them pump mixes... They run kinda hot".
Good luck on the pour. If it goes like mine, you'll be anxious the night before, nervous the morning of, working like a one legged field goal kicker all day, and slap wore-out that night! Wish I was closer, I'd come
watch help!
I haven't looked down the holes lately to see how far I can see but a good idea to use the rebar as a guage. The holes are 8" x 5" (because of the insulation). I've worked in concrete and had it on me for a while - never had burns - but I never took a bath in it either ;)
Went up today and laid out the three 4½ foot square footings for the posts. Sure takes a while to do things. I thought I would have made a lot more progress.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160420_Cabin_1.JPG)
I still need to mount the 12" Sono-tubes. The last footing has this boulder inclusion. It has lots of sharp pockets so I don't think I'll need to drill for rebar pins. I really don't want to do that again!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160420_Cabin_2.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160420_Cabin_3.JPG)
Rain and some snow predicted :-\ so not sure when I will be back up to finish (also bracing the walls for the pour). There is a possibility of getting this done before May...
Update: 4/26/2016
Got a little bit of snow last Saturday - 4" of slush that melted off. Went up today and put up about 1/2 of my stem wall that marks the back end of my slab. It will be filled with gravel up to the top of the wall in front of the tank and about one foot of gravel will be on the back side for the tank to sit on. Still need to run the stem wall to the west side over the boulder.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160426_Cabin_1.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160426_Cabin_2.JPG)
Also moved out all the scaffolding. Will be setting that up on the outside for the concrete pumper guys to use. I will be bracing the wall on the inside.
My engineer is good with the extra wall height and will be sending a letter to that effect soon. He was good with 12" sonotube but my inspector wants 14 or 16" so there will be enough concrete around the 8" Simpson CB that will be imbedded. Now I just need to get the Faswall guy to put something in writing about filling a 9' wall section is ok...
Update: 5/3/2106
Got a little accomplished today, pretty much what I planned. I've finally learned not to plan too much. :-\ I pre-cut most of the rebar for the post footing grids at home so I only had to assemble it. The column rebar is a real pain to tie. Keeps shifting and wanting to fall over so the rings look a little funky. I don't think the concrete will mind. ;)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160503_Cabin_3.JPG)
I set up my rag-tag scaffolding along the west wall. Yes, it is pouring down rain. At least it isn't snow. After taking this picture, I tried it out but didn't like the sloped section. I've got three 4' high frames that I will replace the first two 7' frames. I'll extend the foot pads so they will be up around 5½' and be somewhat level with the rest of the structure. That will also give me an additional 10' of plank coming toward the camera.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160503_Cabin_4.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160503_Cabin_5.JPG)
The third and fourth frames are the same 7' high as the first two - that is how much the ground drops off in 20'. I'll probably move these two frames to the north (back) wall.
Update 5/11/2016:
Went back up today to work on the scaffolding. I spent yesterday making a bunch of feet for all the odds and ends I have. I think I made 20 so far. I pulled down the first two 7 foot uprights on the west wall and replaced with low wide ones. I gathered up my planks, added 2x4 "beams" under them to stiffen them up a bit. I know it is acceptable to have some give in the planks, but I didn't like it and when the pumper guys are up there wrestling with the hose, I don't want any issues. A lot better walk now.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160511_Cabin_4.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1463021183)
I also installed all the plywood cut into 8" boards along the top of the wall. I still need to do the walls in the foreground. I screwed it on catching the top two course of blocks. Its not required but I figure that should keep them from shifting as we pump the concrete inside the wall.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160511_Cabin_3.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1463021185)
I ended up taking the two 7 foot uprights from the west wall and combining them with the 4 others I found on CL to cover the east wall. Now all I need is some planks. I have about 6 different kinds of scaffolding uprights - its a challenge to get the bracing to work correctly.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160511_Cabin_5.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1463021213)
I made a log lifting arch for my trailer and there are a bunch of logs piled on landing on the side of the freeway where CalTrans/Forest Service cleared beetle killed pines. They are about 20 miles before my property. They have been sitting a few months and I see people cutting them up for firewood. I think I will put them to better use. Plus, it will give me an excuse to fire up the mill!
:o Your foundation is mind boggling to me. smiley_thumbsup
Quote from: Magicman on May 14, 2016, 08:25:44 PM
:o Your foundation is mind boggling to me. smiley_thumbsup
Me too! People around here pay big bucks for rocks like those around here. :D
Quote from: fishfighter on May 16, 2016, 05:50:04 PM
People around here pay big bucks for rocks like those around here. :D
I listed them on CraigList but no bites :-\
Update: 5/17-18/2016
I grabbed a 24' section of a downed tree and bucked it into two 12'ers. Tuesday I cut up the top log into 24 1x6x12' boards. I took three boards and some OSB ripped to 32" and made scaffolding "planks". Really stout and should hold up well to two guys wrestling the concrete pumper hose when we fill the block cores.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160518_Cabin_1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1463631283)
Today I cut up the butt log into a variety of sizes. Needed a few more 1x6 and lots of bracing stock so I did 2x3, 1½x3, 1x4 and about everything in between. I need to put a few more braces in the front section.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160518_Cabin_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1463631283)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160518_Cabin_3.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1463631329)
I was having trouble with my drive belt slipping so I redid the mounting a little. Now I can finally bog down the 18hp B&S! I was pushing my somewhat dull blade through 20" of wood. I was worried about hitting a nail in the butt so I didn't want to put a new, sharp blade on. Next log will get a new blade.
I think one more day to add the last of the bracing and mount the concrete form tubes over the three center post footings and I will be ready to order concrete! 8)
This is getting exciting!! 8)
Quote from: Magicman on May 21, 2016, 09:09:32 AM
This is getting exciting!! 8)
Well, hold on... Weather was in the 80's but just got a foot of snow dumped on the project :-\ DanG weather! Flip flopping between rain and snow the next couple of days - and that means heavy, wet, slop!
Update 6/8/2016:
No pictures because it really doesn't look any different.
Ordered up 18 yards of 2,500 psi 3/8" pea gravel concrete with a 6"-7" slump. The blocks have a specified fill rate per sq-ft of surface area of the walls. I calculated it twice and added in the three post footing/tubes. The most I came up with was 17.3 yds and that was being generous on the footings. Well, I came up about 1/2 yard short :( I was actually hoping for the loads to be a little big but they sent a 10 yd truck followed by an 8 yd truck - no room for "extras". I will just mix bags of ready mix for the last half of one footing. The walls are all done. Now I need to order up 100+/- yards of 3/4" crushed washed gravel to fill in the basement to get to slab height (2'-8" to ~4').
Took 3.5 hours on the pumper to get it in place (2" hose). The first part we had to rod as it was just a tad too thick. Once we got the sump, it just took a little wiggle on the rebar and it was good. A little sore and tired but a little closer to being done!
Good to hear you making progress.
That's awesome! I know you're glad to have that milestone behind you!
I just finished reading your thread. I am pretty envious of your project. I used to have a mobile mix concrete truck business before the housing market took a dump. The nice thing about that kind of truck is you can order a full truck but you pay for what your use because they are mixing it on the spot. Plus it is fresh. I don't know how far your concrete trucks had to travel but that can be an issue sometime.
I will keep watching for updates.
Update 6/17/2016:
Tuesday a friend donated his day to help mix up 3/4 yard of concrete to finish up my last pour. Took us about 2 hours to finish out the 56" square x 12" slab with a 16" diameter x 29" high tube.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160617_Cabin_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1466231929)
Spent today stripping that form and a few other boards. Then I mixed up some mortar to test "stucco" the north wall to make it ready for some Thoroseal where I will be back filling soon.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160617_Cabin_3.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1466231986)
But in between, my son and I took an hour bike ride up a long hill. At least is was all down hill on the way back!
Update: 6/24/2016
The stucco on the north wall didn't all stick. Some places sounded hollow so I busted them out. Most were higher up the wall and I think it was my technique. When on the bottom, I would squat down and lean into my elbow with my knee providing lots of pressure. Higher up, just my body and I kind of flowed it like I was putting on wall mud on sheet rock - not a lot of force.
For the east wall, I upped the Porland:Sand from 1:3 to 1:2. This made a much harder and stickier mud. That bonded well.
Today, we (my buddy who is a glutton for punishment and I) stuccoed the west wall in the morning:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160624_Cabin_5.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1466829065)
and Thorosealled the north wall after lunch and the one 50 pound bag continued around on the east wall a little more than half way. It is actually grey - just lighter than the stucco which is wet.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160624_Cabin_4.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1466829044)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160624_Cabin_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1466828990)
Monday will be finish the stucco in the entry way (south buttresses), Thoroseal the rest of the east wall, the west wall and apply a second coat over the first coat. That should leave some time to place the drain pipes and start the back fill process.
Thoroseal is a cement product that makes a water proof surface that is water vapor permeable. I paid $40/50 pound bag and mixed in $20 of admix to make it adhere better - so its a pretty expensive coating. At least the one bag went far!
Looking good. Good info on applying stucco. I never messed with it before, but might in the future. ;D
That is going to be a lot of back fill. Where you getting that from?
Quote from: fishfighter on June 25, 2016, 04:32:26 AM
That is going to be a lot of back fill. Where you getting that from?
That will be a challenge! If you look back up the thread, there are various piles of rock and dirt from when I excavated for my footings. However, not enough. My cabin is at the top of my property which is pretty steep and covered with trees. I may have to resort to purchasing some fill :-\ I am not looking to make a flat area around the cabin - it will be sloped to provide drainage. Though the lack of fill may make it a pretty steep slope :o
Just hope you don't have to cut grass on a steep slope. :D
It's looking mighty fine and I have confidence that you will find what you need. The whole project keeps me smiley_dizzy
I done stucco quite few times, but in this country I stick to premixed bags, much easier than conjuring your own.
How mamy layers of stucco are you doing?
Quote from: Czech_Made on June 27, 2016, 11:54:52 AM
I done stucco quite few times, but in this country I stick to premixed bags, much easier than conjuring your own.
How many layers of stucco are you doing?
Well, technically, its not stucco. I'm doing a "parge" coat. The Faswall blocks are extremely porous. I need to seal them up so I can put on the waterproofing. The stucco/mortar goes into the rough surface of the blocks and I'm putting on 1/4" - 3/8". Over that is the Thoroseal that is mixed with a latex bonding agent that is supposed to make it stick better, be more flexible and stronger. I have to say after applying some Thoroseal today, it does stick exceedingly well. After 30 minutes in the tub, the spatters were difficult to wash off - some didn't.
We had a failure of the pulley mounted on the motor of the mixer - it split in half. Drove down the hill a half hour and neither the big hardware store or NAPA had a pulley for me. So we had to hand mix the final batch of stucco and the Thoroseal. Tomorrow, I will use a big bucket and a large rotary paint mixer on my drill for the Thoroseal.
It was hot up there - 85° - but was sweltering when we got back down the hill at 9:00, still about 90° but cooling off now at 11:30 pm.
I see, thank you.
Update 6/29/2016:
Finished the Thoroseal (2 coats) and then moved a few rocks around. Between the rocks and the wall is drain pipe that I will cover with some gravel, then weed cloth and dirt.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160629_Cabin_5.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1467264160)
The big one in the bottom corner was a challange - made me do a reverse wheelie!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160629_Cabin_6.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1467264166)
Ready for some gravel and some fill.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160629_Cabin_1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1467264033)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160629_Cabin_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1467264033)
Getting-er-done. 8)
Had a delivery of 3 more pallets of Faswall blocks today. I've been having a small leak on my Skytrac. I thought it was the front seal on one of the big rams but isolated it down to a hard line/elbow joint. While I was retrieving my blocks, a more serious leak developed. I looked underneath and it appeared to be a pretty good fast drip from the front of the engine (where the drive line comes out). Thought it was the main seal :o, only the leak was very clean oil - hydraulic oil. On the rear (above the front of the engine) of the boom is a pair of large diameter, short rams. I thought they were assist rams for lifting the boom. Upon following the hoses, I determined they are passive rams used to keep the forks level. Anyhow, one of the hoses connecting the pair in the rear was spraying oil up and soaking the front half of the engine. What a mess. Drained about 3 gallons of oil before I could take the two bad, stiff hoses off. Going back up tomorrow to install the new stuff and hope it stays dry when I get done.
Sounds like my backhoe. :D Got a tubing line that started leaking yesterday. >:(
Installed the two new hoses and the engine is now "dry". But now I see a little 1/4" fuel line that must be an overflow/return on the fuel injectors. A slight drip with no pressure to it.
I replaced the elbow on the hard line of the right main lift ram. Doesn't seem to be leaking like it was. But now the front seal is definitely leaking around the ram. This will not be a fun repair. Its about a 6' x 2½" 7' x 3" rod that I have to pull :-\
Update: 7/10/2016
Did a little work on Friday after I replaced some hoses on the Skytrac. Moved some broken concrete slab pieces into my basement to help with the 2+ feet of fill needed. I'm actually cleaning up my neighbor's property where a non-permitted building was demolished. I'm picking out the slab pieces and laying them down in the basement area, then I will be dumping the river gravel on top to fill the voids. I got into some clean gravel and covered up the drain pipe on the exterior of the walls. Put down some landscape fabric to filter the dirt and decided to add more gravel since I have more of that than dirt :-\
Here is the inside after quite a few hours...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160710_Cabin_3.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1468214127)
The man-door entry under the porch. I hauled up about 1-¾ yards of sand with a little dirt. I put gravel around the perimeter over the drain pipe and added the fabric:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160710_Cabin_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1468214066)
The east wall with the gravel installed:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160710_Cabin_1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1468214099)
And then the dirt:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160710_Cabin_4.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1468214176)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160710_Cabin_5.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1468214196)
North wall. I will be adding more rock (boulders) on top of the dirt:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160710_Cabin_6.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1468214232)
Nice to see your progress!
Well, today was sort of a bust. I picked some smaller rocks (150-300 pounders) and placed them up on the dirt around the walls. Looking good. I scooped a lot of gravel with small bits of broken concrete and dumped that inside the foundation. Maybe dumped about a dozen scoops (1/4 - 1/3 yard?). Worked for a total of 4 hours.
Then my fork tilt ram blew a seal :-[ It started to rain hydraulic fluid. After looking at it (6" with 2.5" rod, 24" long), I decided I need to pull it apart as it would be too heavy to take the whole thing in for repair. The hydraulic shop rented me a big spanner-type wrench to get the end off along with a 4' long ¾" breaker bar! Won't need a cheater bar with this thing. I'll head up tomorrow (1 hr drive) at sun up to get it apart, come back down (1 hr) for the parts, go back up (1 hr) and install and probably return the tool the next day so I can get some work done!
That sucks, John! I always get disturbed when tools brake.
Well, the seals had to be ordered. They came in this morning so I headed back up at noon with the piston. Took a good while to get it back in with the help of some big ratchet straps. The new piston rings/seals were really snug. Nice and dry now!
I was up and running by about 2:30 and continued to move rocks around the outside, gravel on the inside along with slab pieces. Finished up just before 8pm tonight.
I will be moving the slabs so they are flat ready for gravel to fill the voids.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160713_cabin_1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1468472003)
Every once in a while I would come across a real rock and put it up on the "retaining wall"
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160713_cabin_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1468472003)
There was a rock in my driving path with the Skytrac that was annoying me. It was up against a big pine and had fractured into nice rectangular blocks. The bigger of these blocks is probably 250 pounds.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160713_cabin_3.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1468472059)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160713_cabin_4.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1468472060)
The light gray is the Thoroseal waterproofing. It marks the 3' from the bottom of the footings level at the south end. Code only requires 2' for frost. Three feet up is the height of the interior slab so I am back filling the outside to match the inside. The very top will be rock so the rain won't be splashing dirt up on the walls.
Update 7-26-2016:
In the last two weeks got up to work a little more on the foundation. Spent 12 hours today and I think another 12 I will have the area filled in, if I don't run out of supplies. The gravel pit:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160726_Cabin_1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1469596683)
The cement block wall just right of center was under about a foot of gravel that was level to the front and back.
Where my backhoe was sitting:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160726_Cabin_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1469596676)
Now this area is at the finish gravel level:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160726_Cabin_3.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1469596720)
The post supports are starting to disappear:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160726_Cabin_4.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1469596768)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160726_Cabin_5.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1469596766)
Another shot of where the backhoe was:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160726_Cabin_6.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1469596796)
That is a lot of back fill.
Quote from: fishfighter on July 27, 2016, 04:05:19 AM
That is a lot of back fill.
Yep... There are a couple places that need a little less than 2 feet and, on average, I'd say 1 foot all around - about 20 more yards. I had calculated 100 yards to get the job done. I "found" a number of large slab chunks hiding in the gravel yesterday that were a real challenge to pick up and place. Whatever, its all fill.
Update 7/28/2016:
Well, a lot of wheelbarrow loads later and I called it about right - 12 more hours and here is where I'm at:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160728_Cabin_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1469764685)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160728_Cabin_1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1469764662)
Ok, not a wheelbarrow. But my homemade bucket on the Skytrac is taking a beating:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160728_Cabin_4.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1469764726)
The nice thing about the Skytrac is I can reach just about anywhere inside the foundation to dump from that area where it is parked. There are two low spots that need about a scoop each. Then I need to add another 4" almost all around to leave room for a 4" slab. Then I'll rent a wacker/tamper, get some vapor barrier and install the remesh. My daughter works at ReStore/Habitat for Humanity and she let me know they have 20 sheet in (I need 40) at less than half price of Blue or Orange. Have to pick it up tomorrow.
There is a chance of some thunder showers in the next day or two - I sure hope I get some rain, the dust is horrible.
Rain will help it settle a lot.
Jim Rogers
Never got any rain :(
I was up last Friday but didn't take any pictures. No real noticeable change for a day's work. I put a couple of feet of fill behind the retaining wall where the water tanks will be. I'll still have about a 30" drop below the slab so the tanks are more in the ground than above. I will put a false ceiling above them so I can insulate with some rigid foam to keep them from freezing in the winter. I also put a little fill along the west wall (outside) and need to do a bit more. I made a tamper pad for my buddy's jack hammer. It actually was working quite well packing the gravel that will be under the slab. I did 1/6 of it in about 30 minutes. It was packing down between 1 and 2 inches. It was getting late so I was packing up, but couldn't get the tool out of the jack hammer.
I brought it home and disassembled it. I figured it would mushroom the tool rod a bit (I didn't have hardened rod and I didn't harden it). It mushroomed it A LOT! Oh, well. I ground off the mushroom and put the jack hammer back together. Time for Plan B.
I called around to see about renting a vibra-plate or jumping jack. I could buy a used one for what it would cost to rent for 2 days. Only no one was calling me back. Time for Plan C.
I had an old 2hp lawn edger, a front spindle from a car, a brake rotor, some 6x6x¼ angle iron and a welder. So I made this:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160807_jitterbug_1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1470603812)
I had already used the top part of the handle and throttle cable on another project so I need to pick up a throttle cable. I drilled out some ½" holes to make it unbalanced.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160807_jitterbug_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1470603842)
The angle iron was cut into 16" lengths. I welded up a 12" wide "U" for the bottom from 2 lengths and stuck the remaining length inside to make the motor mount.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160807_jitterbug_3.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1470603856)
Once I put the throttle cable on tomorrow, I will take it up for work on Tuesday. It vibrates pretty good - I had only drilled 5 holes but 10 works a lot better. I might put some foam on the handle so I don't get too shook up. Probably should put a cover/guard over the flywheel. I figure the car spindle can take the beating.
I can help out with the rock supply. I have many that I can donate. Any size available,you pay shipping and handling fees. :D
Looking good.
Update 8/9/2016:
When I got up to my property this morning at 7, there were a LOT of these tracks. Any guesses? (I know, I saw them)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160809_Tracks_3.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1470801812)
>
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160809_Tracks_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1470801787)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160809_Tracks_1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1470801770)
My jitterbug tamper worked pretty well. One weld gave out (not one of mine!) so a little repair is needed but I got the job done.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160809_Cabin_1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1470801650)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160809_Cabin_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1470801667)
I also finished filling in where the water tanks will be in the basement. The one there now is 330 gallons and will be used for my fire suppression system. About 2 feet of fill on this side:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160809_Cabin_3.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1470801715)
And about 3 feet of fill on this side:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160809_Cabin_4.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1470801721)
Next up is to put down the vapor barrier, another 4" of clean gravel, remesh and then 4" of concrete.
1 thing I did was after tamping everything down I ran a lawn sprinkler for several hours over everything which got the fines settled quite a bit more. I then re-tamped. I could feel the difference.
You can also flood an area if you can contain it. Water will do way more than a compactor will, as long as you have fines. Doesn't do anything for crushed stone.
Quote from: Raider Bill on August 10, 2016, 09:17:22 AM
1 thing I did was after tamping everything down I ran a lawn sprinkler for several hours over everything which got the fines settled quite a bit more. I then re-tamped. I could feel the difference.
No real fines - this is ¼" up to 1½" round (pea) gravel that is supposed to self-compact but the inspector wanted me to run a tamper over it. I would see the gravel settle about ½-¾" and then it would start to "bubble up" next to the tamper. I took that as it was packed as much as it was gonna pack. The gravel went down in 4-6" layers around chunks of concrete slabs. Almost a 50-50 mix of slabs and gravel.
Quote from: Dave Shepard on August 10, 2016, 10:50:48 AM
You can also flood an area if you can contain it. Water will do way more than a compactor will, as long as you have fines. Doesn't do anything for crushed stone.
No real fines - a small amount of dirt, though. It would take a swimming pool to flood this area. Plus, I do have a drain in my lower corner (I suppose I could plug it). I would worry about blowing out my footings!
Update: 8/17/2016
Spent the morning finishing up the cleanup. I consolidated the scattered burn pile back down on the dirt exposed where I removed all the gravel (did most of it on Sunday) and then dumped the bark that was accumulated around my sawmill.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160817_Cabin_1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1471490305)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160817_Cabin_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1471490312)
Then I laid out the 6 mil vapor barrier.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160817_Cabin_3.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1471490371)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160817_Cabin_4.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1471490350)
And covered it with another 4" of gravel.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160817_Cabin_5.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1471490392)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160817_Cabin_6.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1471490418)
I need to make a water level (long hose with the ends on stands that can be moved around) to check the gravel for level. That will be much faster than trying to use the transit. When I finished today, I could see a low spot that will need another bucket or two of gravel.
Update 8/19/2016:
Spent about 90 minutes leveling the gravel with my water level:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160819_Cabin_Gravel_1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1471709251)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160819_Cabin_Gravel_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1471709248)
Level to within ¼-½" all the way around. The staff next to the wall stayed there the whole time. The water is low on this staff which means the base is high - hence the writing on the stick. When you are low, the water is high, when you are high, the water is low. When the water is off from the reference line by an inch, that means ½" of gravel needs to move so this is not super accurate, but plenty close enough to pour concrete. It didn't show up well in the picture but I was working from the right to the left. There is a low bank of gravel that I was scraping off to the left.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160819_Cabin_Gravel_3.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1471709303)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160819_Cabin_Gravel_4.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1471709317)
There will be an 8" form board across this opening that will form up the slab. The slab tappers back to only 4" thick as the gravel rises up.
Spent the rest of the day placing gravel on the outside of the west wall that has very limited access at the moment. Once I use up my blocks (adding another 6' of height to the walls) and remove a couple of trees, I can go back and finish it up.
John, I stay about ¾ lost all of the time with your build, but it is interesting to follow. :P I know that later on I will do the forehead smack thing and say, "that is what he was doing". :D
Keep on doing what you are doing and I will keep on watching, :)
It will clear up soon!
Update 8/23/2016:
Spent a little time up on the property today. I tried to be careful when we were filling the cores with concrete but there was a bit of slop that had to be cleaned off the tops so the remaining block will sit properly. We had filled to half way up the last block (per installation instructions) and I managed to spill dirt and/or gravel in quite a few when I was moving the gravel for the slab. Spent a couple hours cleaning that up. I moved a little more to the burn pile and off loaded my last rebar find. A family business had a lot of drops from orders. I needed a variety of shorter lengths and he was able to fill my order. I needed stuff from 3½' up to 6'. He gathered up 144 pieces with a total of 685' for $75. 8) I set up some scaffolding in "the pit" and put up the rebar for the final height on the east (long) wall (except for the deck buttress wall in the foreground). Ready for the rest of the scaffolding tomorrow.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160823_Cabin.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1472009560)
What made the tracks?
Quote from: thecfarm on August 24, 2016, 06:23:01 AM
What made the tracks?
Blue belly lizards! There are tons of them up there from little tiny 1" long all the way up to 4 or 5". Since it is a short summer and fairly cool, they look different then the ones down in the valley. They are wide, heavier and almost black on top - probably to gather and retain the sun's heat. Even in the morning, they are really fast. The biggest ones drag their tails and the tracks show it, but the rest keep their tails in the air.
Update 8/24/2016:
Finished cleaning off the block for the porch support section, set up the scaffolding for the basement walls and finished up the rebar extensions to the final height. Note that the porch walls will be two blocks lower than the basement to have the porch finished floor match the cabin floor level.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160824_Cabin_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1472106479)
Start stacking block tomorrow.
Thanks for the track report and am looking forward,as you are,to see some wood on those blocks. :)
Update 8/25/2016:
Quote from: thecfarm on August 25, 2016, 08:57:06 AM
Thanks for the track report and I'm looking forward,as you are,to see some wood on those blocks. :)
Yes, but first, more blocks...
A total of 9 courses (6') of block to stack. I moved 5 pallets of blocks (with my Skytrac) up on to the scaffolding by 11:30:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160825_Cabin_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1472189312)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160825_Cabin_3.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1472189357)
And by 4 pm placed most of them. Three courses on the west and north walls, one full course on the east wall and started courses 2 and 3. When the first course was set, I had to place and tie the horizontal rebar. Every other course has rebar and that slows things down a little.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160825_Cabin_4.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1472189372)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160825_Cabin_5.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1472189395)
Update 8/30/2016:
Spent a little time up there today. Added 4 course of blocks on the east wall.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160830_Cabin_1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1472611824)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160830_Cabin_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1472611849)
Where the main wall meets the porch buttress, one block before the corner in each course is trimmed to fit. That goes pretty fast now that I've had a lot of practice... Still have two courses for the porch and four for the cabin wall to go. I will get most of the east wall done tomorrow but will have to frame out the front doors and the two back windows so I can run the block across the front and back.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160830_Cabin_3.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1472611880)
I finished extending the rebar on the west wall. There is a chance I will work on the west wall tomorrow as well.
Update 8/31/2016:
Quote from: Magicman on August 31, 2016, 01:58:53 PM
Quote from: ljohnsaw on August 21, 2016, 12:23:40 AM
It will clear up soon!
smiley_dizzy I'm glad. :)
Hopefully this will help. Here is the east wall completed:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160831_Cabin_3.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1472694697)
The cabin will be on the slightly taller right portion (4 courses added today). The porch will be on the lower left portion (2 courses added today).
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160831_Cabin_1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1472694706)
I also finished the front part of the first three courses on the west wall. Next week, finish the west wall and the little bit left of the north and south walls.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160831_Cabin_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1472694655)
(pretty fancy scaffolding there...)
Oh I am completely fascinated by this foundation work. I am remembering back when I was smearing some cement on the ground, laying a couple of re-bars, and then laying a few courses of cement blocks for my foundation. (fourth picture) LINK (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,47709.msg713625.html#msg713625) ;D
It reminds me of Maginot Line ;D ;D
Update 9/6/2016:
Spent a little time on Sunday gathering up some larger rocks/boulders for the east wall. Today, I finished up the west wall:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160906_Cabin_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1473219271)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160906_Cabin_1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1473219289)
Now I just have to finish the middle buttress wall for the porch and the section between the two glass block windows in the north wall.
When you were a kid, you had to play a lot with lego blocks. :D
Quote from: fishfighter on September 07, 2016, 07:06:21 AM
When you were a kid, you had to play a lot with lego blocks. :D
Sure did (and I still do!) :D
Yep, my grandson has those DanG land mines all over the house. :D
Update 9/14/2016:
Back at it. Installed the blocks on the center support for the porch. Tomorrow I will put up some temporary shoring to hold the lintel blocks over the two doors. Should be enough time to do the back windows as well. Then I just need to plumb up the top sections of walls I just finished (south, west and north). That is my 4'x8' portable scaffold on the SkyTrac. Sure makes life easier, though I wish I made it 10 or 12' long.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160914_Cabin_1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1473906865)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160914_Cabin_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1473906847)
It's good to see you well enough to make some progress again.
Update 9/15/2016:
Yep, it was good to go stretch out the muscles again.
Spent another 6 hours to get what looks like a little bit done. Put up a support to hold the blocks for the man-door lintel. I didn't have time or the materials to do the garage door opening on the far left.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160915_Cabin_1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1473998361)
I don't think I ever showed the specifics of the blocks. The top row of blocks I've removed the insulation so I have a continuous concrete sill. If I didn't, water could travel down through the insulation. Here is a normal block. Number 5 rebar is strung vertically in each cell (in my case) and number 4 horizontally every other row. The next layer the blocks are inverted and that makes an opening for the concrete to connect the columns. This happens to be the top of the porch support walls so the vertical rebar stops below the top and they will have a "half" beam. You can see a vertical rib in the block that holds the insulation block in place. In the front most cell you can see the yellow rockwool of the block below.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160915_Cabin_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1473998389)
For the top course over openings, you make a reinforced lintel. The cutouts are enlarged so there is a larger concrete beam. My engineer also wanted the single #4 rebar upgraded to 4 (FOUR) #5 bars!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160915_Cabin_3.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1473998402)
I had to enlarge a lot of cutouts. I used up all three of my big batteries on my saws-all.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160915_Cabin_4.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1473998430)
I also dis-assembled a lot of scaffolding planks I made up of my old form boards that I milled last year. Most had either bowed, warped or twisted. Next week I'm going to resaw them straight to use for the garage door lintel as well as the north wall window openings.
Update 9/19-20/2016:
Forgot my camera yesterday but I finished the front doorways:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160920_Cabin_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1474424706)
Today, I finished up the back (north) wall windows. They will be glass block so the basement isn't totally dark (during the day).
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160920_Cabin_3.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1474424704)
After that, I had to drill 3" holes for the anchor bolts that will hold the ledgers that will support the floor joists. I'm taking the lazy/easy way out. Instead of cutting slots in the sills to support the joists, I'm using ledgers. The specification is to place an anchor bolt every 24" with a 3" hole for the concrete to fill around. The ledger boards will be temporarily held up with 4" screws into the Faswall blocks.
Template
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160920_Cabin_4.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1474424749)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160920_Cabin_5.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1474424768)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160920_Cabin_6.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1474424786)
50 holes in 60 minutes.
Tomorrow is time to cut up some cedar for the ledger boards. I think I'm going to make them 3" x 10" - just because I can!
That jig - what a clever idea!
Quote from: Czech_Made on September 21, 2016, 08:56:08 AM
That jig - what a clever idea!
Yeah, without it, it is really hard to start the hole cutting saw where your want it to be.
Update 9/29/2016:
I was up a few more times last week and earlier this week. Last Thursday (9/22), the sky clouded over, turned a little green then KaBoom - a thunderstorm broke loose while I was milling up some boards. Light hail gradually turned to very heavy hail over a 10 minute span and then 30 seconds of rain. This past Tuesday and Wednesday I cut and installed the ledgers and some of the anchor bolts. Today, finished up the anchor bolts (Today had to buy twelve 5/8 x 16" hot dipped for $122!!), laid the re-mesh for the slab and cleaned up. So here are the ledgers installed along with all the 5/8" anchor bolts for the main sills as well as the porch sills. Ended up doing 2½ x 10 x 17'-6" for the ledgers. Man, green wood is HEAVY! But after sitting a day, they loose a lot of moisture - close to half the weight.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160929_Cabin_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1475206201)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160929_Cabin_3.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1475206255)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160929_Cabin_4.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1475206281)
The vertical straps will attach to the posts at each location. There are 5 on each side wall and one in the center of both the front and back walls. One of the reject ledger boards was used to form up the end of the slab in the front doorways.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160929_Cabin_5.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1475206303)
Inspection scheduled for Monday, 10/3. :-\ Snow is predicted for Sunday...
Update 10/3/2016:
Well, it did snow on Sunday (neighbor was up and reported heavy snow coming down) and radar showed very heavy rain in the evening. Today there was just enough snow that I could not move my Skytrac (no tread) and it alternated between flurries and drizzle all day long. Nearly all the snow melted.
The inspector came up (with a second inspector) and had one question (pointing at my cedar ledgers) - "Why didn't you use green stick (Pressure Treated?) ?" I just said because the plans call for cedar. They poked around a bit and signed off! 8)
Now to schedule concrete before the real snow comes!
Looks great! And congratulations on another completed inspection!
Just a quick observation... looking at that board across the front of the doorways, is that rebar supporting it just driven in the ground with wood wedged between? Seen similar fail a time or two; might want to throw some kickers up against it before you pour.
My engineer beefed up our lintels as well vs what the ICF manufacturer's recommended. There's a lot of comfort in a little extra steel!
-Dan
Quote from: danreed76 on October 04, 2016, 08:06:54 AM
Looks great! And congratulations on another completed inspection!
Just a quick observation... looking at that board across the front of the doorways, is that rebar supporting it just driven in the ground with wood wedged between? Seen similar fail a time or two; might want to throw some kickers up against it before you pour.
My engineer beefed up our lintels as well vs what the ICF manufacturer's recommended. There's a lot of comfort in a little extra steel!
-Dan
Those are foundation stakes plus the form board is also screwed to the blocks. Yes, I will put some kickers before the slab pour but the walls come first. Yep, lots of extra steel. I have a lot of 1/2" leftover somehow so I will be laying that out for the slab just to be rid of it :D
Getting things ready for the wall pour on Friday at 0700. Moved a bit of dirt. This is what the west wall looked like back in July.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160629_Cabin_4.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1467264101)
And now...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161004_Cabin_1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1475634816)
I guess I can't hold a camera plumb - the walls are really vertical ::)
Dumped a little dirt in under the porch area so I can set up some scaffolding (my home-made ones)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161004_Cabin_3.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1475634809)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161004_Cabin_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1475634774)
Way in the back on the north wall, you can see some ledgers under the window openings. I put those up yesterday after the inspectors left. That will be used to support a ceiling over the water tanks to make a smaller room. Hopefully, the ground heat can keep the water from freezing. It will be heavily insulated. A neighbor with a similar setup has never had his water freeze.
Tomorrow is finish setting up the scaffolding and install some braces to hold the walls plumb for when we pour.
Way in the back on the north wall, you can see some ledgers under the window openings.
I copied this part.
Plan on putting cement on the floor?
I have a root cellar under the sun room. It's about 12X16 feet. I put stones down on the floor and used 2 inch blue styrofoam for the sides and the top. Wanted a constant temp in there. In your case you would not have to insulate the ceiling. Any heat would be going up into your living space??? Most times it stays around 46°. When it's down in the below zero temps it drops down to 42°. The ground keeps the temp warm in there. There is no cement on the floor is what does it. I had the contractor Father coach me on this. I went and saw his root cellar and did the same thing.
My cabin neighbor cemented his but only because he was on a solid granite ledge and wanted it level. No, I'm just leaving gravel in that lower part for the tanks and is about 3' below grade. That is about 160 sq-ft where the "garage" portion is 1,000 sq-ft of cement. I figure I would isolate that area from temperature swings when I open the garage to get the toys out in the winter. I might do an experiment and not insulate and put a temperature prob in there to watch it.
I would say my root cellar must be 6 feet below grade with about 2 feet of cement above ground.
I have a outdoor thermometer in the root cellar with the readout in the basement.
Seem like when I worked for the low income for the state,a training course told us 8 inches of concrete has just about the same insulation value as a single pane of glass.
Update 10/7/2016:
No pictures because it doesn't look much different other than some spilled concrete. Filled the blocks today starting at 0730. Ordered up 15 yards and had about 1½ to 2 yards left over. Trucks and pumper gone by 10. As it turns out, ended up needing some of it. On the last wall poured, the pumper guy messed up a little. The concrete got hung up on the load of rebar at the top and plugged up. He just figured it was full. When I rodded it, my rebar stick dropped down the full 6 feet in 4 or 5 cores. Had to haul up a number of buckets of concrete from the dump pile. That took an extra hour or so messing with those - sure wears you out. Slab sometime next week but rain is predicted for Wednesday.
Update 10/12/2016:
Final concrete pour today - finished the slab. 8)
I've been known to over-complicate things and make more work for myself. Well, I had a LOT of rebar left over and I really don't like 6x6 remesh and how it usually gets left at the bottom of the concrete. So, I laid out a 12" x 14" grid of #4 and some #5 rebar. Something like 40 sticks laid across and 20 lengthwise (x2). Then I laid the remesh on top of that. All of it was on about 280 doobie blocks. Spent probably 8 or 9 hours setting that up :-\ My hamstrings are letting me know all about it! :D
Forgot to snap a picture of just the steel so here is the progress where you can see some of it up front:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161012_Cabin_1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1476330467)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161012_Cabin_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1476330474)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161012_Cabin_3.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1476330505)
First float in the front, first trowel in the back.
About 5 hours after we finished the pour, final troweling down!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161012_Cabin_5.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1476330546)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161012_Cabin_4.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1476330583)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161012_Cabin_6.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1476330586)
The obligatory signing - Me, my daughter and my son.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161012_Cabin_7.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1476330618)
I hired the finish work out. I can do a rough finish that is fairly flat, but I wanted this to look good and I like it! It's just hard to pay someone when I'm used to doing everything myself. ;)
Oh, yeah. I calculated the concrete at 11.9 yards. On my other runs, I ended up with 2 or 3 yards left over ::) So I ordered 13. Then I upped it to 14 yards last night. We had about 1 shovel full left over :o
That's a major accomplishment. Congrats! Looking forward to the rest of the build. 8)
Quote from: Brian_Weekley on October 13, 2016, 08:19:30 PM
That's a major accomplishment. Congrats! Looking forward to the rest of the build. 8)
This and is it time for lumber? :D
Quote from: fishfighter on October 16, 2016, 07:08:42 AM
... and is it time for lumber? :D
Yep! Time to start dropping some trees. First order will be to make the cedar sills but it will all depend on the weather. All will stop with the first bit of snow. I don't have chains for my Skytrac. ¼" of the white and it's like you are on an ice rink - and my property isn't even close to flat! Right now, it is pouring rain which will set the dust down. No snow predicted in the next week so I will be working more on it.
It's looking great. It kind of amazes me how certain phases of construction have such a visual and psychological impact. A slab is one of those. A person looks at it and you don't have to visualize what it will look like, it's right there in front of you. I'd guess the amount of work you did leading up to the pour was upwards of fifty times the hours it took to pour and finish the concrete. But it's the slab or the sheathing that has the "Wow!" effect. I guess our brains are still pretty primeval to be impressed by the bright and shiny moments. Must be why we like pics so much!
Quote from: ljohnsaw on October 16, 2016, 08:18:22 AM
Quote from: fishfighter on October 16, 2016, 07:08:42 AM
... and is it time for lumber? :D
No snow predicted in the next week so I will be working more on it.
I have some near and dear friends that live down near Sebastopol and they are hoping for a
HUGE snow pack this winter. Won't help you any with your get-r-done. But sure would help the water levels.
Bruce
Looks great, thanks for sharing your progress.
I am just catching up on my reading. Congrats on the successful concrete pour before the weather sets in. It was nice that Dani & Alex were there to help and to witness the event. smiley_thumbsup
Quote from: Magicman on October 17, 2016, 09:53:59 PM
I am just catching up on my reading. Congrats on the successful concrete pour before the weather sets in. It was nice that Dani & Alex were there to help and to witness the event. smiley_thumbsup
Well, technically, they were not there :-\ But they would be upset if I didn't put their names on it! My son
really wanted to be there - but it was a school day :(
They were there in spirit, and certainly in your heart for you to include their names. :)
Update 10/20/2016:
Well, spent 3 days cleaning up and moving dirt. Took down all the scaffolding and put away all the rebar left overs and foundation stakes. I planned on lowering the driveway level to the slab level (or a bit lower) so I got started on that on Tuesday afternoon. My Skytrac bucket really doesn't like rocks when scraping. So I resorted to using my backhoe to loosen up the ground and my ATV with a snow plow to move it. I broke my bucket hinge on the backhoe at the end of the day yesterday so I spent this morning welding it back together. In all, I'd say I spent about 2 days actually moving dirt.
Where the sun is shining, there was the remnants of a cement block foundation running right down the middle of the driveway (easement). That is what I broke my backhoe on when trying to remove it.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161020_Cabin_1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1477021975)
The big pile at the end of the driveway was some fine gravel that was put down at the start of the project to keep dust down (worked quite well). I'll probably redistribute it over the driveway again along with a little stockpile that was left over. Surprisingly, this lower area of the driveway was pretty much devoid of rocks. There were 3 or 4 to remove and the biggest being about 300 pounds. I hit a layer of what looked like road base (gravel with fines) but was probably a long ago mud flow from a volcano.
Here is what it looked like early this year:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20160413_Cabin_5.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1460599894)
And now:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161020_Cabin_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1477021955)
Some of the dirt was used to fill in the front bays. These, and the driveway, will get a good layer of larger gravel as required by the fire department/county.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161020_Cabin_3.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1477021997)
I pushed all the remaining dirt around the corner.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161020_Cabin_4.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1477022026)
Watered down the slab before I left so it can cure some more.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161020_Cabin_5.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1477022092)
Nice job on the driveway. So it is fairly well buttoned up until next year?
Well, not really. The blocks are freeze/thaw stable and as proof, they have spent two winters with no damage. I would really like to stucco the outside (just a smooth coat) so that they will shed water and stay fairly clean. The very rough surface holds dirt. They are very porous so any water that hits the outside will migrate to the inside. I have drains to take any water from under the slab or in the water tank "well" to the outside.
I plan to cut and mill trees until I can't any longer due to snow. Pretty much all the trees you see in these pictures will be taken down.
That gravel that is required by the fire department/county you will be happy with. I had a good base put down with some ground fabric and no mud here. I have had logs trucks use it too. Can't even tell they was on it. Get the driveway up in the air and a crown and the water will drain away from it.
Update 10/27/2016:
Went up today to take care of two items. Since it was raining off and on, I started up my burn piles. Nice to have those piles gone!
Then I went to work on my driveway to take out another 6-8" to set up a good slope for drainage. Well, I spoke wrote too soon about there being a lack of rocks. :-\ There were 4 rocks that were poking up a little bit (2 or 3 inches) that needed to be removed. Turns out they were just the tip of the ice berg:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161027_Cabin_1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1477631072)
The brown square-ish one in the middle above is about 20" x 20" x 30" - super heavy.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161027_Cabin_2~0.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1477631072)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161027_Cabin_3~0.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1477631138)
Lots of rain today. Snow level on Sunday will be about 700-800' higher than my property.
Those rocks run around $150 each around these parts that people just throw out in there yard. :D Really. :D
You can send some of that rain here too!
Update 11/2/2016:
Big storm blew through over the weekend. Lots of rain, a bit of snow and then more rain. When I got up there this morning, all the gravel was frozen.
Spent the day burning the last of the junk wood and slabs, and working on the driveway. As I think I mentioned, the top 30' or so of the driveway/easement had a cement block wall running down the middle. I used my backhoe to remove the small river gravel from the north side of the wall (dirt on the south side). There was about 18" of the stuff. Here it is with it removed:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161102_Cabin_2.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1478145582)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161102_Cabin_1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1478145581)
I forgot my camera and used my new Rugby IV phone but I think I need to adjust the camera settings - things look a little purple. ::)
I scraped it down the hill with my SkyTrak and then filled in the area with dirt, compacting it by rolling over it with the SkyTrak. It will be getting some crushed gravel soon. I also moved the big rocks shown in the last post out of the way, the big triangular one just didn't want to go for a ride in the bucket but I finally got it to go. I decided to winterize - I drained all the water lines and tanks (after I doused the burn pile).
I hate to see this thread have to go to sleep for the Winter. :-\
Quote from: Magicman on November 03, 2016, 09:22:03 AM
I hate to see this thread have to go to sleep for the Winter. :-\
Well, I'm not giving up without a fight! :D
I forgot to pull the drain plug on my tankless water heater on my shower house so I went back up today. I
had great plans for the day. I
was going to spread the little bit of small gravel I scraped up back on the bare dirt to help with dust/mud. I
was going to take down the smaller rocks against my foundation and stack the new bigger ones. I
was going to head down the road to where the power company had dropped a big pine and branched and bucked it into three nice saw logs.
But... My SkyTrak had a flat. :-X It was fine yesterday but completely flat today. Spent a while trying to start my generator so I could run my compressor. My last bit of ether wouldn't come out of the can (no pressure left) :-[ so I poked a hole and ran some into the carb with a short piece of hose. Fired right up.
Started pumping air into the tire but no pressure building up. :-\ Hmm - valve plugged with mud (sunk that tire past the hub in mud yesterday...). Removed the top part of the stem and blew it out - no problem. Air chuck not working? Added air to another tire just fine. Shut the generator down and I could hear air leaving the tire as I filled it. :'(
Looked on the inside, the two-piece rim had moved in and the bead was open :( Tired some ratchet straps to pull it back in place but my air chuck wouldn't deliver quite enough air to make it seal. So, need to borrow an impact gun and pull the tire off to see what I can do. There is a 1/8" or so o-ring like seal on the rim where the second piece mates. I'm thinking that may be the problem. This tire has a history of loosing a little bit of pressure over time. Maybe it finally gave out.
Spoke to soon. ::) Well at least you can count the rocks on 2 hands. ;D
When they dug here,ALOT got buried and some got hauled off for a retaining wall for him.
Update 11/9/2016:
Went up Tuesday with some borrowed tools to pull the tire off the SkyTrak. Neither my buddy or myself were wearing our reading glasses so we thought I had two 1½" impact sockets (¾" drive) along with two breaker bars (1" drive) and a cheater pipe. Turns out, one was 1½" and the other was 1-5/8" The nuts are right next to the hub and the 1-5/8" had a slightly thinner wall so I was able to sledgehammer it on ::) All ten nuts came off just fine (with the help of Blue Creeper!). Took a 30 mile trip to the tire shop to get it fixed. While they were working on it, I wnet over the freeway to NAPA to pick up a standard 1.5" socket. Out of stock. Well, how about a 38mm - out of stock. A deep socket - out of stock. Could get it in a couple hours but I wanted to be done by them.
Went back across the freeway to the hardware store but the biggest they had was 1¼". Got directions to the local feed store (back over the freeway) - might have tractor stuff? Nope. But he sent me to the local boat repair place because it is run by a "real good guy" that lends his tools :o Sure enough, he lent me his SnapOn socket and an adapter (was only a 1/2" drive). I said I was worried about shearing it off but he said it won't... :-\
So I used my ratchet and snugged up the nuts and then switched to the breaker bar. On the second nut, sheared the adapter :( When I returned the tools, I said I will track down the SnapOn guy for a replacement but he insisted not to worry. Then he noticed he gave me the NAPA adapter (same grooves like SnapOn) and said the NAPA guy will replace it.
Anyhow, I got the tire off, repaired and back on in 3½ hours with hand tools. Did a little dirt moving for the rest of the day.
Today, back to dirt moving. I think I'm satisfied with my driveway - ready for gravel.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161109_Cabin_1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1478741767)
Backfilled more on the west side.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161109_Cabin_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1478741792)
I took the bucket off, put my forks back on the SkyTrak and retrieved these logs from down the street. 15-16' and 23", 22" and 21" big end. The little log was from another tree they took out. The second log they cut at about 7 or 8' so I might grab that one too, to make some lumber bunks.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161109_Cabin_3.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1478741815)
Since I had more big rocks, I took down the smaller rocks from my retaining wall. (before)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161109_Cabin_4.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1478741848)
And placed some of the bigger rocks. (after) Once I stucco the wall, I'll add another layer or two of rocks.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161109_Cabin_5.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1478741866)
A good day is any day when everything turns out OK, even with help. ;D
It's nice to see your successes and getting more done before the snow flies. :)
Update 11/15/2016:
Got up to the property this morning to be greeted with a flat on my SkyTrak >:( I'll have to pull the tire off again and take it back to them to redo whatever they didn't do right the first time.
Had some ether so my generator started right up :) and I had the tire up to pressure in no time.
I had two highly valuable denim logs to slice up into blocking and stickers. Got four (full dimension) 4x4x10' out of each log and twice the stickers out of the first log as the second. Here is what the second log made. Nice even blue stain :D
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161115_logs_3.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1479267756)
Once I got that done, I loaded up the top log of the three big ones I rescued last week. The top snapped off when the crew dropped the tree. The end is very jagged but the black bug trails go up and down the peaks. I thought it was very interesting that these little tracks were just enough to have the wood fracture at them.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161115_logs_1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1479267719)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161115_logs_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1479267725)
I marked out what I wanted on the first log (already made a couple of cuts).
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161115_logs_4.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1479267796)
The plan was for a 4x10 and two 4x8s and whatever 2x4s I could get. Well, messed up a cut as I cut the 4x10 free.::) Ended up getting the 4x10, two 3x10s along with seven 2x4s. Lumber-wise, I got 288 bd-ft plus another 100 bd-ft of stickers.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161115_logs_6.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1479267849)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161115_logs_5.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1479267811)
Lots of pine bug holes in the denim wood. The good pine was pretty heavy - I sure could use some hydraulics! I have a deeper appreciation for manual mill guys doing 1,000 to 2,000 bd-ft a day!
The day ended with a lot of rain coming down so I didn't pull the tire off the SkyTrak. I'll have to do that later this week if the weather permits. Supposed to snow tonight.
Quote from: ljohnsaw on November 15, 2016, 11:05:19 PM
...
I had two highly valuable denim logs to slice up into blocking and stickers.
Isn't that what you meant? :D
Enough of this mud and mortar, it's good to see some sawdust being made! ;D
Quote from: ChugiakTinkerer on November 16, 2016, 11:31:41 AM
Quote from: ljohnsaw on November 15, 2016, 11:05:19 PM
...
I had two highly valuable denim logs to slice up into blocking and stickers.
Isn't that what you meant? :D
Enough of this mud and mortar, it's good to see some sawdust being made! ;D
Yes ::)
Update 11/17/2016:
Went back up today with plans to mill a while and then take my tire back down the hill for repair. There was a bit of a storm when I left on Tuesday and continued into the night and early morning Wednesday. Here is what it looked like at 0800:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161117_Cabin_1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1479445338)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161117_Cabin_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1479445342)
It was about 25°F so I decided to pull the tire and have it fixed while I waited for things to warm up a little. Didn't get back until 10:45 and had the wheel back on by 11:00 - but it was still pretty cold (below freezing). Learned a lesson - if you have more logs, put the next one on the mill at the end of the day, even if its raining. I was pleasantly surprised that my SkyTrak didn't slip slide away as I loaded the first log for the day.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161117_Log_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1479445407)
So, once again, I had plans: Make a 8x12 post and two 5x9 loft joists and some 1x4 strapping. A little too much sweep in the log so I had to settle for the post, two 2x11s, four 2x4s and eight 1x4s, all 17' long - a total of 289 bd-ft in 4 hours of work. That was the same amount as Tuesday in 2/3 the time so I'm getting a little faster.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161119_Log_4.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1479596291)
I centered the pith on the other end but the sweep messed up this end :-\ - but still boxed in the post.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161119_Log_3.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1479596257)
Oh, yeah, I added a hydraulic loader and hydraulic log turner :D
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161117_Log_1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1479445408)
And lesson learned, the 3rd log is loaded and ready to go whenever I get back up there. Log turner positioned, ready to work. Snow predicted Saturday... (Edit: went up today to button up for bad weather and retook a few pictures that were blurry from Thursday evening)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161119_Log_1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1479596212)
Update 11/19/2016:
Didn't do any real work, just prepared for some snow. Forecast is for 6-12" at my elevation.
Added some tin to my lumber stacks.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161119_Log_6.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1479596345)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161119_Log_7.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1479596366)
Brought up my winch contraption I made to plug into an old engine stand to make it a portable lift. It also plugs into some 2½" tube I welded onto my sawmill bed.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161119_Log_5.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1479596318)
I'll have to adjust a little for this size log. If I slide the log over to the stop (to the right) and put the winch on the other side, I think it might fit. It's not plugged all the way in. The winch is hard to see, just under the top bar. The vertical stem hanging on the bottom is there to plug into my trailer where I welded on some 2½" tube. ( ::) I also cleaned up the slabs around the mill so I'm ready to go, when the weather permits...)
I also have some wheel hubs mounted on some 2" tube. I'll need to verify that will fit as well. Then I can move my mill to my lower section where I have Aspen and Cedar to mill. I made some 5' end extensions and checked them for alignment. They will allow the mill head to "park" and give me an extra 10' of milling capacity. That will give me 27' with my current two track segments.
On the way home, I stopped to check on some free logs and access. One log is difficult to reach and will have to pull it down a hill. The other is in several pieces. My trailer can park parallel, slightly up hill so I will par buck. They cut a 7' section off the butt that is 30" small end (has a little flare). When the tree came down, it broke another 26' up from this cut. Then the top section is about 50+' with the big end being 24-26". The log weight calculator puts the Sugar Pine weight for a 30" x 14' at 3,500 pounds (trailer capacity). Tree has been standing dead for 6 months so I'm hoping it might be a little lighter. Looks like I'll be making a number of trips.
Update: 11/22/2016
Well, the free logs were a bust. The steep access road only had about 1" of gravel and with all the rain, I couldn't get out without help WITHOUT a log on the trailer! Oh well. So I headed up to my property to mill the log that was sitting on my mill. The weather man and Accu-weather both said it was only raining. Does this look like rain to you!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161122_Logs_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1479873361)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161122_Logs_1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1479873355)
So I was milling up the log and it was getting harder to push the blade through. I just figured it was frozen. Then it started diving about ¼-½". Time for a new blade. But first, I had to make sure it was really dull. ::)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161122_Logs_3.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1479873389)
I guess I'm a professional sawyer now :-\
Looks great. Your mill looks like it's working well.
Yeah, when I put the new blade on, I thought something was wrong - it was cutting like a hot knife through butter! It was so much easier to push through the log.
Quote from: ljohnsaw on November 22, 2016, 11:02:02 PM
Does this look like rain to you!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161122_Logs_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1479873361)
It looks like rain that identifies as snow. 8) 8) 8)
Quote from: ljohnsaw on November 22, 2016, 11:02:02 PM
(https://forestryforum.com/board/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F%26lt%3Bbr%26gt%3B%2520%5Bimg%2520width%3D640%2520height%3D480%5Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fforestryforum.com%2Fgallery%2Falbums%2Fuserpics%2F30640%2F20161122_Logs_3.JPG%3Feasyrotate_cache%3D1479873389&hash=5fb1d028c4a0d70c0ca9e7be8f11597395c0aebc)
I guess I'm a professional sawyer now :-\
I feel your pain.
Looks like your operation has settled in for a long Winter nap. Sorry about the blade. :-\
Update: 12/13/2016
Went back up the hill to gather up some tools and finish up moving the big beam I cut last month.
Was snowing a bit:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161213_Cabin_1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1481684749)
I used my bicycle log arch to get it moved down the drive way (which is now frozen).
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Log_Arch_1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1364173771)
Hauling a probably 400 lb cant was a bit much for it but it survived. Once I got it into the basement, I switched over to my portable gantry :D
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161213_Cabin_2.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1481684750)
Another thread was talking about ratchet straps. I had to make a non-slip loop to move the cant. This works really well.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161213_Cabin_3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1481684757)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20161213_Cabin_4.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1481684759)
OK, I'll say it. That is one neat "bicycle" arch. 8)
Quote from: Magicman on December 14, 2016, 08:33:53 AM
OK, I'll say it. That is one neat "bicycle" arch. 8)
Agree 100%. Maybe you could build a "A" frame on wheels to help unload cants. That and a chain fall would make life easy.
Quote from: fishfighter on December 15, 2016, 07:10:36 AM
Quote from: Magicman on December 14, 2016, 08:33:53 AM
OK, I'll say it. That is one neat "bicycle" arch. 8)
Agree 100%. Maybe you could build a "A" frame on wheels to help unload cants. That and a chain fall would make life easy.
That section of scaffold is just what I threw together after my slab was done so I could clean up the tops of the pour. I have about 12 of the 7' tall, walk-through type that are 36" wide. I made the casters on this one and I have another set that are both 4" wheels. Work great on the slab - after you shovel a path in the snow ::). Maybe I'll make some monster-truck casters from wheelbarrow tires and use my pair of come-a-longs, - then I'll have a high lift, all-terrain gantry :D
Sounds like a plan. ;D I just don't know how one could even think of working in cold weather like you having. ;D Heck, it was 42F and a stiff north wind here and I was cold to the bone to start the day. :o
Not a real update: 12/31/2016
Went up today to visit with friends at their cabin. AccuWeather said it has been warm (45-50) for the past week or so along with rain. I figured I could retrieve my sawmill head to to some repair and adjustments. Well, we got some sledding in instead ::) Our friends cabin is on a south facing hill. We had to shovel a bit of wet snow to fill some bare spots but sledding was great. Across the street on my north facing hill, there was over 12" of powder on my driveway and probably 18" drifts around the mill and trailer. Absolutely no way to use the SkyTrak to move it onto the trailer. Oh well. I picked up all my used blades and will be rigging up a sharpener on my new-to-me free radial arm saw. That will give me something to do until the snow melts next July ::) :-\ :-X Snow to start tomorrow with "heavy snow" Monday through Thursday (4-8" per day)
I'm still looking for a radial saw. :( What kind are you using?
Its buried in the back of my garage at the moment. I'll be digging it out this week or next. I'm pretty sure it is a 10" Craftsman, probably from the 80's.
Make sure you check the RPM's on the saw to match the stone. You don't want a stone to fly apart on you.
Quote from: ljohnsaw on December 31, 2016, 10:02:51 PM
Not a real update: 12/31/2016
Went up today to visit with friends at their cabin. AccuWeather said it has been warm (45-50) for the past week or so along with rain. I figured I could retrieve my sawmill head to to some repair and adjustments. Well, we got some sledding in instead ::) Our friends cabin is on a south facing hill. We had to shovel a bit of wet snow to fill some bare spots but sledding was great. Across the street on my north facing hill, there was over 12" of powder on my driveway and probably 18" drifts around the mill and trailer. Absolutely no way to use the SkyTrak to move it onto the trailer. Oh well. I picked up all my used blades and will be rigging up a sharpener on my new-to-me free radial arm saw. That will give me something to do until the snow melts next July ::) :-\ :-X Snow to start tomorrow with "heavy snow" Monday through Thursday (4-8" per day)
Congrats on all the snow, I know you guys need it.
Finely had a chance to spend a little more time online and read through this thread. This is pretty awesome John as well as inspiring as I am in the process of doing what you're doing. Have a well in the ground that yields just under 100 gallons /hr. I also have my permit for septic and will start that when the snow is gone. Thanks for letting us watch your progress.
Quote from: Darrel on January 08, 2017, 11:29:10 PM
Finely had a chance to spend a little more time online and read through this thread. This is pretty awesome John as well as inspiring as I am in the process of doing what you're doing. Have a well in the ground that yields just under 100 gallons /hr. I also have my permit for septic and will start that when the snow is gone. Thanks for letting us watch your progress.
Glad you liked it and hope you find enough useful info to make your endeavor a little easier. Are you planning/can you do your own septic? If I had to do it over, the first thing I'd buy is a backhoe! The money I would have saved would have paid for a good used one twice.
I have a friend with an old case backhoe that I'll be trading labor with. He is also a retired septic installer. Has the laser level and the whole 9 yards.
I would love to see the bicycle arch in use... truly envious.. thats some gr8 improvozation.
Quote from: tareece on January 13, 2017, 01:29:32 PM
I would love to see the bicycle arch in use... truly envious.. thats some gr8 improvozation.
When I built my mill, I had a line on some free redwood logs that I wanted to test my mill on. They were in a backyard with only a man gate. So I threw that together. You put it over a log with the handle straight up. Put a ratchet strap around the log and the silver pipe (low one) and cinch it tight. Rotate the handle back down and you can move the log. That's assuming it isn't too big a diameter.
Might journey up the hill this weekend to see how much snow I got. Up the road a piece (30 miles and 1,500' elevation), they got 110" so I figure I got a bit.
Quote from: ljohnsaw on January 02, 2017, 09:11:29 PM
Its buried in the back of my garage at the moment. I'll be digging it out this week or next. I'm pretty sure it is a 10" Craftsman, probably from the 80's.
Found one of the same that was built in 1969. Posted about the manual build. ;D
Update: 1/29/2017
Braved the cold and the snow and went up. Spent a good while clearing the 6 feet of snow but got the floor joists all framed up along with the basement stairs:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170129_Basement.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1485748504)
:D :D
Actually, I'm bored stiff and had to do something. Spent a ½ a day cutting, building and painting the basement. Then I spent another ½ day milling all the timbers and lumber. Finally was able to build the deck. I used cedar for everything but the rafters - I ran out of long stock. Had to use some pine for those.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170129_Joists.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1485748504)
Next up will be constructing the bents. The three middle are the same and the two ends are the same. I have a lot of braces to cut. Fortunately, there are only 2 or 3 sizes of the 120 or so to make. I plan to put the main floor boards on only in the bedroom/bathroom/kitchen areas. I will also put up most of the wall boards (interior and exterior) in those areas. On the roof, I will put up the rafters on both slopes and roof boards only on part of one side. I also plan to finish those exterior areas revealing the foam, battens and tin/hardie board layers.
This is 1/16 scale - ¾":1'
I was sitting there wondering how you made everything so clean so fast....you got me, reallllll good guy you are!
Nice work on the model, that takes some patience.
There are some things I wonder about and at times I have questions but there are other things I know for sure, one of them is 1+3 is not 7.
Yep, got me too on the first picture. :D
I was actually going for more realism. I started to run the plywood for the walls down my table saw to make a light scratch every ½" to represent the blocks in the walls. The only hold up was one side, the plywood had a nasty bow and it wouldn't touch the table mid-span - so I gave up on that idea. I suppose I could have used a pencil line...
Wow!
I'm still not convinced that is a model. Well done on the eye height in pic1.
What really got me to take a second look was no snow and the wrong trees.
So LJ when you go to build the stair for real are you going to use composite or real wood? Trying to get opinions on a stair I am going to build. It will be boxed in (stringers covered by a wall) so appearance is not an issue but strength / cost is.
You had me scratching my head smiley_headscratch and saying "what" ? That will also be a treasure. :)
Quote from: RPF2509 on January 30, 2017, 03:47:29 PM
So LJ when you go to build the stair for real are you going to use composite or real wood? Trying to get opinions on a stair I am going to build. It will be boxed in (stringers covered by a wall) so appearance is not an issue but strength / cost is.
The stairs are to scale, but not the wood (cedar). I will be using pine. The stringers will be 3x12 and the treads 2x12 all full dimension. I do have some oak but it's not big. Maybe I can get some treads out of it. For the main floor stairs, there will be risers and walls so as to keep the cold basement cold.
Update 1/31/2017:
Put up the 5 bents and milled all the braces. They are going up tonight. A quick count says I need 114, I cut 164.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170131_c.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1485924127)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170131_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1485924061)
In making my plans, I did my best to minimize the different lengths of braces. I only have 4 sizes and only 4 of one particular size and 20 of another.
Just some people have more time on their hands then what they know what to do. :D
So, that is what you northern folks do in your spare time in the winter months. :D Guess, I would do the same. ;D Back in my boat building days, I used to build to scale models first. They were are my Dads and all lost from Katrina. :(
You are messing with my head. ;D
Y'all better get some sort of decking on that floor before you kill yourself! 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)
Again with the camera angle.. excellent. I'm still not convinced that is not real. My head is spinning. :)
Just stumbled upon this feed. Thank you so much for sharing. I am starting my own build in a month and will put it on the forum. But a model? Wasn't planning on doing that! :snowball:
Oh my.... I was convinced the last pics were the real thing...my neighbor is a boat builder and does models first. He even tests them by towing them with a fish scale behind a small boat measuring speed and resistance. I think his last one sunk during testing so that design probably got trashed.
Update: 2/7/2017
Ok, more to mess with your mind. I spent a few more evenings and the rain stopped enough today so I could get a few pictures.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170207_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1486504199)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170207_e.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1486504169)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170207_f.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1486504218)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170207_c.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1486504532)
I think I will stop here with the flooring. The back corner will be completed and then a gradual peeling back of the layers until the bare frame is exposed on the front half. There will be the walls defining the bedrooms, bathroom and kitchen. The loft will be competed.
Glad to see that decking going on. You'll be safer.
So, what size crane you used to lift those timbers. ;D
Something tells me ljohnsaw is an old-school craftsman. I bet it was a gin pole. ;D
I was really expecting to see the floor pegged or was it supposed to be radiant floor heat? Where is the radiant floor tubing? you put the decking down before putting the slab down for the radiant heat? Rip all that up, put the tubes down, cement it properly, the put the decking back, you'll have to free float it maybe.
Now then you need some better flooring, you'll need some quarter saw WO with walnut basketweave corners. :D
Hey it's your own fault for making such a nice model
Update: 2/10/2107
It has been raining A LOT here so not much else to do but work on the model. The "frame" is complete.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170210_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1486776168)
This is looking at the west wall, bedroom on the left, bathroom (the alcove is where the shower will be) then kitchen area where the unfinished floor is.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170210_c.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1486776205)
Other bedroom
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170210_d.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1486776258)
Looking at the east wall. There will be walls on both sides of the stair to close off the basement staircase.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170210_e.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1486776246)
Looking at the south wall
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170210_h.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1486776341)
Looking through the front door - you can see through the bedroom doorway and out the window
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170210_g.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1486776348)
Almost looks like you could live there.
:o That is totally amazing. smiley_thumbsup
Update 2/12/2017:
Went up yesterday to drop my son at a Boy Scout winter campout. Swung by my cabin build. The guy clearing some roads said the 13" of rain that came down last Wednesday and Thursday compressed/melted the 10' of snow down to 6 or 7' that it is now. Here is the road heading toward my turnoff:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170211_a_Road_in.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1486944722)
The easement up to my cabin:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170211_b_Easement_hill.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1486944722)
Closeup for scale:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170211_c_Easement_close.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1486944732)
My log arch is almost gone!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170211_e_Wheres_Logarch.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1486944742)
SkyTrak is stuck for the time being:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170211_f_SkyTrac.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1486944745)
My mill won't be seeing daylight for some time - the mill head stands over 8' above the ground:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170211_i_Sawmill.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1486944764)
The doorway is 8' high:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170211_k_Cabin.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1486944773)
Garage door is 8'8" high, walls are 10':
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170211_m_Cabin.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1486944783)
The "bodies" buried are my timber stacks from November:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170211_l_Cabin.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1486944775)
But made this for fun!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170211_Snow_Bike.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1486944801)
Here in southern Oregon, the snow is mostly gone. Now we're dealing with the mud.
Hit 83F here yesterday. :( Send some of that white dust here. ;D
Update 3/5/2017:
We've been getting snow off and on over the last week at my property at 5,800' elevation. The snow today (very light) is all the way down to 2,000'. My neighbors were having a snow play day on Saturday but we couldn't make it up - good thing! There was a foot or so dumped on Saturday and I-80 was closed overnight. The road opened up for a little while in the afternoon but my neighbors were stuck with an unplowed mile long road to the freeway. The contracted snow removal guy showed up with this nice toy:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170305_Snow_Blower_Del_s.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1488833888)
He was installing some better chains so he could continue up the grade toward the camera. Fresh snow sure is prudy! I-80 was closed again due to white out conditions :-\
Update 4/28/2017:
My last trip up was February 11th when I was dropping my son off at snow camp. Well, today I was dropping him off at a Camp-o-ree at a lower elevation. I decided to take the circular route home and stop by the property to see how much snow has melted. The weather forecast was saying it has been mostly warm (40's and 50's) with some rain and occasionally a little, very wet snow.
Well, here is what I found this evening:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170428_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1493440051)
My backhoe is starting to peak out from under the snow. A little over 4 feet of snow here.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170428_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1493440022)
And my 6 foot tall log arch. So probably 3 feet of snow left there.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170428_d.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1493440104)
Not much change to my sawmill.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170428_e.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1493440133)
The driveway - interesting how the wind made the drifts and how the heat radiated from the warmed trees to melt the snow.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170428_i.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1493440231)
Still a lot of snow in the basement! Probably 4 feet.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170428_j.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1493440263)
Looking down the west wall. At least 4 feet here.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170428_k.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1493440310)
Looking down the east wall.
Here is a neighbor's house - how not to slope the roof to cover your front porch/entry...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170428_o.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1493440417)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170428_l.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1493440319)
The local (non-working) firetruck. Back on Feb 11 the shot looking up my easement, the firetruck is under the snow bank on the right side.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170428_m.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1493440378)
The drift at the bottom of my access road on the main road.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170428_n.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1493440378)
A look up the main road (looking west).
My friend's property is just up the road and the "sledding hill" on the back is on a south slope. It is almost completely bare - can't sled there anymore.
In the past nearly 3 months, about 2 to 3 feet of snow has melted depending on the sun exposure and proximity to sun-warmed objects. I am probably on track to start working again about the 4th of July ::)
When does all that snow start where you are?
Maybe you'll get a good crop of mushrooms this year.
Quote from: thecfarm on April 29, 2017, 06:41:30 AM
When does all that snow start where you are?
Variable. The last 4 years with the drought, we would see something by Christmas or into January, often melting between. This year started mid-November and has stayed. We got a big storm dropping 10 feet in two or three days early February.
Quote from: ChugiakTinkerer on April 29, 2017, 11:32:12 AM
Maybe you'll get a good crop of mushrooms this year.
Last good crop of mushrooms was 4 years ago... I was still working - you know - we all were working in the dark and fed a lot of steer manure. ;)
But seriously, don't see a lot of mushrooms where I'm at. Do get a huge growth of ferns in the spring before everything dries out. Usually no rain from May to October (other than occasional, very brief, thunderstorms).
Wow, still two months away from work time! Thanks for the explanation about why the snow has melted around the trees. That is still more snow than I have ever seen in my lifetime! :o
Quote from: Magicman on April 29, 2017, 12:11:21 PM
Wow, still two months away from work time! Thanks for the explanation about why the snow has melted around the trees. That is still more snow than I have ever seen in my lifetime! :o
Well, three things go into making tree wells/no snow around trees (IMO). First is the branches shed a lot of snow away from the trunk. Second is wind. Yesterday we had winds topping 100mph at the peaks. I've seen 40 to 60 at my property. Code calls for building to 120mph. The wind will whip around the trees keeping it away. And third, the sun will warm dark things and that little bit of warmth is just enough to help it melt in that area. Notice how the snow has melted on the south end of this wall:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170428_j.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1493440263)
That is why I read about stuff that I know nothing about and learn stuff that I will never use about stuff that I will never see. smiley_dizzy
Magicman, it's just like when we were in school.
Quote from: ljohnsaw on April 29, 2017, 12:08:43 PM
Last good crop of mushrooms was 4 years ago... I was still working - you know - we all were working in the dark and fed a lot of steer manure. ;)
But seriously, don't see a lot of mushrooms where I'm at. Do get a huge growth of ferns in the spring before everything dries out. Usually no rain from May to October (other than occasional, very brief, thunderstorms).
I grew up in Sacramento and am very familiar with the dry summers. The first time I saw it rain in July was on an outing, I think at Sly Park Lake. Maybe further up I-50. I was twelve and remember to this day trying to wrap my head around the notion of rain in the summer.
Really glad to see the Sierras flush with snow. Enjoy it while it lasts.
Update 5/31/2017:
Haven't had rain since April 20th. My schedule worked out that I went up today to check on things on my property. It was raining ::)
This is what it looked like back in April 28th with 4 feet of snow on the ground:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170428_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1493440051)
And today (32 days later):
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170531_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1496284526)
This tree just couldn't hold up to the snow:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170531_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1496284535)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170531_c.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1496284567)
Neither could my scaffolding. Amazing how such a little area was subjected to that much weight. I suppose with the rain/freeze/rain/snow cycles, there must have been a massive piece of ice sitting on it.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170531_g.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1496284679)
I welded these plates to some 1" conduit. The weight of the snow just snapped them all off:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170531_h.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1496284709)
My mill didn't look so good either...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170531_d.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1496284617)
The chain that was holding the head up (4 sections) had straightened the eye bolts out. I thought that was all but each of the end links that were on them snapped the pin too!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170531_f.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1496284670)
I took my flat SkyTrak tire halfway back home to the tire shop for repair. They said they would get to it in about 2 hours :-\ So I stopped on my way back up the hill to check on a fishing spot. I saw this sign and had a chuckle:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170531_i.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1496284737)
In the winter when the highway gets closed, people start to look for another way over the summit. There isn't another way (except by ATV in the summer).
Anyhow, when halfway back down the hill after lunch, picked up my tire, back up the hill, remounted it and put my mill head on a trailer and took it home for repairs and upgrades. Put 222 miles on today.
I am awestruck that snow can do such a thing to an eyebolt. :o
Quote from: flyingparks on June 01, 2017, 12:49:56 AM
I am awestruck that snow can do such a thing to an eyebolt. :o
Well, the snow had a
little help ;) The snow was piled up across the entire head of the mill. The head hangs from the "bicycle" chain from the four eye bolts. The head is just under 2 feet across and 7 feet long - roughly 14 sq-ft. My snow load rating is 341 lb/sq-ft :o There was a 10' accumulation over 3 days with 13" of rain on the final day. So I suppose there was the potential for nearly 5,000 lbs of snow/ice to be piled up on it. :-X
On the plus side, my makeshift shed roof over my truck box protected that from harm.
Anyway John, it's good to see you making movement toward getting back to your project. 8)
That's the kind of California winters I remember from childhood! As a kid, I loved those bent over trees. Good to see that you were able to get in and assess the damage. Before long, you'll be back at it.
I walked down my hill and drove around the area. There were a LOT of pine tops snapped off :-\ There will be quite a few messed up trees going forward. :(
Quote from: ljohnsaw on June 01, 2017, 10:52:15 AM
I walked down my hill and drove around the area. There were a LOT of pine tops snapped off :-\ There will be quite a few messed up trees going forward. :(
Perhaps some material for your mill? Trees will regrow. It's all part of Mother Nature's plan. Good to see you're dried out.
I should have stated, the trees that snapped are small, 4 or 5" DBH with the very top 8 or 10' broken off and the rest of the tree looking normal.
Just caught up on your thread. Reminded me of Tug Hill where I grew up. Cany wait to see more progress.
A guy on CraigsList posted some free trees. They had to take down 29 beetle killed trees on his acre and a half. They were pushed into a loooong pile:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170609_Logs_1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1497062456)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170609_Logs_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1497062510)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170609_Logs_3.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1497062497)
A clearer shot of the first load - both 19" diameter small end, one 9'6" and the other (without the bark) is 14'. Log calculator est. weight 2,080lbs for both. I had to travel 30 miles up the freeway going from 2,400' elevation to 5,800' and about 1/3 of that distance was either flat or downhill. There are some steep hills to do and I didn't want to over do the weight (I was guessing that I was around 2k lbs.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170609_19x9-6N19x14.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1497062418)
Second load up on the property. Another 19" x 11'4" and a big 25" x 12'6" (it was on the ground in the third pic). Log calculator est. weight 2,930lbs for both. The trailer axle is rated at 3,500 and with the hills, I'm thinking 3k is about all I want to do.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170609_19x11-4N25x12-6.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1497062425)
I used a little HF 2500lb winch to get the first two logs loaded and started on the big guy but the battery was too low by then. Resorted to the hand winch which was actually faster!
A lot of the wood is up to 18 months old dead standing so a bit punky. There is a nice long denim log I'd like to pick and a big square log - almost a cant and probably 25-28" square and maybe 14'.
Looks like those could come in handy.
Update 6/11/2017:
Just got a call from a friend traveling over the Donner Summit up in the Sierras, a little above my property. Snowing like crazy, a couple inches accumulation at my exit ::)
Update 6/13/2017:
Only slight remnants of snow where it shed off of some cabin roofs 8)
Picked up two more loads of logs. I guess I actually burnt out the HF 2,500lb winch the last time - cooked it. Now the inline circuit breaker trips after about 5 seconds. The wires get pretty warm right away and the motor only runs at half speed. Oh well - $45 wasted. Used the hand winch that actually works a little faster than the winch ever did.
First load was a 22" x 14' and a 20" x 11' (load weight 2,743 lbs)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170613_1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1497414725)
Second load was 18" x 12', 17" x 13'8" and a 16" x 15' (load weight 2,871 lbs)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170613_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1497414731)
Those winches have a duty time which is very short the more you load them. On my log trailer, I had install a HF 12,000 lb winch. Very happy with it. Paid $260 on sale or something like that.
Please send some of the cool weather here. Tired on all the rain we been getting. :o
Update 7/12/2017:
Made it back up the hill. My solar pump was not working again after the winter. Water in the "waterproof" box ::) and the motor shaft seemed to be frozen (had rust on it). Aired out the controller and used a bit of Blue Creeper on the motor shafts. Worked the motor free and hooked it up to a solar panel at home and now all is good. Hooked it the evening of Friday the 7th and when I checked it Sunday morning, it had pumped over 300 gallons.
Sunday the 9th was spent cleaning up around the mill (I was milling like crazy in November as the snow was falling and never cleaned up). Added the final segment to my mill bed for a total length of 38+ feet. Loaded one of the logs to use first thing on Monday.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170710a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1499925429)
And the rest to cut:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170710b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1499925402)
So Monday, I decide to get my ATV out to haul the timbers into the basement to stack for drying. It fires right up, put it in reverse and press the throttle - but its stuck. Press a little harder and it pops and sticks WOT !! :o I quickly hit the kill switch.
Following the cable, I end up removing the body panels and finally the air box. Didn't get a picture but it was packed full of insulation - but where did that come from? The air box lower section was full of mouse pee :o :( and some had corroded the butterfly valve. Blue Creeper to the rescue again. I made a bucket of HOT soapy water and cleaned up the air box and filter material. Then spent some time making mesh covers for the three air intakes to parts of the ATV. So that blew Monday morning :-\ I have a wood stove stored with my ATV and it was stuffed with insulation as well - no clue where it all came from... I finished up the above log that yielded 154 bd-ft of timbers.
Tuesday started with a similar log that gave 150 bd-ft of timbers and then I loaded this big-un - 22" SE, 24" BE. It was almost a cant!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170710c.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1499925450)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170710d.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1499925482)
That one log gave me 290 bd-ft. This is how I moved my timbers by myself:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170711b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1499925523)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170711a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1499925537)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170711c.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1499925562)
My motor wasn't running good so I took it home Tuesday afternoon and rebuilt the carb and added a few updates and fixes. I returned today (Wednesday) and cut up 21" x 11' log into 194 bd-ft of timbers with the motor working great. Then we loaded the biggest log of all - 27" x 12'-8". What a beast. My 18hp motor was working overtime. It did some diving when I pushed too hard - I had to go slow and it was making very fine sawdust. I'm a slow learner - I saw it dive and pulled back and popped the blade off which bent it :( Well, it was a little dull... Then I had a big rises - the blade slipped over the guide flange angling the blade up - and I pulled back and popped the blade off again - but this one might be salvageable as it has a three small bends.
I made three timbers for a total of 148 bd-ft and have several big slabs to cut into other timbers (several 5x9's & 4x6's) that will more than the first three total.
These were all Ponderosa Pine, clear with only one big knot that I remember seeing. (I forgot my camera today so no pics of the pretty timbers).
I'm sure by now you have a cut list for your build. ;D
Quote from: fishfighter on July 13, 2017, 06:32:51 AM
I'm sure by now you have a cut list for your build. ;D
I remember seeing his cut list in the form of a 3D scale model. :)
Quote from: fishfighter on July 13, 2017, 06:32:51 AM
I'm sure by now you have a cut list for your build. ;D
Yes, I do. Funny thing about SketchUp generating the list. It likes to round up to the next 2 foot length. I read the description (loft joist that spans a 12' bent) and it says I need some crazy length (16'). So I do some adjustments on the fly (cut 14'). Just trying to make use of the free logs for the "short" stuff.
Friday and Saturday I'll be back up and at it. I know I still need thirteen more 5x9x14' joists and a ten 8x8x10' posts. And I need a bucket load of 4x6's for girts and braces. Won't get them all but I should make a good dent in that. Then I'll decide if hauling logs up the hill 25 miles is worth it (again) since I can only get 2 or 3 on my trailer and manually loading them I can get 2, maybe 3 loads a day.
Update 7/15/2017:
Finished up my stack of logs. I kept track of what I was cutting out of each log and adding up the BF and comparing to what the calculator says. I am just using the Doyle scale, the lowest number.
Getting better - first calculated log at 218 and I got 154. Next calculated at 182 and I got 150. That big square log calc'd at 229 and I got 290! Now I'm getting about 10% more than Doyle. Is that good for a band mill? Should I be getting more?
This log I turned into a 8x8 and four 2x8 15' long:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170715a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1500266670)
My stack of 4x6 girt and brace stock is growing:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170715b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1500268793)
11 out of 19 required 5x9's:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170715d.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1500266730)
A few more 8x8's added to this stack (longer ones) and a few 2x8's, 10's and 11's:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170715c.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1500266734)
And started a new stack of 8x8's (shorter ones, 10'):
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170715e.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1500266765)
Mill is working good with a few tweaks here and there. Down to my last blade - ordered another 15 pack (free shipping from WM). Found out there is a WM dealer about 25 miles from me that does resharp so I will take my remaining 11 blades to them tomorrow.
The bd/ft scales try and work out the maximum yield. And that means the 4x1 that you threw out in the first slab. Now if you have no use for a 4x1, or it's value is less than the time it takes to cut and edge it, then it goes on the firewood pile and you forget about it. So if you are concentrating on beams, or production rate on low value wood, then you might not hit the scale. If you are working to maximise recovery, then you should get more than scale on a band mill as it's set up to estimate recovery on a 1/4" kerf circle mill. WIth the thinner kerf you should get a couple more boards, but they will basically be from the outside slabs. But that takes extra cuts and edging.
Log scales also underestimate small logs. This is deliberate because small logs slow production. So it's easy to cut 15db/ft from a log that scales as 10. But you will probably go broke cutting them because of extra time taken. Hence the mills want to pay less for a load of smaller logs, and the scale is how they adjust for this.
The log size you have there is more "normal", and so the scale is more accurate. Assuming you recover ALL the board, then you should expect slightly above "scale" (~10-20%)
Ianab,
Thanks for the write-up. I think others will gain a better understanding as well. What's the history behind the 3 scales in the Tool Box?
I was kind of seeing what you were saying - small logs I did a little better over scale then the larger. That square log was just a bonus being nearly a cant! Yes, I could have gotten some more 1x4's (which I do need and would have boosted my numbers even more) but didn't feel like chasing them. It was too darn hot and I will have plenty of opportunity in the near future.
Update 9/5/2017:
Basically took the month of August off for vacation and getting my son back in school. Then a heat wave. The heat broke finally so I made a trek up the hill to mill a little today. I have this pile of logs that I hauled up the end of July.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170905_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1504667518)
I milled up the two bigger ones - a 19" and a 22" x 16'-6". Got a couple of 8x8s a 4x8, 5x9 and a collection of 4x6s and 2x4s. Totaled 546 bd-ft in 6 hours of milling, hauling lumber and stacking. All the light colored stuff:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170905_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1504667521)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170905_c.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1504667556)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170905_d.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1504667603)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170905_e.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1504667604)
The day ended with a great thunder storm! The rain felt great!
It's good to see that you were able to make some sawing progress. 8)
Update 9/6/2017:
Yesterday I milled up the two longest logs in the picture above (the ones closest to the camera). They yielded 546 bd-ft. Today I milled up the next three logs to the left. They were shorter - 12'6", 10' and 7' but fatter - two were 24" and one 21". They yielded only slightly more lumber - 577 bd-ft.
The piles are growing!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170906_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1504755809)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170906_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1504755823)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170906_c.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1504755849)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170906_d.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1504755876)
That is looking real, real good! 8)
Are you going to be able to start your timber framing before the snow flies? :snowball:
No. Seeing what damage the snow did last year, I'm not going to attempt to have a frame up and not be ready to make it weather tight. The plan is to mill all the wood I can and be ready to roll as soon as the snow melts. That could be anywhere from March to July... ::)
Looks great, your mill looks like it's working well for you...major accomplishment right there on its own. Good job.
I was having some issues with the mill (you can see a dive on an 8x8). Had to tweak the in-feed guide - not enough down pressure and angle was off. Now it is cutting straight and square again.
I had a little over 1,000 bd-ft on the blade and was still cutting well, just having to push a little harder (dull). Just to make sure it was used up, I hit my log stop (second time now) :-\ I think I've passed my Journeyman's test... :D
Quote from: ljohnsaw on September 07, 2017, 12:16:22 PM
I was having some issues with the mill (you can see a dive on an 8x8). Had to tweak the in-feed guide - not enough down pressure and angle was off. Now it is cutting straight and square again.
I had a little over 1,000 bd-ft on the blade and was still cutting well, just having to push a little harder (dull). Just to make sure it was used up, I hit my log stop (second time now) :-\ I think I've passed my Journeyman's test... :D
You are now a professional!
Quote from: jimdad07 on September 07, 2017, 12:38:07 PM
Quote from: ljohnsaw on September 07, 2017, 12:16:22 PM
I was having some issues with the mill (you can see a dive on an 8x8). Had to tweak the in-feed guide - not enough down pressure and angle was off. Now it is cutting straight and square again.
I had a little over 1,000 bd-ft on the blade and was still cutting well, just having to push a little harder (dull). Just to make sure it was used up, I hit my log stop (second time now) :-\ I think I've passed my Journeyman's test... :D
You are now a professional!
Heck, if IJohnsaw's a professional, what am I? A DanG artisan that's what!!! :D :D
Update 9/13/2017:
Spent yesterday milling the last three logs in the pile. The smallest was 12" DSE and I was only able to scrape out a single 8x8. Only milled 325 bd-ft and did it in about 2 hours.
Today I decided to get started on installing the glass block in the basement window openings. Got them 3/4 of the way there. That last course is going to be interesting to install...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170913_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1505355666)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170913_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1505355677)
I should have used spacers to make it perfect, but good practice for when I do some in my house.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170913_c.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1505355700)
The day started out sunny but clouds moved in by the afternoon with thunder rumbling around me. Packed up to head home and my truck battery was dead :( Had to MacGyver it - found some scraps of 12 gauge wire and used the battery out of my backhoe to give it a jump.
Update 9/18/2017:
Finished up the glass block. Why does everything take twice as long as it should and four times as long as you think it will? :-\ Three hours to add that last course...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170918_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1505830037)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170918_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1505830048)
On to making some stucco to do the outside of the walls. Remember how much snow I got last winter? My mixer was sitting on a slight hill. The snow piled up and caused the frame to wrack a little:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170918_c.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1505830085)
That put stress on the cast yoke frame and the cast bushing:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170918_e.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1505830133)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170918_d.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1505830115)
So home it went to braze it up. Got the bushing side pieces (3) put back together but my oxygen regulator seems to have blown a diaphragm and now has runaway pressure. Off to borrow a friends set of gauges. I'll probably rebuild or have rebuilt both the Acetylene and the Oxygen since they are both the same age (bought new about 8 years ago).
If it ain't one thing it's twenty or more!
Update 9/20/2017:
Went up today to retrieve some scaffolding for a buddy and also had him help do some stucco on the west wall. We were at it for about 3 or 4 hours - we ain't professionals! :D I mixed up the first batch a little thick and it was a lot of work to apply. The next 4 batches were just right (peanut butter) and we flew along with them. That is about 250 sq-ft covered.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170920_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1505966931)
The day ended up with a heavy downpour for about 5 minutes and then a steady rain. Tomorrow's forecast is to be pretty cool (50) with a shower at 2pm. Will see - I'd like to finish this wall up.
Even with the setbacks, it's good to see you making some progress. The glass blocks look good! 8)
Update 9/21/2017:
A few asked when does the snow start. Well, the last day of summer.
Went back up today because it was supposed to only rain a little bit in the afternoon. The road was wet from the rain just ending when we got there at 9. Got the first batch of stucco up and it started to rain which quickly changed to sleet and then hail :-\
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170921_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1506053567)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170921_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1506053563)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170921_c.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1506053630)
It stopped and we continued. Got the second batch up and it started again a bit more fiercely. Snowing like like crazy - was dropping what looked like Styrofoam bits. Very white little balls and bounced like crazy. Stopped for lunch to wait it out. Stopped again and got the third and final batch up before the temperature dropped and we froze our fingers.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170921_e.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1506053667)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170921_d.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1506053625)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170921_f.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1506053690)
Next week the Sacramento area will be back up in the 90's and my property should be in the low 80's.
QuoteSnowing like like crazy - was dropping what looked like Styrofoam bits. Very white little balls and bounced like crazy.
It has a name, graupel
We sometimes get snow like that, especially if it's "just" cold enough to snow. Doesn't form regular fluffy snow flakes, but it's not solid ice like hail.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graupel (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graupel)
We get that here sometimes. Some folks call it popcorn snow.
Update 10/5/2017:
Been a little while since the last update. Working on finishing some of the stucco work. Then applying Thuroseal to waterproof the wall. I don't really like just plain concrete finish, especially since this is such a massive wall. I like the finish the Thuroseal did on the below grade work (brush finish) and I had an epiphany. I got some concrete colorant (dark brown) and mixed that with the Thuroseal. A 50 pound bag is $40, mixed with a gallon of water and a gallon of admix ($12.50) and two bottles of colorant ($12) and I get 5 gallons of "paint". I'm going to do two coats (recommended) so I will have a 40-50 mill layer of "forever" paint ;) I covered about 700 sq-ft with $130 worth of materials. I used up two bags of Thuroseal for what was done here (sorry about the over exposure):
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171005_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1507261695)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171005_b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1507261694)
While doing that, one of my neighbors called. They had taken down a number of trees - some rotted. He had a friend that was going to take and mill the logs but backed out. Anyhow, 4 good trees were bucked into 12' logs for a total of 22 logs! Fairly level ground, I just have to retrieve them and "drive" them over to my place about 1,000' away. I will probably throw 3 or 4 or ? on my trailer to save the travel time on my Skytrac.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171005_c.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1507261705)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171005_e.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1507261717)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171005_d.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1507261727)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171005_f.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1507261734)
Sorry, nothing for scale in the pics. The biggest butt log is probably 26-28" and the smallest top log about 12". Too bad they were cut so short. I only need two more 8x8 that short, the rest need to be 14-18s. I do need a LOT of roof decking, maybe I'll make a lot of 2x8x12'. My slab pile is going to grow some more - burn ban since June. Probably won't be able to burn until after November or December.
It's good to see you stirring a bit. 8)
Progress is always good. ;D
Update 10/12/2017:
Instead of working on the cabin, I decided to retrieve the free logs from my neighbor. I "staged" half the logs after bulldozing a ton of rounds from the bad trees. I had to back down my trailer between a concrete stoop by the back stairs and a huge pine - about 4" to spare. I figured I could get 3 or 4 logs on my trailer since I wasn't going very far (1,000' or so). I plopped 3 on it, strapped them down and couldn't make it back up the slight hill. The ground is about 6" of moon dust and I couldn't get much traction (2WD). So I was hauling 2 at a time. I did manage two loads of 3 but was up on the top of the hill. Turns out there were 22 logs total, from just under 12' to 13'4" with a small end diameter from 14" up to 24". Took all day for 10 loads. I was able to roll off the trailer onto the second level and used the Skytrak to top it off.
I think this one might have some metal in it...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171012_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1507868116)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171012_b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1507868118)
For some scale:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171012_c.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1507868126)
Looking at the end grain, some of those logs look to be a bit spongy. But still, I'd put working on the cabin on hold for them. 8)
Quote from: Darrel on October 13, 2017, 10:43:36 AM
Looking at the end grain, some of those logs look to be a bit spongy.
I'll look at them again, but they all seemed to be VERY sound. So hard, in fact, I had a hard time getting my tongs to bite in! They are beetle killed (some grubs under the bark) but solid and heavy. There were twice as many cut up for firewood. One was so far gone, I don't see how the 100'+ tree was still standing!
Update 10/18/2017:
Spent the last 3 days doing finish work on the foundation. Completed the second coat of Thoroseal with brown cement dye. I was thinking like paint - first coat uses the most, second uses less. Well, this is just the opposite! First coat went on fairly smooth cement finish and left a brush coat. Second coat had to fill in the brush coat and leave another, smoother and more uniform brush finish. Also made a little mistake. I mix up a full bag and put half in a 5 gallon bucket and work from that. I mixed up the remainder again before using and there was some un-tinted Thoroseal in the bottom of the mixer. That diluted the brown color and you can see the result on the lower front section of this wall. Fortunately, it won't be seen by many people!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171018_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1508375737)
So now I put all the liquid in first and slowly add the Thoroseal. Front left bay is done, second coat needed on the right.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171018_c.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1508375785)
But time for a new brush...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171018_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1508375715)
When I do the second coat on this wall, I will probably mix a double batch so it will be a uniform color down the length. A challenge to get the scaffolding in there...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171018_d.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1508375789)
Update 10/21/2017:
Winter is trying again. Last snow was on the last day of summer, 9/21. It snowed again the morning of 10/21 :-\ :
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171021_snow.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1508765979)
Temperatures will be back up in the upper 80's down here, mid to upper 70's at the property.
Update 10/24/2017:
Applied the second coat of colored Thoroseal on the right bay and applied 3 batches of mortar/stucco to the east wall.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171024_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1508902651)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171024_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1508902643)
Then I noticed this:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171024_c.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1508902703)
The finish on the right is a much lighter color... I had a little left that I applied to the east wall as the first coat. WAY different color. I mixed it up exactly the same way and looked good when wet. Pretty bad quality control at Quikrete.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171024_d.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1508902704)
There was a couple cold nights and the Thoroseal blushed. This wall has been finished for 6 days.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171024_e.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1508902734)
I noticed the same thing on the mortar. I used Sitka additive (50/50 with water) and it seems to have migrated out. It seems to wash off a little bit. I hosed off the lower right section. It can't be lime - I didn't add any to the mortar.
Update 10/30/2017:
Last Thursday I finished up the mortaring the walls and I sealed the tops as well. I applied first coat of the color. Note the color differences - again. :-\
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171030.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1509415531)
I will be definitely making one big batch for the top coat. Hopefully doing that on Wednesday. Temps are dropping - supposed to be snowing this weekend :-\
Congrats on the progress but Ouch on the color mis-match and the bleed through. I am sure that you are wanting to get it properly "Wintered in".
Update 11/2 2017:
Driving up, I passed through a cloud and then it moved in on me.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171102_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1509670641)
Snow is supposed to start falling tomorrow so I spent the morning winterizing. Drained my big water tank and the lines going down the hill so I could remove the ball valves. Removed my gas powered pump and drained it of water. Packed up the scaffolding so it wouldn't get bent again.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171102_c.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1509670651)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171102_d.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1509670681)
I loaded up a 38' Incense Cedar.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171102_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1509670607)
I decided to cut it into three 12'8" logs. I need three 6x12 sills. I think this tree was a little stressed!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171102_e.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1509670705)
It was perfectly flat until the last inch and it about jumped off the cant! The top log was a little small so I made a bunch of full size 2x 4.5, 5 and 6's along with the side lumber from the sills. My neighbor has a log driveway along the side of my property. There is some old boards separating our landscaping that are all rotted out. So now we have some real boards to replace them with.
That wall looks better in the fog, or did you finally get the color to match?
It does look much better in fog :-\
I was mixing one bag (50 lbs) of Thoroseal with one gallon of additive, two bottles of color and enough water to make that a gallon. For the second coat on the long east wall (that you see when your arrive) and the north wall (with the windows), I mixed up 2½ times the normal in one big batch. Had to block up the mixer almost falling over backwards so it wouldn't slosh out. When it got a little clearer today, I saw some differences in the color still but I'm hoping it will even out as it cures - I finished it yesterday.
It all looks good. How are your feelings, were you able to meet your expectations during this year's work?
I'm too optimistic. ::)
I planned on having timbers cut (jointed) this year but with a late start (June) due to snow and a couple vacations totaling 3 weeks, that didn't happen. So the backup plan was to get all the wood cut but now there will be snow again. :-\ So the 22 logs will be sitting, waiting, taunting... Talking about 2 feet of accumulation this weekend and with my property being on a north slope, I think I'm done until spring. I do have a LOT of 4x6 material cut for the dozens of braces and girts I need. I may fish those out to bring home and use my radial arm saw to rough them out.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170210_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1486776168)
Well, not exactly a CL find, but a great dumpster dive! After I finished a quick grocery store stop, I drove around the back as it is an easy exit from the parking lot. There was a big dumpster with a odd aluminum shelving unit sticking out of the top, so I stopped. Under it was a Macro Bin - large plastic bin that are 4'x4' and this one looks like it will hold about 1/2 yard of material. The thing is in excellent shape. While I was pulling that out, this was sitting under it:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171107_Crown_1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1510092191)
Ever since I have been watching @jimdad07 videos, I've been wanting one for when I start handling my timbers (next spring).
It was a bit dirtier at the time, covered in greasy dirt. This is what was wrong with it, the other half was missing:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171107_Crown_3.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1510092234)
I made a new pin out of some SS I had laying around. That is the new pin on the top:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171107_Crown_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1510092236)
I couldn't figure out how to get the linkage apart so YouTube to the rescue. Also learned how it is suppose to work and how to adjust it. Works like new. I found a place to buy a new pin ($11.00), but where's the fun in that! ;)
I think you are now 1-up on kbietz! :D
Well the snow that was forecasted for the begining of the month didn't happen. It was just some serious rain. And lots of it! What was supposed to be rain with snow a little further up the hill from me changed on Sunday and it snowed all the way down to 3,000' (I'm at 5,824'). It was a warm storm and it looked like I probably got 4 or 5" before it started to melt. It was 30° when I arrived at 0800.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171129_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1512016361)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171129_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1512016378)
I have two of these macro bins that I used to get a yard and a half of sharp sand up to my property. Later in the day I noticed they had a bit of water/ice in them.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171129_e.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1512016425)
I figured, hey, I got 20" of precip.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171129_f.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1512016437)
But if you look real close, you can see there is a 1/8" hole just above the water line on the right (below the 3 dark holes). So, who knows how much precip I got since I was there last month.
Wonder why it did not split when it froze?
I didn't say - the bin was not frozen solid, just the top ¾" was frozen. Also, the bin is tapered (I suppose so it would come out of the form?) so I suspect it would just want to pop out like an ice cube tray.
You are a man after my own heart. Like your pictures, too. I hope to scrape together enough properly milled timbers to make a garage or a shed. Doing them by hand. Have a strange motley assortment of lengths, widths and depths and appearances. Unless I can figure out how to measure, this will be some monstrosity. But, it keeps me out of more serious crimes.
I just want to say that you have an exceptionally beautiful spot ljohnsaw, and you are doing one heck of a job putting everything together to build your very solid, great looking home. Keep up everything you are doing. You will soon a have a true treasure up there, something you'll be proud of every time you drive up your driveway and see all you've done.
Update 12/19/2017:
The last snow (forecasted) was October 22nd. A rain storm passed on Thanksgiving weekend, the temp dropped and the storm came back down the hill and dumped a few inches of snow (that I didn't know about).
So I went up today to try and get some milling done before the snow dumps again tonight. Here is what was left today - ground pretty well frozen but was able to use the SkyTrak
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171219_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1513744549)
I put this big guy on to test my new log clamps
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171219_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1513744502)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171219_c.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1513744553)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171219_d.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1513744594)
Plenty of travel (1") and tons of pressure! The only issue I had is a 2x2 tube is not exactly 2x2. My tubes are ever so slightly rectangular. Of my 3 log bunks that will accept the clamps, only one would fit correctly. The other two would only take the clamp 90° off to the side. I have a little grinding to do on the posts.
Had a number of issues getting the motor to run good and blade alignment but in an hour or two, it was cutting pretty good.
You can't see it in these pictures but this big log has a bit of sweep to it. I think it was about 24 or 26" diameter but the sweep was a few inches. I did manage to get fifteen 2x8x13' out of it. They will be used for the roof deck. I also got a couple short waney slabs (i.e. Live Edge) and thick bark slabs that I think will make some benches.
Best part of the day - the campground had a visit from the power company's tree crews. They are clearing around the power lines. They don't trim trees, they take them down! They took down a number of trees and the manager said they were all mine! They had already bucked a bunch to 10' but there were a few tree length for me as well. The manager said I should go out the back road as "the crews were out there for a few days with tons of saws". Might have to wait until spring, though :-\
Nice to snag those trees/logs. 8)
Nice looking clamp. Looks like it is quick and easy.
So far, the best part is they don't lift the log/cant when you lock them in.
Update 1/10/2018:
Yesterday I went up with my trailer with high hopes to move a bunch of free logs off the adjoining campground land. Wasn't supposed to be raining but it drizzled all day...
I used my ATV to parbuckle on to my trailer. The first 4 were somewhat easy - 12 to 14" diameter and 8 to 13' long. They were up a slight hill and the ramps were nearly level with the trailer deck. Then it was time to attempt the bigger logs - 23" diameter and 10' long. That one was a little trouble but I gave up on the 13' second log - too much for the ATV. I'll have to go back with my Skytrak.
Well, I was going to post a couple pictures but uploading gave me this message -- Unable to create thumbnail or reduced size image. :(
EDIT: Jeff fixed it! Well, sort of - had to manually copy the link. The insert button didn't work.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180110_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1515768061)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180110_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1515768062)
I was able to just roll that big one right on top of the others from the trailer deck.
Looks like there might be some metal in that first log. Free logs are always good for something!
Quote from: tburch on January 12, 2018, 11:47:37 AM
Looks like there might be some metal in that first log. Free logs are always good for something!
Thanks for the heads up. There is a bit of sweep on that end (bottom) of the log so I will slice off until the stain goes away.
You'll do a lot with them logs
Nice score. ;D
Update 1/17/2018:
Went back up today. Rain between last week and this week took out all the snow. It is supposed to rain tomorrow and turn to snow tomorrow night. So today was the day. I drove my Skytrak down into the camp ground with my ATV on the forks. I staged the logs in two areas and drove my ATV back to get my truck (1 mile each way).
First load:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180117_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1516239790)
Third or fourth load - 25" inside the bark, small end - 15' long. My trailer deck lowered about 5" when I put this one on. My Skytrak is rated for 9,000 pounds and the hydraulic relief was growning:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180117_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1516239739)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180117_c.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1516239798)
All the logs (14) that you can see the ends of were from today:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180117_d.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1516239843)
Got one short bent log (the one way in the back) to make some bench slabs for the campground as a thank you. The long log is 24' and really set my trailer down on the springs! Most of the logs are oozing sap - fresh - but two are a little punky in the middle. Hoping to get something out of the really solid side wood.
Last week (in the rain) there was about a dozen snow cats of various makes and models. This one was still up there today. It seats 6 in each unit (pretty tightly packed).
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180117_g.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1516239900)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180117_j.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1516240029)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180117_k.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1516240038)
Very nice score on the logs. 8)
And one more thing. My seat on my 1986 Skytrak is pretty beat - all cracked with exposed foam. With all the rain, it makes for a pretty wet and cold seat. So I equiped it with an air ride seat :D
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180117_f.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1516239872)
Nice and dry and makes for a smooth ride!
I'm torn between a 10,000 pound telehandler, or a 14,000 - 20,000 pneumatic tired forklift for use around the mill. If cost wasn't a factor, which would you prefer. I don't know too many people with reach trucks around a mill, but I see lots of forklifts.
Quote from: Stuart Caruk on January 18, 2018, 04:10:26 AM
I'm torn between a 10,000 pound telehandler, or a 14,000 - 20,000 pneumatic tired forklift for use around the mill. If cost wasn't a factor, which would you prefer. I don't know too many people with reach trucks around a mill, but I see lots of forklifts.
The telehandler is all I know but they are EXPENSIVE! My is pretty beat. The hour clock died at 6,800+ hours, had (and has) a few leaks but still demanded a price of $8k. Everything newer is in the $30k range.
I've become pretty good at picking logs with a big set of log tongs (non-hydraulic). I can pick up a log javelin style and place it on my mill because of the reach. I don't have to be close (which I cannot do with the current setup) to the mill (which prevents bumping it). I use it with a single hook to flip cants as I go and as a slab holder. It does get a bit dicey if you reach too far to place the log as the rear wheels sometimes lift or the whole unit pivots on the front wheels!
If my ground was flat and had a bigger work area, I'd say a regular rough terrain forklift would be easier, perhaps lighter? My Skytrak is 23,000 pounds.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/19307/20180109_165733.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1516897779)
This is the tele handler that we've rented for a few months.
Very handy.
We can reach out into the log pile and sling out the perfect log.
. . . but the further you zoom, the lower the lift weight becomes. :o
This model is a bit light for the logs we handle, only rated for 10,000 lbs close up.
A slightly bigger machine, with steerable rear wheels would make it more nimble in and around the build site.
Update 2/14/2018:
There was a very wet snow storm back on January 25th that dumped about a foot of snow that I could see on the CalTrans traffic cam that is about 8 miles and 1,000' lower than my property.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180126_Whitmore_1128.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1518645791)
We had two weeks of upper 60s and low 70s followed by a week of mid-60s. The weather up there is typically 10° cooler - so still snow-melting weather. The traffic cams show the snow is gone there and the camera above my property (5 miles, 600') shows some snow left from the show plows on the sides of the road. So, I figured all was good. There was some snow on the side of the road when I exited and then some ice on the last mile to my place. Here is what I found...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180214_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1518645108)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180214_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1518645107)
Well, no milling today! I wouldn't be able to move the Skytrak to put the head back on the mil. Not a totally wasted trip. I brought up some stuff to put in the shed and since I had a log on the mill, I tested my "new" jack for centering the pith.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180214_c.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1518645183)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180214_d.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1518645165)
It works pretty darn good. Jacking the handle, there really wasn't much in the way of resistance and this is one heavy log. Not bad for $5.00. :)
You ever get up there and find footprints in the snow that aren't yours?
Quote from: tburch on February 16, 2018, 08:33:24 AM
You ever get up there and find footprints in the snow that aren't yours?
Yep! All the tracks you see are not mine. My good friends/neighbor like to check out my work from time to time. There were dog prints in there as well so I suspect it was them. The manager of the campground likes to come by, too. If he sees or hears anything, he says he goes up to see who it is. I know that's true because he snuck up on me a couple times when I wasn't expecting it! He did that when he wasn't familiar with my truck. Nice to have neighbors looking out for you. 8)
Update 2/26/18:
More snow coming down. This is down at 5,022' (800' lower and 5 miles south of my property):
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180226__WhitmoreGrade.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1519667573)
Only supposed to be a few inches to (Looks like already past that) and 1 to 3 feet Thursday/Friday.
Looks like I have a Neighbor!, I am new to TFF and it is nice to know there are members nearby :)
AButton, Welcome to the FF!
Update 4/12/2018:
Got an email from the campground manager - snow was clear on his side of the hill. On my side, still 6" :-\ Then it started snowing yesterday - forecast of 8" :(
Whitmore grade this morning:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180412__WhitmoreGrade.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1523547019)
So there will be much more on my property. I80 was closed last night due to slippery conditions and lots of spin-outs. Chain controls over the summit right now.
More snow tonight...
I am looking forward to when you can get started but not nearly as much as you are. ;D
Update 4/30/18:
Been having lots of warm (80's) down at home so figured it was time to head up the hill. I loaded up with 30 cement blocks (for stacking wood) and some aluminum covers for my lumber piles. I picked up off CL some corrugated roofing from a 70s style patio cover. It was made in 1 foot sections with 2 corrugations each. I pieced them back together into 4 foot wide sections. Had enough to make two 9 foot and three 12 foot long. I used the aluminum gutter channels as the cross bars. Made for a stiff but lightweight cover.
It looked like there was about ¼" of snow that fell last night. All of that melted by the afternoon.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180430_b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1525148101)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180430_c.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1525148111)
I spent the day re-arranging my wood stacks - combining the two "post" piles into one taller stack, pulling out all the 2x stock into one stack, piling all the 4x6 brace stock into one stack and installing all the new covers.
No real good pictures from before but this gives you the idea of the mess it was:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170913_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1505355666)
After:
Moved the short stack of 4x6 under the plywood to the stack in the back and moved the 8x8, 8x10 and 8x12 posts onto the stack in the back center. The 6x12 in the far back are cedar sills for the porch. Have 2 cut, need 1 more. That area will be the home for the long rafters (26')
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180430_d.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1525148120)
All the 2x material in a new stack on the left.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180430_e.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1525148120)
The stack against the wall on the left is 5x9 floor joists for the loft. The right stack has a couple of 3x12 stair runners and some misc 2x3s and 1x4 (strapping) from when I first started cutting.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180430_f.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1525148127)
Not the final configuration but I will be cutting up a lot of short (10') logs into 2x8 for the roof deck and stacking them on the empty blocks in the middle of the floor.
It's good to finally see you "up and at um". 8)
I spent some time aligning the blade on my mill this morning. Then I went at that big log that I loaded on the mill bed before the snow. It was 10' long, 24 small end, 29 big end. It was cut about 5 months ago and was still very wet. I got an 8x8 out of the middle and a lot of side wood, 4x6, 2x10 and lot of 1x2 battens/stickers - 255 bd-ft total.
The mill cut nice and straight (until I attempted to cut my log clamp...). I took off the hand crank and installed a wheelchair motor so it made raising and lowering a joy. Had to use my antique car jack to raise the small end up 4" - SO much better then using pry bars. My starter solenoid gave up - I had to short the terminals to start it each time, time to get a new one.
Adding a wheelchair motor to raise and lower the head was the best thing I did to my mill too! ;D
It looks like you are starting to run out of space. :o
Update 5-18-2018:
Been spending some days cutting the logs from the campground. Just have two left - the long one that looks a little punky and a short one with a big sweep to mill into bench slabs. I did have a big 24" log that just didn't want to be cut. The blade would dive big time at the knots no matter what we tried. So I gave up and have a ~ 10" x 20" x 13' "bench" with one live edge.
The rest of the logs were pretty well behaved and made some very nice lumber. I'm doing mostly 2x10's with a few 2x8's very few 2x6's (for roof planking). There was a pretty good wack of 1x4 (strapping) that have been produced as well. The space is filling up!
11 to 13' boards:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180518_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1526702881)
9 to 10' boards (made a couple 8x8 posts and some 4x6 brace stock in the back top of stack):
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180518_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1526702879)
1x4's
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180518_c.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1526702921)
Next up is the 20 remaining logs from my neighbor...
You moving along now. ;D
You might want to build a sticker box to store stickers in. For some reason, them suckers spread out all over the place. :D Before you know it, they will be growing out the ground. :D
Update 5/21/2018:
Just spent a little while up the hill. Had a couple of slabs off the log from last week to finish up. Made two 4x6 and eight 1x4 x12'9". Cleaned up a lot of pine slabs I was thinking of making into benches or something but just don't have the time and they were checking a bit. So, off to the burn pile. I stacked them Lincoln Log style and then piled the fresh(er) slabs around it. I'll light it off first thing tomorrow morning.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180521_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1526963223)
I actually did some work on the cabin! :D I pulled out the two 6x12x13' sills for the porch deck (still have to cut one more) and bolted them down. I left them long for now.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180521_b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1526963218)
I ended the day by loading a big log for tomorrow. Hope to do a lot of cutting while the slabs burn.
Hopefully you will get good weather and can make some progress. 8)
Wow, I just red this thread over 2 days, in between actually working, ;D
What a great build you are doing.
Thanks for sharing.
Jon
Update 6/1/18:
Made it up Thursday morning with a friend and he brought along his girlfriend's son. We stayed in a neighbor's cabin overnight and did lots of milling - about 9 hours each day. But that includes scraping off sawdust and making my piles bigger down in the cabin basement.
Our little helper. A very big kid who is only 5!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180531b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1527911268)
Scroll up this tread to see what this looked like not too long ago!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180601a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1527911315)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180601b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1527911338)
Totals for Thursday was 910 bd-ft of which 712 bd-ft is for the roofing boards (2x10). Friday was 728 bd-ft (584 for roofing) and two log stop hits with fairly new blades :-\ My roofing percent went from 37% to 60% cut and the overall cut is up to 30% complete. I have a few more logs left and then it is on to the main beams and rafters that make up 30% of the bd-ft to cut.
Wow John, you are gonna soon have to build so that you can have more stacking room! :o
Looking good. :)
Update: 6/13/2018
Went up early Saturday morning after dropping my son at the airport at 0430! Stayed up until this afternoon.
Saturday morning I re-hooked up my water to my bath house. It can be gravity fed (for the toilet and the sink) and has a 12v pump for the shower. I re-aligned the pipes at the holding tank in the cabin basement and turned the water on. I walked around to the bath house only to see water flowing fast and free from under the bath house >:(. I shut the water off and walked back - I forgot I put in a threaded cap underneath and had taken it off for the winter ::). Put it back on and turned on the water. Then I found my tankless water heater was leaking. :-X I had removed the plug to winterize but it still seems to have gotten damaged. I bypassed the water heater.
I was staying at a neighbor's cabin (with a hot shower ;)). PG&E had dropped a tree last year and I had them leave it whole. They trimmed and chipped the branches ;D I cut the top 8 foot or so off leaving me a 53' log. I had to reach in with my SkyTrak to retrieve it - I didn't know where their water tank was located. At full extension I could not lift it, just drag it - barely! I supported one end in my log arch and carried the other with the SkyTrak (no, my truck is not attached to the arch). I pushed it down the road and was actually quite easy to steer.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180609.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1528946955)
Notice the cable...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180611_c.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1528947032)
It actually came out pretty easy! 8)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180611_d.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1528947058)
Sunday, my fishing buddy came up and we sawed the last "good" log - 20/22" x 12'. Cut great and got eleven 2x10s and some other side stuff. Then we put on a "bad" log. 24" top and 30x36" base with a bend. Hard and nasty pine. First boards (1x's) came off great then when we got into wide stuff, the blade went wherever it wanted. Changed blades, more tension, added lube - still bad. Tossed it aside as a bench.
Monday decided try one more "bad" log. This one was straight but big - 26" - and fairly dry. Couple of cuts were good but then went crazy. Flipped it and the same thing (with a new blade). It became a bench, too.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180611_f.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1528949612)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180612_d.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1528949612)
So, switched to do some dirt work on the east side. Before:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180611_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1528946958)
Tuesday finished the rock/dirt work. Will add "little" rocks I can lift into the holes where you see dirt.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180612_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1528947132)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180612_c.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1528947164)
With a little more daylight, I started on redoing my water line. When I first installed the line and conduit, I had MANY pallets of FasWall blocks in the way. I hand dug about 10 feet trench about 18" down. Since then, I regraded the drive much lower and snagged the conduit. After digging for a little bit, I had this tree stump with a very large lateral root:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180613_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1528947188)
Wednesday finished up the re-routing of the water and conduit. I couldn't budge the stump with my backhoe and the SkyTrak did nothing - even with over 9,000lb of lifting force and more with the fork curl. So, I washed the roots down with water to try and cut them out.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180613_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1528948955)
You can see where I cut next to the stump but as expected, hit a rock. So I tunneled under finding soccer ball-sized rocks and then back filled.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180613_e.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1528949171)
Finished the grading on the west side.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180613_f.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1528947345)
I'll be back up in about 10 days to stay for a week. Hope to attack the 53' log to make my 8x12x51' floor beam and then start taking down some of my trees for the other main beams, taller posts and rafters.
Looks like you got a lot done on that trip. ;D
A lot was done! Probably seemed like way more work than results!
Thanks for sharing!
Quote from: samandothers on June 14, 2018, 11:26:02 AMProbably seemed like way more work than results!
Thanks. Yes, little to show for the effort expended! Eleven to 13 hour days...
Looks great John! If you're up where I think you are, that 53' tree is probably a rarity. Don't leave a toe board up!
Quote from: NorcalMatt on June 15, 2018, 06:23:22 PMDon't leave a toe board up!
Toeboard? What's a toeboard? :D My homemade mill don't have them! I use a manual jack.
Actually, I have about 7 or 8 trees next to the cabin I'm taking down that are taller!
Awesome! The fire nearby (maybe 2001) must have missed your place. How long of log can your mill handle?
When you exit the freeway, you are looking down the Yuba River watershed. You make a short right and that is the American River watershed. The "Yuba Gap" fire in 2001 was in the American River watershed. My cabin is on the Yuba River side of the slight ridge. The neighbor's cabin I get to use when I stay up to work has a few big trees out about 100-200' from the back (south). The rest of the land is clear from the fire. My cabin site is about 1,000' north of where the fire was.
My mill is 3 sections of track. One is 16', one is 16' 8" and the third is about 6'-something IIRC. So it is about 38' long and will do a ~33' log. I made some 5' "parking track" to attach to each end which gives me another 10' (43'). I'm going to pick up some more steel on Monday to make two "lightweight" sections of 5' each so I will extend to ~53'. These sections will not have log bunks, they will just be track with a scissor jack supporting them mid-span.
Probably said it all ready in this thread,but you have rocks like me. And the rocks grow around the stumps and roots too. ;D I have big ones I can not move. And way too many that I can move. ;D
Thanks for the updates John. Lotsa small steps add up. 8)
Update 6/23-29/2018:
Had two half days (Saturday & Sunday - 6/23-24) working on re-setting up the mill. Before:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180623_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1530333537)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180623_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1530333512)
I added two 5 foot sections between my three "hard" track section that each have 4 2,000lb leveling jacks. I also added some parking track on each end for the mill head. That gives me a total of 58' 9" of track. The head consumes 4'5" so in a perfect world, I could mill a 54'4" log. After:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180624_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1530333588)
I reversed the cut direction as well. The sawdust used to be deposited on the near side, the same as the slab and boards - what a mess. Cutting the other way, all the sawdust is up against the trees and the wood is much easier to manage.
In scrapping down the grade about 6 or 8" I did find a few rocks... I used them to fill in between the bigger rocks/boulders.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180624_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1530333598)
Monday, 6/25, I put a 22' log on the mill that looked like it might have some rot. Well, it did and some splits. I got one 2x10x12' usable board and 91 stickers. I also got some 8x12x24 blocks for cribbing. They came in handy for the next log. I loaded up the 53' log I got from a neighbor. I need a 51' 8x12 beam so I cut off a little of the butt end that had a swell on one side. I still couldn't lift the whole log with my SkyTrak. So I lifted one end and drug it over to the mill and set it up on some blocking with one end over the mill. I lifted the other end until the opposite end touched the bunk and placed it on the mill.
Upon closer examination (now that the bark was all off), there was a break about 6 feet from the end when it was felled. There is a vertical break to the left of the knot, travels to the left (to middle of pic) and then up to the top of the picture.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180625_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1530333662)
So I cut it down to 40' - enough to do 3 of the 4 spans for the main floor beam. Also, with the bark off, I saw this:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180625_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1530333636)
So I spent the rest of the day cutting around and digging it out. The "base" of the bracket was buried 6 1/2" into the tree. It was completely enclosed in wood. After pulling out the insulator:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180625_c.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1530334291)
At first, I thought it might be a big ring spike nail - but I was wrong. I worked on it until dark.
Tuesday, 6/26, I used my metal detector and found the other end of the bolt. Quite a few years ago (30 to 40?), the insulator was through-bolted to the tree. I had to dig out the bolt head from the other side. As it turned out, it was a 1/2" threaded rod with big square backing plates. Would not have been fun to cut into!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180626_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1530333729)
This is the 40' beam in progress with two sides cut.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180626_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1530333756)
I was still able to get my 8x12x40' beam. There is a big black square stain from one of the plates that ended up on the side surface of the beam with the 1/2" hole through the middle of the beam. I might reassemble the insulator and stick it through the hole in the beam once the cabin is up. I also cut four 2x10x24' floor joists and a number of 2x10s for roofing boards and some long 1x4s for strapping. A total of 745 bd-ft from one log, but it did take all day. Flipping it over to make cuts was no small feat! And getting into my basement was an exercise with my SkyTrak as well.
Tuesday evening, I spent a couple hours taking apart and repairing 3 ice breaks in my tankless water heater. Apparently, disconnecting the water lines and pulling the drain plug didn't winterize it.
Wednesday, 6/27, I re-installed the tankless water heater only to find the pump has a small crack in the housing. I'll either have to find a new housing or buy a new pump. Then I finished up the side wood from Tuesday and stacked it. I had two trees (too close to the cabin for my comfort) that were also limiting my solar for the water pump. I got two logs (24' and 8') from one tree and three logs (24', 10' and 8') from the second tree. I basically cut the logs where a whorl significantly reduced the log diameter. Plus I need some 2x10s at 24' and some 8x8 and 8x10 posts at 22'. I staged them for Thursday.
Thursday, 6/28, I cut the first (skinnier) 24' log and got my 8x8, a 2x10, a 2x6 and some 1x4s. Since my track is so long, I loaded up the other 24' log and the 10' log that I may get to on Friday. My SkyTrak has two leaky hydraulic cylinders so I drove down the hill to borrow a tool to work on the repair and to pick up a lot of hydraulic oil. One cylinder is the side tilt - a small 6" diameter x 24" long that I will just remove and take in. The other is one of the boom lift cylinders. It has a 3" rod in a 5" cylinder about 6 or 7 feet long. I plan on just removing the rod/piston and have that rebuilt like I did on a different cylinder.
Friday, 6/29, I added 30 gallons of hydraulic oil and then removed the cylinder and rod from the SkyTrak. The 3" rod is about 7' long. Not too awfully heavy but pretty difficult to handle being very slippery! The leveling ram was more trouble - the bottom pin was a little difficult to pound out, both because of a little rust and access. Got that done in about 3 hours, including doing some clean up of oil soaked dirt. I decided not to slice up the logs but cleaned up the bark I peeled from the 53' log. That was a lot of bark! Dropped off the parts at the hydraulic shop on my way home. Hopefully it will get done by Thursday. I will be going back up the hill on Friday for another week.
Sounded like a very busy but productive week. It's good that you spotted the fracture in the 53' log which was caused by the tree landing on an uneven surface when it fell. :-\
July 6-13
Friday, 7/6
Dropped my son off at camp, he is staff this year. I was on call to haul the food delivery up in a trailer along with other pickups. The Sysco truck arrived about 1:30 pm and we were able to load all the food in 3 pickups and one SUV so I was not needed :-\ Got back to the cabin a little after 3 and decided not to start working on anything.
Saturday, 7/7
Formed up and poured the top of the supports for the main floor beam.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180707_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1531634452)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180707_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1531634475)
Milled up the two logs I had sitting on the mill. One 25' log gave me a 8x10 and some 2x8s, a 2x6 and some 1x. The other 10' log gave me one 8x8. It was a nice straight 12" SE so 4 cuts and done! Moved all the wood except the 8x10 since my SkyTrak is still down waiting on hydraulic repairs. Sure takes a long time when my manual mill is in full manual mode :-\
Sunday, 7/8
Hauled 4 "candidates" to camp along with about 50 backpacks in a big cage trailer. A 6 mile trip on a "4x4" road that took 40 minutes to go up. Base elevation is 5,600 and camp is at 7,300. Got back to the cabin at noon.
There was an old foundation adjacent to my property that had a lot of rebar sticking up. I took my sawsall to it and now I don't have to be quite so careful where I drive! This rock has been a pain ever since I started my cabin. I tried a couple times with the SkyTrak to fork it out, but no go.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180708_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1531634524)
So I dug around it with my backhoe. Quite the beast.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180708_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1531634533)
Was debating whether to just dig a deeper hole or pull it out. When I get the SkyTrak up and running again, I'll see if it will pop out now.
Monday, 7/9
Did a little more rock work (waiting for my SkyTrak repairs :-\)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180709_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1531634577)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180709_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1531634609)
Maybe put the big rock here?
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180709_c.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1531634664)
Then I decided to clean out and re-grade the area past my pump. It was an extension of my driveway where I stored my scaffolding parts and planks. When I dug down my driveway last year, this area was up a foot or so and caused water to pond in front of it. So I scraped back the fine gravel and dug down with my backhoe and graded with my quad. I needed to go another 6" or so but 2" down was a big flat rock (so I thought).
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180709_d.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1531634666)
It was way too big for my backhoe to lift so I had to dig a ramp and slide/roll it up and out. This will go nicely in the rock wall on the north side of the foundation. Now my driveway should drain properly.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180709_e.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1531634718)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180709_f.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1531634734)
Got a message from the hydraulic shop - my job was finished so I'll drive down the hill to get my parts in the morning.
Tuesday, 7/10
Put the SkyTrak back together again! Took about 2 hours to reinstall the tilt ram (easy) and insert the 7' boom lift rod (much easier than I thought) by myself. Now its a nice, dry machine again! Pulled the big rock out with the SkyTrak and it was struggling. Since it is supposed to be able to lift 9,000 pounds and it could just barely lift this 5' granite ball, I'd say it was at least 9k. I decided it was too big to incorporate into my rock wall and also because if I lost control of it, it would roll at least a 1/4 mile down the hill! So I put it up on a rocky pedestal for a climbing boulder.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180710_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1531634809)
It shouldn't be moving again until the next glacier. And did more rock wall work. Kind of addicting. Don't have to search too far for rocks - usually just a few inches down...
Wednesday, 7/11
Played lumberjack. Cut down a number of trees and bucked them into various beam and post lengths. I need a few more 8x8 and 8x10 posts in 12, 15 and 20 foot. I also need 22 foot 2x10 for my floor joists. This tree gave me two 22' logs.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180711_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1531634786)
The second log will only give me a 8x8 but also some shorter side stuff. The first log should give me a 8x10 and a couple 2x10s, maybe more. I think this was a pair of 22s and a 16 or 17'.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180711_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1531634834)
I also need some shorter floor joists for where the stair well is coming up from the basement. The butt log had a funny side branch coming out at 8 foot almost parallel to the trunk. Just the right length for the joists (in back of picture). The next log on the tree should make a 8x10x14' post and then a 8x8x20'.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180711_c.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1531634893)
And the tops that will make something...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180711_d.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1531634895)
I hate to admit but I have not walked my entire property. I've only traveled the easier parts. I took down some dead and dying (from the 4 years of drought) trees today and ventured into "unknown territory". That is where I found a couple of these trees. I think I also found a sleeping area for the deer I keep seeing in the mornings. I will be clearing a number of sad looking trees just below my cabin for both fire protection and so I can have a panoramic view of these great looking ones!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180711_e.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1531635213)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180711_f.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1531635259)
The pictures don't do them justice. They are truly massive trees towering over 200' and 5 to 6' DBH.
Thursday, 7/12
Put the 20' 8x10 away now that I got the SkyTrak back up and running. Then I was able to edge the side lumber with the mill freed up. Recut the 40' 8x12 down to two 12' and one 15' 8x10's. Will cut a new 51' 8x12 for the basement. Cut up the fat 8' log and got eight 2x10s and eight 1x4s.
Friday, 7/13
Had my Niece, her husband and their 6 year old daughter up for the day to help. It was the best weather day. I was having a week of 85°F days but Friday was overcast into the early afternoon and temps in the 70s. We did manage to get 3 logs done. Two 8x8x22' and one 8x10x15' posts with a number of 1x4x20' strapping and a couple 2x10s & 2x8s. They worked very hard, said they had fun and wanted to do it again!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180713_aa.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1531635804)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180713_b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1531635846)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180713_c.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1531636036)
All looks good. I have one friend that likes to help too. For some reason he calls before he comes over now. Wants to make sure that I am not running the sawmill or building. :D I guess those 4X8X14 hemlock right off the mill was hard on him.
Hey, thanks for the updates. Nice place you have.
Hey, I loved the updates and especially the pictures. One step at the time is very descriptive of your progress. smiley_thumbsup
Update 7/31/2018:
Went up Sunday evening with plans to meet a guy to buy his beam saw. He had an old Makita for $200. Last minute he flaked out. So I had a backup. This guy wanted $350 for his new style Makita with a spare blade. Ended up having a third new (in the package) blade. That sure is a big saw! Heavy, too. I need to cut 6" deep x 3" wide slots in the sides of my sills to place Simpson straps as required by my engineer to secure my knee bracing. I was not looking forward to using my Skilsaw and/or a chainsaw with chisels.
Spent Monday breaking down the stacks of 2x10's, x8's and x6', trimming to even foot lengths and sorting by width & length. At the bottom of a pile was some 2x10's that went way crooked. As I was cutting them down to firewood lengths, they would crack and explode-split. A bit of stress, I'd say! :o
Started with this:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180601a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1527911315)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180601b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1527911338)
and ended cleaned up like this:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180731_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1533098862)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180731_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1533098846)
with 3,110 bd-ft of roofing boards.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180731_c.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1533098889)
Another 2,700 to go :-\ Not pictured was 4 (FOUR) 55 gallon drums filled with stickers.
But now, I also have a place I can cut and store my cedar sills (6@ 8x14x25') and later cut the joints.
Congrats on the saw and the nice lumber/timber whacks. 8)
You must be stacking all that by hand.
Quote from: tburch on August 03, 2018, 10:50:05 AM
You must be stacking all that by hand.
?
The individual sticks, yes. Well, sometimes my feet to kick them into place. ;) The bundles, no. I have my little orange helper in the background there...
Update 8/9/2018:
Well, not on the cabin... I picked up a load of Hardi-plank like siding off of CraigsList yesterday. It was 65 pieces 48" long x 16" "cedar shakes" in random width and length. I installed them on the two sides of my bath house I put up a couple years ago. ::) I still have 18 full sheets left and quite a few scraps. I might have enough to complete the back side. The front side I still have some of the narrow (5-¼") clap boards that could fill out the peak - or I could use the shakes - not sure what route I want to go.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180809_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1533876489)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180809_c.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1533876537)
I feel the shakes would look good.
But if have a wife,better ask her.
That is the same exact siding my parents put on their house 8ish years ago when they added on, it is very nice stuff! Looking good! :)
Part of the reason in doing the bath house now was to test out some new tools I picked up last year off of Amazon. PacTool makes the Gecko Gauge (various models, mine was all aluminum) and the Manual Fiber-Cement Shear (SS211).
The Gecko is a pair of clamps that clip on to the last course of siding to support the next with the appropriate reveal. They are adjustable (moving a bolt), quick, easy and strong. The only problem I had was with the varying length of the "shingles" used above, it took a little fiddling and a level to get them right. When I do my cabin with regular lap siding, these will really help out.
The manual shear is a paper shear looking thing. It has a 1/8" thick blade that removes a strip of the siding as you cut. There is a removable straight edge fence to hold your siding, but with my 16" wide siding, I had to remove it. The siding tends to slide a little bit away from the blade as you cut, so, again, when I'm doing the cabin, it will have the fence installed and will give me accurate and FAST cuts. It will cut a 8" board in 2 seconds leaving a clean edge on both pieces. And no dust flying around!
I have no affiliation with PacTool but I've done a number of jobs with concrete siding using circular saws to cut and trim and constructed story boards to help with installation (I generally work alone). These two tools are worth the price!
Update 8/14/18:
Finished up the bath house siding but still need to caulk, paint and add the drip edge. What I have up there was just some scrap I had laying around. I used up all but one of the random shake boards on the back. The random shake was already painted with a semi-gloss grey. I'll do the trim in white.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180814_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1534305447)
I have some little pieces that I'm going to "glue" on with caulking under the lower window and on either side of the upper window. I'll pre-drill some holes and use some nails to tack them up. Can't use the nail gun on small pieces - they just explode.
So, I had to use the regular clap boards for the front.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180814_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1534305322)
It's ok and I can always redo it if I find some more of the random shake.
In doing this, I've decided I would never do a full house with the random shake. I find it too disturbing - I like more order!
I like that... A LOT!!!
Way back on post #42 (Bath House (http://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=66160.msg1172074#msg1172074)) is the start of the bath house frame. It has 3½" of rigid foam insulation and it is amazingly cool whenever I go in there on the hottest days. In the 3 years its been there, I have not slept in the loft - my friend's cabin is much more comfortable! That top window is for the loft. However, I have used the shower many times. A 32" shower has reaffirmed my decision to make my shower stall big in the cabin! The roof is aluminum siding from a semi trailer.
Update 8/29/18: (and prior week)
I finished off the last two bigger logs making some 8x8 and 8x10 timbers along with some 2x10s and 2x8s last week after I finished up the bathhouse. Monday I milled up the 5 logs in front I cut a few weeks ago. They were all small diameter so I made 4x6 girt and brace stock along with quite a bit of 1x6s and a few 1x4s.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180711_d.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1531634895)
Today I said goodbye to this nice cedar. It's too close to my cabin so it has to go. :-\
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180829_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1535606114)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180829_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1535606079)
I dug around with my Davis backhoe and the forks of the SkyTrak and then used the SkyTrak to push it over. On the ground. Measured it at 82'. It came down about 10° off of where I wanted. I was shooting for right on the driveway but I couldn't get the SkyTrak in at the correct angle to offset the natural lean.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180829_c.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1535606207)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180829_d.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1535606160)
I was trying to figure out where I would find enough rocks to fill the gaps on my rock pile around the foundation. All the browner rocks were from today's little dig. ;D
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180829_e.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1535606244)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180829_f.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1535607042)
The larger rocks in the foreground can only be moved by the backhoe. The smaller rocks in the shadow of the wall is about 5 wheelbarrow loads of softball to football rocks. There were more in the root ball. The very short stump on the root ball was all the SkyTrak could lift.
If you run out of rocks,send empty trucks. I will send trucks back loaded with rocks. ;D
Quote from: ljohnsaw on August 30, 2018, 01:37:36 AM
Update 8/29/18: (and prior week)
I finished off the last two bigger logs making some 8x8 and 8x10 timbers along with some 2x10s and 2x8s last week after I finished up the bathhouse. Monday I milled up the 5 logs in front I cut a few weeks ago. They were all small diameter so I made 4x6 girt and brace stock along with quite a bit of 1x6s and a few 1x4s.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180711_d.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1531634895)
Today I said goodbye to this nice cedar. It's too close to my cabin so it has to go. :-\
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180829_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1535606114)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180829_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1535606079)
I dug around with my Davis backhoe and the forks of the SkyTrak and then used the SkyTrak to push it over. On the ground. Measured it at 82'. It came down about 10° off of where I wanted. I was shooting for right on the driveway but I couldn't get the SkyTrak in at the correct angle to offset the natural lean.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180829_c.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1535606207)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180829_d.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1535606160)
I was trying to figure out where I would find enough rocks to fill the gaps on my rock pile around the foundation. All the browner rocks were from today's little dig. ;D
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180829_e.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1535606244)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180829_f.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1535607042)
The larger rocks in the foreground can only be moved by the backhoe. The smaller rocks in the shadow of the wall is about 5 wheelbarrow loads of softball to football rocks. There were more in the root ball. The very short stump on the root ball was all the SkyTrak could lift.
I sure like the looks of that Davis backhoe. I wish I had one around the farm.
Quote from: hedgerow on August 31, 2018, 10:32:16 AMI sure like the looks of that Davis backhoe. I wish I had one around the farm.
Yes, it sure helps out. But it did take me all day to dig up that root ball. There is a better shot of it in reply #364
Update 8/30/2018:
I sharpened about a dozen bands using a grinding wheel on a radial arm saw. About 10 minutes per blade to turn inside out, sharpen 210 teeth and flip back again. I didn't set them this time. They sure felt sharp but I needed to do some testing. I cut up the little logs on Monday and the blade was going like a hot knife through butter. I just figured it was the small Ponderosa logs (the 'rosa cuts really nice to begin with). Knots and all, cut great. Others have said that their own sharpened bands cut better then new and I agree!
I bucked the tree into 4 logs - 28', 13', 13' and 10'. The 10' will make a 4x4 or a shorter 6x6. I'm doing everything big on the cabin. My porch posts will be 6x6s.
I cut the second log up and made a 6x12 for my last porch sill. Got five 1x12s (to be used for wall boards) and noticed some "finishing nails" on a couple boards. Never heard the "zing!". It looked one went from the face and out the edge. I thought somebody sure wanted that "no trespass" sign up high. ???
I cut up the third log and got a 6x6 out of it with six 1x6s to use as window trim. There was even more "nails". I tried to pull one out when I realized it was lead buckshot. Someone must have been after some squirrels or ravens. No spotted owls here ;)
I started on this log:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180830_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1535730349)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180830_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1535730369)
18x18 SE and 28x30 BE and 28' long. I was hoping to get two 8x14s out of it when the tree was standing but that wasn't going to happen with that last bit of taper. So I started whittling it down for one 8x14 when my mill started making a bit of a metallic popping sound. The blade was getting dull (cut 5 logs on Monday and the two above) so I pulled it and the bearing on the drive side is wonky again. Might have to replace the bearing this time. :-\
Update 9/6/2018:
A fire broke out about 5 miles south west of my property somewhere between 2 and 4 in the afternoon, Monday (Labor Day) at a campground. They evacuated the 5 campgrounds near there and hit it hard with aircraft and ground crews. They closed the two nearest I80 exits (one being mine). They have remained closed and CHPs are keeping everyone out.
As of Thursday evening the fire is 43% contained and has spread to 1,274 acres (slow updates so probably more). Right at the top of this map is Crystal Lake Road - my property is right about at the "al" in Crystal. The fire is still about 4 miles south.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/NorthFire_2018-9-6_2116.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1536294188)
One of the parents in my son's Boy Scout troop is a fire chief. He was talking earlier to crews and they said it fire "was into granite" meaning it hit the bare rock ground and should be taken care of fairly quickly. Maybe I'll be able to go up on Monday.
I see that fire on the news. I am in awe of the power of it. And scared at the same time.
Had a fire here more than 20 years ago. I helped fight it until the FD showed up. Just a small one,but it did some powerful things a few times.
Update 9/12/2018:
The fire is "out" that was near my cabin project. You can still see some thin columns of smoke as they let it burn completely out. It was pretty windy up there today but I'm sure there were a couple fire crews keeping an eye on them.
Well, the tree is now just a memory :-\ Moved a lot of rocks and filled in the hole. Just a pile of roots, branches and slabs. I did get my 8x14x28' sill (one of six needed) along with a 6x12x12' sill (for the front deck), a 4x4x12' (for porch posts) and a lot of 1x4, 1x8 and 1x10s (wall boards).
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180912_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1536819198)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180912_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1536819229)
I was going to wash the rocks down but I couldn't get my pump to start. I'll have to see later what's up.
It's good to hear that the fire is out so now you can concentrate on your business at hand. I enjoy keeping up with your various activities. thumbs-up
Update 9/14/2018:
Back on 9/12 I posted a picture of the front of the foundation. Today a buddy came along to help. We installed the third porch sill (closest one missing it the picture above). After measuring and drilling the 4 anchor bolt holes, it just installed without any issues.
Next, we attacked the front building sill. First, we had to cut the lap joints I'm using in the corners. Don't know if that's a good idea or not but it is what I drew. I figure it will make a good bug-tight/rodent-tight joint. I got to try out my new-to-me Makita 16-5/16" saw. A real-man's saw! :o First we sawed a number of kerfs:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180914_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1536984536)
This saw puts out some chainsaw-like shavings!
My buddy wanted to give it a shot.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180914_b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1536984546)
Then it was a matter of chipping out the excess and using the slick to smooth it out. Note the 1x2 screwed to the sill. That was used as a fence to keep the saw cutting true.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180914_d.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1536984562)
The deep cut on the right is the end of the sill. The sill is 8x14x25'4" and the saw "only" cuts 6-1/8". So after cleaning up this lap joint, I used the saw to finish off this cut.
No pictures but next I had to cut some 6" deep x 3-1/8" wide angled cuts in the face. The engineer required some Simpson plates be nailed on to attach the braces to the sill. These channels will then be filled with some cedar blocks. Cutting these 4 channels alone made it worth getting this saw. We got the sill up to measure where the foundation bolts holes were needed and drilled them. Also, there are some Simpson straps coming up through the sill to nail to the posts. I cut those slots by plunge boring with my chainsaw. For some reason, my foundation bolts are a little short so I need to counter bore the holes. Didn't have a big enough bit on hand so will return on Sunday to finish up and get more pictures.
I would be your buddy too if you would let me use that saw!! :o :D
Update 9/19/2018:
Went back up today to finish installing the sill. But forgot to bring up the foam sill seal ::) Did get the three Simpson straps and the 9 anchor bolts started. I'll drop it down the remaining 3.5" after I put the sill seal on.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180916_e.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1537149780)
The front porch sill was the one we put installed on Friday.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180916_d.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1537149745)
Here is one of the slots up close. The Makita worked great on them.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180916_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1537149735)
Next up was to uproot another big cedar. Didn't measure it but taller then the last one. Funny how looking at them standing they look thinner than on the ground.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180916_h.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1537215407)
I'm cutting off the bottom 7' or so that has a pretty good crook to it. Thinking of making book matched slabs to join and have an oval-ish dinning table for the cabin.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180916_f.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1537215336)
Bucking a 26' log for the north sill. On the mill - 24" inside the bark, 18 at the small end:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180916_g.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1537215379)
Decided I needed to add hydraulics to my mill ;)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180916_z.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1537149800)
This next tree will yield me another 8x14x26' sill for the north end of the foundation, possibly five 4x8x13' porch boards, another 6x6 porch post and a selection of 1x for the interior walls.
I use them jack. ;D
Nice to see some wood on that foundation. 8)
Update 9/19/2018:
I finished up the big cedar log yesterday (well, almost). While getting down to the 8x14 sill, I produced some nice side wood to be used for the walls. I got a fair amount of 1x10s and 1x8s along with these 1x14x26'. Sill on the left, boards on the right, other boards in the background to be edged.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180918_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1537424503)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180918_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1537424515)
Can't use the 26' length but can use 13'.
Today, got a later start (9:00) and spent all day cutting the end lap joint, the four brace pockets, one center post pocket and the four 6" deep notches for the Simpson straps. Here the sill is on its side after we just finished the notches.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180919_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1537424296)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180919_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1537424300)
The first pocket took long time to cut, the fourth was quite a bit faster. I was going to use my boring machines but they had issues. One had a warped base and the other is apparently missing an upper shaft that keeps the gears aligned (got that one off eBay). Other than cleaning them up, I haven't tried them until today :-\
Update 9/30/2018:
Went up today with the intention of cutting the slots and pockets on a section of sill I cut last week. But I forgot my shop drawings ::)
So, I cut up two logs from a leaning tree I cut last week and got nine 4x6x12' brace/girt stock and some side 1x and 2x.
From the 7 foot butt section of this log
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180916_h.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1537215407)
I got seven ~3" slabs between 24 and 31" wide. The narrower slabs I'll probably joint and glue them up for table tops or maybe just use them for benches.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180930_e.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1538364504)
Another five foot crooked section from another tree:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180930_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1538364450)
It looked like the top died/lightening struck and this branch took over. Nice figure inside. I got 3 slabs with this wrinkle curl.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180930_c.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1538364485)
Just have to figure out how I will use them since one end is wide and the other pretty narrow. Might reverse them so it makes an oval table with a hole in the middle - maybe fill with epoxy?
Reversed with a center inlay sounds interesting. smiley_idea
Update 10/10/2018:
A neighbor had a dead tree that I could take down. I told him there was another and he wanted me to take down whatever is dead. The beetles have been killing a few trees a year on his place (maybe 2 acres). Anyhow, the big tree was about 120' tall. The top shattered when it hit the ground. I got this 52' log to make my basement beam.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20181010_e.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1539230502)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20181010_f.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1539230430)
This is the most perfect log I've ever come across! There was a break then I got a 12' log. Then there was this "skinny" tree - funny how from a distance they look small. I got a 24' x 16" log.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20181010_c.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1539230346)
The butt was a bit hollow:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20181010_d.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1539230382)
I left about an 8' log from the butt. I might grab it and make a bunch of cookie picture frames...
It started to rain about 3:30 so I packed up and headed home. I'll be back to cut soon.
Impressive!
Update 10/13/2018:
Yesterday (Friday), my buddy went up with me and we sawed out the three logs. Got eight 2x10x24' (floor joists), one 2x10x18', one 2x10x10', two 2x8x10' and a 8x13x50' main floor beam. We worked from 8:30 to 6 pm. A little over 900 bd-ft. Didn't put the last of the lumber up - too tired and needed to head home.
Today, my niece's husband came up with me to put the lumber away, dig out three 8x10x10'+ posts to support the main floor beam and to cut the mortises in the main floor beam. He used my boring machine to drill them out and I cleaned them up with my slick. Just need to trim to length and flip it over.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20181013.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1539489077)
Update 11/1/2018:
Finally, got the beam up. Took a little fussy work to get it to fit. And it took all the SkyTrak had to offer. Had to reach over the wall at a slight angle and lower it in place. Nice to get it done!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20181101_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1541123996)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20181101_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1541123972)
Now dat looks good. Yes siree man, dat looks some good. 8)
Looks very nice indeed! I know you are glad to get that one up. You've come a long way!
John,
Did you have to move any of you stacks of wood to get the posts in? I'm not usually smart enough to think that far ahead!
That back stack of beams, it was about 8" over the middle and far brackets. Fortunately, I have this:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171107_Crown_1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1510092191)
With a little blocking, I was able to lift one end at a time and slide it back. The stack is too heavy to lift as a single unit with the pallet jack. The front stack of 1x cedar planks was stacked so the bracket was accessible. A couple months ago, there was a 7'+ tall stack of 2x10 & 2x8s there that was too close to the bracket. They were removed and flat-stacked elsewhere.
Update 11/19/2018:
No pictures and not a lot of progress - I've just been getting questions as to what I've been up to. I received a few cedar logs from my neighbor and milled them up into 1x interior siding and some 4x deck boards. A week and a half ago, I was just getting started in the morning and took a weird step and turned - and my lower back cramped up. :-\ Took about 5 days to clear up. All good now.
Talked with another neighbor (campground) about clearing some trees along the easement to my property. He gave me the go-ahead 8) and we took a big cedar down this past Saturday. While cleaning up branches, by buddy was pointing out the oil filter for the hydraulics was dripping a little. As he played with the levers, it went POP, blew the rubber seal out and shot about 4 ounces of hydraulic fluid just past the back of his head! The filter was cocked a little and was nearly impossible to remove. I'm thinking the last person to service it cross threaded it. >:(
Spent a couple hours running down a new filter and cleaned up the threads as best we could. Put it on and moved the SkyTrak out of the way. I pulled the manifold/bracket off to take to the hydraulic shop this morning (closed on weekends) and bought a new one. Took that up, installed and all works great. But then the driving was slow. :-\ Checked and the tranny fluid was low. So back down the hill to buy some and another filter. Under the film of oily dust I found another, bigger filter. Figured I might as well replace that one while I'm at it. ::) Too late to go back up today.
Today's total work accomplished, moved one 12' log.
Update 11/27/2018:
The plan for the day was 1) replace the main hydraulic filter, 2) add oil to the transmission, 3) move three logs from a week and a half ago, 4) pull the sawmill head/put on little trailer and take home, 5) return to get flatbed trailer and load with 1x cedar and 4x6 brace stock to work on over the winter.
The roads were clear so I had high hopes that the snow melted that fell on Thanksgiving.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20181127_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1543373310)
Well, change of plans. I got 1, 2 and 3 done right away. I have huge piles of slabs to burn and they lifted the burn ban today! Time to get started...
Before
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20181127_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1543373343)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20181127_c.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1543373379)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20181127_d.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1543373387)
And after
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20181127_f.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1543373449)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20181127_g.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1543373486)
I didn't touch the big pile in the back but still burnt up about 1/2 the total. While waiting for the coals to burn down, I got my ATV out and retrieved the trailers and put the sawhead on the little trailer to take home. The flatbed is at the top of the hill so it should be easy to retrieve if I don't get too much snow this week. What a mess. I also put the biggest log on the mill so it will be ready when the snow melts. I got to do some ice ballet with the SkyTrak.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20181127_e.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1543373444)
It was alternating between snow, sleet, rain and heavy snow all day. Snow expected for the next 3 days. Up to two feet at my elevation. :-\ I may be done for the winter now.
OK, so button it up and we will all be anxiously awaiting the 2019 melt and you resuming your build. Be safe. smiley_thumbsup
So little time with just so much to do. Hope you reached some of your goals. Such a sweet place you have there, in the long run, keep thinking what it will be like thru this winter. ;D
Till next spring, I am waiting on up dates. 8)
12/3/2018
One of my neighbors decided to go up this past weekend. Saturday I80 was closed for bit as too many spin outs so I think they went up Friday. Sunday, she took this picture of my place. The sill showing on the left (for the deck) is 6" thick so I'm estimating the snow at about 18".
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20181202.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1543897813)
Next storm is due tonight with daytime temps in the low 40s, overnight in the upper 20s.
Update 12/18/18:
Sunday we had a big, warm storm. Got almost 2" of rain at my house. Doppler showed the snow level about 1,000 ft above my property Sunday night. So I figured a lot of rain up there. Went up today and no evidence of rain, just another 3 or 4" of snow.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20181218_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1545181642)
I was hoping to pull my trailer out but I didn't dare take my 2wd truck down that road! This is looking up a pretty good hill. The snow was even deeper on the easement to my property - probably 18" in places, zero under some trees.. One of the neighbors plowed the road on Saturday before the last storm.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20181218_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1545181646)
All of your stuff looks cold. whiteflag_smiley
nice site, but yikes the fire hazard, I think I would do some heavy thinning.
The second to last picture is the main road and I have no control over that. All the vegetation will be a minimum of 100 feet away from my structure. The first picture with the snow covered pines on the other side of the foundation are already 25 to 50 feet away but will be coming down - they are unhealthy from the drought/pine beetles.
Sounds like you have a plan and are making progress.
As a forester, I would make the observation that those woods are trashed up with standing dead, and a lot of organic matter on the ground. The density of the live trees is too high. One of you projects before the summer dry season , should be to clean up the area around your build site. Otherwise you will have little fire resilience.
Looking back to reply #407, there is a picture of my SkyTrac in early December. Today, the rear of the boom is just peeking out:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190330_SkyTrac.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1553994795)
My cabin foundation that was visible back in December (reply #406) is only slightly visible today:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190330_Cabin.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1553994792)
And finally, my tool shed made from a truck body that stands 9' at the top of the door that you can see in the last picture of reply #403:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190330_Shed.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1553994793)
I believe that you will have a bit more waiting time before your work can begin. :-\
Is there still snow up there?
I plan on heading up next week to check it out and hopefully burn the rest of my slabs. The traffic cameras located 10 miles past my cabin property and 100' higher in elevation still show huge piles on the sides of the road from the plows. They are in full sun during the daylight hours. My property is on a north slope with heavy shade. I'm willing to bet I have a few feet left. :-\
Update 5/3/2019:
Made it up the hill today because I heard the campground had the road plowed. I still can't get to my property so I parked in the "overflow" lot for the camp ground. They brought up some trailers for the staff to use and decided to scrap them at the end of last year. The guy never picked them all up, three of them like this. This will buff out, I'm sure ::)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190503_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1556940447)
My SkyTrak is free of the snow but it's not going anywhere soon.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190503_e.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1556940535)
I took the picture in the morning. That's my flat bed trailer in front of the SkyTrak - it looks like the jack is bent. By the time I left at 6 pm, my heavy duty ramps were free of snow.
My log arch didn't fair so well...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190503_f.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1556940502)
Still 4 to 5' of snow to melt before my mill will be usable. That's a big cedar on the mill bed. Five feet of snow at the shed.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190503_d.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1556940454)
My plans for the day are to just burn up the couple cords of slabs, which I completed.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190503_h.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1556940541)
The snow did a number on my wood pile covers - but the wood still looks ok.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190503_i.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1556940606)
Amazing what snow can break.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190503_j.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1556940605)
Kind of looks like a wave hitting some rip-rap at the beach!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190503_l.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1556940686)
I took a drive into the campground to see what trees they marked for me to take. This is what the roads look like.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190503_o.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1556940708)
Never made it to the target trees - didn't plow far enough. This is what did the plowing. Quite the machine! :o
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190503_p.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1556940795)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190503_s.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1556940839)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190503_t.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1556940882)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190503_u.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1556940892)
A 6 cylinder on the back for the snow thrower and another 6 cylinder for the tractor.
And I am sitting outside and it's 87f here. :(
I feel your pain it is in the 70s here.
Update 5/16/2019:
Welllll, I was planning on heading up to work on my property Friday since the snow should be about gone. Forecast calls for storming though the weekend off and on. This is just past my place this morning:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190516_CrystalSprings.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1558015562)
And a little further up...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190516_SodaSprings.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1558015562)
:-\
I keep telling some of the new truck drivers that winter ain't over yet, by any stretch. There it is!
Winter is persistent in the mountains....isn't it.
Any up dates? Winter is sure over here. 95F yesterday. :o
Temperatures down the hill have been roller-coasting over the last few weeks between mid-60's to mid-90's. There have been afternoon thundershowers up the hill most every day with no new snow. Temps up the hill are typically 10 to 15° cooler than down here with overnight lows 15 to 20° lower. Looks like the white stuff is all gone now.
Heading up tomorrow with my sawmill head to check on any damage to my track and to get things de-winterized.
Good to hear.
Update 6/6/19:
Installed my gas pump on my "hydrant". Removed the well pump head - not working, might have gotten bent from the snow. Also need to fix some of the PVC that the snow sheared off. Installed my saw head. The track damage (below) will need to be fixed. Also, the track settled unevenly so I need to re-level. Didn't get a picture but the 8' of snow on my flatbed bent the rail that the front wheel/jack was attached to - need to bring it home to straighten and fix the jack. Previous post showed my log arch that needs repair. I might just rebuild it into a lighter weight version like other have.
Here is the extent of the snow left on my property:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190606_d.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1559877676)
I made some light weight (test) extensions for my mill last year so I can mill a log as long has my full-strength bunks. Well, I forgot to remove them before the snow. Time to make some new (longer, stouter) ones:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190606_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1559877579)
From the last time I reset - perhaps in February or March?
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190606_c.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1559877624)
Looks like the low was about 12-14°F and a high of 80°F (probably yesterday when Sacramento hit 100°). This was at about 9 am and it was 58°.
I picked up a zip line off of CraigsList for free the other day. About 70' of line. Here is where we first set it up:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190606_e.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1559877685)
Way down by the tree in the middle you can barely see the red trolley at the end of the tow strap. The dark dirt in the shade is where we were bottoming out - a rise in the road. So we set up in a different place where you start out on top of a boulder. My son is a couple inches taller than me and probably has a reach of 4 or 5 inches higher than me. Well, after lots of trials and rejiggering, we got it high enough. He went down and dragged his feet a bit. So I tried it. Only I couldn't drag my feet. The slack at the bottom slowed me a bit but not enough. I hit the end of the cable attached to a long tow sling. I was about 10' from the end tree, barely touching the ground - I should have let go at that point. I swung out nearly horizontal (which stretched my back - felt great) and when I came back to vertical, the trolley broke apart. No more zipping :-\
Lots to fix but a fun day not working too hard.
Update 7/14/2019:
Spent a couple weeks up on the property - 6/23-30 and 7/5-14. First week I had a lot of winter cleanup and had to re-level the mill from the snow settling it down a few inches in some places. I had a huge log on the mill all winter and I milled into a sill for the north-west section of wall. A number of other cedar logs were milled into a selection of 4x8s, 4x10s (deck "boards"), 6x6 porch posts and 1x random siding. (no pictures)
The second week I had some help the first couple of days and installed the back floor joists (under the bedrooms) and took down some big cedars for the remaining two sills and siding. Spent a bit of time cleaning up the limbs from the trees. Two truckloads of big branches for my neighbor's firewood pile.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190705_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1563171178)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190705b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1563170778)
When milling up the first big cedar, I found a 7/16 head, 6" lag bolt in the third pass on the log. Using my little metal scanner, I found its buddy. I dug down (chainsaw) a couple inches and tried to ratchet out the lag but it was already broken. So had to dig further.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190708.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1563171321)
The second week, I finished milling up the second sill and installed both. Then continued installing floor joist under the bathroom with some help.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190712a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1563171588)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190712b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1563171916)
Wow, that's some progress. Good to see. What's your goal for this summer?
My goal and reality have taken very different paths...
So, I'm shooting for raising the frame, putting up rafters and the 2x roof deck. Then I'll tarp it for the winter since that will be starting in 3 or so months...
I really want to have continuous main beams (56' x 5) and have one good Ponderosa easily available. Others are white pine that like to move a bit and may have to go with those. But I also need 56 4x7x28' rafters. I'm going to farm that out if I can find a sawyer local that has a supply of Ponderosa to save me a ton of time. I'll check with the local mills but I doubt that they would consider my little run.
Also... Got my water pump going. The LCB (Linear Current Booster) lost its Magic Smoke while testing it so I'll have to hunt down a replacement. Hooking it up direct to the solar panel let me fill my holding tank (330 gal) in a few hours.
Last Monday, when I finished the second to last sill, I was moving my monster log (28"x27') to the mill. The SkyTrak was groaning and squealing picking it up. I noticed a slight drip of hydraulic fluid from the boom. Great, I thought, another seal to replace on a 12 foot ram :-\ When I set the boom down (sloping to the front of the SkyTrak), a quart of so of fluid ran out :-X I was "lucky", just a blown hose. However, need a set of crow's foot wrenches to get it out, but the "local" NAPA in the county closes early and opens late (7:30). So Tuesday morning, headed 30 minutes down to NAPA for tools, 5 minutes in the store, back up the hill, 30 minutes to pull the hose, 60 minutes down to the hydraulic shop, 10 minutes at the shop, back up the hill, 15 minutes to install the hose and back in business by 11:30 am. But, it could have been a lot worse!
Love the progress. ;D And yes, DanG older machines and their hoses are a PITB. I ended up changing every one on my 580C backhoe. :D
That will be some major progress. I sure hope it comes to fruition. Those are some long beams. The purlins in my house are 43' long. I thought that was long.
Update 7/22/2019:
I got my hands on some free retaining wall blocks. I was looking for more "medium" sized for my backyard project but these turned out to be the BIG ones. So, decided to add a foundation around my well.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190722_b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1563860601)
The lady giving them away said there were about 40 blocks. I loaded all my truck could hold (weight wise) and installed 35 of them. I'm going back to get more. There was something like 80 blocks! I'm going to add a wishing well-like structure on top of the blocks. Probably make it out of cedar.
Speaking of cedar, I had a skinny 25' log that I cut into two. That gave me two 4x10x12'-3" deck boards and four each 1x6, 1x8 and 1x10 wall boards 12'-3" long. I lost three additional 1x10's that split lengthwise - must of fractured the log when I dropped the tree.
I also moved out the dry cedar so I could sticker the above fresh cut. The top stack was cut the past month. Cedar drys FAST out here.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190722_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1563860590)
Update 7/24/2019:
Finished up the blocks so it looks like this now:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190724_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1564080074)
And this is sort of what I want to do:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190724_b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1564080077)
There would be a solid wall all the way around to provide the support for the roof - maybe a 4-post design. This would be buried under 8 to 10' of snow in the winter.
I know that I posted this picture before but I don't remember where. My little log arch I use to move timbers from my SkyTrak to inside my basement to stack. Before:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Log_Arch_1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1364173771)
I forgot to flip it over before the snow so...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190606_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1559877582)
I had a pair of the next size up bike frames (Stingray size) and a couple of good tires so I rebuilt it like this. Hopefully not too tall/unstable:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190801_logarch.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1564853907)
Should roll bit easier.
That snow weight is incredible. Great progress! Keep 'em coming.
Mind blown. Sorry bout your timber caddy.
Update 8/12/2019:
No pictures but brought up a big load of cement blocks and set them up for stickering my 28' 5x7 rafters. Had to set it up outside my basement (west side seen here from 9/17 during a hail storm):
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170921_f.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1506053690)
But still waiting for confirmation on a delivery date of my logs. Hoping for Friday so I can have a productive weekend.
Also spent a bit of time chasing a plumbing leak in my bath house. I think I got it. I'll pressure test it when I go back up on Wednesday.
WOW!! Did that snow slide off a roof? But I did note the 8'-10' feet of snow too. I might get 3-4 feet at the most here.
Wow Sir, you have been busy while I have not. I am just catching up on my reading :P and see where you have made progress as well as taking care of the mishaps. Hopefully you will be able to get-r-done during these next non-snow months. thumbs-up
Nice progress! That timber cart is ingenuous! Might build something similar to get my timbers to the build site in the woods.
Another vote for the great log arch. I'm going to start checking around for bike frames to build my own. Was any welding involved, or is it bolted together?
No welding. The black pipe is all threaded together with a union up in the handle. It is 3/4" pipe. There is a single bolt through the steering tube into the black pipe. The lower cross piece is just a piece of 1" or 1¼", I forget which with one bolt through the crank tube (where the pedals used to be). I made this originally to retrieve some redwood logs from a backyard in town. Had to fit through a normal side gate (34"?). If I were to do it all over again, I'd make it at least 40" wide for stability. Used the "new" version over the weekend and on my uneven driveway, it is a little tipsy with the narrow track. Might dig through my junk pile and see if I have some longer pipes to make it wider.
Update: 9/11/2019
Here are the logs delivered back on 8/16/2019:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190816_g.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1566191388)
Most of the logs were 33' but a couple were 36' and 39'. Really made my SkyTrak groan.
I spent Monday and Tuesday milling more of those logs. I spent 2 days the prior week doing the same and another day or two the week before. I have now milled up 18 of the 21 logs with a total of 3,607 bd-ft of usable lumber. One 33' log only yielded 62 bd-ft - a 9" banana. >:( :-X I have 19 of the 56 rafters and only need two more 23' 2x10 floor joists. Made a lot of 4x6 girt and brace stock along with assorted 2x8 & 2x10 roof planks.
Here is the new and improved log caddy with a pair of 14' 2x10's fresh off the mill. I slide them from the SkyTrak forks (in the background) and make them slightly front heavy on the cart. Rolls way easier than the old version (even with non-bent wheels ;)).
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190910.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1568248620)
Then it is just a matter of tossing them up on the stack. I was working alone :-\ At least I don't have to carry them all the way in!
Note the Highly Valuable Denim Wood in the stack. About 1/4 of the logs were stained. When I hit a pocket of blue, my mill was blowing so much blue "smoke", I thought I was burning up my blade. I had to stop and check what was going on! Mills don't buy such logs (right?), so I think my logger was pretty lucky I came along and gave him top dollar for 'firewood'. ;) It works for me, though.
Looking good John. The commercial sawmills here will not buy them because they have no idea how long they have been dead/dying. The lumber would not make grade.
Update 9/13/2019:
Milled only one log today but took a few pictures of what I've been cutting from the log delivery.
Edit: The one log yielded 2-2x10x23', 3-4x7x26', 2-2x4x14', 1-2x10x8', 2-2x6x16', 1-2x6x8', 2-1x6x16' and 3-4x6x7'. About 385 bd-ft.
A little overexposed but my stack of 22 rafters (4x7x26') and 7 floor joists (2x10x23').
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190913_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1568421825)
Leftovers from the 33' logs I made 4x6 girt/brace stock.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190913_b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1568421825)
Lots of 2x8 and 2x10s for roof boards.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190913_d.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1568421833)
A couple 3x10s for the stairwell framing and some longer 4x6s.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190913_c.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1568421836)
John and his saw have been busy! Good deal.
You have been quite busy Sir. 8)
Update 9/20/2019:
Had a lofty goal to finish up the floor joists. I had these seven 23' 2x10s (actually need nine).
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190920_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1569039628)
They are just placed but not nailed in (Monday's job). Also got the two 3x10's placed. I need to track down a pair of joist hangers for the 3x10 that will hang off of them and will be 4' 3'-7" off the center beam to house the stair case to the basement.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190920_b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1569039633)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190920_c.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1569039639)
Progress looks good! When will weather become an issue?
Already had two heavy rain storms - ~2" each. (normal year, rain stops mid-May and starts mid-October) One storm with snow only 1,000' higher in elevation :-\ Roller-coaster weather right now. Last Monday the rain-soaked shavings were frozen at 7 am. Will be back up to 95° down here, 85° up there on Sunday. Next Saturday will be nearly 20°cooler. Usually get snow/melt/snow up until mid-November. By Thanksgiving is when there will be a hard shutdown on it all.
How different it is. Now until June is when I do the majority of my sawing. ::) Thirteen customers now all wanting theirs sawed and another called yesterday while I was sawing. I called him back this afternoon and we set his sawing up for next year making two for 2020.
Update 9/24/2019:
i nearly completed today what I was hoping to complete yesterday ::)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190924_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1569377970)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190924_b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1569377972)
I just need to nail in the short joists to the right of the stair well opening and add a little more blocking. Per my plans, I will be adding some temporary joists in the stair opening and sheet it with some plywood. Don't want to do what another Forumite did last year! So I will be going up one more time this week to pound the last few nails and drain all the water systems to prepare for the coming cold weather. Yesterday morning I did spend a little over an hour visiting a FF member that lives 12 miles from my cabin site. Turns out his family has been in the area since the 1880's! They have a great 1,400 acre spread. No pictures this time but he is amenable to selling some of his Ponderosa pines to me. Just need to figure out a price.
Update 9/26/2019:
Completed in 2½ days what I thought would take one ::)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20190926_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1569563274)
The "dirty" joists midway in the frame are 2x8 16"oc filling the stairwell frame. They are sticking up 1¼" and will be topped with a piece of ¾" ply so it will be flush with the 2x floor planking. Brought down my popup camping trailer - rain for the weekend and cooling off.
Update 10/3/2019:
Had a little snow over the weekend (9/28-29), maybe 3"? Been warm (60's) up there but freezing at night. Went up today to winterize - empty all the water tanks, pull the pumps, etc. It was 37° at 8:00 this morning and had this white stuff still hanging around:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20191003_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1570151098)
I ripped some T1-11 siding into 16" strips and covered my sills with all the pockets cut for posts and braces to keep the water/snow out.
I have a big stack of roofing boards that had a cover tarp that was about dead. Also accumulated a good stack of 1x cedar wall boards that needed a cover. Last year I picked up an old horse arena cover. I have one piece big enough (60'x80'?) to cover the entire cabin once I get the roof boards up (if I need to). Had some other scraps that I made into these tarps (18'x24' each). Super heavy duty stuff. White on one side, this faded green on the other. Doubles as a kiln! :D
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20191003_b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1570151103)
As weather permits, I will be taking down a lot of dead fir trees and general woodland cleanup waiting for the burn days to resume (usually late December to January). I did scope out some cedar and a couple ponderosas on the lower portion of my land. Will be testing my log winch/trailer at some point.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/Yarder_Clean.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1566573577)
You've been working hard, John. Will you have a floor on for the winter and cover it? That would sure be nice to have done.
It's sad to see your building season end. Hopefully you will not have the snow load damage like last Winter.
Quote from: firefighter ontheside on October 03, 2019, 10:10:41 PM
You've been working hard, John. Will you have a floor on for the winter and cover it? That would sure be nice to have done.
NO! There is no way the floor would be able to support the snow load of 341 lb/sq-ft. I'll be hitting it hard next year.
Quote from: ljohnsaw on October 03, 2019, 10:50:01 PMsnow load of 341 lb/sq-ft.
This is unfathomable. Hearing numbers like that just blow my mind compared to our 20psf:o
Well, there is that. Hadn't thought about that, but then magicman reminds me of the damage you had from the snow.
What a beautiful acreage! Do you have any more info or pictures of your trailer winch? Looks like a bigger version of my firewood yarder
Here is the long backstory on the arch: Sewer Winch (http://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=105423.msg1641524#msg1641524) At least its not an eyesore anymore ;)
I'll add to that post when I start using it. Perhaps before the snow falls.
Currently there are 4 fires burning in northern California with only one being large-ish (~500 acre). Nothing like last year - fingers crossed. None near my place but the winds from the west are bringing the acrid smoke into the area (up there as well as down here).
Update 10/17/2019:
After finishing up the winterizing, I took a look around and decided to drop all the dead white fir trees (about 20 so far) and any other mangled or malformed trees up near the cabin (about 10 so far). Some of the firs had been dead a few year so just a 20-30' tall x 14-24" dbh stick was left that was pretty rotten. When those hit the ground they pretty much explode into mulch.
Up by the cabin, I took down a number of mangled green firs and made piles of the branches. Then I broke down my slab pile and put the slabs around the branches. That should help keep the rain and snow off so they can dry out. I'll be able to burn somewhere around late December or January when they lift the ban.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20191017.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1571361066)
There are 4 piles on the right and 4 visible piles on the left (one small one hidden). There is still a lot of slab wood to disperse. I can't burn it where it sits currently (off to the right under the trees).
Behind the piles on the left is the bath house and the cabin foundation is on the right. This is a fairly steep section of my forest road but far from the steepest section. It's probably 80' to the cabin and it is 6 or 7' higher ground there.
11/5/2019 update:
Finished a timber frame but not the cabin:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20191105_e.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1573004342)
Just have to add the metal roof. The full story is Here. (http://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=108245.msg1689451#msg1689451)
What holds the frame to the blocks?
John, I don't think the snow load will crush that. Looks good.
@Raider Bill (http://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=4445). I haven't yet noticed the second sixty years of childhood getting any easier.
Quote from: Raider Bill on November 06, 2019, 07:54:25 AM
What holds the frame to the blocks?
Gravity. It is still semi-green but I'm guessing it is about 600-800 pounds. Its 356 bd-ft of white fir and the Toolbox show white pine at 1,068 lb green. Also, the 4½" drill rod that penetrates the roof is a good anchor. Between the two, I don't see it blowing over or sliding off the "footing".
Quote
John, I don't think the snow load will crush that. Looks good.
I could have went with 4x4's but that doesn't leave room for joints. This was the next, natural size to use. Plus it look good, IMO.
Quote from: Darrel on November 06, 2019, 09:55:43 AM
John, I don't think the snow load will crush that. Looks good.
@Raider Bill (http://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=4445). I haven't yet noticed the second sixty years of childhood getting any easier.
Me neither! Now my body is paying me back for the first 60 years of abuse.
Quote from: ljohnsaw on October 03, 2019, 09:18:52 PM
Update 10/3/2019:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20191003_b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1570151103)
I think I'd re-stack the wood and re-tarp that stack. With the amount of snow you can get, it could possible tear your tarp out where you have the highest level down to the next. I know you have it sloped, but the snow can easily get backed up high enough that there is no more room for the snow to fall, thus putting too much weight on your tarp.
Update 11/13/2019:
The metal roof is on and all ready for the snow to begin! Details (http://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=108245.msg1691831#msg1691831)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20191113_b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1573695423)
Update 12/1/2019:
I will try to get up the hill sometime this week between storms when the roads are in better shape. I think I'm done until June next year:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20191201_Castle_Peak.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1575242381)
This is about 20 minutes up the road (on a clear day) from my cabin build and another 1,300' of elevation. The storm today started out with snow low (2,000') and is supposed to end with it above 7,000' - but this area is still getting snow at 7,165'. From the other cameras, it looks like I'm right on the rain/snow level, which means real heavy, wet stuff.
When the build is done, will you be able to stay there all year?
I could but I won't. I like to visit snow, not live in it. Probably do most weekends and holidays. Quite a bit cooler in the summer than down here.
Update 12/5/2019:
The snow that had fallen on Sunday was still up there despite the warmish rain that came down Tuesday and Wednesday. Was about a foot left in most places and some drifts to 2½'. The road in had been plowed at one time but was only clear where tires had passed. My well cover frame did its job (way down there). Hard to believe that soon, the snow will be up to the top of the roll-up door on the VegiWorks box.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20191205_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1575604869)
I have a propane weed burner thing that hooks to a 5 gallon propane tank. Made starting the 9 fires a whole lot easier and faster then normal.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20191205_c.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1575604861)
In the picture below, the pile between the two fires (the left one is just getting going) is a giant cedar stump with a huge pile of slabs on top. I had to climb up on top to knock the boards/slabs off so I could throw them on the fires as they burned down.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20191205_e.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1575604853)
and 7 hours later...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20191205_f.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1575604842)
Below, between the stump (middle of picture) and the skinny tree to the right is about 4'. Eight foot slabs were piled about 8 feet high in that gap. So 2ish cords of wood which was less than ¼ of the total placed in the 9 piles. Seems like such a waste to just burn it but nobody wants it for firewood :-\
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20191205_g.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1575604842)
All ready for the big storm this weekend and slabs next year.
You burn all the slabs on top of stumps correct?
Quote from: Sedgehammer on December 06, 2019, 07:52:24 AM
You burn all the slabs on top of stumps correct?
There are two stumps there (pulled from the ground elsewhere). The one pile of slabs was up against/too close to trees so I couldn't burn there. The smaller stump/root-ball to the left had an inferno raging on one side raging all day (the slabs are all staged around it). I maybe burnt 2" off of it. The rest are all white/red fir stumps and will be rotted out in a year or two so I don't try to burn them out. I did make a number of seats out of them. They are positioned for the best views of the giant cedars and provide a resting spot when you come climbing back up the wood's road. It is quite steep and at 5,800' elevation, it does take your breath away!
It's amazing (or not) how good of shape you can be in at sea level or so and just how bad of shape you're in at 5,000'+ all at the same time....... :o
Quote from: Sedgehammer on December 06, 2019, 12:15:56 PM
It's amazing (or not) how good of shape you can be in at sea level or so and just how bad of shape you're in at 5,000'+ all at the same time....... :o
At first I read this as being about the weather, then realized you meant fitness. Both are true! When I work up there over the summer I get acclimated. When someone comes to help, I have to remember to slow down for them ;)
I live at 4,600 feet and have for the last 10 years. I do pretty well here because I'm well acclimated. Then when I go down to around sea level it takes a whole lot to get me winded, there's so much oxygen down there!
Update 12/26/2019:
Went up to visit friends after Christmas. Sat around the fire, talking and having some good food. Did a little sledding and a group decided to make a snowman to warn the people who like to trespass in the winter for snow fun. ;)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20191226_e.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1577471449)
We had about 2-3" of snow at the top and 8-10" at the bottom of the hill so sledding was good and walking back up the hill wasn't too hard. (east facing hill)
Took a walk over to my property (north facing hill) and there was a bit more - 12-16". Found a wandering track in the snow from last week. Looked like a pretty good sized bear. It was getting dark so hard to see it - but bigger than my son's big hands!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20191226_c.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1577471462)
The well house held up quite nicely. we had high winds last week clocked at over 100mph on the ridge tops.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20191226_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1577471468)
Interesting how there is still snow stuck to that steep of a metal roof (both sides). And some snow up on the floor joists.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20191226_b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1577471460)
When it was time to leave, my truck could not make it out of their driveway due to ice. So I have a set of 6 of these. I just put one on each rear drive wheel and it worked great. Out their drive and down about ½ a mile to the clear pavement. Easy on, easy off. I drove just a few yards on the dry pavement just to see what they feel like (bumpy). That marked up the steel studs just a bit and nothing on the plastic. Not bad for the $6.00 investment!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20191226_g.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1577471445)
Your snow stuck to that steep wellhouse roof reminded me of a house we built up on Terry Peak in the Black Hills. It had a 12/12 pitch metal roof, framed on 12" centers that I had thought was overkill. I got a call, there was 3' of consolidated snow/ice stuck to it up there. I never take those roof snow load deductions for steep or slippery surfaces for that reason. If conditions are right it can grab and begin to pile up.
My cabin is 16 miles south of Terry Peak. You are so right about roofs and snow.
Update 2/8/2020:
Nothing to up date from the cabin site. Haven't ventured up the hill since my last post. Not sure if it was in this thread or some other cabin thread but there was talk about winterizing plumbing. I'd rather push or blow the water out of the sink/shower traps and the toilet trap. But then I would be subject to the sewer gases come into the cabin. Someone mentioned a shutoff valve on the sewer line (to be installed after final). Ran across this 4" (new) valve for $6.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200204.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1581213611)
That should do the trick! I think I would install it just above the slab, 10' below the drains upstairs, with a clean-out just above it..
Great idea! I really like the $6 part!
Update 3/1/2020:
We had a couple weeks of 70-78 F weather down here which would mean snow would be melting up on the cabin property. The traffic cams above my property still showed a little snow on the sides of the road, so I was hopeful. Then the persistent high pressure ridge gave way and a cold blast of air moved down with some moisture. This is the grade leading up to my property (800' lower elevation):
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200301__WhitmoreGrade.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1583085989)
Guess I'll be sitting tight for another few weeks since this means I got a foot and it takes forever to melt on my shady side of the hill.
Update 3/15/2020:
Here is the same camera but rotated to look west instead of east on this stretch of I-80 below my cabin project:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200315b__WhitmoreGrade.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1584294130)
Snow predicted to continue through at least Monday night accumulating 48-60". So that pushes the start-work-window out another 4 weeks or so... Give me more time down here to finish projects.
I am anxious for both you and @fishfighter (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=28788) to begin your building activities. 8)
Have you thought about using RV antifreeze in your sewer traps? That's what I use up here in Canada. Gets to -40 and we don't have any trouble. I pour it in the sink and shower traps. For the toilet I usually sponge the water out of the bowl first and then put the anti freeze in. I like to put a little in the bottom of the tank also. And, lift the float in the toilet up a couple times. Sometimes water gets hung up in there and cracks the plastic. I own a camp up here and winterize a bunch of cabins and buildings every winter.
From my experience, I don't like putting anything mechanical in the sewer lines. The fewer places for paper etc to get hung up the better!
Quote from: Muskydawg on March 27, 2020, 10:57:57 PMHave you thought about using RV antifreeze in your sewer traps?
Sure. I was just planning on blowing/plunging most of the water out and putting very little AF down the drain. Might not be enough to fill the trap to prevent gas from escaping, so the valve would be the secondary for that. Trying to minimize both the expense and adding chemicals to my septic.
Update 5/28/2020:
I finally got some time to head up today and "de-winterize" and get ready to start milling again when I get some logs (another story). Things were pretty much going my way today. First, the SkyTrac tires were still full of air (the last 2 springs, IIRC, I had a flat) and it started right up with only a few seconds of cranking. Next, I used it to move my mill head from my trailer (store it at home in the winter now) and set it on the rails - got it on the first try! Next up was to install some cable and try out my new power drive. A little adjustment and it works great. Powerful enough to drag me!
I had already installed the two switches on the right - run/stop and a forward/reverse - when I built this box for the raise/lower motor. I purchased the controller off of eBay. I didn't use their rocker switch but mounted the rheostat for the speed control (also is the power switch for the unit). The 3-digit led display is for the % of power supplied. I still need to mount it somehow. There are no ears to mount it, might just use some double stick foam tape. The volt meter below I just got last year and it has failed already :(
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200528d.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1590716230)
This is another one of the 24v wheel chair motors. The vinyl coated cable comes from the back end of the mill, through the UHMW bushing mounted in a eye-bolt, goes around the black pulley and does a figure 8 around the silver drive pulley, back around the black pulley and through an unseen UHMW bushing to the front end of the mill where a turnbuckle is used to tension it all up.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200528c.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1590716227)
I'm only running 12v so "full speed" is not too fast - like a quick walk. Works great for returning the head. Can't wait to get some logs to try it out.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200528b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1590716223)
Next, but no picture, I installed a new LCB (linear current booster) on my well pump. Nice to work under the new well cover in the shade. It was over 100° down in Sacramento and about 85° up there, but the sun was scorching! Anyhow, had enough wire to get the job done and it works. It doesn't run as fast as the old one that died so we'll see how this goes. It did shut down when a tree had a little bit of shadow on the solar panel. The old one would continue to run real slow.
I have this pile of sawdust to get rid of. There is a good 20" piled along side the mill. This was the before picture but didn't bother with an after. I had picked up a single stage 40v electric snow blower in hopes of cleaning this up. That was the only dismal failure of the day.(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200528a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1590716217)
Logs - I had a good lead on some log and was waiting patiently for a call back. Turns out he is too busy with another job on the coast and can't know for sure if or when he could get to me.
It's good to see you opening-er back up to resume your project. 8)
Myself, Looking for some updates. ;D
I went up on Wednesday and, with the help of my sister, moved out some dried cedar (~1,600 bd-ft) and other wood to the dry stack area to make room to mill more.
But I am in need of logs. I had a "good" lead on getting some logs but that fell through. Talked with a couple loggers (fellers), but nothing to be had. Called a bunch more locals, but no call backs. Yesterday called 8 foresters (RPF) that work in my area (within 100 miles). Talked to two real people to relay messages and talked to 6 machines. Waiting for response(s). The issue local is nearly all the land is owned by Sierra Pacific and most of the private land is under contract. The haulers don't want to jeopardize their gigs by bringing me a load or two.
Yesterday my neighbor up there called and said she was coming back through the campground and they had a "big" pile of logs sitting. I emailed the district manager and I'm meeting him at noon today. Fingers crossed that they are decent, usable logs and I can get cutting again.
Update 6/18/2020:
So this was the pile of logs:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200616_c.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1592541250)
A lot of logs with a lot of them past their prime. Of course, the better logs were on the bottom... Part of the deal was to get a couple cedars that were being used as a barricade:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200616_b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1592541242)
(the larger butt log)
and replace them with some junk logs:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200616_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1592541241)
Between the two logs I made one 6x12x12' to replace a sill that decided to split a little, five 4x10x12':
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200616_d.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1592541254)
From the curved end of the of the above butt log, a few live edge slabs (8/4 to 12/4) along with some 8/4 bench slabs:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200616_e.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1592541269)
and four 1x boards:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200616_f.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1592541269)
These cedars logs were a bit on the square side so there wasn't a lot of waste.
Out of the huge pile of logs, I salvaged 16 - stay tuned...
Looking good. Are you gonna be doing some construction soon.
Hope to have the frame up and roofed this year. All the logs I collected I'm going to saw up mostly for roof sheathing. A couple will be posts. Still need a load of Ponderosa to finish up the rafters (28@28') and the main cross beams (5@26').
This is getting exciting. 8)
Agree popcorn_smiley
Update 6/25/2020:
Spent 6/23-6/25 cutting lumber. Tuesday morning I had to move some dry wood out of the way and was able to slice up 2 logs and get fourteen 16' 2x10s and one 2x4 (Sorry for the glare) Also a stack of 2x2s from trimming down to 10s. 437 bd-ft:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200623_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1593149671)
Wednesday was a pair of 14' logs including this big guy:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200624_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1593149675)
It was 30" wide and really taxed my mill. I got fourteen 14' 2x10s from just this log along with a 12' one. 608 bd-ft
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200624_c.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1593149681)
And today, 2 more logs, 16' yeilded another eighteen 2x10s, four 2x8s and one 12' 2x10. 585 bd-ft.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200625_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1593149690)
Total for the 3 days of 1,630 bd-ft. Something MM would do before lunch ;) Tossing those wet boards up on top of a 7' stack is a great workout!
No, something that I admire you for doing because it's the stickered lumber that counts, especially when it is your lumber. ;D
Update 6/30 - 7/2/2020:
Spent another 3 days up there. Tuesday was consumed with swapping out my lift from my chain and sprocket original design to a 20:1 gear box. It went well except the third wheelchair motor I had on hand was flaky. It worked for a little bit then stopped. If I smacked it, it would start running again. Bad brushes? I was trying to preserve the old chain lift in case I needed to fall back but I had to take that motor for the new lift. Except it was from the opposite side of the wheelchair so the mount holes were different...
So in the evening, I decided to add back rests to some log benches that I made a couple years ago for my neighbor:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200630.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1593789762)
Wednesday morning I put the new lift gearing in place and milled up 3 logs. New lift is nice and quiet - no pops and groans, a little bit faster, too. Ended the day stacking up the pile of 2x10 - 6@16' and 12@12'. Now the stack tops out at 8½'. I think this stack is done.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200701.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1593789760)
Thursday I loaded up a really nice looking log. The bark was tight so I skipped trying to peel it - just checked for rocks and dirt. Made a opening cut and the first slab to edge into a 2x10. When I took it to the ground, it split diagonally:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200702.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1593789768)
Looking closely at the log, it was cracked from when they dropped it :-\ I put it aside, very disappointing. If I need a lot of 6' boards, I may mill it later. Put another log on and got another dozen 12' 2x10s, one 10' and three 16' 2x8s. I did some other work that needed doing and called it a day at 3:30 to head home.
Late update 7/7-7/9/2020:
I had 5 logs left to mill. Three nice, but short, firs and what I thought were two Aspen. I wanted to see how they behave, both cutting and drying. On Tuesday, from the firs I was able to get nine 2x10x10' out of each.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200708.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1594687527)
Wednesday, the Aspen were just some really young firs that had some smooth bark. As soon as I put them on the mill, I saw the branch whorls and knew I made a mistake. The larger of the two made three 2x7's. The smaller I just cut into firewood lengths. In the afternoon, I did some cleaning up and made a 5' wide x 7' long permanent ramp to get in and out of my truck body storage box.
Thursday I spent the morning hauling 4 pallet loads of slab cuts (2 at a time) down to the campground for their community fire pit. They started out as 40" wide x 48" deep but got wider as I piled them up to 6' high. I had cut them into 24-30" lengths. They got free "split" firewood and I got rid of 2+ cords of burn pile material.
Update 7/21-23/2020:
Last week, I met up with another FF member, Billy (can't remember his handle here) and picked up 6 trailer loads of cedar logs. Well, it was loads that consisted of 2 big (20-24"x12') or 3 smaller logs. My trailer is a single 3,500# axle converted boat trailer. So, slightly overloaded and had to climb nearly 2,000' of elevation in 15 miles. Quite the workout for my truck. The first 3 loads, Billy used his skid-steer so it was a quick 3 hour morning for 3 loads. The next three were manual parbucking. Didn't saw anything up.
This week I sawed up 6 cedar logs. One was troublesome and wanted to make waves. I found it interesting that on adjoining faces, the blade would dive in the same spots. Anyhow, made this pile of lumber. Thirteen 4x10x12' somewhere around 54 1x8x10', 17 or so 1x10x12' and a few 1x8x12':
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200723.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1595639216)
Bit by bit. Log by log. Post by post. Board by board. Darn that's a lotta work!! ;D
Looking good though.
I was beginning to wonder where you were. You've been kinda quiet. ???
Update 7/28-30/2020:
Back to slicing up cedar. My sister joined me on Tuesday to help out. First thing to tackle was the huge pile of sawdust. I have a DR PowerWagon that I fitted with a much bigger dump bed. It is narrow enough to get behind the mill and we shoveled a lot of sawdust - quite a bit was wet. After 9 trips of about 3/4-1 yard each:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200728.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1596149554)
I'll have to get a better picture. The black loader bucket on the right was buried and the sawdust was higher than the rails so bark kept landing on it and stopping the head movement. Now it is about a foot below but there is still another 6" or so left but makes a smooth pathway.
Milled up another butt log:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200729a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1596149562)
Looks like it was either fire damaged or lightening strike. I was able to flat saw a 4x10 from each side and some 1x10s from the bottom area. It left me with a 12' wedge that went from about 10" down to 2".
Another big log:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200729b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1596149569)
It yielded four 4x10s and several 1x10s and 1x8s. I got 3 of the 4x10s from the middle and one from one side with the 1x from the other side. I kiss the blade to the end to mark where my pattern is to change. I removed two 1x10s with one more to go. Then I'll take two 4x10s, adjust the clamps and get one more. Just noticed you can see the loader bucket that was previously buried in sawdust.
This week's tally was 7 - 4x10x12' and 33 - 1x10s and 1x8s at 10' and 12'. Really only a day and a half of actual cutting.
So now the bad news. Started on Tuesday that one tire on the powerwagon developed a slow leak. Tried to get it off (keyed shaft with a cir-clip) but I think its been on since the factory assembled it back in the 90's. Gave it a shot of diesel as I didn't have my BlueCreeper up there. At least I have a generator and compressor so aired it up for each trip. Picked up a bottle of Slime today.
Tuesday afternoon I had some issues with the blade diving. I also noticed the blade was fluttering quite a bit like not enough tension. When I tighten my blade, a sliding tube protrudes about 1/4" and all is normally good. That was in the right position so I kept cutting. Then I was getting a weird vibration off the idle side wheel. When I was moving boards, I looked at the wheel and thought it looked different - not much crown to the tire. It was flat :( I tried to air it up but it was leaking from everywhere. I pulled it off the mill, laid it down and poured water on it as I aired it up. It was bubbling around the entire bead. :( :( I got it to seat after pouring water on both sides and then discovered the problem. The valve stem was cracked :( :( :(
So I had dinner and drove back down the hill to home. Walmart had closed 5 minutes before I got there. Who closes a store at 8:30? Really, not 8 or 9, but 8:30. I had a spare metal valve stem at home so I installed it and went back up the hill Wednesday morning. I cut all day with no issues other than a little diving in some stressed wood.
I noticed there were a few oil spots where the SkyTrac had been sitting. One of the main boom lift rams weeps a little (I rebuilt the other one last year). Wednesday evening, I went to move a stack of 4x10s off the mill when I turned the wheel hard left and a fine mist of hydraulic fluid shot out the front. :( ::) A short connecting line between the dual steering rams split.
Today (Thursday) was a short day of stacking Wednesday's cuts, cleaning up slabwood and removing the hydraulic line. $55 later, I have a new hose to put back on when I go up next week to finish all the short logs I have left.
Sounds like the good outweighed the bad, so Id call that a successful couple of days.
I finally remembered to bring home my tally sheets from last week and this week. I plugged in the numbers in my spreadsheet's "cedar area". I did a rough estimate of cedar boards needed to do the outside of the frame (no subtraction for windows, etc) as well as the wall partitions. As of today, I have 90% of exterior walls or 72% of the overall project. Need another 900 bd-ft of 1x material. I am currently over on my deck boards (4x10s & 4x8s) by 4 boards. That should be enough to allow for splits and warps - though the cedar does not seem to misbehave.
If the fir I milled up into 2x8s and 2x10s has only a little degrade, I am sitting at 110% of what I need for the roof planking.
Working on some log leads for some ponderosa pine. I need to find and mill up another 32 rafters along with the 5 big cross beams for the bents and the 5 main beams running the length of the cabin. My spread sheet show those to be about 30% of the total bd-ft for the cabin - 30k bd-ft.
really enjoy your posts and watching your progress, miss it when you don't post
Update 8/5/2020:
A while back, I posted I was looking for logs. I called forester, loggers, truckers. Pretty much no one would call back. On a whim, I asked my old real estate agent if he had any contacts. Next day he sent me the name and number of a previous client that is a RPF. Called him, he said he would track down some names of loggers with self loaders. Next day I have three names. One I had called before so I called the other two. First one calls back and has some logs. I told him I needed 22" SED minimum but could handle bigger. Loading up, he calls and asks if I could handle 34". I said sure. So here is the first load today.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200805a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1596686475)
When I saw the middle log, I was worried! Fortunately it turned out to be two 16½' logs. Whew!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200805b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1596686478)
I tried to use the toolbox to scale these but it only goes up to 20' length (33' logs). So I used two 16' as a proxy for a 33' and estimated the mid-point diameter. I'm thinking this is an under estimate - 5,048 international. So it calcs out at 30¢/bdft.
After unloading the logs, I milled up 4 of the remaining cedar logs. Three more to go then I will go after the ponderosa.
My EZTankless propane water heater was not working anymore so I came up with a backup plan. I had a collection of scrap ½" copper pipe and a handful of fittings. So I soldered up a solar collector attached to a piece of galvi sheet metal.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200805c.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1596686485)
I ran RV hose down the other side of the roof to the fittings where the water heater was located. On my way out today, I ran the hot water to wash up. It was actually uncomfortably hot! I think it will work just fine for military showers.
Looks like you made a good connection. Nice logs. Maybe your log problem is finally solved.
If you list your log sizes, I can run them through my calculator for the numbers, Let me know what scale system you are using.
Quote from: Old Greenhorn on August 06, 2020, 10:07:04 AM
If you list your log sizes, I can run them through my calculator for the numbers, Let me know what scale system you are using.
Four at 33' long - 24/33, 24/28, 24/28 & 23/26; Two at 16.5' long - 29/34 & 30/33. I have a band mill so I was using International.
Quote from: btulloh on August 06, 2020, 08:16:50 AM
Looks like you made a good connection. Nice logs. Maybe your log problem is finally solved.
I think so!
Species?
Here is my output for those logs using the int. 1/4" scale. I didn't know the species so I picked EWP. The diameters listed are the SED's and I cannot enter and SED and an LED (the scaling standards don't allow for that way, taper is assumed) so in the chart below "Diam" is the SED and 'D2" is the estimated LED according to the scaling standard, I can't change that. If you want me to change anything else and re-run it, just let me know. Looks like your estimate was pretty close. Also, check my numbers for typos. ;D
*** SawlogCalc Tally ***
# 21 41300 lbs 5110 Bd Ft Int'l 1/4 $1533.00 Tally #21 08/06/2020
SN lbs Bd Ft Diam Length D2 p/bf Price Species Note
126 7200 960 24" 33'0" ~38 7/8" .30 288.00 Pine, Eastern White
127 11800 960 24" 33'0" ~38 7/8" .30 288.00 Oak(R), Northern Red
128 7200 960 24" 33'0" ~38 7/8" .30 288.00 Pine, Eastern White
129 6700 885 23" 33'0" ~37 1/4" .30 265.50 Pine, Eastern White
130 4100 650 29" 16.5' ~38" .30 195.00 Pine, Eastern White
131 4300 695 30" 16.5' ~39 1/4" .30 208.50 Pine, Eastern White
Interesting. The EWP has a bit of taper to them. These are Ponderosa (you have one oak in there - default species?). So I'm guessing that the calculator does not take into account what you might be able to get from the sides at the big end. I would think with that amount of taper, you could get a little more.
the red oak was just a typo. The taper is not set by the calculator, it is in the scaling standard, whether you work off a chart or use the calculator, the results should be the same. Yes, you might get more out of a log with less taper, but with scaling it is based on the average. The taper on each log is never figured in. I re-did your numbers to correct the species, the only thing changed, as you can see is the weight.
*** SawlogCalc Tally ***
# 21 33100 lbs 5110 Bd Ft Int'l 1/4 $1533.00 ltjohnsawTalley 08/06/2020
SN lbs Bd Ft Diam Length D2 p/bf Price Species Note
126 6500 960 24" 33'0" ~38 7/8" .30 288.00 Pine, Ponderosa
127 6500 960 24" 33'0" ~38 7/8" .30 288.00 Pine, Ponderosa
128 6500 960 24" 33'0" ~38 7/8" .30 288.00 Pine, Ponderosa
129 6000 885 23" 33'0" ~37 1/4" .30 265.50 Pine, Ponderosa
130 3700 650 29" 16.5' ~38" .30 195.00 Pine, Ponderosa
131 3900 695 30" 16.5' ~39 1/4" .30 208.50 Pine, Ponderosa
Interesting - the ponderosa is about 10% lighter than the EWP, and a whole lot lighter than the oak! Thanks for running the numbers.
Know one thing, them logs are big ones. :D Keep up the work.
Update 8/25/2020:
Went up for the day with big plans but got about half of it done. I milled up a huge stack of 2x10s out of white fir back the end of June beginning of July. I just received my Mini-Lingo DX moisture meter and checked them for dryness. So I got reading from 7.4 up to 11 (where it got wet from a passing thunder shower). Most were in the 8.6-8.9 range and correcting for the air temperature, down to 7.8-8.2 or so. I'm assuming that is dry enough to flat stack, so I did. I took the boards on the right and way back under the tin. I was hoping to get to the cedar on the left (MUCH higher than this old picture) as well but ran out of time.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200723.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1595639216)
So the above fir was moved with my handy lumber cart:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200825a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1598478972)
and ended up with this stack of 102 2x10s between 8' and 16' long (mostly 14s & 16s) and 8 2x8s at 16'. A total of 2,134bd-ft after trimming some bad ends. Forgot to take a picture before the temporary tin cover. I have to go back and strap it and move it over to the big stack.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200825b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1598478974)
This is most of the bad stuff. The fir behaved remarkably well. Every single bad board were the ones with the pith centered. They all twisted and a few checked pretty much through and through. I only had two boards with pith centered that were "ok", not great. The remaining board stayed very flat and no crook.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200825c.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1598478981)
Quite a pile of wood you're accumulating.
I'm always scrounging for temporary bracing and hate to use my good stuff, I imagine those low grades have one more life to live.
Update 9/1/2020:
I spent all day yesterday and part of this morning cleaning and organizing my wood stash. I had an assortment of loose 2x8s & 2x10s laying at the base of my drystack pile. I sorted them out and banded up everything as well as ratchet strapped so I could move them around. Between these two stacks I should have enough (after sending out to T&G) to plank my roof.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200901_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1599026120)
I call this stack my porch package ;) There are 44 4x10s (mostly) deck boards and quite a few 6x6 posts all cedar that will complete the deck.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200901_b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1599026120)
The stack behind is 1x cedar and almost enough to complete the exterior walls.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200901_c.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1599026127)
I had one 8' cedar left and was able to get 22 1x10s from it.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200901_d.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1599026134)
The two piles are covered up to protect them from thunder showers.
Here is about the limit (in diameter) my mill can do. The butt end is a bit square. It measured 34" across the flats and 38" on the diagonal. The small end was 31" and round. I did the opening cuts on the top and bottom but ran out of time to finish it up.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200901_f.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1599026143)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200901_e.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1599026148)
I ended up trimming about 18" off this end since I didn't need the full length and I was curious how far that ring/shake went in. Not very far - all solid after the cut.
Update 9/3/2020:
I went up the hill with high hopes. When I left on Tuesday, this is how far I got on the log:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200901.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1599337714)
Back on Tuesday afternoon, I put on a factory new blade. For a while, I thought they sent me the wrong size. I must have taken a good 15 or 20 minutes to get it mounted on my saw. It was like it was too short. Very frustrating. Anyhow, it cut pretty well. I sliced up that cedar with very little wave despite some nasty hard knots. Then I put the above log on and sliced top and bottom (now the sides). I did get a little diving (1/8"), so at the end of the day took it off thinking it was dull. I was slabbing off about 20 to 28", dumping lots of water on the blade to keep it cool. This Ponderosa is pretty hard. I just remembered that my belt tensioner had flipped loose so that was probably the culprit.
So, Thursday morning I marked up the log to show what I was planning to get. A 8x12 from the middle with two 8x10s and four 6x6s. I was dreading putting the next sharp band on but to my surprise, it went on in 30 seconds! A good sign, so I thought. :-\
As I was razing the head and lining up the band for the first (top) cut, it stopped about 1/4" from the line. Hmmm, press the button again. It groans and move 1/8". Hmmm, press the button again and POP! Not a good sound. I lower the head a little and it falls about 1/2" like the chain skipped a tooth. Try to raise and it goes up and drops 1/2" repeatedly. After looking around, it seems I hit the top end limit (hard frame) and sheared off a tooth in my right angle gearbox. So I have one on order. Hopefully it comes in next week and I can get back to work!
In the meantime, I jacked up each end of the log in turn and busted off about 1.5" of bark and set it back down. So when the new gearbox is installed, I'm ready to cut.
My brother Chris and I have old tractors, dozers and loaders.
We use the term seat time vs wrench time.
The older the machine the more the latter.
Jon
I guess now you know how big of a log you can saw. My saw has been sitting idle for almost 2 weeks because I broke my tractor loader cylinders trying to move a log that was too big for me to lift. Gonna be next week before I get the repaired cylinders back.
Update 9/20/20:
Got my new/replacement gear box and finally a nearly smokeless day so I headed up to install as well as receive a load of cedar.
I finished up the log I started above with a new blade (you can guess what happened...). I had to take off a 6" extra cut for the first cut since I could not get high enough. Ignore the wavy cut on the right - that was a previous problem noted above. The new cut is absolutely flat with no waves in a 24" wide cut!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200920_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600666616)
From here, I flipped the log over to make the opening cut - another perfect cut about 16" wide. I also pushed the saw faster to bog the engine down a bit to see how well it tracked and no ill effects. So, my guides are working as they should and diving is either dull blades or belt tension.
Next cut 6" down (third cut with this new band) and that sickening sound of cutting metal - left the stop up too high ::) But, I continued that cut (after lowering the stops) and the parting of three 8x12 from the center cant and freeing the four 6x6 railing posts. Just a slight wave/dives that shows the effect of a dulled blade.
Over on another thread about how do you store your cant/peavy, I thought this up:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200920_c.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600666618)
I have a few "junk" umbrella holders laying around and thought "simple, portable and quick!" That cheap looking peavy is a Timber Tough ($67 on Amazon) I picked up on BidRL for $5 so I won't feel back if it breaks or doesn't work well. But it is nice and short for the mill.
My RE agent got me in touch with another logger. I got a load of "old growth" cedar that should give me what I need to complete the porch. He snuck this in the load. Something like 36" and weighs a LOT. It took my SkyTrac for a little ride when I pulled it off the logging truck.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200920_d.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600666627)
It is 16½' long. I could probably get 5 of my 5x18 beams out of it but it would also be neat to get a big slab for my dining table and/or counter top/island. I need to go back and check my max width (and height) again. It makes the other good-sized logs look like toothpicks. ;)
I put the 6x6's on stickers - almost couldn't lift one end on these - very green wood. The 8x12s will need to go another day - I was pooped.
I'll return later in the week to start sawing!
Good to see you getting things done. Hope none of those fires are close to you.
That big one would make me run. ;D
Update 9/28-30/20:
I spent 9/22, 9/24, 9/28 & 9/29 working on the cedar logs. If OGH wants to run the numbers through his app to get the BF, but here is what I got from the toolbox (doubling 16' numbers to get 33'):
1) 41/42 -16'6" 1280
2) 28/33 - 16'6" 584
3) 25/33 16'6" 462
4) 19/27 16'6" 260
5) 20/26 33' 600
6) 18/28 33' 464
7) 21/20 33' 642
8 ) 17/25 33' 410
Total of 4,702 bd-ft
and to round out the load, one 21/30 33' Ponderosa at 642 bf ft
I worked on logs 6,7 & 8 over the 4 days.
Starting with log 7, I was not too happy with my purchase. The pine I bought before are really nice logs. This new logger kept touting how great his cedar was (old growth, nothing better, yada yada) it should have raised some red flags. Anyhow, the first log must have been a top log - lots of big branch knots at the top end. Out of a 33' log, I got one 5x18x13' beam free of knots (usable length but not ideal) and a handful of 1x boards with lots of knots. A check/split (from dropping the tree?) wasted a lot of wood. Not off to a good start.
Log 6 was up next and I got a full 33' beam, two 16½' beams (from the butt end) and a lot of 1x18x12' boards. Once they dry, I will resaw them down to 1x10s. I didn't want to do it green as I would expect them to crook when they dry. A pretty good yield - much better.
Log 8 was interesting. I made it a point that I didn't want anything less than 20" SED, yet I got two. :-\ This one had both blue and orange spray paint on it. I'm assuming the blue is a cut tree? The orange was on this big nail and a few feet below it was this big spike I found when bibbying (note the chainsaw nick) and the two little nails for a sign?
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200929_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1601480847)
Quick scan around the log and no others. So I thought... Once I opened the other sides, I started slicing off 1x material to get down to my beam(s). Deep in, I found more so the grand total:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200929_d.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1601480856)
All the while, yellow jackets keep checking out my water drip and the bark area as I cut. Initially I thought they were looking for water. Then I see them crawling in grub holes. They finally found what they were looking for:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200929_c.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1601480849)
When I got closer they would fly away. They were pulling out the bark beetle grubs! So out of this log, I got two 32' beams and a dozen 1x boards. Grand total of 1,580 bd-ft, scaled at 1,510 or so.
The remaining 33' log has a bit of crook (and knots) at the top end so a full beam is unlikely. Three of the 16'6" logs look real good. The giant 16'6" log will be a big problem. I will have to bibby off a bit to fit on my mill.
What I think this logger did was take all the mill rejects and sell them for top dollar to me. I don't think I'll be using him in the future.
Updates for 10/3-10/4 and 10/7-10/8:
My son had an overnight camp that I dropped him off at on Saturday morning, 10/3. That gave me the afternoon and part of Sunday morning to get something done. I put up this log and milled it up:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20201008_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1602390985)
The mill is maxed out in height (the black diagonal braces are touching the grey guide blocks on the head. I milled some boards out of the slab cut off the top. I ended up making FOUR 5x18x16' beams and a ~3" x 18" center board with a crack in it. Also a lot of 1x wall boards. As I was finishing up this log, I noticed some sparks coming from the v-belt pulley that was rubbing on the frame uprights. Not good.
So this last Wednesday I did some maintenance/housekeeping. I moved the drive wheel about 1/2" to the left and had to make an allowance in the idle wheel tensioning setup so I could loosen it enough to get a blade on. Also replaced a couple radiator hose elbows on the SkyTrak that developed some leaks. Also and the SkyTrak, the exhaust shoots straight down and stirs up a ton of dust when I drive around. So I put a 90° elbow to shoot out the back - a lot cleaner air now!
Thursday morning, I put on another log (cut down to 27'6") to try and get a long beam. The top end was bent and slightly small so I had my doubts. I managed to get a stack of 1x boards (I still need to edge) and TWO 5x18 beams. Its amazing that this was the worst looking log but got the most out of it. There is a little bit of wane on the bottom at the very end but that will be in the cantilevered section of the deck. My sister came up to help mid-morning. After we moved all the beams aside, I sighted down the rails and had her crank the different jacks up and down to get the tracks dead flat again. Then, one after another, reloaded trimmed, flipped and trimmed them all to size and dead straight. My property is far from flat so the only place to put these were up on the sills.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20201008_b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1602390981)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20201008_c.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1602390994)
I need 7 full length beams. I got 5 so the remaining 6 half-beams will lapped to make up the missing 2 (2 half-beams extra). The one short beam that looks to be too tall is actually resting on an anchor bolt holding the sill. The closest beam is a little thick and will be placed as the 3rd and will support the stairs that will go down on the camera's right. The remaining 5 beams will be flush with the right support wall to provide head room on the stairs.
Monday, all the beams will be taken down and trimmed to final length, the short ones will have the laps cut into them, one at a time. It looks like the center sill is just a tad high so I will plane down as necessary where the beams will be sitting. I will put a piece of 6" Fortiflex rubber flashing on the sills where the beams cross and screw them down with one diagonal 12" timber screw, per the plans. Then on Tuesday, put Fortiflex down the top of the beams where the boards will sit and load up all the 4x10 boards. Since the boards will be held down from the bottom (no screw hole in the top), I'm hoping these boards will last a LONG time.
It's nice to see you making some progress. 8)
Update 10/12-14/2020:
Slight change of plans. First, I made a timber wrench to help out setting up the beams for the deck.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20201012.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1602741306)
But, I forgot to load it in my truck... ::) So I will recut the notch for 8" beams.
I spent Tuesday finishing up a dozen jacket boards trimming them into 1x10s and then pulling down all the beams to cut to length. Four half-beams needed lap joints cut in one end of each. I also discovered that the center sill was cut 1/2" thicker than the outside ones. So I trimmed out a notch for each beam. Very tight space to stack/store the beams!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20201013_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1602741306)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20201013_b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1602741314)
Wednesday my sister came up for the day to help. I positioned the SkyTrak and had her, after a short training session, adjust the beams in/out, left/right. No major mishaps! ;) I secured the beams to the sills with the one required 12" x 3/8" GRK screw at each crossing. I need to bring up my big DeWalt impact gun to drive a few stubborn one all the way in that my 1/2" drill could not finish driving. But, they really hold well! I was surprised.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20201014.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1602741312)
The extra long sills will be trimmed off at 6" past the last beam. I will install 6x6 cedar railing posts on each with an additional post between. That won't happen until I set up my bents as this will be used as a building platform.
As a side note, I was using my new-to-me Onan generator to power my saw and drill. I made up a very long remote start/stop switch so neither of us had to run to start or stop it. So nice! But, that generator sure likes to drink!
Didn't get the floor boards up, but another day and the 600 brackets with 2,400 screws will be installed. Well, maybe 2 days.
Update 10/16-17/20:
Went back up Friday and trimmed the front 4 beams to length. Not sure how but they ended up 1"
too long. So I had to use my big Makita 16" beam saw. I was cutting down vertically - the weight of this monster saw worked to my advantage but wore me out! Then I put on the Fortiflash.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20201016_b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1603076753)
Here is the stack of deck boards:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20201016_c.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1603076763)
Ended Friday with half the boards laid out:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20201016_d.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1603076761)
and moved the remainder over so I can lay out the rest in the morning.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20201016_e.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1603076769)
I started Saturday out laying out the rest of the deck boards and lining up the first board. My sister showed up mid-morning and we got to work! All the boards are attached with these brackets and we were done by late-afternoon:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20201017_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1603076773)
Hard to make out but the beam on the right is the front one and I did not want brackets showing so I put them all on the inside
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20201017_b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1603076775)
All the boards trimmed up:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20201017_c.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1603076778)
I have all the boards attached to the front 6 beams. I need to push the back beam upright and then attach it to the deck boards to hold it in place.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20201017_d.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1603076787)
There is a small hill south of the cabin site - standing up there looking down. The box truck on the right is the one behind my sawmill:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20201017_f.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1603076796)
Next up is to put the final 3 boards on the right (over the rocks, behind the tree) and the boards that will make up the stair landing on the left as well as the fascia boards to close up the ends.
Its looking good John. Is this deck going to be under a roof and what is it all built with? WRC?
No, uncovered. Looking back over my engineer's notes for the snow load calc, he used 415 lb/sq-ft. That's why the beams are 18" (my original pick) by 5" over the 11' span and spaced 22" OC. I wanted substantial boards so I went with 4x material. The wood is Incense Cedar and is very rot resistant in my observations of felled old wood. This is on the south side were the prevailing winds come from so I don't expect there to be huge accumulations. Worst single event was 10' of snow in 2 days followed by 13" of rain a couple of years back. Generally, it is a foot or two per storm and very high winds blowing it into drifts on the lee side. Average yearly accumulation is 12'.
Update 10/21/20:
Fit the remaining 3 boards on the east side of the deck and cut up boards to make 4 short (54") planks for the stair landing. Then trimmed the back side of all the boards. About 12' x 29' with a 54"x46" landing on the right. Looking south:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20201021_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1603344169)
Looking west:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20201021_b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1603344170)
Getting closer to the tree tops! I think my phone camera lens is getting a bit scratched...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20201021_c.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1603344177)
I just need to install the 2" 'fascia' boards on the east and west ends of the beams and trim the sill boards to their final length. I've pre-installed all the GA-1's to mount the fascia boards. Out of the 600 GA-1's I purchased, I have 65 63 left over. Screws came in boxes of 500, so I bought 2,500. I have about 350 300 left.
Looks great!
Update 10/23/2020:
I have one of those Jackson contractor wheelbarrows, the blue metal ones. For some reason, I left it where it wasn't supposed to be. So there was a showdown between my 23K lb SkyTrak and a 30 lb wheelbarrow. Well, the wheelbarrow took a pretty good hit and got a little bit bent, but it took out the SkyTrak... As I pulled forward (still didn't know I hit it), the steering was sluggish and wanted to return to neutral. I leaned out and looked over the front, nothing strange. Looked to the rear and oil everywhere. The wheelbarrow hit a small hydraulic T in the steering ram circuit and cracked it at the threads. ::)
So that was an hour or so trying to find a part up there in the middle of nowhere.
The plan for the day was to take down a big stack of cedar 1x's to get to the pair of 2x18's at the bottom to close up the beam ends on the porch. That pile in there:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20201017_c.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1603076778)
I did have an undersized beam ( 4-3/8 x 18 ) sitting out so, to save time, I just decided to split that on the mill and put those up. Nice to have a helping hand working again ;)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20201023_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1603552375)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20201023_b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1603552377)
But I still de-stacked/flat-stacked the cedar. I have 6 1x8's, 43 1x10's and 20-25 1x18's (some with splits and lots of knots). I'll rip them down into pairs of 1x8's or salvage a 1x10. I'll do that next trip up and band/tarp them for next year.
10/29/2020:
Back at it on Thursday. I had a 16.5' x 28" log sliced up into cants - 3@8x12 and 2@6x24. Left one as a 8x12 and reduced the other two into 8x8s. The 6x24s were turned into ten 4x6s that I cut in half (8') for brace stock. Lost a couple due to wain. Will lose a few more due to some big knots. Also had a pair of 2x8s from side wood. So 704 bd-ft of usable product from one log. When cutting one of the 6x24s down, I was rolling one 4x6 and it took a weird bounce and smacked my right ring finger tip. Ouch, swelled up like cartoon hammer-smacked thumb! Still swollen and hard today and a bit purple.
I finished up my Mare & Colt saw horse pair and put them up on my new deck (only open, flat place to work). Put the three posts up there and laid out the 8x12 and cut the four brace pockets. Also opened up my timber wrench to fit 8" timbers. Wow, makes easy work rotating, no marks and the timber doesn't get out of control like a cant hook as they tumble.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20201029_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1604105203)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20201029_b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1604105203)
Just have to cut the tenons on each end after cutting to length.
You might put up some temp handrails. Would hate to hear you fell off that deck.
Yeah, thought about that. I'd have to do just corner posts and a cable with a quick-disconnect. Need the center to be open to fork up the posts and beams. Its only a 10' drop to moon dust ;)
Update 11/11/2020:
We had a couple little cold storms blow through. The CalTrans traffic cameras were down so I couldn't see how much was coming down or what the totals were. The weather guys were saying about 6" further up the hill from me. I wanted to cut a beam and try and get the bottom half of a bent up. Here's what I was greeted with this morning when I got there:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20201111.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1605141426)
There was 3-4" on the ground and it was 24° at 7:30 am. I brought my little trailer up to bring my mill head home for the winter/rebuild but couldn't load it because I couldn't move the SkyTrak. So, I left it up there and took my flatbed home at noon time after I packed away some other things for the winter.
Predicting a little more snow this weekend and then rain Thanksgiving week. Maybe I'll have another chance to work this year.
Update 11/20/2020:
I went up on the 20th with high hopes and a Plan B. The weather had been warm (down here) and LOTS of rain up there. Apparently, after the tail end of the rain storm, the temp dropped and it snowed a little (2"?) and froze as lumpy ice on the road. Drive-able for my truck not so for my SkyTrac.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20201120_A.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1606766347)
Plan B was to burn my slab stacks. Was 4 pallets stacked up to 7' high. Melted all the snow around there!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20201120_B.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1606766353)
While sitting there, eating my lunch, saw some movement...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20201120_C.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1606766365)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20201120_D.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1606766355)
He just froze and watched as I snapped a few pictures.
On Thanksgiving day, I was looking on CraigsList Farm and found this! Glad I brought the flat bed down the hill.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20201127_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1606766361)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20201127_b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1606766369)
An old stainless steel dairy farm milk "silo". It is 6' in diameter and was originally 6' tall but someone added another 28" or so making it 8'4". I calculate that out as ~1,800 gallons. With that capacity and the amount of time we will probably spend at the cabin over the winter, I shouldn't have to run the well pump when below freezing - though I probably could as very little pipe is above ground (~3' at the well head).
I am in the process of cleaning it up. The white paint on the outside is flaking off (will remove all). I pulled the lid and there was about 1/2 gallon of dust/dirt along with three dead paper wasp nests. They probably got started in the spring and then got cooked in the summer. ;D Inside, the bottom 1/3 or so has/had a layer of white, hard residue - like calicum - on the walls that is chipping off fairly easy. One of the 6 legs was cut off flush with the bottom that I need to replace. I will sand down the angle iron legs and rings to repaint them silver to match/blend in. This will be stored in "the pit" at the back of my basement.
Update 12/8/2020:
After a couple weeks of unseasonably warm weather down here, I figured the snow should be gone up at my property. Right at the freeway exit there was snow on the side of the road :-\ My camera wasn't working first thing so I couldn't get a before picture. There was still a 2" layer of crunchy, icey snow. So I spread my burn pile ashes to give traction and hopefully some solar gain when the sun hits it later in the day.
Well, a nice plan but here is just after 12:00
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20201208.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1607525501)
Two little windows of sun poking through the trees. I did, however, manage to drive on it with the SkyTrak and completed some final winterizing. Even was able to trim a 8x12x12' down to a 8x10.
Glad you were able to do your winter prep chores. Nice find on the tank!
Update 12/11/2020:
I spent the last week cleaning up and painting the tank (just the black angle iron on the lid, the legs and the two silver angle iron rings - the rest is stainless steel). A big storm was predicted to move in yesterday (Saturday) and today so I went up with my fishing buddy to move my tank up before I couldn't. Still no snow melt during the week despite a warming trend. We went up Friday and now I'm fully winterized. Here is the tank stuffed in along with all my other toys.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20201211.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1607916008)
As we were leaving around 2 pm on Friday, there were some flakes floating down. Saturday gave a little snow (couple inches) but today it dumped all day and expected to continue through the night. Probably a foot at my place.
Update 3/10/21:
Haven't trekked up the hill in quite some time. Lots of little snow storms. Had one blow through today. This is the hill a bit lower than my property. Snow accumulated all the way down to 2,500'.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210310__WhitmoreGrade.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1615428074)
One year ago (3/15/20) it looked like this.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20200315b__WhitmoreGrade.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1584294130)
The News just said the ski resort just above my property got 30" of snow so far this week. That means I got at least half that much.
Update 5/14/2021:
I've been working through the winter (when not helping my buddy with his rental repairs) on my sawmill. I did a total rebuild of the head and a little on the carriage that you can see here: Sawmill update (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=84444.msg1821510#msg1821510)
I went up on Thursday with my cement mixer and temporary staircase on my flatbed trailer. The goal for the day was to get the water working, reinstall the pump in the bath house, replace the seat on the SkyTrak, make a pad for my camping trailer and unpack all the stuff stored under the deck.
I started on the water system. Last fall I was filling gallon jugs to have this spring just in case I couldn't get the pump going right away. Well, I forgot to open the drain when I was done so a little freeze damage. I cut the left end off so I could unscrew everything. It split from one end to the other.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210513.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1621054214)
I didn't have one needed fitting and no glue so I just pieced what I had together (semi-jamb fit) and that allowed me to fill my 330 gallon tank in just over 2 hours. I was able to hook up everything in the bath house without any issues :)
I got one of those warehouse rolling stair things for free. It was a damaged unit, held together with that special OSHA approved strapping tape. I took off the tower part that was badly mangled and saved the stairs and railing. I reassembled the railing and used the SkyTrak to install and it works pretty well for a temporary access to the deck/first floor.
Next up was the seat. I got it off but no match up with the new seat. So I headed home to butcher the old seat to use as a mounting adapter for the new seat.
Back with glue and needed fitting today to finish the well hookup and install the seat. The well is now good. The seat slider doesn't work (too tight) but a lot more comfortable and won't be getting a wet rear from the exposed foam on the old one after rains. I decided to pull the new water tank out from under the deck. A little finagling with the SkyTrak and I got it out and set up out of the way.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210514a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1621054216)
Comparing to the ladder, its about 12' tall.
So on to making a trailer pad for my pop up trailer (My neighbors that let me use their cabin that last few years sold and moved to Oregon). After about an hour of popping rocks, leveling and rolling, I got it to a point I'm happy.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210514b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1621054227)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210514c.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1621054234)
And its close to the bath house. But, pulling away I heard a leak and then started to see hydraulic fluid spraying in the engine next to me. This section of my dirt road should stay dust-free for a while!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210514d.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1621054240)
I pulled the short hose and ran it down the hill to drop off at the hydraulic shop. Will be ready Monday first thing.
Update 6/2/2021:
I went back up with the hydraulic hose on Wednesday, 5/23 and used the SkyTrak to get the trailer into its pad.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210526.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1622677388)
And then popped it up on Friday, 5/29.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210529_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1622677392)
I planned to stay up for two nights.
I had gathered two pieces of one cedar tree and rescued a section of another cedar tree out of the campground's dump.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210519_j.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1621485643)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210529_b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1622677413)
Early Saturday morning, I realized I left all my sawmill blades at home, Doohh! So a quick hour home and hour back. A short while after I got back, my Niece's husband (Justin) arrived to mill all the cedar up into 2x4's and 1x4's for a fencing project at his place.
This was the trial run of my rebuilt mill. Had a few issues that I documented here: Another Sawmill Build (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=84444.msg1825899#msg1825899)
But, was successful in finishing up the logs by Sunday lunchtime. I had planned on milling a big cross beam from one of my Ponderosa logs sitting since last fall but a needed repair on the mill prevented that. Since I had a spotter, I decided to take down a few of the dead firs now threatening my cabin. I had once thought they would make good beams but my milling/drying experience with fir changed my mind. You could smell the fermentation going on in these logs once I started cutting. They all fell where I wanted with the top third of the most uphill log exploding when it hit the ground. Pretty rotted out.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210529_c.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1622677405)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210529_e.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1622677422)
Justin did a great job of piling the branches in the burn pile almost as fast as I was trimming them off. Now I just have to wait until December or January when they lift the burn ban :-\
It is so good to see you back on the hill again. 8)
I'm looking forward to some big progress this summer, John.
Update 6/17/2021:
Went up today with the redone mill lift system - upgraded from 1/2" to 3/4" ACME rods and the chain path to keep it from hopping sprocket teeth. I had the butt end of one of the cedars and used it as a test. I decided to cut it thick and made 4 slabs ranging from 3" to 4-¼" thick. The first two are book matched and have a very interesting grain pattern. It looks like the sapling got bent over 90° and didn't spring back. The tree continued to grow and righted itself encapsulating this bit of history.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210617_Slab_1a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1623996710)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210617_Slab_2a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1623996769)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210617_Slab_3a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1623996831)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210617_Slab_4a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1623996886)
I'm going to try and sell these green on CraigsList. If they don't go, they should dry out over the summer and I'll make some coffee tables or mantels. It was 96° at 9pm and now down to 87 at 11:30. :-\ Who needs a kiln with weather like this!
Update: 6/19/2021 - 7/18/2021
Last October, I finished up the posts for the "north" bent first floor but November 11th snow put a stop to the work. The guy I got a load of cedar from (ALL full of iron) also included one nice Ponderosa pine. Back on June 19th, I milled that up for the 8x16x24' beam for that bent. Turns out, that tree also had a lot of metal :( But, was successful in getting the beam. I had to put all the brace and joist pockets in and then place it up on the cabin first floor joists.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210709_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1626672043)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210709_b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1626672050)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210619_c.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1626672051)
Three large nails near the center of the log.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210619_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1626672032)
Cut the end off and ended up being my new landing/steps into my bath house. Got to make lemonade, right?
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210619_b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1626672031)
I went up July 9 to drop my son off and a 9 day camp and lined up the three post and one beam and a bunch of braces for the first bent. I had help show up 7/10 where we test fit posts with braces and then assembled the bent, raised it up with the SkyTrak and put it in place.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210710_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1626672058)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210710_c.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1626672066)
Had a little issue with the north-west post sitting down so persuaded it with the SkyTrak.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210710_b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1626672061)
Went to assemble the second bent on Sunday but discovered I put some brace pockets in the wrong place :-\ On the first bent, I miss-placed the 5x8 loft joist pockets by 1/2". Not a big deal so I combined the first bent beam with the second to keep the joist in line, switching back and forth between the pages. I used the bottom brace measurements from the first beam on the second. ::)
So during the week fixed that and cut some more braces.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210717_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1626672088)
I had help 7/17 (three of us in total) and raised the second bent. Lessons learned from the first go made this bent go up a bit faster. Sunday morning two of us trimmed up three of the nine 5x9x11' joists to fit in the joist pockets between these bents for the loft.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210718_b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1626672104)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210718_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1626672095)
I have a total of 38 pockets to cut for the joists so I cheated a bit with power tools. I made this jig and used my router to cut the 1½" deep pockets in three passes.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210716_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1626672082)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210716_b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1626672080)
Just a little cleanup squaring the corners and cutting the final pocket depth of 8".
On track to have bent three (of five) up this coming weekend.
Good to see the first bents go up! Congratulations.
Yay, it's good to see stuff standing up!!! 8)
Update 7/24-29/2021:
Worked at getting the 3rd bent ready to go up. Brought up my "Roust-a-bout" to help where the SkyTrak cannot reach. We test fit every post with it's braces before assembling the bent on 7/24:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210724_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1627625901)
It can lift a load up to 1,500 pounds 15' up. The side posts were green and probably several hundred pounds.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210724_b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1627625902)
Checking the center post last. Only to find out I cut the brace pocket in the wrong place. Done for the day!
On 7/28, I trimmed and fit the 6 remaining 5x9 joists for the loft above the two bedrooms. Sorry, new phone and trying to get the exposure right (Auto is not the correct choice!):
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210728_a.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1627626249)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210728_b.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1627626224)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210728_c.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1627626243)
This morning, I cleaned up the cutoffs from the beam and made fourteen 4x6x8' brace stock. Then I spent an hour horsing this log onto the mill and re-leveling the mill...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210729.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1627621063)
(still the wrong exposure...) I made a few starting cuts and this will become a 10x16x26' beam and two 8x10x15' posts with some side wood (likely brace/girt stock), all FOH. To be finished this weekend.
Update 8/14-15/2021:
So, got the new center post cut and pocketed last week for bent #3 as well as the beam and 3 posts for bent #4. Had enough side wood to make four of the five 5x9x12' floor joist for the second bay (only half of the width for the loft).
Saturday morning, got going at 9 and had the bent up pretty quick. Made the decision to install the loft floor joist and do bent #4 after. Got done about 6 putting the joists up so called it a day. No real issues, just takes so much longer than it does in my head ;)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210814_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1629138152)
Sunday, re-positioned plywood for our work area and started with the usual: Test fit posts and their braces prior to assembling the bent. Roust-a-bout makes this quite a bit easier. West post first:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210814_b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1629138153)
Note bent 3 in the background that the center post only has one brace on the left side. The staircase will be on the right side of the post so no brace to smack your head on ;) After it plugs all the way in the sill mortise, pull it up and put the braces in.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210814_c.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1629138158)
Did the east side then the middle post.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210814_d.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1629138157)
No final picture (quit after 6pm again) but had issues getting it all to set in place. Its up with the east side down snug. The center is up about 1/2" and the west side an inch and plan to go up Tuesday to get it down and strapped in with the Simpson straps.
No, it was not overcast. That is smoke from the fires in the area. Winds are supposed to pick up today and blow it out to you guys back east.
This is exciting !! 8)
Update 8/17-19/2021:
No pictures again. There was a large splinter of wood that got stuck under the center post preventing it from setting down. I was able to cut it out with a sawsall and push the slivers out. Put a two ratchet straps on the west post to pull it back up plumb and the center post settled down into its pocket. Then I yanked alternately on the two straps to rock the west post until it, too, settled into its mortise. Added all the Simpson straps and done. Took about an hour or so. Finished up the 2-½ days up there by finishing the last beam cuts and one of the three posts. Waiting on a couple loads of logs to be delivered. Hopefully hear tomorrow when.
This is awsome progress, John. Looking good.
Really looking good and a lot of progress.
Are you going to be able to get closed in to some degree before winter shuts you down?
Really enjoying watching your build. Thanks for the updates.
Waiting on a couple loads of logs. The plan is to get all the beams and rafters up and then tarp the whole thing with a section of a horse riding arena tarp. Super heavy duty. I'll put grommets in every 3 feet or so and tie or screw it down as needed.
Great progress! Things are really coming together and looking good. I am enjoying your build thread.
Quote from: ljohnsaw on August 21, 2021, 10:09:14 PM
The plan is to get all the beams and rafters up and then tarp the whole thing with a section of a horse riding arena tarp. Super heavy duty. I'll put grommets in every 3 feet or so and tie or screw it down as needed.
If you are still looking into tarp options, here is a possibility -
https://www.repurposedmaterialsinc.com/billboard-vinyls/
I tried several of those guys but they either never called back or didn't have any on hand at the moment. I picked up a covered riding arena "tarp" free off of CL. They cut it into 3 pieces to remove and I took two of them. They about bottomed out my truck springs with the helper springs - well over 1,500 pounds. The "small" one made a 40' 5th wheel camper cover (front/back & sides, too), a 22' boat cover, several LARGE lumber stack covers and a bunch of small equipment covers. I saved the largest just for this. IIRC, it is something like 60' x 90' - it filled up the cul-de-sac that I live on. When rolled up, it takes two to drag it and a truck crane to lift it!
CL is definitely your friend!!
Im excited to see your progress! Your land is beautiful and this is inspirational for me. Thanks!
10/19/2021 update:
Been awhile. I was waiting on logs to finish up the last bent and start making beams. With the fires now and the last couple of years, the loggers have filled up the mills so no work for them. But no loggers for me, either. They went off to fight fires. Back the end of September, I pulled my camper trailer home and started to winterize. One thing I do is drain my water system - 330 gallon tank & 400' of water line. Down at the bottom of the hill is my septic field and a water spigot. When I went down to open the spigot on October 6th, I found this:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20211006.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1634704340)
This is the distribution box - effluent comes in by the board and goes out to two leach lines on the left. I think a bear sniffed it out and decided to take a peek.
I had to take up all the working plywood since the snow would destroy my floor joist if I didn't.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20211007_a~0.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1634704552)
I covered the tops of my beams to seal up the brace pockets and post mortises that are cut in them.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20211007_b~0.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1634704484)
I was too tired to finish up the winterizing. Then I got side tracked and bought an industrial tractor which delayed me doing what I was supposed to be doing. I went up today to finish. There was a small storm that passed by on Sunday night. A neighbor up there took some pictures on Monday but I think a little more snow fell last night. This is what I found this morning:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20211019_a.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1634704588)
About 6" total.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20211019_b.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1634704617)
That would be a show stopper for the SkyTrak and it's bald tires. But, I have a new toy and was able to scrape the snow away.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20211019_d.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1634704666)
The tractor earned a place under cover!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20211019_c.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1634704641)
No more milling/building until spring. Still hoping to get some logs in this fall if the snow melts enough for my logger to make a delivery. Unfortunately, there is a series of storms coming through this week. :(
Thank You for the Fall shutdown update and I am already ready for your Spring thaw edition. 8)
A friend who lives in Truckee posted pics of early season snow, so I assumed when I saw your post that it would have some snow too. Some significant progress made this year. I'm looking forward to next year.
Good summer season with progress made. Your stable of tools increased which will aid with future production!
We used a 1" pipe to run water down the hill from a spring. I'd fill a tank I carried on the grapple and then gravity feed it into the camper. Well a bear decided it would be fun to chew on the end of the 1" pipe. He made several new holes where there should not have been any.
Quote from: samandothers on October 20, 2021, 10:15:43 AMWell a bear decided it would be fun to chew on the end of the 1" pipe.
I have chipmunks that think its fun to chew up my PVC. Stupid tree rats.
Back on 10/10, I hauled my tractor 100 miles from Vacaville to my property. I parked in the big paved lot of the campground to unload. I went in the office to let them know what I was doing. When I came out, a worker was "talking sternly" to what I thought was a dog in the housekeeping shed (that she was in). Turned out to be a bear cub. I yelled over to her to do it with meaning - yell as loud as you can and just repeat "bad bear, git bear," etc. It wandered out and another popped out of the laundromat adjoining that room. They were pretty young and I was looking for mama bear - never saw her. They proceeded over to the office and knocked over the trashcan and rummaged through it. Finally wandered off. Very bad bears - not afraid of humans. When I started my diesel tractor up, then they finally left.
Been a great read for a topic I just found. Thanks for recording it all.
See you in the spring!
12/14/21 update:
Well, we had our big "atmospheric river" event over the last few days. Its been a LONG while since we had one of those. In the last 3 days or so over 3.5" of rain at my house. Was supposed to get 48" of snow up at the cabin. This is on the road home 500' elevation below:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20211214__WhitmoreGrade.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1639526535)
So, done till the big melt somewhere between late April and early July. The next traffic camera up the hill is about 10 miles past my place and happens to be at nearly the same elevation. But that one is "temporarily off line", as are the next 5 cameras going over the summit. They were supposed to get over 6 feet of snow up there. More coming Wednesday night through Thursday evening and another round starting on Monday. This might make a dent in our drought.
Update 12/29/21
Lots of wet, heavy snow in lower elevation took down lots of big trees not used to that kind of loading. Lots of power outages on the west slope of the Sierras. Latest traffic cam shows a pretty high snow bank on the downhill side of I80.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20211229_WhitmoreGrade.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1640808111)
The lit trucks you see are snow plows #2 & #3 that went by when I pulled up this camera. That snowbank is nearly as high as a semi. Its still coming down hard and will be for the night. Next storm starts on Monday.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20211019_d.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1634704666)
This is October 19th for reference. Note the silver water tower/tank, the height of the deck (10'). Below is from this morning that my neighbor took for me. the left blue arrow is the tank. The right arrow I think is the stump of a dead tree that I'm hoping the winds blew towards the camera and not towards the cabin :( The snow looks to be within 2 feet of reaching the deck so a good 8 foot there. On top of the deck, it looks like it is pretty close to being the same height as the tie beams (10' up) but I did leave a couple beams up there covered with tin so maybe only 8 feet up there as well.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20211229_notes.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1640846515)
To the left of the left arrow is a dark small shed and to the left of that is my work shed/storage. It has a single slope roof that you can see the open end of here. The horizontal dark line looks to be the top of the box truck - a little over 8 feet tall.
John, just found this thread yesterday and it's incredible to read though 7-8 years of steadfast work like this. I'm over the summit from you in the Sierra Valley area and will hopefully be getting a barn built this Summer. Like you, I mostly have have Doug Fir, Ponderosa Pine and Incense Cedar to pull from on my property. You mentioned some struggles with milling Doug Fir, are you using mostly Pine for the posts and beams? My initial thought was to use Doug Fir for everything structural and pine for everything else. Did you have to jump through any hoops with getting your lumber graded for the inspection?
My engineering requirements are a bit more lax than yours and I only have to design for 110PSF on the snow load (I'll probably shoot for 150, because why not). We got 3-4' with the December storms, looks like your property got quite a bit more. It's amazing how fast snow and rain can pile up when you're West of the Crest! Some of are friends are just down the road from you at Forebay, and they reminded me that Blue Canyon can actually be one of the wettest spots in the state. Anyway, you have property in an amazing part of the Sierras and I'm really looking forward to see this build come together.
Cheers, Hunter
Hunter,
I see you only have 6 posts - welcome to the Forum. Actually, I do NOT have Doug Fir at my elevation - too high. I have White and Red Fir and that is what gave me problems. Now that I have a real tractor, I'll probably harvest some more of my (Ponderosa) Pine from further down on my property. I have a friend (through the Forum) that lives in "Crystal Springs" and water companies buy water from him. He is down the hill from Drum Forebay. He took down a big pine that was in the wrong place and I'll have that hauled up to my place once the snow melts. We missed the chance to get it up before the snow by a couple days. Anyhow, he has got some big DF on his property (both sides of 80) in the 5-6' DBH range.
Ah, good to know, that makes sense! We're just under 5k, but we have stands of old growth red and white firs right up the hill from us. 5-6' DF would be nice, mine are only 1.5'-3'. Glad you found a nice source of local lumber outside of SPI control that you can harvest yourself.
It's amazing what the tree crews are quoting out after Caldor and Dixie. The local guys here wanted the equivalent cost of two new tractors for thinning 10 acres here. I don't blame them for cashing in, but I chose to buy one tractor and a CSM mill instead :)
Back-update 12/30/2021
The picture above was taken by my neighbor. Apparently he has a drone and took the following shots. I don't know if these are screen shots from a video or just stills he took but, in any event, way cool!
8)
Look close, I put some tags on there. There is the shed (mill storage shed), pump & tank (at the west end of the driveway, you can see the 6" pipe with the solar panel on it, facing north!) and SkyTrak (the lump this side of the cabin). Those sills are 10' above the rocks against the foundation walls. That's a good bit of snow. This is looking west and is just after sunrise on the 30th.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20211230_a2.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1641855461)
Looking south and slightly east.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20211230_b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1641855460)
Looking south-east.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20211230_c.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1641855462)
East is up on this one. Tagged the bath house (lower left), the tank and pump house (right bottom corner of the cabin) and the shed (upper right).
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20211230_d2.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1641855462)
Ljohn, I know you are aware of fire danger but your house will not survive when one comes. You need to be clearing more space especially on that south side with the big trees if that is your property. The little trees close by should go too. You've put enough effort into the house now that its going to hurt to lose it.
In the first picture looking west - the trees in front on the left are all dead and coming down. The big pine on the right will likely come down for a main beam. The trees to the left (driveway area) will be cleared as I make my driveway wider there. The trees behind (west) are about 50% white/red fir that are coming out. There are 4 or 5 HUGE cedars that will stay and are about 100' down the hill. All the little stuff around them will come out. The trees on the right (north) behind the bath house will be cleared and the steep hill there is covered with brush (over boulders) that will also be cleared. My goal is a minimum of 100' space around and maybe more on the down hill (west) side.
Glad you have a plan - so many people are clueless
Update 2/16/2022:
Took a drive up yesterday with my sister to just take a look around. One of my neighbors on the main road got broke in and two TVs stolen. No tracks around my place. Nothing is visible from the road - there is a little hill between the road and me. When my cabin it done, the top might be visible.
Anyhow, how it looks out there now:
After nearly 40 days of no precip (except for a light dusting Sunday night), the 8' of snow is down about half way. Very crusty top, only punching through a little where the snow was mostly shaded all day and didn't develop a crust.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220216_b.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1645149095)
The main goal was to retrieve the front left tire off my Ford. It's parked in the left stall under the deck, you can see a bit of the left rear fender. The Gannon box is under the snow. I parked it just before Christmas with the front axle up on blocks so it was just a matter of using my DeWalt impact to pull the 8 lug nuts and lift the ~100 pound tire up the 4' bank of snow right behind the tractor. I used a game sled/toboggan to haul it back to the truck. It has an ever so slight leak at the bead - just enough to be annoying.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220216_a.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1645149094)
Snow predicted Sunday-Tuesday. Maybe another next weekend.
Update 4/20/2022:
In two months, a lot of snow melted. Then lots of mini-storms that dumped about 6" in the last week. There's about a foot in the sunny places and 2-3' in the shade.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220420_a.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1650517600)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220420_b.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1650517599)
Close to starting work...but another 1 to 3 feet predicted by Friday. ::)
I think there is a thread about bad tree form somewhere. This one might be good in another 5 or 6 years to make some crazy slabs!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220420_c.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1650517605)
I bet your ready to get after it! Beautiful and neat tree 👍
Update 5/27/2022:
Kept forgetting to post this. Up a ways is a post about getting some logs from a fellow FF member, Billy. Last of the snow on 5/19:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220519.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1654005401)
Snow finally gone and got a self-loader lined up. Took the help of a big backhoe FEL to load the second one due to the reach for the self-loader.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220528_a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1654005396)
The second log was 37' but we trimmed it back to 35' due to a messy end/fiber pull. That left the "short" butt log of 35' which is 51" BED and 40" SED. The trucker said the onboard scales said it weighed in a 20,000. Took a bit of doing to get the second log on and he was worried that it would be too hard to take off. We also tossed on a 17' and a 10' 3rd and 4th log from this one tree. The rest of the top exploded when it hit the ground last fall. Not bad, 90+' of saw log from one tree! My SkyTrak picked up the far end off the log truck with no issues - the trucker was amazed at the strength of the forklift.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220528_b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1654005398)
Somewhere above is a post with a picture of my camping trailer. Camper Pad (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=66160.msg1825898#msg1825898) The quick spot I made was tight, if you tripped coming out of the camper you'd fall down the hill! Spent some time messing with my new tractor and my old backhoe to pop some mini-boulders out to expand the pad. Heading up tomorrow to finish setting up so I can get at it! Temps still dropping to freezing overnight.
It's good to see you "extracting" both your building project and this topic. 8)
Wow! John, your face must be in the dictionary when people look up "Jack of all trades". You clearly have a multitude of skills, and a boat load of talent. Incredible place you have made for yourself sir. If I could manage the time I'd offer to spend a week or two helping you on your timber frame cabin build. I think it'd be an awesome experience in one of the most beautiful places on Gods green earth.
Update 6/20-22/22:
Among other fun tasks, using the Roust-a-bout to place the 5x9x12' floor joist timbers.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220621_a.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1655992438)
Placed all 5. Four in this front most bay (need one more) and the 5th in the next bay back.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220621_b.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1655992439)
Completed the front 8x12 post joints and cleaned up one corner post I did last year and started on the other corner post. Once that is done (4 brace pockets to go), then I cut the 8 braces to make ready to set the front and final bent in place!
Then on to tackle the big logs and make beams!
Looking great!!!
It's good to see this progress. 8)
Update 6/28-29/2022:
Over the weekend I had a day and a half so I finished up the last of the brace pockets on the corner posts and cut 8 of the 10 braces (actually 3 were "extras" from last fall).
My son volunteered to come up to help all day Tuesday and half day today before he has go to work. So yesterday morning I cut the braces and had him try out the slick to finish up the cuts. He did ok for the first time trying it.
Then we went upstairs to test fit each of the three posts in the sill with their braces. First one was tedious but the other two went quick. Then to fit them into the beam. Those cuts were from last fall and took a bit of trimming to make them fit again. Had that all set up ready to go about 6pm. My son was a little disappointed that I wasn't going to push through and set it up last night. I knew better ;)
So we went out for dinner and called it an early evening. Hit the wood again at 8am. Had it up by 9:30 or 10 after I did a last adjustment to the middle post to beam braces. Then a bit of hand nailing of the straps - 200+ nails.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220629.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1656534563)
Have a few more straps to do on the left post. That's NOT a big check running down the beam. Had a rope on there to keep the end post from slipping off.
Probably going up tomorrow to finish securing. Later in the evening, I'll set my laser level up top so I can mark a level line and see how close my posts are in height. I adjusted nearly each one a bit so I'm hoping pretty close now.
On to the beams!
Fantastic! Great progress and time with the son. I really am enjoying your build.
Update 6/30-7/2/2022:
Used a come-along to pull the post onto the beam while tapping it with my persuader.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220630_a.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1656823965)
Then on to putting the big log on the mill, one end at a time is all the SkyTrak could handle:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220630_b.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1656823961)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220630_c.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1656823977)
This tree was on a STEEP hill and had a bit of a lean. I saw where Billy was caught off guard. There was a cut on one side maybe 12" in. On the other side was maybe a 24" cut. The between 18" or so was just broken/torn with some serious fiber pull. I cut off about 18" off the butt and you can see the pulls. Another 12-18".
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220630_d.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1656823983)
The only problem is when I set this log on the mill, two supports sunk down a good 6" into the ground. I was able to level it up fairly close and took a slice off the top. But I needed to fix the foundation. So out goes the mill and scrape down to the dirt. Spent all day on 7/1:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220701_a.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1656823992)
Maybe a little more:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220701_b.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1656823998)
Then I put down some ties made from my 5x9 loft joist rejects and put the mill back.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220701_c.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1656824008)
For some reason when I raised the head all the way up to get the first slice, the drive side ended up about 2" higher. So I spent the morning resetting it. The slice I took off the day before I milled down into 9 4x6x8' girts/brace stock. Found this little gem:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220702_a.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1656824010)
Then back up with the log flipped over:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220702_b.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1656824022)
Raising the head up I saw it getting wonky again. Looking into it, I finally saw what was going on. My ACME "nuts" are bronze rod about 1.5" long and 1.5" in diameter. I mounted them in some 2" 1/4" wall tube with Allen screws on all four sides. I used cup end screws and tightened them up good. But, they were slipping on the idle side allowing it to lag going up.
So, I ground four flats on each nut (four nuts total) and put everything back together. It was getting late today so I just did the opening cut on the second side. Can't really tell here but the extra bit of widening I did paid off. There was about 1" to spare on the idle side and 2" on the drive side at the butt:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220702_c.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1656824029)
It's actually flat, just had the camera not level. All clear, no knots!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220702_d.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1656824035)
Looking pretty good! Wow! You we're getting things squared away. Hopefully you will get some good wood for the payoff! 💪
Looking great John. Here's to a summer of great progress.
I would sure love to "borrow" some of the weather out there :D it's a killer here for now.
Update 7/4-6/2022:
Hit the log hard. I had the top and bottom "opened" and I decided to take one more 8" slab off the current top.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220704_c.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1657171155)
Stack it somewhere out of the way.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220704_d.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1657171161)
Not many knots!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220704_e.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1657171166)
Time to rotate 90°. First get it off the mill and rotate on the ground.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220704_f.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1657171178)
To get it back on the mill, I have to raise one end as high as the bunks so I can set the other end on the mill. Use an OSHA-approved jenga tower...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220704_g.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1657171179)
After the opening cuts (pieces on the ground).
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220704_h.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1657171193)
And the next 8" slice.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220704_i.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1657171197)
Stack getting bigger.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220704_j.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1657171205)
Time to flip again. This time it's light enough for the SkyTrak to roll on the mill.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220704_k.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1657171206)
Remove the top and there's a nice 8x15x33' ridge beam (half) with some great blue stain!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220705_a.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1657171219)
To be milled tomorrow:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220705_b.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1657171220)
Final stack:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220706_a.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1657171225)
No place level to stack/store so up on the deck it goes.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220706_b.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1657171233)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220706_c.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1657171234)
In there somewhere are two 8x8s, three 8x10s, three 8x12s one 8x15s, three 2x8s and one 1x8 (all 33' long), fifteen 4x6x8' (girts/brace stock) and one 5x9x12 (final loft joist). I calculated 2,573 bdft. Not bad from one log! Would have been a little better but I messed up trying to squeeze the most out of the log and had to downsize a couple timbers when I messed up. Made a pallet stack of firewood about 4' square and over 6' high.
If I use the toolbox, the log was 33'6" with a butt of 43" and a small end of 39". I plugged in 17' length and two small ends of 39 and 41 which gave me a total bdft of 2,757 so maybe I did ok.
AWSOME 👍
Update 7/9-17/22:
I managed to "process" two of the 8x12x~30' beams to be the north half of the east and west wall beams. Not a great picture but shows the scarf joint and some of the post mortises and brace pockets.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220711.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1658101914)
So on to loading the second log from the big tree. 39" x 35' so some serious weight on this one as well. Was able to push/roll/push it to get it lined up to load. Built a much better Jenga tower and set the one end up on that.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220713_a.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1658101926)
Unfortunately, my forks were in just the wrong spot to set it on the mill (right on a log bunk). So another tower to set it down and reset my lift point. Note the safety 2x4 to keep the log from rolling off the right tower. Actually, the tree round was doing good job of holding it.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220713_b.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1658101934)
Half way on the mill.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220713_c.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1658101942)
Ok, on the mill!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220713_d.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1658101950)
Take an opening slice (2-3"?) to target a 17" (small end) to ~25" near end surface.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220713_e.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1658101955)
Then pull a 12" (13" to account for pushing my mill past it's limits and producing ¼" waves) on this 38" wide cut.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220713_f.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1658101967)
Flip the remaining piece and got another 8" cant.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220713_g.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1658101970)
The first cant became a 8x15 and a 2x8, the 12" cant became four 8x12s that had to be resawed to flatten the face that was the original 38" face (top and bottom) that had waves. The final cant became a 8x12 and an 8x8.
Net result was five 8x12s, one 8x15 (center beam half) and not shown an 8x8 and a 2x8 all 35' long. A total of 1,984 bdft. This one took two days to process including cutting up and moving out the firewood.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220715_a.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1658101974)
Three loads of this.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220715_b.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1658101979)
I think my best day ever was just over 1,000 bdft and that was with help so not bad by myself!
where did you get or what is the intended purpose of the long handled scraper in pic # 7. looks handy
Good eye, Doc! That is an "ice scraper" and was used to pop floor tiles up (I think it was wood parquet tiles) that someone was giving away on CraigsList after they were done with their project. So basically brand new. They are also used to remove asphalt roof shingles. It has a fiberglass handle so I am very careful NOT to use it as a pry bar! It has some weight to the head and it works as a hatchet on some tough bits of bark. The edge has a slight bend in it so you get a good amount of leverage under the bark with very little effort. That big log had to be debarked and I spent a hour or so on that before loading on the mill. Pine bark make a good road bed! I leave it on the dusty road and the SkyTrak turns it into micro bark chips rolling over it after it has dried for a day or so.
looks like it may be handy for removing dust on the boards without bending over as well. getting older.
Yep. Like I said, the head is heavy so it removes dust over a long length with very little down pressure and no bending over!
"micro bark chips".
Love it!
I see the 545D with a bucket full of chunked up slabs in it. How's it working out for you?
Lowes had nothing like it but I had other stuff to get and got it. I got a shingle spud about 7 inch wide that may help with bark. still want an upright, sawdust scraper. if you have a brand and part number, may get it on amazon. ;) :)
Andries,
The bark breaks down into 1/8-1/4" bits and don't seem to get smaller as I continue to keep driving over them. They are very comfortable to walk on and, most of all, NO DUST! My soil is horrible moon dust. Once dry, you can try to water it and it just runs off.
I'm getting the hang of the 545D. I moved a lot of dirt from widening my lower driveway (more space to turn the SkyTrak) to the areas on the east and north side of the cabin. There were some "turtle" rocks that were really annoying to drive over and didn't want to hit my front wheel drive line on the tractor (with the cover installed). A couple were pretty high/pointy. I found using low range and 2nd gear to scoop/dig and then switch to the high range, effectively making it 6th gear, to transport works really well.
Quote from: doc henderson on July 18, 2022, 07:47:59 PMLowes had nothing like it but I had other stuff to get and got it.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/20011/IMG_2133.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1650755841)
Try your Ace Hardware. Here is one of mine that recently got a new handle. Both see regular use.
I've scraped acres of subfloor with one of those following the sheetrock guys.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/51041/D228F220-5389-4218-9710-FD00A19785DB.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1658248734)
here is what I got at Lowes for bark peeling and clean up.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/51041/3F2DC4F2-21C0-4EC0-86BD-D2E3D0A1D1EE.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1658248954)
this is what I am looking for. more for scraping sawdust of slabs and boards, with less bending over.
I use a sheetrock taping knife for that: LINK (https://www.lowes.com/pd/Warner-Pro-Grip-10-in-Taping-Knife/50428078)
me too. and i just gave one to Doc Hagley @Cardiodoc (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=51488) and got a new one for myself. a long handle would be nice for slabs on the ground. the sheetrock knife is great on the mill. i can still bend over but why should I? My knife is 14 inches for what it is worth! :o :o :o :) but who is counting? right? :D
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/51041/BFC61835-44DE-4649-9AC1-CADC7A824A06.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1658098063)
I love those big trees! I live in the northeast and everything here as been logged several times over. I see logging trucks everyday and rarely see a log bigger than 20" diameter.
Update 7/22/22:
I spent Tuesday - Friday working on the beams. I took a picture of the end of the South-East beam section (8x12).
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220722_a.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1658639016)
What I wanted to highlight is the divot in the ring patter that can be seen horizontal just below the top edge and then two more running diagonally down to the right in the lower half. When I stripped the bark off (should have taken a picture), there were grooves in the surface that ran from 1" up to 4-5" in length at various places that these represent. Just thought they were interesting.
So I finished the two south halves (31'8" each) that match with the two north halves (25'2") with scarf joints. I put all four sections up on the cross beams.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220722_b.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1658639020)
I have to winch a pair to the far side (west) and then rig up some lifts to pick up both the north and south section and place them with their braces in a slow and controlled manner. Not a job for the SkyTrak, not to mention it can't reach the west side due to the drop in elevation on that side. I plan to use two boat-type winches (that Jeff has some personal, close-up relations with...) for each beam half. All the braces have been already cut.
To be continued next week.
Quote from: ljohnsaw on July 24, 2022, 01:18:59 AMWhat I wanted to highlight is the divot in the ring patter that can be seen horizontal just below the top edge and then two more running diagonally down to the right in the lower half. When I stripped the bark off (should have taken a picture), there were grooves in the surface that ran from 1" up to 4-5" in length at various places that these represent. Just thought they were interesting.
My guess it's the result of an old branch stub that has grown over. It's now all nice clear wood in your beam, but the divot it left in the young tree has remained over the years. The tree lays down a pretty even layer of new growth each year, so the impression is still present after the 50-60 years more that it took to grow the additional clear wood.
It is interesting.
I have seen that, Ianab, but I don't think that is the case here. It starts out normal rings then starts a gradual divot the gets more pronounced as the years go by. The grooves just under the bark are quite numerous around the circumference of the entire log. In some places it had a good hold on the bark.
Where I cut the scarf joint and went through these layers at an angle it is a really great look. Too bad it won't ever be seen again! In my mind's eye, the wood just under the bark is this smooth, even surface. Removing the bark revealed this crazy surface I would never have expected. I've still got the 4th log (lots of branches) and I'll see, and get pictures, of the sub-bark divots if they were up that high in the tree. Maybe some sort of stress thing from growing on the side of the hill?
Back when we got more dougfir ply than syp it was fun to look at the figure, it does some wild things for a simple softwood.
The tallest tree in our woodlot is a 150 ft Douglas Fir and this demonstrates a smooth bark flute (depression or valley) running up the trunk that years ago I thought might have been caused by a lightning strike damaging the fibres underlying the bark but I am not now quite so convinced by this surmise. I will take a photo when next passing same and welcome further thoughts on this observation.
@doc henderson (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=41041) Search "Marshalltown 14-in Steel Scraper with 60-in Handle" on the Lowes Website. It's exactly what you're looking for.
thanks, DW. I looked at Lowes and did not find it. but online it says they have 3 so I will take a copy of the link. and have them look up the location. they told me wither flooring or roofing or in garden. well, there you go. I no longer think anyone really knows what is going on. Even the ones I have known for 15 years there. She was a manager, and now just works there although in pro-sales.
I tried to call the pro-desk, and no one answered. the way of the world right now.
got Julie at the Pro-Desk, and she looked and said, "it says we have three in flooring" so I will drop by later. thanks again.
I'll look again but I didn't see a name on mine. I just did a Google search with "Marshalltown 14-in Steel Scraper with 60-in Handle" and it gave me "results" for HD, Lowes, Whitecap, Grainger, etc. (HD said "nothing found") None of those match what I have. All of those are a thin, replaceable, straight spring steel type of blade. Probably will work for Doc to scrape dust but not nearly has heavy duty as the unit I've got. The blade on mine is thick, not flexible and has a bend about 3/4" back from the edge that gives a pry bar type of advantage along with changing the angle of attack. Excellent for bark and pretty good at sawdust scraping.
Just Googling (Floor Scraper) gave me this link to HD. Big Bully floor scraper (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Bully-Tools-Big-Bully-12-in-Flooring-Scraper-91340/100678308)This is it!
i want the steel blade that is light for doing dust off the slabs and lumber without bending over. it takes two passes with a broom and a blower does not move the wet stuff as well. the Lowes is just what I want, but did not find it the other day. but they claim to have 3. Thanks all.
Quick update 7/26/2022:
Came up this morning and started fabrication on my beam lifts. Here's the first pair. Step one is to drag the beam from where the SkyTrak could reach:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220726_a.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1658897943)
17'9" 2x8 with a Harbor Freight 1,000 pound boat winch and a 1,500 pound "lifting block" hanging off of some random brackets from receiver hitch units.
After some fussy work, I lifted the beam half. Pretty much at the limit of the boat winch - not the greatest quality but I needed 4 and needed them now.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220726_b.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1658897984)
Tomorrow the other half. In the mean time, I was sitting outside my trailer and heard the snapping of branches coming up the hill. My resident buck. He sleeps just down the hill from my trailer. Picture taken with my flip phone and 8x zoom (digital). He walked by less than 20' from me.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220726_c.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1658897987)
Is he just a 4 point or does that little nub on the right antler make him a 5 point? (4.5? ;))
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220726_g.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1658898014)
Update 7/27/2022:
I'm using my T-Mobile phone as a hot spot so I can do updates while I'm up here. Seems to work pretty good uploading photos.
So I rigged up the second set of hoists and learned a few things. Like, raise the beam with the top half of the scarf joint first! Really annoying to get it over the lower half. Almost there:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220727_a.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1658974969)
Place all the braces (tied up):
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220727_b.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1658974983)
Drop it down:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220727_d.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1658975016)
Looking at all the brace pockets and how close they are together, I was getting worried that all those braces would make it feel a little claustrophobic. It's massive so, no worries!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220727_c.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1658975030)
The north half did not set down all the way. The beam is up about 1" on the far corner post and maybe 1/2" on the next one. The braces are tight but not sitting all the way into the beam. What looks like shadows on the 3rd pic is the gaps. The south half just took a little persuading to set down. The north half went down as far as it did with very little help. Once I get it set down, then it's time to add all those Simpson plates :-\ So many nails.
Looks good! Is that a concrete wall your building on ?
Actually, Faswall blocks. 85% recycled pallets, 15% Portland cement.
The start (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=66160.msg1324576#msg1324576)
Midway done (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=66160.msg1369482#msg1369482)
Water proofing (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=66160.msg1403595#msg1403595)
Some of the details (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=66160.msg1421196#msg1421196)
And the slab pour (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=66160.msg1421196#msg1421196)
Update 8/9/2022:
Last week I reset the west wall beam. I had messed up the brace pockets (cut post angles instead of beam angles) so I had some uncomfortable work to do on the beams up top! But, its done now.
I also finished the north half of the "mid beam" (perlin) but then I was rained out on Friday before I could put it up top.
Today, I put that half beam up top and winched it over to the west side to be ready to hoist up when I finish the 15 posts and 10 mini tie beams necessary to complete the next phase. With that beam positioned, I was able to remove my lift rigging and put it on the east side. Took a while to move these 18' 2x8s. Use the winches to lift them up so I could teeter-totter them over the west beam, carry over to the east side, rotate 180° and reverse the teeter-totter and winching them down into position.
Ready to go first thing in the morning (after I triple check the brace pockets!):
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220809.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1660107260)
Update 8/10-11/2022:
Well, good thing I checked the brace pockets. I cut both north half beams at the same time and at least I'm consistent! ::) The four pockets on the north half were too shallow of an angle. I used the winches to flip both beams over and recut the four pockets. I touched up the other four on the south half that had shrunk a little since it had been sitting so long.
Flipped them back over and test fit the north beam without braces - fit great. Added braces and it was lifted a little in the middle due to two tight (too long) braces so I trimmed just a bit. Test fit again and a minor trim again.
Then on to the south beam - fit without the braces with a little gap on the middle post. Added braces and again one was too long so trimmed and good.
Bear in mind that for each movement of the beams it's down and up the ladder a few times to adjust. At 12 rung per direction, I think I got 10,000 steps in Wednesday! :-\ I had to get the scarf joint to sip together but it wasn't happening. Ran out of daylight. So wait til the morning.
I pondered on it all night. I raised one winch on each beam at the scarf ends and no go. It was so close. As I thought about it, I hear a thump - it dropped into place. Lowered it all and good to go. Next was to remove the winch boards - heavy, long and awkward. I managed a controlled drop off the side - no damage done. By 9:48 am - good!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220811.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1660315659)
Yes, the sky is that blue up here!
Started on making posts for the loft area. I finished up one 12' (NW corner) and tried to layout the center post from a 19' 8x8. But the knots were aligned just so that no matter how I shifted it up or down or reversed, it just wasn't happening. So it will become another 12' (NE corner) today. I've got a wack of 8x8x7' beams for the cross beams sitting up on the deck so I'll probably work on those (10 required) I have an 8x8 heart centered timber I could use for that 19'er but debating on waiting for my next log delivery (next week) and use FOH so I don't get checking.
I love it.
Update 8/25/2022:
I've been up working 4 or 5 days at a time the last couple weeks. I need to put down a floor on the main floor and put up temporary joists so I have a complete second story make a safe work environment to erect the top half of the bents.
So, I made up five 10' long x 42" wide pallets from reject 4x6 & 4x4 and 2x6's. Pretty heavy duty! On four of the pallets, I sorted my 2x10 white and red fir boards trimming of the checked ends. I'm going to run them over to a guy that will run them through is 4-sided planner and make me T&G flooring. I'm going to borrow the truck and trailer I use to haul my tractor last year. On the left, bottom is 13' (trimmed 14s&16s), a double stack of 12' on top. On the right is a double stack of 10' and a pile of 8's on top (and an empty pallet on top). I figure I need an empty to take the output of the planner as we process a pallet load. Total of 2,235 linear feet. Here's the load:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220825_a.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1661487821)
And the cutoffs:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220825_b.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1661487799)
I had a bunch of reject boards (too thin/too narrow) and I SkyTrak'd them up to the loft:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220825_c.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1661487978)
I'll do the same with these 2x6's:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220825_d.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1661487994)
I got two loads of Ponderosa Pine delivered last week:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220825_e.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1661488151)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220825_f.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1661488157)
I've also been knocking out posts and little tie beams. So far, 5 of 15 posts and 8 of 10 beams. Whittling down the big pile of timbers I milled up last month.
I have been waiting for your update John. Many small steps add up. thumbs-up
Yes, thanks for the update. I really look for your next posts to see your progress, have enjoyed the whole build along with the good buys you find.
Final update to this week's work. The last load of pine I got from this guy was apparently Unicorn logs. They were big and straight with very little knots. These a just "good" logs but I should get some fair wood out of them.
I made up two more of the mini-tie beams this morning before I left at noon. Nine down, one to go.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220826_a.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1661564338)
On the left will be number 10. On the right is 5 posts. Three are 8x10 for the middle 3 bents east purin supports. You can see the housings that the above mini-tie beams will fit into. Also on the very right, two 8x8 posts for the corners of the north (1st) bent. Sitting on top is my pair of test braces to check my brace pockets.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220826_b.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1661564339)
Update 8/30-31/2022:
I'm still up here til the weekend so there should be more progress...
Yesterday was hot. I got up here around 8:30 as usual. I knocked out the 10th mini-tie beam. Thought I'd show my short cuts/cheats to make the process go faster. The tie beams are cut from a 6½' 8x8. They sit 9' above the loft floor. They have one brace pocket that braces the top of the middle post (19'), a 2x6 tenon that plugs into the mid-purlin post and a 2x4 tenon the plugs into the middle post (one from each side, stacked).
So there is a LOT of wood to remove on the ends. Normally I would cut a series of kerf cuts and pop off the excess wood. That takes a lot of cutting (and fuel for the generator) and makes a big mess. Since these are small and fairly light, I decided to try something different.
I mark out all the cuts and when I cut the beam to length, I also mark the ends. Here is the 2x6 tenon end.
I make all the shallow cuts (2") with my DeWalt 20v saw. I then break out the beam saw for the next deeper cuts and finally do all the full cuts from the ends at full depth (6-6/16") to make the smallest uncut areas possible. Lots of rolling of the beam. When it all goes well, it ends up like this.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220830_a.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1662003754)
If the grain is good and straight, I can pop off the waste with some wedges. Sometimes I need to use a hand saw to complete the cut on stubborn wood. Then it is just a matter of using a slick to clean it up.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220830_b.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1662003688)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220830_c.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1662004246)
I spent the rest of the day using come-alongs to snug up all the joints getting ready to do the oak pins and drill for where I have to install very long bolts in the braces.
Today, I re-installed the 5x9x12' loft joists in the 3rd bay that I took down last month. When I put them in initially, the 4th bent that defined that bay was not plumb and the joists were too long. They prevented me from adjusting the bent. So, with those back up, I also installed some temporary joist hanger so I could install some 2x10x12' across the open 4th bay and the east half of the 3rd bay. This will make installing the top half of the bents a little more safe, not to mention, doable. ;)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220831_a.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1662004275)
The near bay I will shift the boards to the right and fill the current gap and over to the right with 2x8 short pieces. The next bay I trimmed the left end of the boards where they land on a 5x9. Again, I will use 2x8 short pieces to to from that joist to the left two joists that you can't see in this pic.
The hangers are for store-bought 2x10s so they are 9.5" x 1.75". I didn't care about the height but I had to plane down the thickness at the ends of the 2x10s so they would fit. You can see that in this pic.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220831_b.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1662004403)
I used up all my junk 2x10s. I need to toss the 2x8's up there and finish the temporary floor.
All of this will allow me to set up some scaffolding on wheels to do all the upper work, including setting the rafters. The top of the ridge beam will sit 20+' above this floor. I will be installing some 2x4 "curbs" at all the edges of the flooring to keep the scaffolding contained. ;)
Good idea on the curbs. We don't want to see you in the Did Something Dumb thread with a picture of your scaffold in ruins on the ground. The build is coming along nicely.
Update 9/1/2022:
SkyTrak'd my pile of 2x8s up top and filled in the gaps. Only a few left over boards. I had some Ponderosa pine in there. The pine is easily 50 to 70% heavier than the red/white fir boards! I put one screw in each board/joist crossing. The dance floor is now open ;) Just have to trim up the near ends and install the curbing.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220901_a.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1662089375)
Down at the far end is a couple 4x6 for blocking. Now I have a place to put the posts and beams that are cluttering up my work area. The floor over the 5x9x12' 30" O.C. loft joists is rock solid. So I'm stacking the posts and beams on the real loft area. The floor over the temporary 2x10x12' 18" O.C. joists is a little bouncy when I jump on it.
I was running low on screws and used up nearly four 5 ahr batteries. The little impact hammer got really hot!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220901_b.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1662089399)
Update 9/2/2022:
Installed the curb and moved all the completed posts and mini-tie beams up to the top. The mini-ties I just carried but the 12' 8x10s were heavy and needed my timber cart.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220902.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1662180419)
That freed up the work area so I lifted up some timbers and laid out the first 19' 8x10 center post and did my quick cut on the tenons. Till next week...
ljohnsaw
Do enjoy you keeping us up to date on your timber frame build. You are a work horse when it comes to getting things done, and hope it all continues to keep coming together.
Always anxious to see your progress.
As to your timber cart, I copied your design and built a cart for bringing deer out of the woods. Found two matching bikes within minutes after seeing your build, and was soon re-building them into a cart quickly for $10 (spent more than that for the pipe handle). thanks
Hopefully we can get an update. I suppose that you will soon be buttoning things down and readying everything for the snow loads?
Well, not much of an update from my last work/post on 9/3. The Mosquito fire broke out on 9/6, about the same time we had the heat wave come through. So I stayed home for almost a week due to excessive heat and then almost another week due to very poor air quality up there from the fire. I went up last Friday, 9/16, with better AQI numbers due to wind patterns changing. Saturday there was a strong smell of smoke but it was clear air and breezy. I wore a N95 mask all day as smoke would blow through. I'd pull it off and sniff the air and put it back on. A storm was due to start Sunday night and the plan was to work until rain or dark.
Sunday morning, 3 am I woke to the sound of very short downpours (like 15 seconds) with 2 or 3 minute breaks between. At 4 am it switched to a continuous heavy rain until 6 am. So I slept in. Around 8 it stopped sprinkling but dark clouds. So I packed my tools back in the shed. I used my Roust-a-bout to de-stack two of the 8x10x19' timbers down onto my mare & colt saw horses. The timbers are probably 300 pounds? I laid out the end tenons and brace pockets on it. Then the sun came out ::)
So I got my tools out again, hauling them back up on to the deck, and did my saw cuts on the pockets (4) and use the Sawsquatch on the tenons. It got progressively colder and windier as I worked cleaning up the two tenons. By 3:30, the big, dark clouds were rolling and starting to spit. So I packed up again and headed home as the rain started.
So, progress was limited. I finished a 8x10x12' and a 8x10x19' post and halfway through this 8x10x19' post. Total of 7½ posts completed of the necessary 15 to set up the second floor bents (50% :)). I do need 20 braces to set them all up but I can do them pretty quick, like a days work as I have the stock all ready.
It's raining now and expected to continue through tomorrow (Wednesday) in the high country. Really helping out with the fires. The low is still stalled sitting off the north coast spinning moisture inland. Each day they seem to add another rain day to the forecast as it just isn't moving. Yesterday a main squall line went due north just west of Sacramento. It dumped 4" of rain on Woodland. A second band of rain continues just east of me dumping on the Mosquito fire.
So, I'm still shooting to get the bents up (before any wood moves...) before I winterize. I have one of the three main beams ready to go up to lock them in place - though I noticed the north half has bowed a bit :-\ Winterizing (full) usually must happen between Halloween and Thanksgiving. Before that, I'll have to drain the water systems as soon as the temps drop to freezing overnight. The forecast for the end of the week is low 80's :)
The ironic twist is when I came home, back on 9/3. I don't remember doing anything out of the ordinary or excessive straining. About two days later, I got bad tendonitis (Tennis Elbow) in both arms. It was to the point I couldn't push down on anything, and its still there. I use a hand crank boring machine for my brace pockets and mortises so pushing is a necessity. I work hard all summer and when I take a break, things start hurting? I powered through the pain this past weekend and they feel better but not 100%. Go figure.
Update 9/22-25/2022:
The rain ended sometime early Thursday morning. Went up and got to work replacing my little, cheap solar controller on the bath house. It decided to boil my battery dry :-\ I got a 80A/2000 watt controller off the auction site. When I made the final connection to a new battery, it sizzled and let out some magic smoke :( Fortunately, I had another cheapy controller that is working fine for now. I disconnect it when I'm away.
A view from the hill looking north late after noon. Zoomed in so a little blurry on my flip phone.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220923.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1664206138)
I finished up the 8x10x19' post I started on Sunday and completed the last 8x10x19' and two 8x10x12' posts (parts to the middle three bents). The remaining two 8x8x12' turned out to be 7.5x7.5 so I rejected them - they would look too out of place connected to the other 8x8 members.
I need two 8x8x12' (south bent corners) and two 8x8x19' (center posts for north and south bents). So I'll pull out a 33' log that I can get two 8x8 FOH timbers. There is one with a crook at about 12'. I'll buck it into a 13' and 20' to make the milling go faster on my manual mill and to maximize the use of the wood.
The near pile are the 19' 8x10s and the far pile the 8x8 mini-ties on the bottom and 8x8 & 8x10 12' posts.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220924_b.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1664206066)
I collect the chips from boring the mortises and spread them on my trails to keep the moon dust under control. A view from the stair landing on the deck looking NNW down to the trailer and bath house.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220924_a.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1664206150)
That's a lot of chips...
looking good. get a little lost when you are describing the beams and location where each one is going. not knowing what direction the picture is facing.
Go back and read the first 639 posts :D (that's one of my brothers so I can be mean) The first picture in the previous update is looking north. The cabin is running exactly north-south. The northern most bent is #1 with the southern most being #5.
Here is what it is supposed to look like when nearly done:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170210_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1486776168)
And this is the parts I'm working on right now:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170210_h.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1486776341)
I need to mill out the front three 8x8 posts and the matching center post for the north end. The mini-tie beams can be seen at the top of the window frames. The beam on the left set of posts is sitting up on the deck in the picture on the west (left) side behind the stack of timbers - waiting to go up once the framework is up. The ridge beam and the beam on the right set of post still need to be milled out of some logs. I will mill and set those once the top sections are up to reduce the likelihood of them warping and twisting. All the short braces under the beams are ready. I have stock cut for the long 7'6" braces (four on each bent - 20 total) and just need a day to cut the tenons on each end. Two to three weeks of prep still to go. Pretty much what I lost due to the heat, fire, smoke and rain at the beginning of the month. It's gonna be close! :-\
Fun leg-pulling from 1/29/2017 (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=66160.msg1454865#msg1454865)
Are you hoping to get it under roof this season?
Not gonna happen. Early on I couldn't get any logs to make it happen this year, so I will pull the temporary loft flooring up before I close up for the winter. Hopefully that will be sometime after Halloween.
Heading up in the morning through Friday.
asaw11, I am following too.
Not a timber build guy, so I get lost easy.
But I am enjoying the posts.
Understood. Thats what I was wondering about was the flooring.
Quote from: ljohnsaw on September 26, 2022, 08:10:18 PM
Go back and read the first 639 posts :D (that's one of my brothers so I can be mean) The first picture in the previous update is looking north. The cabin is running exactly north-south. The northern most bent is #1 with the southern most being #5.
Here is what it is supposed to look like when nearly done:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170210_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1486776168)
And this is the parts I'm working on right now:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20170210_h.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1486776341)
I need to mill out the front three 8x8 posts and the matching center post for the north end. The mini-tie beams can be seen at the top of the window frames. The beam on the left set of posts is sitting up on the deck in the picture on the west (left) side behind the stack of timbers - waiting to go up once the framework is up. The ridge beam and the beam on the right set of post still need to be milled out of some logs. I will mill and set those once the top sections are up to reduce the likelihood of them warping and twisting. All the short braces under the beams are ready. I have stock cut for the long 7'6" braces (four on each bent - 20 total) and just need a day to cut the tenons on each end. Two to three weeks of prep still to go. Pretty much what I lost due to the heat, fire, smoke and rain at the beginning of the month. It's gonna be close! :-\
Fun leg-pulling from 1/29/2017 (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=66160.msg1454865#msg1454865)
:)
Update 10/7/2022:
Lets see, Monday got up there around 8:30. Set up camp (have to pull the food out from storage in the bath house because there is a bear around) and then finished up the last two 12' posts for the south bent. I'm sure there is something else I did that day but I don't remember.
Tuesday I made up 5 of the 7'6" long 4x6 braces for the very top of the bents. Probably did something else... Oh, yeah. I made up a little furniture dolly from some large caster and some 1½"x8" pine boards.
I called a friend from my old job and had him help on Wednesday. I told him I had a job that he was well qualified for. ;) Had him sit all day on the brace stock while I cut and cleaned up with the slick. He's 75 this year and in good shape but didn't think he wanted to operate the manual boring machine! We knocked out another 6 or 7 braces between stories from the past. After he left I cut a few more 7' braces. I spread out the posts and mini-tie beams using the furniture dolly.
Thursday, early morning I dropped the mini-ties in the 12' perlin posts to check the fit. Two fit, the remaining 8 needed a little shaving here and there. You can see the gaps on the closest two that didn't sit down into the housings.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20221007_a.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1665195503)
The rest of the day was assembling the north bent (#1). Turns out my calipers were not calibrated when I was making brace stock. :-\ Normally, I check them several times a day, but for some reason I didn't. All the braces were about 1/16" too thick so lots of shaving needed. At least they weren't too thin! Took the rest of the day to assemble. The days are getting too short! The far braces are just placed to show the full bent. The area below the mini-ties is 9' and will have a vertical sash window in each looking north.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20221007_b.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1665195507)
This morning, on to the south bent (#5). First, I shaved all the brace stock tenons to the right thickness. ;) This one went together in half the time of the north bent! 8) But, still took about 3 hours :-\ That includes dropping the 12' post on the left down to the first floor. ::) No damage done. Just a slow motion teeter that I couldn't get to fast enough. There's the furniture dolly next to my bike frame timber hauler.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20221008.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1665195507)
This weekend I'll fabricate some slip-ons for the SkyTrak forks to accept some 18' sections of heavy pipe. One on each fork and one from the top of the headache rack so I'll have a really long boom to raise these bents. It will be held in place with some chain and my new, fancy, heavy-duty ratchet come-alongs. Next week should get the bents upright!
I took these picture back on 9/27 that I forgot to post. First, some cathedral grain for MM. In person it was really jagged edged from one tooth being out of wack. Turns out the band was cracked 3/4 of the way through.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220927_a.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1665273582)
I think this log was a little surprised that I was cutting it up! ;D
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20220927_b.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1665273582)
Update 10/12/2022:
My SkyTrak had a rough life before I got it. Something big fell on the fork backstop. Ignore the yellow brackets on the forks for now. Hopefully I'll have another update for what they are for.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20221011_a.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1665631480)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20221011_b.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1665631515)
I tried once to straighten it but the expanded metal was in the way. So Tuesday, I took my cordless angle grinder to it.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20221011_c.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1665631560)
I think this is a 4 or 6 ton jack. With the help of some chain to focus where I wanted it to bend, I got it pretty straight, vertically.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20221011_d.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1665631619)
The jack did a final push and blew the top off the cylinder so it's toast. The center support had popped it's weld long ago. I'll have to bring up my stick welder and see how well my generator does providing power for it.
I forgot to take some pictures but I drilled and pounded in the three 1" oak pegs into each post where the main cross beams connect (30 pegs). I still need to peg the three middle posts in the center of the cabin.
Today was bolt day. On the middle three bents, the engineer specified adding bolts to all the internal braces. A ¾" x 12" bolt horizontally through the brace into the post just below were the top of the brace enters the post. Also, a 1" x 18" bolt vertically up into the beams (10"x15"). The braces need a 2" counter-bore to seat a flat washer. A little difficult to start a horizontal hole on this angle with a Forsner bit. :-X
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20221012_b.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1665631706)
So I made a jig.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20221012_c.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1665631716)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20221012_d.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1665631835)
First drill the counter-bore and then run the ¾" bit through.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20221012_e.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1665631835)
On the beam side, just a piece of 2x6 with a pre-drilled 2" hole. Line it up and clamp.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20221012_a.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1665631618)
And drill. (Sorry, this is a different "after" shot)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20221012_f.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1665631917)
All that's left is to pound the bolt through and tighten it up with the impact. I did 11 of these horizontal (¾") ones today and will do the 11 vertical (1") ones tomorrow.
I also spent a lot of time today removing the nails from the external brace plates and using the right fasteners ::) (SDS ¼"x 1.5" screws). Got about half done today, hope to get the rest tomorrow. Then, I can work on setting up the top half of the bents.
Looks well done on both jobs. 8)
Thanks for posting the photos of the model. I was late to come to the story, and have done some catching up, but it helps to see with so much of your frame up now.
Nice job on the drilling jig, that will likely save me some headache down the road.
Do you understand the reasoning behind the engineers bolt request? I'm largely ignorant on these things, but thought I had understood that opposing braces work (mostly) in compression, pegs being more than adequate to keep them seated in their mortises.
Keep up the good work!
Well, from what I've read, the pegs are really just to hold the bents together when you are setting them up (for the braces). I was/am striving for NO plywood anywhere. Being an earthquake state and high winds up here (100+ mph), there needs to be a substitute for a shear wall. So I threw in a lot of extra braces (knee braces on the perimeter). But that doesn't help the interior three bents where knee braces are impractical. The internal top braces need to be very secure in both tension and compression. So, a way to lock the braces in was needed. There are some internal things available but the precision drilling and cost of both the tool and parts put me off. So the bolts are a compromise. As to why 1" vertical and ¾" horizontal, IDK.
IIRC, the engineer ran the wind model to 120 mph but I don't know the earthquake value he used. He did comment that the frame is VERY sturdy!
Yesterday I had grand plans to get the 11 vertical 1" bolts in place. Drilling up a 1" hole through 22" of wood can wear a guy out! I got 4 done. I did some simpler stuff to fill the day. I pulled about 600 nails from the external brace plates and drove in the same amount of ¼x1.5 lags. Got another 300 to pull this morning...
Time to get to work!
Didn't drill anymore this morning but replaced 300 or so nails for lags. Then I placed the 32 brace plates for the upper braces putting only lags on one side until I get the beams fully set down with the help from the SkyTrak. So that was another 256 lags before lunch. Originally, I hammered the nails by leaning out from the floor joists. This was required to be able to drive the screw:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20221013_a.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1665790203)
That's a 20' ladder section - so the first floor is 17' above ground level on the north side. Add 10' to the second floor.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20221013_b.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1665790201)
Probably heading back up Sunday or Monday.
Update 10/17/2022:
Yesterday I finished up pegging the two outside beams. I had to use my new come-a-longs to pull the beams down onto the posts. The beams had moved a bit and made a ¾" gap on a couple posts. The come-a-longs are rated a 2T and I used two and got them as tight as I could. Using the SkyTrak might have been faster but I can't reach that high now! Once those were pegged, I finished lagging the brace plates in place. Finally got that done!
Well, I planned on one half, maybe one full day to add the bolts to 11 braces. I did it in spurts since it was so physically taxing. Horizontal were "easy", the vertical was brutal. I drilled a 1" hole for the 1" bolt (engineer/code requires the hole to be no more than 1/32" to 1/16" oversize). So I had to pound the bolts in (from the bottom). I ended up using my digging bar with the 2½" tamping pad end. What do those weigh? Fifteen, twenty pounds? I could do all but the last 2" or so from the floor. Then I used the head of a 12 pound sledge and an oak peg to finish it off. All done after about 20 hours of work over a few days! In the summer, my work days are 12-13 hours but now with the shorter days I'm lucky to get 10 or 11 hours in. I'm so glad to be done with these!
On the second floor, I only have to do the knee braces on the mid-purlin posts on the middle three bents - so six to do. These will be much easier since I will be drilling DOWN and pounding DOWN instead of up!
Tomorrow I will be doing a little pre-winterizing with my stacks of floor planks and prepping the two end bents for going up on Wednesday when my buddy is coming to help. If those go well, then prep and set the middle bents.
Update 10/18/2022:
OK, ready for tomorrow:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20221018.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1666140320)
There are three 18' steel pipe poles there. Two are sitting on the 2" balls sticking forward on the yellow brackets seen on October 12th (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=66160.msg1936854#msg1936854). The third pole is in the middle and is chained to the backstop. It's sole purpose is to prevent the boom from going over backwards when upright. It is NOT a load element. You can make out the heavy chains and binders that take the load with the two other poles.
This will be used in a nearly vertical position to give me extra height up on the second floor which is 20' above the ground level at the front of the cabin. Lifting and lowering will be done with the chain hoist.
I did a load test in the horizontal position, for which it was not intended. My heaviest bents are the middle three with 8x10 posts. Using the tool box, the calculated green weight of one of those is 1,300 pounds. They have dried quite a bit so probably way less than 1,000 pounds. Being conservative, I'll assume 1,000.
I have a 24" x 33' Ponderosa Pine log (very green). The log weight calculator doesn't go to that length so I did a 16'. That weighs in at 2,262 pounds. I only lifted the one end of the log so that's about what I lifted - maybe a little more. I just used my log tongs on the end of the boom - without the chain hoist. The left pole was deflecting inward quite a bit the further I lifted, so I ended the test. So, I'm saying I have a 2:1 margin on lift capability (in the worst orientation possible!), so I'm comfortable with that. (Probably more like 4:1 when vertical) If I was able to do the lift test with the pole vertical, I think I could lift a lot more due to the geometry. Maybe I'll do that in the morning.
To position the chain host over the center of gravity of the bent, the boom will be tilted slightly forward with the SkyTrak boom fully extended and slightly lowered. I figure I'll have to raise the SkyTrak boom and retract to position over the final position. What I won't do is tip the forks - with that 18' extension, it really moves the tip fast!
Seems you've explored all the possibilities, best luck tomorrow.
Update 10/19/2022:
I did another load test with the boom up high, forks rolled back as far as they would go and used the chain hoist with log tongs. Went well picking up the end of the big log. Setting it down, the log jumped and the shock load buckled one pipe and bent the other. ::)
So, spent a couple hours straightening the two pipes (easy with the backstop on the SkyTrak pinching them straight) and welding the buckled one that split when straightened. My welder on the generator is a challenge, to say the least. But, got'er dun.
First bent (#5, the south one) was pretty easy and up before lunch. Just the middle post didn't set with gravity (¼" gap). I'll give it some help in the morning.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20221019_a.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1666230471)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20221019_b.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1666230418)
The second one (#1, the north bent) was a bit more challenging. No room to put the SkyTrak inline with the cabin so had to be at an angle and it's about 5' lower ground back there. Got it lifted and with a little shaving of a tenon (forgot to re-measure before lifting on this one), got it in place. But forgot about the braces ::) So lifted again and re-set it. That took up most of the afternoon.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20221019_c.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1666230521)
Two down, three to go.
Looking good John. 8)
Good work!
You'll be setting up cell towers and windmill towers soon.
Very exciting to see the timber bents going up against the skyline. Bet you are proud of those steps in your accomplishments so far, as well you should be.
Thanks for taking us along on your build.
Update 10/21/2022 - end of a 6 day run at it.
Other than the railing I screwed on, doesn't look different. But all the brace plates on the outside are attached and ten 1" oak pegs have been installed (small dark spots). On the mini-ties, one on each purlin post and two on the center post (one for each tie tenon). The bottom of each post has two in the main tie beam but only visible from the first floor.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20221020.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1666410452)
I think I posted this long shot looking north a while back.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20221021_a.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1666410449)
Zoomed in a bit.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20221021_b.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1666410451)
Ended the day by fitting up bent #2. I still have a little fiddling to do and need to make the lower braces.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20221021_c.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1666410454)
I've been plowing through the oak pegs. Installed 82 so far. I got them quite a few years ago from another FF member in a big box. (edit: Got them from @Dakota (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=1185) back in 2014 - where did you get them?) About 90 of them. So I stopped and made a count of how many I will need. Looks like the frame uses 224 pegs so I need another 142 to complete! Time to order some - any recommendations? There are 17 braces that will have bolts and no need for pegs. The engineer made a comment that I could drill and put dummy pegs in if I want. I did save a lot of ~3" cut-offs that I could use for that.
Back at it next Tuesday - giving platelets on Monday.
Looking great 💪!!
Straight from the source. Family run cottage (literally) industry
http://www.pegs.us/products.htm (http://www.pegs.us/products.htm)
I did find them before. Their web site is broken - no ordering on line available. Might give them a call on Monday.
What a beautiful place and incredible build John! I can't think of a better looking place to retire in. If I had enough free time I would volunteer myself to help out, I think it would be an awesome experience for sure.
I can't remember where I got them. I ordered them from a guy back east somewhere. Sorry.
Looking good John. I thought maybe this was gonna be the "first snow of the season" post.
Weeeellll, They are predicting some cold weather this week. I'm heading up on Tuesday but should be blustery. It was 28° in Truckee last night (other side of the summit). Sunday should be the first good snow and cold weather. So, probably pulling out my camper trailer end of this week. :(
Update 10/26/2022:
Got up here Tuesday around 8:30. Glad I grabbed my heavy jacket when I went out the door! It was a bit nippy (38°) but 'warmed up' to a high of 51° by 4pm. I used up my remaining pegs on bent #2, cleaned up the deck and lifted my Roust-a-bout up to the top with my 'new' SkyTrak extension. I was able to get it around bent #2 to be ready to lift after I cut the braces for the perlin posts (6 total required). I finished fitting up bent #4 by about 6pm.
It was COLD last night. Had to turn on the heater in the popup tent trailer. It got down below freezing and a good frost was still around at 8:30am. I slept in til 7, it was just too cold to get out of my sleeping bag!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20221026_a.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1666843083)
Went on a quest to find some brace stock from all the 4x6 material I cut over the last couple of years. A lot of it was made from white fir and is fit for ship keels or propellers. The close one below is actually Ponderosa Pine and must have come from a bad tree. Looks like it twisted 45°! Designer fire wood now :-\
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20221026_b.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1666843078)
Anyhow, found my stash of good PP and cut the 6 braces I need. Was able to do the fit-up on bent #2 before the temp started to drop. I'll have a go at setting it up tomorrow morning and hopefully bent #4 will follow.
Just stumbled across the build.
Looks great. Better than Darby's castle.
Can probably see the silhouette up on the Hilt.
Update 10/27/2022:
Mad scramble before the predicted snow falls next Tuesday. Here's some pictures of the Roust-a-bout in action. It is rated at 1,500 pounds and I calculated the green weight of my 10" bents at 1,300. I took it slow and it went pretty good. Lifted easily in low/low gearing. There is a high and a low spindle. The high turns the low spindle about 4x speed. Then the handle has a long and a short way to install for more or less leverage.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20221027_a.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1666970470)
As it neared vertical, I removed the temporary boards lagged into the base of the three posts that provided support and kept them aligned during the lift. Hanging free here.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20221027_b.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1666970473)
It wiggled down to about 1/2" of sitting flush. So I use some come-a-longs to snug it up.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20221027_c.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1666970475)
I'm out of pegs so I didn't raise bent #4. I sent an email to Pegs.us last Friday. No response. Called Monday and they said it would take a few weeks to fill my order. I said ship what you have which was most of what I needed. Still no charge on my Visa.
So, plan B. I had some scrap red oak stair treads from a job I did last summer. Along with some hardwood (white oak & maple) pallet rails I saved, I made up about 75 blanks (need 150 in total). I have that mag drill so I'm going to drill a series of graduated holes in some 3/8" plate and try the pound-it-through method of making my own pegs. Plan is for tomorrow and Saturday to put up bent #4 and finally #3. Then to pack up the trailer and winterize before the big freeze coming on Thursday.
sorry about your supply chain issues. looks great.
I can appreciate paying $0.60 to $1.00 for pegs now. ;) I cut the blanks to 1-1/32" square. My biggest annular cutter is only 1-1/16" so can't pound a square peg through that hole. Back to the table saw and made them octagonal. That made 4 sides just a hair under 1" and the other 4 sides a hair over. That was still work pounding through that hole. Then on to the 1" hole. Now that is work with a 5 pound sledge! Only did 3 or 4. Not a good finish with my homemade jig.
Back to the shop. I have on old 10er ShopSmith. I put 120 grit paper on one of my 12" sander disks, set the table next to it with the fence a hair over 1" away. Put an octagonal blank between and rotate. Gave me rounded 1" octagons with a variation of +/- 1/32" to 1/64". I'll take my die with me if I need to punch them through the 1" hole but I think these should be good. I got 84 done. Just checked my bank statement and Pegs.us just hit my credit card ::) I was going to call them on Monday to reduce my order after I verify these pegs work. UPS says my order should arrive Thursday (too late). Guess I'll have to build some other timber frame stuff. Maybe a tractor or sawmill shed!
Quick weekend update. Four down, one to go!
Came up Saturday and did some fiddling with bents 1 & 2. I put up 1 & 5 first and they lined up perfectly ;). When I added bent #2, it was off by a bit. Doesn't take much of an error to tip a 19' post out of alignment. :-\ Took tons of measurement and found the fault to be bent #1. So I shifted (tipped) it west just a tad and I'm satisfied. Then I spent the rest of the morning and part of the afternoon putting in the four big bolts in the lower braces. Then I was tweaking bent #4, measuring things 3 times, adjusting the post base tenons, cleaning out the mortises in the main tie beam, etc.
This morning a pretty much uneventful raising before lunch.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20221030.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1667159496)
I used a pair of come-a-longs to pull it down the last inch. The center post didn't want to go the last 1/4" no matter how much I wiggled and banged. Then I saw my extension ladder was stuck against the temporary diagonal cross brace preventing it from dropping. ::)
Drilled all the 1" peg holes and pounded all 14 of my homemade ones in - some were pretty snug, some just snug enough. Didn't do the bolts yet. Off to do the final bent!
Update 11/1/2022:
Halloween morning I got the last bent fitted up and standing. For some reason, the center post does not want to sit all the way down (about 3/4" to go). But time was short. I packed up my camp trailer because a little snow was predicted for 11/1 evening. Took quite a bit of time to pack away tools and some other winterizing.
Evening weather report was saying 6" accumulation now for Tuesday. Morning shot:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20221101_a.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1667353224)
You can see the upper 2x8 & 2x10 temporary floor and the little bit of plywood on the first floor that needs to be removed.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20221101_b.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1667353224)
I headed up this morning. I removed three of the four bays floor boards before lunch. I stacked the board next to the beams. I cut up the wonky 4x6 stock into firewood and was going to retrieve my little trailer to load it up but my tractor didn't like the cold. I was going to get some ether to start it when it started to snow HARD. So I went up to finish the last bay. Had to scrape the snow away to find the screws. Glad I only put one screw in each crossing!
Once I got that done, I had to get a snow shovel to clear the fast-accumulating snow off the plywood so I could find the drywall screw and remove them. I put down two layers of plywood but only 6 or 8 screws per sheet. That took a while and the snow was piling up. I was questioning if I would make it home in my 2WD truck.
I was wet and cold but got'er dun. A shot at 4pm before I left:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20221101_c.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1667353226)
Awesome Awesome.
Majestic creation. A big accomplishment to get the bents up and standing tall.
Stands there like five fingers to the snow coming. 8)
My friend in Truckee posted pics of the snow she received, so I came here to see what you got. I see you got your share of the snow. You made great progress this year and worked on it right up til the last opportunity. Congrats.
Great progress and beautiful photos, as always i enjoy your thread and the progress you have made.
I don't post on this thread, but I do enjoy reading on it.
What a great feat to get that all raised and ready for winter. Nothing like finishing at the last minute. lol
8)
I feel like we've been watching a time lapse of the second story bents going up. Wow you've made a lot of progress in the last few weeks! Looks great!
Quote from: thecfarm on November 04, 2022, 07:37:26 AM
I don't post on this thread, but I do enjoy reading on it.
Yes you do.
Final update for the season.
I went up yesterday to finish winterizing. Only it didn't go great. I had to clear the 4x6 firewood chunks I cut before the snow to be able to put the Ford tractor under cover. But the Ford didn't want to start. I noticed the connections on the solenoid were loose and corroded so I spent way too much time cleaning them up (really hard to reach). Still no go (slow cranking). I had picked up a Group 29 deep cycle battery for my bath house and used it to jump the Ford. That worked. I cleared trails of the 8" of snow for getting my other two trailers out and the SkyTrak I parked out of the way down my the bath house. The SkyTrak does not like ANY snow on the ground.
Picked up all the 4x6 chunks and filled my little trailer (Ranger bed on home made frame). Parked it at the top of the hill. Pulled the flatbed out and parked it in front of the little one. Hitched it up to my truck. I had grand plans to put the little trailer and my sawmill head on it. Got the little trailer on it with the help of the SkyTrak, but the sawmill head wouldn't fit with it, too. Plus, the SkyTrak was now running very poorly. I had also cleared the paved access road/driveway (moderate down hill) and parked the Ford in the campground overflow lot. I went to start it and put it away but no go - the jump battery was done. Couldn't get it to crank fast enough. I had already driven my truck down the access road past the Ford and could not back up due to ice/slush on the road. So, I headed home with that load.
Gave the wood to my neighbor this morning and rolled the little trailer off the flat bed. Back up the hill this morning after charging my deep cycle overnight. Still wouldn't jump the Ford. :-\ So I parked my truck next to it, attached the jump cables, put a tool box on my accelerator pedal and let it run for 15 minutes. In the meantime, picked up the mill head with the SkyTrak that promptly died. Could keep it running in short spurts to set the mill down. :-\
Fired up the Ford 8) and put the bucket in the basement doorway so I could attach the forks. Used the Ford to load up the mill head and strapped it down. The top of the mill frame is 7' up so quite the reach for the Ford to put it on the flatbed. Put the Ford away for the winter and came home.
Next spring will be working on the SkyTrak - bad head gasket. Will also pull/rebuild one of the 7' boom lift cylinders that is leaking. This will be the fourth ram to be rebuilt. There's only two more... I'll also buy a new battery for the Ford. It's a special flat long one. Only $285 when I checked last year. Probably $500 now :-X
The timber frame looks great.
The equipment battles sounded awful.
Call it a draw?
Thank You John for sharing your diligent work ethic and your Amazing Build. 8)
Great work getting it all done!
I love hearing others battling with old equipment, especially when the weather is like what I usually have here when I have troubles. One year my old bobcat gave up after I cleared the snow for Maple syrup season. I put the bobcat in the barn to plow the next snowfall that night. I came over in the morning and it would not start, we tried everything, but I had blown a head gasket and the head was warped, as I found out during the rebuild.
I had to call a local friend who has a quarry and has a shop to ask how to move the bobcat as it did not freewheel. He sent the big loader from the quarry to drag it out of the barn and across the yard out of the way. We could have parked the bobcat in the bucket of that machine!
John is the Ford's problem a weak Battery or an alt not charging? Our 445D's have all been converted over to GM 1wire alternaters, cheap and easy
I haven't put a volt meter on the battery when running so not sure. It was working great in the summer (when warm), so I suspect the battery. I was able to restart the engine shortly after turning off. But let it sit, no go. The battery is not the right one for the tractor. It is a bigger "industrial" one but is a bit shorter (in length), narrower but a bit taller. I think it is the reason the half hood was lost. You couldn't put the hood in place and not short out the battery.
A battery drawdown tester will tell you pretty quickly whether the battery is up to par, or on its way to the recycler. if it's on its last legs, you can always get the right battery to fit the swing out tray. My Ford545 is a bit cold hearted, and wants the block heater plugged in when it gets to about 0°C.
A question: when you put the machine away for the winter, can you put a solar battery maintainer on it? You'll get a much longer working life from any battery in winter storage if you do.
I haven't put a maintainer on the battery yet, nor have I on the SkyTrak for the past 8 years - but a good point to consider.
I had a revelation on Sunday that I forgot to put something away that would be destroyed by the coming storm :-X The traffic cams showed dry roads in the afternoon so I made the run up and finished up in an hour. It started raining, the roads were clear but wet so an easy go.
Not so easy today:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20221108_WhitmoreGrade.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1667926884)
Snowfall rates from 1" to 3"/hour with accumulations through tomorrow morning of 36"-48". I don't think this is going to melt to allow some December work this year :-\
3 inches per hour!!!! :o
That is not good.
Back on November 8th, it was reported that there was a couple of inches of snow. It has been in the mid-40's during the day since then. Snow is supposed to fall Monday night and again over the weekend with accumulations up to 3 feet. I figured the snow should be about all gone by now. So, I decided to head up today to light my burn pile and get a Christmas tree before the storm.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20221127_a.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1669618572)
I think there was a bit more than a couple inches! More like 14-16". There were a few drifts I post-holed down about 3 feet. Wish I brought my snow shoes!
I had to dig down to start my burn pile. Took a little diesel to get it going with the damp conditions.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20221127_b.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1669618573)
Letting wood go back to nature is better for the environment and easier than burning it. Often people come up with a knee jerk reaction to think of some reason they can't do that to stay in their comfort zone. But there is always a good way if one thinks about it.
I have a lot of dead/dying trees that I dropped/need to drop that are/will be rotting. I have LOTS of side junk (slabs, miss-cuts) from all my milling that I need to get rid of, like 4 or 5 cords per season - so I do burn what others won't take for firewood.
Update 2/24/2023:
Well, I haven't been back up the hill since my last visit above. My neighbor sent me the picture below. You see my SkyTrak in the foreground. What looks like a pile of snow on the SkyTrak is actually my log pile down the hill just in front of the dead/dying trees in the center. The butt end of the boom is about 8' up and the snow looks to be around 7'. Way down in the background you can see my deck (11' above ground) that the snow is almost up to that level and another 8 or 9 feet of snow on top of the deck. Snowing hard! There should be another couple/three feet of accumulation tonight through tomorrow morning.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20230224.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1677276249)
Update 2/27/2023:
We've been hit by storm after storm. Some producing little rain (<.10") to a fair amount (1-3") but almost always dumping a bit of snow up the hill. Just a couple fun pictures of I80
The storm du jour. Raining down here pretty good. Snowing up the hill - not sure why people are driving in this. Temps in the upper 20's during the day.
Just below my cabin:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20230227_WhitemoreGrade.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1677528689)
The only working camera above my cabin:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20230227_Kingvale.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1677528689)
Two or three others are just snow covered, the other five or six are "Temporarily out of order" for the last few months.
This storm is expected to end late today with another one coming tomorrow of equal or greater strength. Then another on the weekend and then next Monday. If it stopped snowing today for the rest of the water year, we would be above normal.
This is just west of Donner Summit. Did someone say there was a party up there? :-X
When i was younger, i taught the US had Florida like weather all the time, but ljohnsaw's picture have proven me wrong. we get it pretty easy here on the east coast of Canada compared to the rest of Canada and parts of the US.
Finally went up to the cabin today. Looks like at least 30 more days before I get back to it!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230415_213844385.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1681621087)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230415_184401952.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1681621089)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230415_185347038.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1681621087)
This thread has reached its 10 years old birthday today with an impressive 700 posts and 100,000 views. I've watched it since the beginning, but can you summarize the last 10 years in your own words? And what can we expect in the next 10 years to come?
Weeellll, I'm gonna git r dun this year 🤔😁
I learned a lot. Like, the old estimating rule is pretty true. Calculate what you think is the time needed to do a task, add 10%, then triple it!
I learned not all trees make good lumber.
Logs are pretty heavy.
A manual mill will make you loose weight.
This year's snow will probably set back my starting date to the end of June or beginning of July instead of mid-May and sometimes mid-April.
Plan to get the roof on this year along with the wall boards.
I've given up on long range plans.
It's still an exciting labor of love project to watch unfold. thumbs-up
Back from Ireland about 10 days ago but came down with a nasty chest cold. Probably RSV? In the last stages of it now. So, took a ride up the hill today.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230603_174500191.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1685831603)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230603_174547831.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1685831604)
And I got a nail in my tractor back tire!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230603_184838259.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1685831598)
Took a ride over to Truckee for lunch at Burger Me. Was featured on Diners, Dives and Drive-ins. Great but pricey. Lots of snow to melt yet!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230603_191834306.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1685831598)
Time to get to it! Have to see if I can move the SkyTrak out of the way and pull the head. Then get a new battery for the tractor so I can get my camper trailer set up down by the bath house.
Looks like my storage shed slipped off it's blocking. Looking a little wonky.
I am ready to see you busy. :D
Just finished reading the thread. Like Lynn, I'm anxious to see more.
hugs, Brandi
Yes, like Brandy and Lin am looking forward to this summer's chapter.
Quote from: Iwawoodwork on June 09, 2023, 03:05:22 PM
Yes, like Brandy and Lin am looking forward to this summer's chapter.
It's Brandi, not Brandy. I am not a drank.
hugs, Brandi
Hauling stuff back up the hill. The series of thunder storms has ended. Tuesday I took my little Ranger bed trailer up and hooked up the water system. Filled a lot of tires that were low. The SkyTrak started right up and was able to move it to an area were I could work on it and not be in the way. The nail in the tractor tire was a non issue. I wanted to do some tractoring but the battery was dead and my jumper cables were nowhere to be found. So I ordered a new battery.
Battery came in late Wednesday. I went back up with my flatbed trailer with the mill on it. Put the new battery in the tractor and works great now.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230615_163556664.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1686924823)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230615_163911589.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1686924818)
Took some doing but was able to get the mill back on the track using forks on the tractor. Then I proceeded to play in the dirt on the north side of the cabin. Leveled it a bit and found a few rocks.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230616_022209840.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1686924818)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230616_022219616.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1686924809)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230616_022250631.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1686924811)
I quickly dumped my flatbed there as it was after 7 pm and I needed to head home.
Those tractor batteries seem to have a high gravity factor built in, wheeew they weigh!
That swing out tray is a back saver.
That snow will be gone soon John - you'll be timber framing in short order.
Snow is gone! There was one small pile hiding under some heavy tree cover.
Andries, had a weird thing happening with the 545D. I was using it for a couple hours and it just died. Crank and nothing. In a couple minutes, it would start and die in 5 seconds. Like no fuel. Checked the water separator but all good. Then it ran great for another hour or so and did it again. So I checked all the fuses. Figured might be loosing power to the fuel solenoid. Working great now. Ever have this problem? Faulty solenoid?
Hot diggity dog, it's good to see you back on your build !!! 8)
Quote from: ljohnsaw on June 16, 2023, 12:57:10 PM. . Working great now. Ever have this problem? Faulty solenoid?
No, haven't experienced that on my 545.
Sounds like you're on the right track though.
Could you check that thinking by running a 12v. test lead from the battery to the fuel solenoid - see if the solenoid clicks on and off?
Trouble is that it's intermittent, so you could try the test lead right after the motor shuts down.
I mentioned that my storage box was off kilter. I was looking on top for something and noticed these.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230613_195605748.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1687017456)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230613_195619757.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1687017456)
The end ones survived but the middle 4 that have twice the tributary area all need some help.
Looks like they need some sisters. ;D
The steep grain angle and the spike knots on the tension side (edge) looked to be the downfall of the rafters.
Yeah, those rafters were a quick build from the scrap wood pile close to 10 years ago. I think this year's massive snow fall contributed a little, too.
After last week's dirt work, I was thinking about where the flatbed trailer was. I didn't make the pass any wider, just flatter. But the spot on the right was quite a bit deeper. Almost could get it in there. Did a test fit and dug a few feet further and got a couple more yards of rocks along with more dirt to level up the road. Got both trailers in there and out of the way.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230620_235752855.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1687491167)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230620_235714636.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1687491172)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230620_235707673.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1687491173)
Also renewed my anti-mindreadimg shield. (Mylar foil on the slide outs)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230620_235603631.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1687491175)
The News mentioned that the burn ban will go into effect on Monday so I'm doing some quick cleanup today. There were some branches that have been sitting for 12 years that haven't rotted.
While burning, set down the temporary flooring. Seem it gained some winter weight! They were flat stacked and wicked up water. They also swelled enough that I need to rip a couple. Still need to screw them down.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230623_002405385.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1687491167)
Great see you back working on your project. My bobcat 739 was intermittant stalling and then sometimes not starting, then it died. Used the meter and made it up to the key switch, and there beyond it was the 20amp glass tube fuse holder at burned/rotted out. Picket up a new inline horseshoe shaped fuse holder as they didn't have a glass holder fuse. The little cat runs just great agin.
Still getting things back in place to work faster. Screwed down the floor yesterday and moved up a set of 8 braces for the west mid-beam.
Spent today working out the method of lifting those beams. Got the north end up and fitted with it's braces.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230627_225640383.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1687926248)
Then set it out of the way up on the mini tie beams so I can work on the south end tomorrow.
I do have an issue with the middle bent that was a rush install last year before the early snow. The middle post is sitting up about ¾". I need to lift it up so I can remove the upper braces and shorten them. But I think the post bottom tenons are swelled up from the winter wet. ::)
Update 6/28/2023
Wrote it up in Did Something Dumb Today so a quick recap. Lifted the center bent, trimmed the upper knee braces and set it back down. All fitting flush now. Then got to lift it again since I forgot to put the lower knee braces back. :-\
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230629_032358200.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1688015218)
On to fitting the south section of the beam tomorrow.
Yesterday the was a rip roaring thunderstorm from 1:30 til about 4 then drizzle til 4:30 or so.
Went about fitting the south beam, then with the braces. Finally, both beams together.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230629_152027007.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1688103497)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230630_002922788.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1688103493)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230630_002945532.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1688103494)
Still need to align the joint and put fasteners and pegs in.
Takes a lot of stuff to get it done.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230630_002030778.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1688103496)
Two 8 foot and one 6 foot step ladders. Would have been better with four 8 footers. One 20 foot extension and a half of one. Lots of ratchet straps, slings and shackles. Also a couple come-alongs on the left. I really like these. Very well made that I got cheap from the online auction.
Best laid plans...
I had a plan to pull the head on the SkyTrak. Thinking the head gasket has really gone for how hard it is to start and keep running. First, I sprayed it with degreaser, waited and hoses it off. Hmm, the water separator/sediment bowl looks a little funny. Pulled it. Ton of sediment and mostly water. Pulled the fuel filter. Rusty and mostly clogged.
Called in the part, NAPA would have the part shipped up in 90 minutes. They are a 30 minute drive. Got there, the order was zeroed out by the shipping store. They order from another store and it would take 2 hours. So I drove another 30 minutes to get it myself.
Cleaned everything up and installed the bowl and filter. Purged the air. Notice a funky bailing wire job on some linkage that I thought was the engine kill. Nope, the throttle. No wonder I couldn't get full power!
Started up, runs great but still produces a LOT of smoke. So I pull the boom lift ram, take it to the hydraulic shop on Thursday morning. Probably have it back by Monday.
Got a call Friday and hour before they close for the weekend, it's ready. Picked it up yesterday and installed it this morning. Yay, leak free SkyTrak again!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230708_162007275.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1688864745)
Forty half revolutions later...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230708_163407741.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1688864731)
Also adjusted the boom chain that makes it retract. So, ran the engine some more and making even more smoke. Shut it down and look around my clean engine. Oil. Wipe it up, start it again to look for the leak. Too much smoke to see!
Looks to be dripping from the turbocharger.😕 So I pull it. Toast. The bearings are done. NAPA is no help. Internet at the cabin is horrible today. Go to neighbor and able to search the internet. SkyTrak.com has some but probably just for late model. Pricey in the $1,500 to $3,000 range!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230708_200308735.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1688864707)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230708_201848673.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1688864728)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230708_201837347.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1688864684)
Found a site that has three that look identical but only one that matches my part number. Of course, it can't be the $250 one, it's the $450 one. At least FedEx shipping is free.
Maybe see it Monday or Tuesday? One step forward, two steps back.
As a wise man on the FF says, tomorrow is another day.
Well, all in all I would say you came out of that whole thing a big winner and I am envious. I wish we had ours up to fixed like yours. You went through an awful lot of stuff in a short time. Good on you man! Enjoy the pleasure of using that machine now, you earned it.
Update 7/11/2023:
So, while waiting for my turbocharger, I spent Sunday and Monday drilling holes and pounding 1" oak pegs all over the place and driving ¾" and 1" bolts through the lower knee braces on bents 3 and 4. I also put in the four 1" pegs on each of the scarf joints of the current three beams installed.
Monday 10am I got an email from FridaysParts.com, where I ordered the turbocharger. It was wishful thinking that I would get it by Monday or Tuesday since I placed the order after 7pm Pacific Time on Friday. I assumed the part was domestic. The message was from China and it would be shipping soon by DHL and to expect delivery on Friday by end of day. Ok, makes sense. I set up text messaging for updates. I get some messages about Customs clearances and that that (Tom) can happen while in transit. It cleared Hong Kong Monday.
I came down the hill today to restock and get some other supplies. I get a text that it cleared Customs in L.A. and, again, that can happen in transit. Then a message that it will be delivered today between 3 and 5pm. It hit my door step at 2:15 pm. How is that even possible?
Now to change the oil and filter on the SkyTrak and install tomorrow or Thursday.
"How is that even possible?"
.
You're livin' right John.
Good things happen to reasonable people who aren't quitters.
Update 7/14/2023
Took a little diversion. I need a pad in the basement for my big water tank.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20210514a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1621054216)
Last year I bought some busted bags of Sacrete ready mix. Lowes was selling them for $1 instead of $5.73 for 80# bags. I got about 10. I needed about 40 for the slab. So I stopped in at an HD on my way to Lowes.
They had a free pallet of mostly 80# fibered stucco bags. So forked that onto my little trailer. Went to Lowes and bought one 94# bag of Portland and four busted bags of concrete. Swung by another HD and they had a huge pile of free. Got several bags of concrete, Portland and stucco.
The plan was to stop halfway up the hill at a concrete and aggregate yard for a 1/3 yard of rock. Use the stucco with some added Portland and rock. However, the TWO aggregate yard have ceased operations earlier this year. So, I mined gravel from my property.
And the big pallet of stucco from the first HD, it had four 47# bags of Portland hiding inside the twelve bags of stucco. Some scrap steel from some shipping crates to act as rebar.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230713_152456650.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1689388329)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230713_161202519.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1689388328)
So, three hours with the mixer
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230713_213808145.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1689388326)
The only problem is I only used about half the bags!
Where you see the pipe leaving the picture on the lower left, that is were my 330 gallon IBC is located. I'll move it over to the slab temporarily (and hook up the water again) and pour another slab there that will hold two of those IBCs side by side. Those will be for my sprinkler fire protection. I only need one per the plans. The big stainless 1,100 gallon tank will be treated/filtered water for domestic use. I have to get the iron out.
Just got the bad news on my SkyTrak head. Multiple cracks between the valve seats and injector holes and some surface cracks.
The manual says the engine is a Ford 444T and I wrote down Ford 268T so I think the displacement is 268 ci.
The engine does run but probably better to get a 'new' head. Where would I look for a circa 1986?
Begs the question should it be a total rebuild?
Should I just slap it back together and carry on with my cabin?
I've got a few big logs/beams to mill and not having the SkyTrak is a problem but still doable.
Not 100% sure but I think that motor was used in some old tractors. There is a tractor salvage yard about 2 hours from me here in ND called "Petes Tractor Salvage". If I remember correctly they do ship... You might try them and see what they have. I've never had to purchase anything as big and heavy as a cylinder head from them, so I can't be sure on the shipping part for that.
Pete's Tractor Salvage (http://www.petestractor.com/)
They are good folks to deal with.
If they have the part but aren't willing to ship it, let me know and next time I'm in the area I could grab it and package it up and ship it to ya.
More concrete work. Just too successful at getting free bags of concrete! My pour of old man mix was taking too long to set and was getting late. Had the makings of an entry into the "Did Something Dumb Today" thread.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230726_010525925.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1690552770)
Still had some leftovers so poured some access steps.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230727_205137941.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1690552766)
Time to move the main tank. Hard to do without the SkyTrak. False start. Caster wheels poked through the decking and fell over.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230727_212959933.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1690552750)
Restarted with it flipped around legs first. The tank is six feet in diameter. Had a tad more room cleared. Forgot about the two inch rings around it. To be completed the next time...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230727_213016173.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1690552743)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230728_000816366.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1690552743)
John, that job looks like a Great Dane trying to get through a Weinerdog sized pet door.
It must be a pain to work with the Ford when you're used to working with the zoomboom.
But it is good to see the 545D in action.
Did you figure out the intermittent stalling motor problem?
So far, so good - no stalling. Next up is to install my 10w solar panels on the Ford and my generator for now to keep the batteries topped off. The SkyTrak will get one when I get it running again. The 10 year old batteries are in need of replacement.
Used head ordered from All State Ag Parts. Coming from WI or SD, shipping tomorrow morning. Hopefully gets here by Friday so I can drop it off at the head shop and they can get to it while I'm gone next week on a rafting trip on the Rogue River.
In the meantime, need to finish moving the big tank and installing some battery maintainer solar setups.
Glad to hear that I was wondering what the statice was.
Update 8/1/2023
Got up here by 9am. Messed around a little with my Windy Nation solar controllers and the 10 w panels. Not sure they are happy together. I forgot the manuals but the info on the unit doesn't make sense. I have both a bright green and medium red led lit.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230802_013031674.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1690987389)
Says battery is full and low 🫤. Also, no difference in voltage at the battery terminals when connected or not.
On to the real task. Making the corner.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230801_203229799.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1690987260)
Standing up!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230801_220517150.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1690987238)
Only partially blocking one window.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230801_220813928.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1690987259)
It's nice to see you plugging along. 8)
Update 8/2/2023
I debarked a little 22" x 16.5' ponderosa log that was under a 36" log. Pulled it out with the 545D and a Magic Hook. Then tried to pick it up with my log tongs. Amazing what a difference 12,000 pounds of machine makes. The SkyTrak would barely flinch. The Ford, up on three wheels a few times!
Anyhow, probably took three times as long to load and rotating a bit more effort (zoom boom means you don't have to move the machine).
Got two 2x10s, nine 2x8s (really my target) and two 2x4s. Heavy stuff.
Pulled the alternator as it was only making 11.44v and got a new GM one-wire since the bearing were a little rough. A side benefit is the pulley is about 25% smaller which will help on the charging since I usually run about idle speed.
Oh, yeah. I installed a major upgrade to the mill. Got this goofy off centered square umbrella for a few buck at auction. Had all sorts of joints to position it exactly where I need it.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230803_010703661.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1691025993)
Also going to pick up a new lawn tractor battery for the mill. The last one is around 4 or 5 years old and I don't want to add more weight to the head.
Came up to do a few things done since the "new" SkyTrak head is getting checked out at the shop and installing the valves.
Couldn't mount the alternator in the 545D. The bracket needs a little tweaking with the welder and drill press.
Replaced the leaking 2" ball valve on one of my fire tanks. It's great having a lathe to turn some external threads where there was a quick disconnect / cam connection.
Looking due north from my upper deck, there is a fire tower.
First, just with my phone. Look between the taller tree at the horizon in the middle and the two shorter ones. Not where the scope is pointing.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230817_173018454.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1692322499)
Zoomed in on phone (7x?).
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230817_173012877.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1692322464)
Using a 10x spotter scope that has a phone holding attachment. No zoom on phone.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230817_172942630.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1692322554)
Now zoomed on phone.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230817_172925883.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1692322545)
I'm guessing it's about 5 miles away?
This afternoon I did a walkabout. Found this boulder that would make a great foundation for a mini cabin. Has about a 30 inch drop from the back high spot in the shadow to the low spot in the front shadow.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230817_185958604.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1692324188)
At the bottom of the hill (north edge) is the old highway 40. Nature is reclaiming it.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230818_001940886.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1692323931)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230818_002305060.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1692323833)
It ends at a bridge abutment.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230818_002343694.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1692323698)
On the climb back, this precariously perched boulder!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230818_004127558.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1692323585)
Update 8/31/2023:
So the SkyTrak has been down since July 8. Came up yesterday with lots of good intentions. I got the head back last Friday. Picked up an oil pan gasket ($75!!) for good measure. Planned on pulling it to see if there is any junk in there.
Yesterday I got the head on (all 114 pounds of it!) and torqued down, got the valves adjusted and the exhaust manifold on. The valve adjustment was interesting. There is just a bolt with the ball end. No lock nut. Went to adjust them and couldn't budge them. Had to use an impact.
Start to put the intake manifold on. Have to thread the injector lines through it. Slip the gasket in place but can't get the bolts to start. Pull it all out and find I have the wrong gasket.😕 So I punch holes for the bolts and put it together. Except I overlooked one thing. As I pour coolant in the radiator, the second gallon starts to run out. My wrong but modified gasket didn't seal up two of the four water ports on the head. 🙄 So I'll get some gasket material and make my own since it will take another week or two to order.
On to the turbocharger. That ended quickly as the oil port holes are metric thread and I don't have a supply of metric bolts up here.
I took a look at pulling the oil pan. Nope, have to pull the engine. Taking the gasket back!
So I went and installed the new one wire alternator on the Ford 545D. It doesn't seem to be putting out the right voltage. Cleaned up some connections and it's better but still not right. Only 12.44.
On to the water tanks. Had the glue and all the 2" fittings I needed to tie the two 330 fire water tanks together. Except I left my length of 2" pipe at home.
I should've stayed home...
Quote from: ljohnsaw on August 31, 2023, 08:47:43 PM.......
I should've stayed home...
NAH! I (we) have had LOTS of days like that. It's hard to remember in the moment, but you made a lot of progress today. If you stayed in bed you would just have pushed off all the frustration to a later day. Best to get that junk out of the way today and put you way ahead on the next day. It's just as frustrating as all get out to go through that. Hammer on!
I agree with Old Greenhorn. Keep on powering through it.
My favorite saying (other than the initial cuss words upon finding something new in my way) is
"Head down, butt up, and keep pushin."
Want inspiration? Go back and reread your thread getting to here!
That's a story never earned sitting in a recliner.
Thank, guys. It's raining up here pretty good now so taking that as a sign to head home, gather up supplies and hit it again next week. Supposed to drop to the mid 30s tonight or tomorrow night. Winter is not far away!
Update 9/20/2023:
Well, got the SkyTrak running again. Still uses a little coolant so there's more internal work to be done at some point. With the new turbo not leaking oil into the cylinders, it's not smoking a bunch and runs really well. Also, with the repacked boom cylinder, it is leak free! Been a long time.
So back to milling. Yesterday and today milled up one whole 33' log. Slabbed the sides into 2x to saw for the roof deck.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230918_201920138.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1695190716)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230918_220123870.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1695190687)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230919_000556534.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1695190574)
One 8x15 beam.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230918_234517587.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1695190647)
And a pile of decking.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230920_024413094.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1695189050)
in
Popped another log on the mill and started breaking it down. Hope to get 4 beams out in the next couple of days.
Looking good John.
That's a lot of labour, but that's what these projects seem to be.
Hoping the weather holds out for you.
It's good to see you back to doing what you are supposed to be doing John. 8)
Finished the second beam this morning and processed the slabs into 2x8s. I discovered a different looking "Denim Pine" that I'm gonna call Dalmatian Denim or maybe Blue Dalmatian :D
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230920_182511135.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1695269940)
Started third beam but drive belt is slipping. Adjustment is at the end so need to figure out something in the morning.
Roof deck pile almost 6 foot now.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230920_222952975~0.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1695269939)
Hi :)
Update 9/21/2023
Got 3 or the 4 beams cut.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230921_225036688.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1695348758)
Still have to finish up the slabs/edging them down to 2x8's
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230921_225057960.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1695348756)
And get a taller ladder in here to stack them.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230921_224508678.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1695348761)
Covered them up for the rain that is supposed to be coming on Monday night/early Tuesday morning. Maybe some snow way up at 8-9,000' elevation.
Probably head up next week to cut the final beam and start laying out the cuts and mortises for the posts and braces.
The highway to nowhere...In a 100 years it will still be there and someone will do a movie shoot of a collapsed civilization
I like the pics of the fire tower, at 1st I was thinking what a spot for a house. lol
9/29/2023 update:
I went up Tuesday to Friday and did some more sawing. I milled up another log into the fourth beam and then the side lumber. The stack was getting higher and the boards heavier so I needed a better way to get them up there. So, working smarter, not harder!
The logs sat for over a year but they didn't loose any water. I'm thinking the 2x8x16.5' boards are well over 100 pounds. Even difficult to drag off the pile. This may be helpful to new millers without warehouse space to make a lot of small piles or material handling equipment.
Step 1, get them inside to the pile. My good old lumber cart. Need to find a new wheel. One got really bent over the winter and the tube rotted out. But, it still rolls...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230928_151556827.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1696111376)
Next, lift no more than one end at a time.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230928_151810625.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1696111374)
With the 1x set in about a third of the length worked best. Very little effort and went up fast. Using the boards weight to help lift.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230928_151930686.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1696111373)
Repeat.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230928_151956604.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1696111371)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230928_152046555.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1696111370)
At the top, stand on edge and roll over to the top.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230928_152147384.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1696111369)
About out of room.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230928_163302226.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1696111367)
I put the last milled beam back on the mill bed as a work platform. This late in the year it's mostly shady all day there. Cut the mortices for the posts and the brace pockets. Put that half up on the frame ready for test fitting without and then with the braces. Max reach with the SkyTrak. Needed to use a short sling and forks rolled up to reach.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20230929_191856506.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1696111366)
I'll be using my hand winch setup for the rest of the placement.
Moved the next beam to the workbench and laid out all the cuts. Cut the scarf joint and trimmed to length. This longer half is 32' 1" so not much wiggle room on a 33' beam! The weather started closing in at 4 pm so I headed home.
Back at it on Tuesday!
Update 10/3-6/2023:
Up there for most of the week. Finished off the beams and made the 8 braces for the ridge beam.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20231006_210824632.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1696737198)
Didn't quite have the last beam done on Thursday due to darkness. So Friday morning was a major milestone. The last hole drilled for the last mortise on the last beam (half).
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20231003_192216426.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1696737204)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20231006_160304979.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1696737200)
Short stub braces for test fitting.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20231006_161048037.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1696737198)
There is somewhere north of 340 mortice/brace pockets on this project. Until the next one, this workout machine is going into storage. I bought this one from Jim Rodgers. I had to replace the uprights that warped in the dry weather out here.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20231006_160251751.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1696737202)
Heading up Sunday morning to pop it all together.
Looking Good John. thumbs-up
Looking good John, We had snow 10 mins north of me yesterday. I was expecting to open this link and find you are shut down for the winter. Great to see you are still going strong. Will you get it roofed for winter this year?
Yesterday didn't go as planned. We tested the ridge braces I made Friday afternoon on the ridge beam. All good. Went to test them way up on the center posts and something didn't look right. The braces were the smallest on the cabin at 3 foot long. The braces pockets were 4 foot down on the posts. That's not gonna work! Turns out they need to be the standard 5 foot used elsewhere.
So, I had a set of 5s. Test fit those. All good. Then, with the three of us, we got all the lifting winches in place.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20231009_003159244.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1696858223)
Will add some cross braces. I'm going back up tomorrow to install that and make 8 more braces for the purlin beam. Then we'll regroup on Friday and get er dun.
If that all goes well, maybe slap up some rafters, some random planking and tarp the whole thing for the winter. I have a huge piece of horse arena cover to use.
This is starting to get exciting!
Do you have any pictures of lifting winch setups?
I'll try to remember to get some pictures tomorrow showing more details. The picture above shows the 2x8s with the brackets on top. It is a 1,000 pound cable winch over a top pulley down through a snatch block and back up to make the lifting easy.
John,
That photo is mesmerizing. That will be fun getting the tarp up and secured.
hugs, Brandi
Quote from: Bindian on October 09, 2023, 11:10:31 AM
John,
That photo is mesmerizing. That will be fun getting the tarp up and secured.
hugs, Brandi
yeah and is that tape rated for your snow load?
Jim Rogers
The tarp is a super heavy PVC with fiber reinforcement. Got it for free to use for this. I'll remove all my deck boards like last year so if it fails, no damage should happen. If it holds up, great! It is the same dark green tarps I used on my lumber piles.
Made it up today. Light misting all afternoon but got some work done. Had 9 pegs to drill and place. Here is some pics of the hoisting setup.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20231010_230057497.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1696988884)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20231010_234627781.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1696988876)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20231010_234638972.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1696988736)
Added some side bracing to my hoist setup and lifted the ridge beam halves part way.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20231011_000616554.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1696988686)
Tomorrow I'll put the perlin halves up now that there's room for them to be ready for Friday placement. Also need to cut the 8 braces for them.
Boy, did it rain last night! Felt like I should be building a boat, not a cabin. But, the sun was out this morning. Did a few repairs on the SkyTrak waiting for it to warm up a little. 42° this morning.
Lifted the perlin beams up and cut 8 more braces the right length this time.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20231011_191145048.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1697084553)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20231012_002417379.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1697084553)
This is exciting stuff !!! 8)
Update 10/16/2023:
Sort of a double update. We didn't make it up Friday. Just worked on Saturday and had a couple helpers.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20231014_205454200.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1697511566)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20231014_205458754.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1697511546)
The ridge beam is 19' above the loft floor so a LOT of ladder time for me. Lot of lifting, dropping and tweaking the braces. Which means taking them out and down to the floor to adjust then back up. Just ran out of daylight. Looked like just one brace needed a little more.
I came back up today for the week. Turned out that the two braces on the middle bent needed adjustments. Finally, got all the post tenons started, all the braces in place.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20231016_205414280.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1697511503)
Success! Final set down at 2pm.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20231016_205435910.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1697512057)
Took down all the rigging by 4pm.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20231016_232857915.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1697511018)
And reset for the purlin beam halves and hug them by 6pm.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20231017_014553245.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1697511058)
In the morning, testing begins.
Thank You for sharing your exciting (but hard working) time with us. 8)
Update 10/18/2023:
Tuesday was a full day of getting everything fitting smoothly. Had one of my new braces that needed replacement. Musta been an end of shift, Friday job. It was twisted. Got down to fitting the last brace and it needed a slight adjustment but the sun had set and was too dark to continue. Miss the 12-13 hours of daylight. Having only 9 or 10 hour work days cuts into production.
Got out on the job at 7:30. The near (south) section gets raised to accept the scarf joint of the north section. Then both get lowered together. The winches are at floor level so a little less ladder work.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20231018_142510531.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1697654053)
And down by 8:20!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20231018_152157788.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1697654072)
Take down all the rigging and pack up/clean up.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20231018_180540778.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1697654028)
Now, on to drilling 62 holes to place a lot of these pegs and the two big bolts.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20231018_180333249.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1697654032)
I can't wait to see where the bolts and pegs go.
hugs, Brandi
I miss counted. I forgot that I purposely left the brace pegs out on the other perlin beams to allow for some wiggling of the posts if needed. So, you see the 6 pegs?
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20231019_004342938.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1697679509)
Two in the post-to-beam connection and two each for the braces. There is a total of 26 on this purlin beam. Then the scarf joint has 4 pegs (making a total of 30) along with one bolt and 8 timber screws. The ridge beam will be the same, bringing the total to 60. The other perlin beam took 16 for the braces, so the total will be 76 when I do the ridge beam in the morning. Too dark now.
So here is my streamlined process. I made several templates. This one marked the steeper pitched brace's peg hole. I sight down the brace/beam edge on the right in this picture, and also down the left side. No fiddling with squares and pencils.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20231019_004625571.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1697679496)
Then I use a plywood triangle to make sure I'm perpendicular. I can drop it and not feel bad. I'm going to modify it for tomorrow to check both directions at the same time.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20231019_004837699.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1697679399)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20231019_004847127.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1697679393)
I use this little persuader to drive the pegs. Twelve pounds.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20231019_005941494.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1697679254)
Done.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20231019_005040881.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1697679257)
Are those pegs, oak?
hugs, Brandi
Yes. From Northcott, aka Pegs.us. A first class product.
Finished pegging the ridge beam today. Took a 24 foot extension ladder. Here is the modified square for drilling. Should've done this a while ago. Makes for less contortions on the ladder!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20231019_162141524.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1697778618)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20231019_162150846.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1697778618)
I actually hold it with one hand and adjust the drill angle with the other.
Here's a shot of one of the scarf joints showing the 1" bolt, 4 pegs and the 4 timber screws in the top. Four other screws are at the other end from the bottom. The bolt is to prevent the scarf from splitting if it gets overloaded and the 8x15 beam flexes. ::)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20231019_181545521.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1697778614)
One final shot.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20231019_211026163.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1697778615)
Sunset last night. There was a prescribed burn in the area.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/PXL_20231019_010802939.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1697778620)
Looking fantastic!
Is your scarf joint gonna get a square peg added?
I use a lot of 12 inch aircraft bits for various jobs. I have used a speed square to help drill square. But never thought of a fancy square like you made. Awesome design!
hugs, Brandi
No square pegs. When I designed this cabin, I was unaware of that style and my engineer didn't suggest otherwise. These were a little bit of a hassle to assemble. My original, original intent was to use a single piece beam 53 foot long. The loggers laughed at my request. After doing the basement 47 foot, I was glad I changed to a two piece design.
I made one many years ago:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/JR-Bit-jig.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1196530532)
Jim Rogers
Update 10/25/2023: The end of season
We were having a pretty hot Indian Summer until Monday. Weather reports were changing hourly. First it was rain for today followed by a freeze. Then it changed back to cool weather with snow by Saturday.
So I went up yesterday (Tuesday) morning. I took down all the gear from up top, packed away tools and ladders and cleaned up random wood chunks from making braces.
I was woken up at 0530 to lots of wind gusts. Drained the main water tanks (about 400 gallons). Ate a bunch of oatmeal and started packing up the trailer. Got it folded up just as the rain was starting. Kept switching from rain to hail to snow and back. Nothing heavy.
Left at 12:40. There were chain controls over the summit east of me and a big rig jackknifed near the summit. Fortunately, home is west.
I'll head back up on Friday to pull up the flooring and dewater the bathhouse for the winter. There will be good weather next week and I hope to mill up several big 16.5' pine logs into 2x8s for roof decking. I'll get it stickered in the basement and should be ready to T&G when the snow melts.
Overnight temps were 29°! This didn't melt today.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/1000006427.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1698473156)
Tankless water heater was frozen but undamaged. Got all the flooring up and bathhouse safe for the rest of the winter.
Loaded this log and another on the mill, end to end. Looking to head up next week and possibly staying at a neighbor's cabin.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/1000006428.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1698473162)
I guess I forgot to post yesterday. I went up for the day. I milled up the first log. Well, I broke it down. It was 30" so one opening cut at about 2" then one 2" slab to make a 2x8. Then two 8" cants/slabs, flip, open, one 2" slab to make a 2x8. But, I botched it. Ended up with 7.5 or so can't. So I made eleven 2x6s out of this one cant.
I rediscovered an issue with the mill. The first section has a little bit of a smile (dip) in the track. When edging, it shows up. And if you edge both sides, it compounds making an hour glass shape. So I held off processing the other two cants.
I moved the other, bigger log (34") towards the middle of the bed. It did a slow motion roll, sinking the backstops and rolled off the back. It took out a 5 foot section of 2x3 angle track that bridged between two sections of track. Made it into a hockey stick. :(
So I spent an hour straightening it out using the SkyTrak fork tilt hydraulics.
Back to milling, I did the same cuts, stacking the cants and standing up the last one for milling when I return on Wednesday.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/1000006443.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1698718941)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/1000006444.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1698718941)
This log was a little ornery. Just as my band was exiting, it pinched the band and stalled the engine. Twice. These cants were so heavy (8"x34"), I couldn't get a wedge in to lift so I had to use the log tongs.
It was a chilly day. Got there a little after 8 and it was 34°. Got up to 46° and windy all day. Left at 5:30 as the temperature dropped.
Update 11/3/2023:
Went up for a few days. Nights are in the 40s again. I'm staying in a neighbor's cabin with a nice wood fire. I thought I had five 16.5 foot logs to mill. Turns out there is 6. And they are not all 16s. One was just 15.
I had this fun one at 24" diameter. It would roll down a steep enough hill so I think it qualifies as a log ;)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/1000006476.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1698990621)
Got twenty one 2x8s out of it that I cut extra wide to trim up after drying. We'll see in the spring. I loaded up a smaller one for next week. The remaining two are about 28" and 36" in diameter.
The second stack is growing.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/1000006487.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1699108098)
That looks Great. I am enjoying this build.
Update 11/11/2023:
Spent the last four days milling out 2x8s. Topped out the stacks.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/1000006535.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1699681751)
Had to use my persuader on the left stack to get the metal on top. Roughly 240 boards that will come in around 2,500 sq-ft for the roof deck. I need 2,438 sq-ft. So I probably need another 500 sq-ft for drying losses.
I've got another 16' log that will get me ~300 sq-ft, and three 33's. But the storm door is opening on Tuesday. ::)
Will the drying loses be from the lower boards covered in snow for the winter?
The ponderosa behaves fairly well. I'm thinking crook or splits. Then having it T&G'd a little more loss. With the white and red fir, I saw a solid 15% loss mostly twisting.
The snow doesn't just cover the bottom boards. With 12 feet of snow last year and expected again this year, they ALL get covered in snow!
.
Have been following this build with great interest in your details.
"12 feet of show." A question: When an Architect designs a building roof in your area (elevation), what number do they use for snow load?
Thanks and have a peaceful winter.
.
IIRC, it was 315 RSL with the steep pitch, which was reduced from 346 GSL.
And I'm the Architect (along with input from the FF) and Draftsman. I worked with Fire Tower out of Rhode Island. When you have a few sleepless nights, go back to page 1. It's been along ride!
Update 11/13/2023:
Went up Sunday with my buddy to mill up the last 16.5' x 32" log. That was the tuffest of all to cut. Ended up using 3 blades. I experimented a little. The engine tops out at 3,300 rpm. Pushing, it starts to load and drops to 2,800-2,900. I kept pushing harder and it would drop to 2,600 (grunting) and would start throwing bigger chips/less dust and move noticably faster in the 30" cut.
Anyhow, this log wasn't any tighter ringed but much harder. I got 31 2x8s out of it, 661 bd-ft. Pretty much out of stacking space.
For boards:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/1000006553.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1699978427)
And for slabs/firewood:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/1000006555.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1699978426)
For future reference when I'm standing on the 10-12' of snow in March or April.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/1000006557.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1699978428)
I am assuming that you have put your build to sleep for the Winter?
Yes :(
I did go up the Wednesday before Thanksgiving to retrieve my quick attach off the Ford. I had the bucket slip off one side and tweak it. I straightened it as best I could with the hydraulics but it was difficult to change attachments.
I tried to straighten it better at home with chains and a jack, no joy. I have that other tool plate so I set it in that. I sawsall'd one end of the connecting tube. It moved an inch in two directions! So I cut the other side. I slipped in a short piece of 2" square in each end to align it for welding back in place. I was already planning on adding a piece of 3" sch 40 pipe as a cross piece. After seeing the square tube was at best 1/8", I added a second pipe and you see both here.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/1000006650.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1701359171)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/1000006651.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1701359172)
Slapped some paint on it and back up the hill yesterday to install.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/1000006658.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1701359174)
Works great now.
OK, we will see it again late next Spring. :)
No snow up there yet?
Temps have been vasalating between upper 20s to low 40s the last few weeks. Probably could/should have left the mill up and cut more wood, but no where to put it!
Light snow showers with icy stuff remaining in the shadowy areas. Wednesday the frozen ground crust was only about an inch deep but probably because the dust was dry below it. Dusting of snow last night, supposed to be on and off through tomorrow.
.
ijohnsaw, Thanks for the invitation to read from the beginning. I have been following along for some time now.
I always believe that our snow load was a lot because it is somewhat above surrounding loads here due to Lake Affect Snow from the Great Lakes. But at only 20% of your snow load, I am dumbfounded as we normally think of California as being hot and sunny.
At least you have a big freezer to protect the wood from bugs for much of the year. Have you any idea when you might get a roof of some sort, on?
.
This time last year, I said next summer. But the impressive snow fall, the cold spring and equipment issues killed that plan. They were predicting the same this year but it's off to a slow start. No snow yet on the ground.
All the beams are now up, I have a few logs left to make rafters and some of the previously cut rafters may be viable. So, I'll say the rafters will make it up next year (summer). I have most, if not all the roofing 2x boards (ponderosa) cut and drying now. Plan to have them T&G'd at my neighbor's cabin. I dare say they will make it up next year as well.
It would be nice to get the insulation and metal up, but time will tell.
I have the first floor 2x floorboards (white fir) cut and dried along with the 1x cedar wall boards also ready to T&G. I want to use ponderosa for the loft floor/bedroom ceilings. Much nicer grain. That should be generated from the rafter side wood.
I'm curious what equipment will be used for all the T&G work.
Thanks for sharing this great experience with us
I don't remember what he said he had. It is a 4 sided planer that needs a 50A circuit.
Just replying to see if it works on the new software.
Ok, the above works. This was "quick edit"
Now on Modify under More. Hmm, how to pull a picture from my gallery...
The Galllery seems to be working correctly now. Just go to the picture, look below it for embed options. Copy the one you want, and paste it in your post.
And I can testify that posting Gallery pictures is easily done. ;)
Didn't work.
Posted above, now using "Modify"
A picture?
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/1000006772~0.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=350828)
In "Quick Edit" - picture is now code. Adding more text. Another picture:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/1000006757.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=350676)
So, looks like post the first word then go back and modify.
John,
What do you do when away from the TF build to keep from getting bored?
I had about 20 things to fix on the mill. I bring the head home so the snow doesn't crush it. I've got about 5 left to do.
I build stuff/remodel around my house. Take care of deferred maintenance.
I have a few customers that have handyman stuff for me. They patiently wait over the summer when I'm not available. I tell them, when the snow piles up, I'll get to them. I get referrals so always something. I also help out family members with projects.
There is also fishing. I rarely have nothing to do. Come spring, I get a little anxious to get started but have to wait out the snow.
John,
Is the snow starting to disappear, or do you have lots of snow still?
This was from the end of March. About 7 feet left then.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/1000007881.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/board/%5Burl="https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=353481")
The dead tree in the center, just to the left is my skytrac poking out. Way in the back is the top of my well house, 8 foot tall. So, a little melting to do still.
Warm some days in the upper 50s and freezing overnight.