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My timber frame build

Started by Ljohnsaw, April 22, 2013, 01:25:11 AM

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Ljohnsaw

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...

 

 

For some scale:

 
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Darrel

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)
1992 LT40HD

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

Ljohnsaw

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!
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Ljohnsaw

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!

 

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.


 

But time for a new brush...

 

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...

 
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Ljohnsaw

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 :-\ :

 

Temperatures will be back up in the upper 80's down here, mid to upper 70's at the property.
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Ljohnsaw

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.

 

 

Then I noticed this:

 

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.

 

There was a couple cold nights and the Thoroseal blushed.  This wall has been finished for 6 days.

 

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.
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Ljohnsaw

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. :-\

 

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 :-\
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Magicman

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".
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Ljohnsaw

Update 11/2 2017:

Driving up, I passed through a cloud and then it moved in on me.

 
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.

 

 

I loaded up a 38' Incense Cedar.

 

I decided to cut it into three 12'8" logs.  I need three 6x12 sills.  I think this tree was a little stressed!

 

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.
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Darrel

That wall looks better in the fog, or did you finally get the color to match?
1992 LT40HD

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

Ljohnsaw

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.
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Magicman

It all looks good.  How are your feelings, were you able to meet your expectations during this year's work?
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Ljohnsaw

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.

 
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Ljohnsaw

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:

 

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:

 

I made a new pin out of some SS I had laying around.  That is the new pin on the top:

 

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! ;)
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Darrel

I think you are now 1-up on kbietz! :D
1992 LT40HD

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

Ljohnsaw

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.

 

 

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.

 
I figured, hey, I got 20" of precip.

 
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.
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Magicman

Wonder why it did not split when it froze?
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Ljohnsaw

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.
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

backwoodsboy

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.

backwoodsboy

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.

Ljohnsaw

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

 

I put this big guy on to test my new log clamps

 

 

 

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 :-\
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Magicman

Nice to snag those trees/logs.   8)
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Darrel

Nice looking clamp. Looks like it is quick and easy.
1992 LT40HD

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

Ljohnsaw

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.





I was able to just roll that big one right on top of the others from the trailer deck.
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

tburch

Looks like there might be some metal in that first log.   Free logs are always good for something!
Peterson 10" WPF with slabber. Cooks AC36 Diesel.
'94 Ford 4830 Diesel 2WD & FEL.  Norse 450 skid winch.  Logrite fetching arch.  Fransgard Forestry Grapple.

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