Tales of a tornado, a future shed and lots of borrowed equipment

[jason.weir]

A month or so ago we had an F2 tornado cut a 50 mile swath through central NH.  To those who live in tornado prone areas I can't imagine having these things on a yearly basis.  Luckily (for me) it did no damage near me but some friends had it go right through their area.  It happens that our baby sitter was one of the many affected and I offered to help clean up what I could. I've been needing to build a shed to keep the rain\snow off my growing collection of junk, so I thought I'd take this opportunity to take home some pine and saw out a shed.

Here are some picture of the damage.  Again not too severe for some areas but in this area we average 1.5 tornado's every 2 years and I can't ever remember an F2 mainly F0s...

FYI - She was in the house with her young twins and 2 others.  The poor dog was outside on a run but escaped unhurt...











So what's a guy without a lot of equipment to do - call in favors from everyone he knows and borrow lots of stuff.

It started with a Wallenstein 8K lb winch.  Boy this thing is nice, it could pull more than my 30hp tractor would allow and let us stay out of harms way.





Then a log trailer from FF member JSNH - Thanks John!!!





And then my cousin's Turner band mill - notice the new blue toy in the foreground.  I've sawed quite a bit on this mill - manual everything but its got a nice running Honda motor on it and its simple to operate.





This weekend we hauled the logs home, some on the log trailer with the larger ones going in a couple dump trucks and one equipment trailer.  We still have 1-2 more loads to go.





I had a buddy help me - he got to keep what little hardwood there was.  After each day we would cut split and stack what we brought home.  All in all he ended up with a little over 4 cord, good for him, good for me and good for the homeowners..

Next is the sawing - I plan to build a 3-sided 24x36 pole barn on concrete sono tubes, shed roof with parallel chord trusses and steel on top.  I'll side the outside with pine shingles and have a dirt floor.  It will be full before its finished but the majority of my stuff will be under cover this winter.  I'll post some more updates as things happen..

-Jason

[pasbuild]

Ya done good  8) 8) 8) I have been sawing on last winters wind falls all summer.

[Sprucegum]

Yep, ya got a real nice pile of sticks out of that mess.

[TexasTimbers]

Good work jason. Glad no one was hurt.

I guess it's what you are used to. I'd rather have the twisters anyday than the quakes. I have been through both, and both more than once, and I will take the tornados anyday. Not to say I like them.

[Roxie]

Very nice pictoral walk thru.  Good job!   8)

[bandmiller2]

A-yup thats whats called a windfall,NH has been hit pretty hard lately floods and twisters,when I was young they blamed the bomb for everything now its global warming.Jason be sure to make the Dublin NH show its the weekend after labor day check on the internet for directions.Mr Lane would make quick work of that log pile but the band works too. This weekend I got the husk on its foundation all level working on more posts for the ways.Went to a live steamers show yesterday some homemade steam locomotives their 1800 lbs. or so big enough to do some work.I would love to have about a 1/4 size shay logging locomotive.See you at Dublin. Frank C.

[jason.weir]

Frank,

I would have preferred to use the Lane but it seems I have time to build the shed or fix the Lane not both.  I WILL!! get the big circle mill working it just wont be quick. 

I probably won't make the Dublin show, too much going on - hopefully I'll be pouring concrete that weekend.

I've got to start putting together a cut list,  gonna be mostly boards and 2x4s for the trusses, 6x6 posts and other misc 2x stuff..

I'll get some pictures of the area after we took the logs out and piled up the brush.

-Jason

[thecfarm]

What a mess!Glad you could help out and get some logs at the same time.

[Captain]

A friend in NH has some land in that storm damage.  We're going up in a few weeks to clean her up and see what is left.

Captain

[JSNH]

It's good to see the trailer doing some work. It's pretty useful to load logs into the dump truck and I bet it would work good for placing logs on the mill. I won't need it back right away. I registered it today I can get it to you so you will be legal on the road next week.

[Chuck White]

Storm damage is really something to clean up!
Everything is twisted together and it's hard to figure out.
Most of our sawing this year is due to wind damage.

We have been mobile since we got our mill in May.  Actually, before that, we were using my FIL's WM LT40 manual.
The hydraulics makes it easy.
So far, we've done just over 48,000 board feet, and it looks like we'll be going into cold weather.

You have a lot of nice equipment to work with.  It's nice to have friends that you can call on in situations like you have.
We started one job where we were supposed to saw around 2,500 bf and when we finally left, we had sawn over 12,000 bf.
All you can do is keep trudging forward.
Good luck to all of you in this kind of situation.

[bandmiller2]

The problem with storm damage is alot of splits and some you don't notice until you mill it,of course no one should look a gift horse in the mouth,those logs good and well selected.Frank C.

[jason.weir]

Just an update, I've made some progress on the logs.

I know, I know they should be stickered, if I don't end up using them soon I will sticker and cover them..

So far only one metal strike - looked like some barbed wire, the blade needed to be changed anyways so that gave me a good reason.

I need mostly 12' dimensional stuff, but for some reason the cleanup crew that pulled the stuff off the house cut it to 11' 6" - those I've been making boards from.

From left to right you have, 6x6s, 2x12x12s, 2x6x12s and a bunch of 2x4x8s



Here we have misc boards, some 12' boards and a big pile of 2x4x12s..



It doesn't look like I'm going to have enough - so back to the woods for me and get another couple truck loads..



More to follow.

-Jason

[jason.weir]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but - I've been dragging my feet on the shed build but finally have some progress to report

I poured concrete set the posts last fall - built 19 - 27' trusses over the winter, just finishing up a couple weeks ago.

Last Friday I had a crew around and we put the trusses up and nailed the strapping for the metal roof.

Dimensions are 24' x 36' - 12' high in the front and 6' in the back.  Its going to be open in front and closed 3 sides with wood shingles for siding.





-Jason

[fishpharmer]

Jason, nice job.  I think its better to add to an old thread if its same subject than re tell whole story.

[ljmathias]

Can't tell which way it's facing and what your prevailing wind direction is year around, but from my experience, since you'll have one side open anyway, why not leave two open and let the wind help keep the sawdust out of your face?

BTW, nice shed, and I like the trusses- makes it real sound, I'd expect.

Lj

[jason.weir]

LJ,

The open front faces SE and the prevailing wind is NE-N-NW - I faced it that way so in the winter I get sun on the front almost all day - and because I didn't want it to fill with snow.  No sawdust in this one just an old shingle mill.

I got most of the steel roofing on today - I'll try to get some pictures tomorrow..  Handling 27' pieces of roofing by yourself was loads of fun but I got it done - I'll sleep good tonight..

-J

[stonebroke]

Nice trusses , where did you get plans for the trusses?

Stonebroke

[WDH]

That would make a dandy air drying shed.

[jason.weir]

Nice trusses , where did you get plans for the trusses?

Stonebroke

Umm plans?  Was I suppose to have some of those?

Hope not - I looked at simple bridge trusses and kinda faked it..  An engineer I am not...

All 2x4 rough pine joined both sides with 1/2" cdx plywood, PL polyurethane construction adhesive and 2 1/2" ring nails.

All said and done each truss has 90 lf of 2x4 - 1 1/3 tube of adhesive (large ones), 2 coils of nails and half a sheet of plywood.  My cost under $20 apiece.  The local lumber yard wanted $200 apiece.. 

I didnt need trusses but I really didnt want any interior posts - its only a 3 pitch if it sags under snow load I'll have to put some posts up...

That would make a dandy air drying shed.

Why would I need to dry air??   Anyways.. I'm sure you guys have the same problem but this thing will be so full I won't be able to walk through it before its finished..  Plans for next summer include an wood drying shed - for drying cord wood..

-J

[bandmiller2]

Good job jason,the worst part of a project like your shed is getting started.Ole John sure has some nice toys,have you seen his Lister diesel??Frank C.

[jason.weir]

Good job jason,the worst part of a project like your shed is getting started.Ole John sure has some nice toys,have you seen his Lister diesel??Frank C.

He does have some nice toys - wouldn't want to be the unlucky thief breaking in at night...  didn't know he has a Lister - what's he running with it - a single or twin?

-J

[bandmiller2]

Single cylinder hooked up to a 110v gen. for aux. power.The shed I built over the mill is not as fancy as yours Jason.Put four utility poles in the ground ,deep,oak timbers front and back and oak rafters.Pine board rubber membrane roofing.Thought about metal roof but that would tend to be noisy ,like a large speaker. Frank C.

[ljmathias]

Hey, Jason- I can sympathize with those long pieces of tin- that's exactly the same length I put up on each side of my big barn several months ago.  Ended up constructing a launching ramp so they won't bend in the middle (lower edge of the roof is at 12'), drilled two holes in the end of each piece (covered by ridge vent) and pulled each up using snap rings, a pulley and long piece of rope.  Tedious but it got the job done with my inexperienced crew (me, myself and I as mentioned by someone else on here who mainly works alone).  My crew may not be very useful, but they stick around pretty good and remind me when I'm doing something wrong, usually just after I've finished...

Lj

[Meadows Miller]

Gday

You have done an Awsome job from start to finnish there Jason  ;) ;D ;D 8) 8) 8)
Its funny how those tree loppers seem to cut most of the nice stuff into the wrong lengths or just shy of what they are supose to be Mate  ;) :D just sorted through about 200 ton to get about 120 ton of usable logs on tuesday and brougt bak two semiloads   ;D 8)

With those long sheets they ae a pita some of the esp when your working with M,M&I  theres afew of us out there Lj  ;) :D :D ;D  Dad and I use to roof about two homes a year in sheets upto 34' on pitches from 45 to 52 deg on the log homes we use to build  ;)

Regards Chris

[cogger]

So, do you need help making shingles?!

[jason.weir]

So, do you need help making shingles?!

Sure Paul anytime...  I ran the mill at Deerfield Fair off an old Farmall with a 20' flat belt - the mill never ran so good - now I'm looking for replacement power and a long belt..

-J

[cogger]

The longer the belt, the better.  I am running a 7 x 50' belt on mine.  I took mine out in public for the first time at an event we have in late September.  I was pretty happy with it.  I sawed Atlantic white cedar.  I ran it with my 37 John Deere A, which does a great job...sounds cool too!  I tried a Farmall H, but it didn't have the power the A did.  I will admit that those 4 cylinder engines are smoother than the 2 cylinders.  I will attempt to post a video on Youtube later.  I tried to post pictures here, but got lost!

[bandmiller2]

Cogger,good to hear your shingle mill is up and running.What RPM  is your blade hammered for.?I ran mine with a Farmall C with a recent overhaul barely enough would pull down on a large chunk.My late JD B had no problem a little over an idle speed. Frank C.

[bandmiller2]

Jason,I have a legnth of the newer Storz fire hose yellow, flat, ruberized fabric don't know why it wouldn't make dandy power belting.It takes a clipper laceing well.I have used the older fabric fire hose with great satisfaction on a buzz saw.Frank C.

[cogger]

Frank, I have to admit I have no idea what the blade is hammered for nor how to find out!  I  know it seems to do a nice job running the arbor at about 1100 rpm.

[jason.weir]

I'm in the same boat - have no idea what it was hammered for - considering the last time it could have been hammered was at least 25 years ago.  Mine as well seems to run its best right around 1100..  Maybe someday I'll take it over to Lyndonville and have Bruce D. do his magic - at least then I'll know.

Frank - I forgot about the fire hose option, I'll have to talk to the local volunteer boys and see what they've got lying around.  Plus I'm still looking for another powerplant - I got my eyes on an old Continental now - its a little big but would do the trick...

Paul - great that you got yours out in public - they always draw a crowd...  Don't let that other blade slip through your fingers - never mind the other stuff..

-J

[cogger]

How the heck do you post pictures here?  I tried to find a tutorial on the site, but had no luck.
Thanks
Paul

[cogger]

Let's see if this works!

[cogger]

OK, here is a picture of my set up with the 50' belt.

[jason.weir]

Looks good...  How did it saw the cedar?

-J

[cogger]

Jason, it sawed the cedar just fine.  However, because the cedar is considerably softer than white pine I had been sawing, the feed roll teeth sunk into the wood more than they did in the pine.  This caused some uneven feeding.  My feed roll teeth are pretty worn, but someone made me new ones and that should fix the problem.

[bandmiller2]

Your speed is right in the ball park,tension is not as critical as a headsaw collar pretty much has the saw under control.I had mine hammered because it went through rework,started its life as a solid tooth headsaw.The old guy I bought the shingle mill from sent it down south somewhere.It was cut back to 40" and blanchard ground for the taper,I drilled countersunk and screwed it to the collar.The collar was a little wavy had a local machine shop true it on a brake disc lathe.Frank C.

[cogger]

Frank, how difficult is it to drill and countersink the blade?  I have a real nice 36" blade.  It started life as a 40" blade and goes on a different hub.  The smaller ring of holes line up perfectly, but the outer set just about misses the hub.  I'd love to be able to either use this blade by drilling it for my hub or find a hub off a 40" machine. Thanks, Paul

[bandmiller2]

Paul,mounted the blade about 30 yrs. ago if I recall it was not easy to drill and countersink.I used a milling machine for the deep throat.Most important is slow speed and good pressure on the drill with cutting oil.A big slow drill press or milling machine would be best along with carbide tools.They make good grade allen head screws that work well because the outer part of the collar is thin and sometimes you have to grind some of the screw head down.Frank C.