Car port for offsight milling - - feedback?

OffGrid973 · February 12, 2020, 04:26:57 PM

Hey guys,

Thinking of getting a carport to stay out of the rain on a 5 day job but concerned about logistics and what I can make work. Have a skid and grapple to move logs if I can make port work. Gonna be wet so want to stay dry for most of each cut.

Thoughts? Lessons learned?

HF has this for $169 https://www.harborfreight.com/10-ft-x-17-ft-Portable-Garage-62860.html

Old Greenhorn · February 12, 2020, 04:32:12 PM

What is your plan for getting the logs on the mill?

WV Sawmiller · February 12, 2020, 05:14:00 PM

I won't saw in the rain except to finish a final cut or maybe edge a mantel or resaw one board or such. The sawdust clumps and builds up and I don't want to ruin boards because one end of my cant was laying on a 1/4" of built up sawdust I overlooked that threw all my alignment efforts out the window. Plus I find it uncomfortable.

Tom the Sawyer · February 12, 2020, 05:43:28 PM

If you are intending to cover the mill with the car port, I think there would be a car port leg blocking your loading arms. I doubt the car port would stand without it. If you are just looking for protection for the operator, you could get a 10x10 pop up structure which would cover the end of the mill (if you don't bring the head too far back).

Old Greenhorn · February 12, 2020, 06:07:56 PM

I had thought about this for my home based mill and rolled it around in my head for a while. My plan was to get one of those, sink in 4 corner posts about 5' above grade and run a 6x6 the full length across the top. Then drill pocket holes in the timber for the legs to set in and tie it all down. This would allow me to skid up a log and roll it in underneath the tent, then up on the mill bed, which is only 6-8' above grade.
I talked myself out of it. It was almost as much work as building a proper mill shed roof.
Let us know how yo make out.

Southside · February 12, 2020, 06:12:18 PM

Any way to suspend a tarp? Higher on one end, lower and allowed to gulley to the center on the other so water will run off. Just need 4 corner points of contact. Cheap option for a few days.

SawyerTed · February 12, 2020, 06:29:36 PM

To me it's not the sawmill staying dry as much as dry ground that's important. If the footing is bad, off bearing and slab handling is dangerous. It would take a much bigger tent.

GAB · February 12, 2020, 09:16:48 PM

During the non-glaciated (I think a WDH term) months of the year I frequently set the sawmill up roughly in the center lengthwise of a 26'x72' greenhouse. I can pull logs in with a tractor (JD 420) or if I'm sawing for some one can have them back up close to the mill and unload their trailer with the other tractor (JD 950) with the Fransgard logging winch.
Have sawed on days when it was raining and never got wet.
OG973 - not knowing what you have for a mill and log handling equipment leads me to the following questions:
Will that portable garage be tall enough? How is anchored to the ground?
If you have a log loader will it be wide enough to get logs in?
If no log loader will there be room enough between the wall and the mill to use a canthook or peavey to roll log onto the mill?
Is 17' long enough to be of value to you? My mill is 26' long.
GAB

OffGrid973 · February 12, 2020, 09:32:49 PM

Update:

Facebook found this one for an even Hundo and it's 30x10. I put together all the pieces and taped the ones I want to keep together for easy setup when on site.

It's strong but still weak, so excited to see what happens when the top, and then the sides go on. Thanks for people that sent PMs as well, the experience ideas with similar situation will help.

Final design is the removable 1 side pole for when I roll the logs in the 4x4s up to the mill.

terrifictimbersllc · February 13, 2020, 03:52:39 AM

Quote from: Southside on February 12, 2020, 06:12:18 PMAny way to suspend a tarp? Higher on one end, lower and allowed to gulley to the center on the other so water will run off. Just need 4 corner points of contact. Cheap option for a few days.

I was sawing for a farmer 2 days once in hot summer. He parked a hay wagon with high pole sides on each end of the setup and stretched a tarp across the top from one to the other with a telehandler, must have been 75 feet so we could work in the shade. Very nice.

47sawdust · February 13, 2020, 06:47:23 AM

As a carpenter I've worked under pop-up's and canopy's as pictured.The legs are a pain to work around and high winds can make it really interesting.I wouldn't want to try to run a sawmill under a canopy.

tawilson · February 13, 2020, 07:19:38 AM

This is what I did for a few months till I got something built. I could remove one leg to load logs.

tawilson · February 13, 2020, 08:11:27 AM

Then after the wind destroyed it I cut it down to make a removable winter cover for bed of the mill. That lasted a couple winter's. Now I am on to plan C.