Sourcing Green Timbers in Michigan

[Kyle.p.grant]

I am building my first timber frame potting shed in the back yard.  It is an 8'x'12' from a set of plans from Timber Frame HQ.

I am in SE Michigan, (Ann Arbor to be specific) and looking for a supplier of green timbers.  Ideally Douglas Fir if possible, but am willing to re-calibrate for the right price.  One of the more difficult specs is 8" x 10" x 18'.

Can anyone help me find a supplier?

[Brad_bb]

Why would you want DF?  It's not native or anything.  Use hardwood, any hardwood around you.  You can have local bandmill sawyer cut them for you.  How do you find a local bandmill sawyer?  Woodmizer's Pro-Sawyer network on their website, facebook market place, craigslist....internet search.

[Edvantage]

How many and how soon? What about hemlock? I'm in the U.P. in my former life I lived and worked in Ann Arbor.

[Woulde]

Hi Kyle,

You might want to give Timbercraft a call.  They are in Tecumseh, MI, not far from Ann Arbor.

They design, fabricate and install primarily douglas fir timber frames and may be able to help you out.

[Kyle.p.grant]

I guess it doesn't have to be DF, I took a Timber Framing course a while ago and that's what we used, so that's kinda where my head was; based on the prices of hardwood vs pine for kiln dried lumber I assumed it would be cheaper to be thinking pine.  No one will be happier than I if I'm wrong about that!  (This is my first time buying green lumber so I wasn't sure what to expect...) I've done the internet search and have a long list of sawmills to call, I just was wondering if someone had one ready to go to save me some time.

[Brad_bb]

Maybe you should get your own bandsaw mill?  If you wanted to buy walnut timbers or even brace stock, it's not cheap.  But many times you can find deals on walnut logs, especially yard trees, but sometimes farmers clearing some ground.  Then you can get logs for anywhere from 0-$1.50 a board foot and then walnut is not so expensive anymore.  I've done exactly this and have a lot of walnut timbers I'm using in my timberframe build.

[addicted]

I second timbercraft. They have connections out west to get DF.  unsure if they'll sell you the timber though.  There are all kinds of sawmills around here, michigan, that can mill < 20' and at that size 8x10x18 shouldn't be hard at all.
Rusty 

[BergeonM]

I'm in Mason, I'd sell you some white or red pine logs, I've got some fir too. I could even set you up with the bandsaw mill down the road, but he works on his own schedule....