Post and Beam Build Has Started

Rhodemont · June 09, 2024, 10:43:52 AM

After a year of planning, logging, sawing, and foundation work the building has started. My red oak columns were sawn to 8x8 and beams to 8x12, stickered and air dried for several months or more. Just before I am using them they get skinned to 7.5 x 7.5 and 7.5 x 11.5 only doing a couple at a time to use right away. They get cut to length, notched and ends slotted for my Connext fasteners, and coated with 1 part boiled linseed oil and two parts paint thinner. First ones are up. Have a long way to go.

thecfarm · June 10, 2024, 05:58:38 AM

The building?
Barn?

Rhodemont · June 10, 2024, 07:50:22 PM

Two bay garage 26 x 32. Phot is side withwhich will have garage door for tractor. Far side in pick will be a shed roof for my truck. two garage doors will be to the right. Fire wood shed roof to the left.

Rhodemont · July 17, 2024, 12:29:51 PM

Reached a milestone today. The first level columns and beams are all up. I still need to put more braces and headers for the doors in and then a lot more to do but it feels good to have these up. My JD4720 has been great for lifting these heavy components but this is as high as it can go. I will bring in a scissor lift and a crane for the top plates, ridge, and rafters.

I am happy with my plan to rough saw 1/2 inch oversize then skin 1/4 inch on each side just before prepping and installing. The wood is dry about 1/2 in so I get a nice smooth finish right off the LT35 with flat square columns/beams to work with. All I have to do is a light sanding with 90 grit paper to remove any fuzz from the mill and handling marks.

The Connext connector system works well but is not as easy to us as I had hoped. With the wide variety of tolerance build up from sawing to exact size to cutting and notching square to screwing them in perfect it is tough to get perfect fit and holes for pins to line up just right. I have been going back in with my drill to make sure the holes line up before driving pins.

I will follow up with more details when I get a chance.

Magicman · July 17, 2024, 03:14:58 PM

This is getting exciting!!!

Hilltop366 · July 17, 2024, 05:57:45 PM

Thanks for keeping us posted.

Rhodemont · July 18, 2024, 09:03:24 AM

I am going to shift away from the build to all the other things I need to do for several days so thought good to give some detail.
-Experience: I have built additions to the house and a hay barn with standard construction. Run in sheds for the horses with rough sawn timbers and siding, but this is first time at a serious timber build.
-Process: All wood other than sill, windows, and doors will be from my forest and sawed on the LT35HD. I fell the oaks, skid out the logs, an sawed timbers this past fall, winter, spring (between rain storms). The timbers were sawed 1/2 inch oversize to allow them to start drying and checking. This has worked out well since the surfaces have dried about 1/2 inch in and skinning the 1/4 inch per side just before using cleans up the initial movement and provides a nice clean fresh surface to work with. The timbers then get cut to length, notched for fasteners on the ends and sides where needed and the notch 3/8" radius routed to match radius on fastener. Using a jig holes then need to be drilled where needed for pins. The connectors are placed in the notch and the drilled holes used to center point where the holes in the Aluminum need to be drilled. The connector then gets finish drilled on the drill press That connector now belongs to that joint in the orientation it was pointed so the holes line up. A light quick sanding with 90 grit paper then a liberal coating of 1 part boiled linseed oil, 1part paint thinner. I started with 1 linseed to 2 thinner but changed the formula because the 1:2 was too thin. I have been skinning and prepping one day then raising those timbers the next.
-Battery Saw: I have a post in the chainsaw section about the Stihl I am using.
-Jigs: I purchased the jigs from Connext along with the fasteners. The ends are cut square with the rotary cut off which can be rotated to the roof pitch for rafters and birds mouth cuts. The ends get slotted with the pivot jig. Drilling the 3/8" hole in the saw blade for the pivot jig was tough. Both of these jigs work pretty well but you need to keep the weight of the saw smooth and steady while cutting to prevent any wiggle which will cause fit up issues. The holes use a jig that makes it easy( to set up-not so easy drilling through the timbers, being green the chips do not come out like dry ones would).
-Next: I need to saw more ash sheathing and get it air drying so it can be planed just before use. The 6 top plates (7.2 x 11.5) need to be skinned and prepped at which time I will bring in an all terrain construction scissor lift to install them. I am figuring a month rental for the lift which will be used for bracing and preparing for a crane to come in and raise the center columns, ridge beams (7.5 x 11.5) and rafters.
-Goal for 2024: Get roof and sheathing on for winter. Still debating metal roof vs shingles. Second floor, stairs, windows, doors will all be next spring, with a lot of finishing after that.

Magicman · July 18, 2024, 04:34:28 PM

Thank You for the sneak peek at your prep operation. I always dreamed of doing something with timbers, but that dream is also in my past.

Ljohnsaw · July 19, 2024, 04:39:48 PM

"preparing for a crane to come in and raise the center columns, ridge beams (7.5 x 11.5)"

Crane, crane, you don't need no stinkin' crane!

How long are your beams? I had two sizes, 8x12 and 8x15 that were ~25' and ~32' long. Had to set both halves at the same time with 4 winches and inserting 8 braces.

Rhodemont · July 20, 2024, 07:35:57 AM

I am not that ambitious and want the roof on. 2 days with a crane and scissor lift and all beams and rafter will be up.

Rhodemont · August 06, 2024, 08:34:06 AM

The columns and beams are up for the first floor. Have not been raising anything past few weeks but all the top plates, ridge columns/beams, dormer columns/beams are prepared. two preassemblies of ridge are almost ready and then we go up.