First Frame

[FeltzE]

Here are a cpl of pics of our first simple frame for storing lumber.  (If I can upload them







Eric

[Bibbyman]

Looks like progress!!  Keep us "posted". ;D

[IndyIan]

Hi Eric,
You took the week long timber frame course in August last year at Cowee mountain?  This is Ian, the guy from Canada.

Looks like your farther along the timber frame trail than me!  I'm still cutting my beams!
    
The frame looks great!  Did you design it your self?

[FeltzE]

Ian,

Yea it's me, We left Cowee Mtn Early though (after just 2 days). They dodged virtualy all of  >:( my questions. I had read up from several publications and I have some carpentry experience. I was quite put off by the "staff" (if thats what you can call them) up there.  

This project has been done for  a few months now I just havn't taken the time to figure out how to post the pics.  ???

The design is a simple 2 bent design with a "shed" roof and one open side. I store lumber to air dry in it now. The dimensions are 14' wide 12' deep' and 12' high to the back sill (girt) and 14' to the front sill. The rafters are 4x6x16.

I started with the kids and I drew out the cuts and they helped cut the mortis's and tenons. About half way through I bought a power mortising cutter. After we spent a few afternoons drilling and chisling the expense became justified. The productivity is dramitically improved.

I had been looking for a timber frame company that is willing to provide a book of house plans that we could pick from and then buy the shop drawings and blue prints for the manufacture of the components and setup. We went to the Log Home show in greensboro NC this year and most of the companies are using the Log Show forum to showcase and sell their products. Understandable... but not what we were looking for.

I did find one company that seemed interested but they also asked me if I wanted to be a distributer for their product. (No.) I explained that I have sawmilling, drying, moulding, and heavy lift capabilities. I would be interested in making components for other peoples construction but I dont have the design and engineering capabilities that may be needed to get past the local building codes.

I think it isn't that hard to over-engineer a construction project to exceed the building code but without the engineers stamp of approval ... well that may be another story.


Have you been working on any thing?

Eric

[Furby]

 I know what you mean about the code thing. A few years back we wanted to build a room over the garage with full 8' walls. I drew up the plans same as when we did the 2 story addition a few years before that.
 We went to the lumber yard and had them give us a quote on materials and they also figured out what size/kind of beam we needed over the garage door to carry the floor joists. Then we went down to see about a permit and were told that we couldn't have the permit without the plans being signed off by an engineer/architect, even though we showed them what the lumber yard had done for us.
 So we called a few local architects and were told that they can't sign off on our plans because of copyright, and the plans weren't thiers. ???
 After talking to several friends of ours that are builders, they told us that the township was wrong and there were ways to get the OK by having a few builders who have done the same type of add on before, go down and plead our case.

[beenthere]

So Furby -- did you get the permit that way? that is with other builders pleading your case?  Did you have to change the beam in question to get the permit and building inspected?  

Seems building with commercial dimension lumber that is graded is easier than using un-graded timbers that may have the correct size, but not be assigned a grade. I have heard there are methods of determining the elastic properties of an individual piece by loading it in bending at two different loads and measuring the deflection. May not pass an inspectors wishes, but can be useful for the comfort level of the builder and home owner.

[Furby]

 No, all this took place over the course of a few months, and by the time we had people telling us that the township was wrong, we didn't have the money to carry on with the project.
  I still look at it every once and a while and think "Maybe", but it did have more then a few hurdles to overcome. ;D
 Now I got my own project to figure out, and I'm sure going to have my hands full!    ;D