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Timber Frame Cabin Build

Started by TimFromNB, April 30, 2018, 09:21:21 PM

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sterling08

Tim,

   I can understand that this is very upsetting, but look on the bright side... You got rid of that one mortise you really didn't care for too much anyway!

   This is an awesome build. Don't let a setback like this get you down too much.

   This reminds me of this saying I saw one time: "Experience is the best teacher.......... But tuition is high".

Sterling.

TimFromNB

Thanks for the encouragement :). Certainly a lesson learned.

The post bottoms were sitting on blocks, though you might not be able to see them well in the picture. Basically, when it fell, the post bottoms were on the blocks, and the tie beam would have been at 8' off the ground. Although when it fell it's quite possible it also slid of the blocks and created the torque that split the posts.

Moving on... :D

Vautour

.... Hey TimFromNB..how's the build coming along?? love to see the build up close someday... I do lotsa work in the Cape Pele area and only 40min away nice work..
the Gospel is WANTED by the people in 52 Countries but made illegal by their Government

TimFromNB

Un Vautour de Richibucto? ;D I don't have many joints cut right now, but it would probably be worth seeing in a few months, especially if you haven't seen some in person before :D

I bought a house back in November so have been busy with that. I was able to bring some of the timbers back home and into my garage. It's an old shack really, but it cuts out most of the wind. I cleaned it out today and should be back in business tomorrow. I would really need to have everything cut for this summer/fall so I can assemble it before it moves too much (if it hasn't already!). I'll post some picture of my setup.




timberframe

Nice to see a couple of New Brunswickers on here!  Moving back there this spring and setting up my timberframed shop.  

I'm also right at the early stages of designing a small, off-grid timberframe for someone in the Sussex area which is exciting.

Project looks great Tim, looking forward to more updates.

B

Vautour

... Yup..un ptit francais de Richibucto haha.... i'll keep an eye out on your build and maybe visit someday for some up close timber framing tips..  
the Gospel is WANTED by the people in 52 Countries but made illegal by their Government

TimFromNB

@timberframe, sounds interesting. Would be cool to see that once the project starts. Are you in the TF business?
@Vautour - moi je suis un ptit francais de Shediac :). Let me know if ever you want to take a look in person.

Who knew there would be timber frame enthusiasts in NB :)

Here are some pictures since my last update. I purchased a chain mortiser after my bent raising accident. Cut one post before the whole new house thing took all my time:


 

A big storm in October or November actually blew off my stack covers. I was able to dig out three of them. (December 2018 ):


 

 

My build site, over the Christmas holidays:


 

Went down this Friday to plow out the road to the stacks and dig out around them. There was a good 2 feet of snow/ice build up.



 

 

...And, my setup in my new (to me) garage. Finally back at it!


 


TimFromNB

Which brings me to a question. I am a little rusty since last fall. I started the layout on a post today, which is in the center bent. There is a small knot cluster and I don't know if it would be structurally better to have this located in the tie beam mortise (wedged half-dovetail), or just above it (regarding the outwards thrust the rafter plate will apply to the top of the post).

This might be hard to illustrate. The ruler is the top angle of the mortise, and the pencil is the bottom. The knots I am referring to are in between. The top shoulder of the post is about 1 foot to the right of the ruler.





You can (barely) make out the mortise layout below. In this picture, I am looking towards the top of the post. Would these knots be better off just above the ruler (4" is all I have for excess) or are they OK where they are now? I am probably over thinking this...


 

Thanks!

Don P

For those knots, you're probably overthinking it, but, it is good to be thinking like that. Usually it is not a good idea to locate a mortise where there are knots. The slope of grain around a knot is already weakening the timber, then if you chop out a bunch of fiber to create a mortise it compounds the problem. It is best to have clear grain between the tie and thrust so do think just like you are when laying out the timber, flip it end for end, slide around, if square rotae it and think about stress and grain, keep thinking like you are. This is one reason it doesn't hurt to have well overlength timbers, it lets you shift layout better.

Your pics remind me of a job we were on in N WI. I left in late fall after finishing the house and came back in early spring to do the sauna and inside work. Took 2 days to find one of my piles :D

TimFromNB

Thanks Don! We had a weird winter here with lots of snow, followed by mild temperature and rain, then back to -20C. My nice timber stacks have taken on a bit of a patina ;).

TimFromNB

Finally making sawdust again!




 

 

 

The wood has started drying and checking, making slightly rounded reference faces. I planed these down slightly so my square could register without teetering. Next time, I will plane down the humps where the joints will be before doing the layout, that way my mortiser will be perpendicular to the face. I had to shim the mortiser because of the rounding caused by the checks. 

Does anyone have tips to deal with this rounding?



 

 

Vautour

... Hi Tim... nice work... hoping to see your work sometime in the near future. thumbs-up
the Gospel is WANTED by the people in 52 Countries but made illegal by their Government

TimFromNB

Thanks Vautour. I'm actually working out of my garage in Moncton. Let me know if you want to stop by some time, although I only have one post complete here so far. It would be probably more informative to see the different pieces once I get to them later this Spring/Summer. I plan to keep bringing a few timbers home to work on, that way I can put time on it during the week.

Here are some more progress pictures. I am trying to use my power tools to cut to the line and limit hand tools to cleanup and where necessary in order to speed things up.

Any tips on how to cut the wedged half-dovetail mortises in the post? What is taking me the longest is chiseling out the top and bottom slopes. Taking my time not to undercut them. There must be a faster way?



 

Made a router jig to cut the housing (inspiration from Nick Fouch):



First in-garage post complete!
 


Dakota

"Any tips on how to cut the wedged half-dovetail mortises in the post? What is taking me the longest is chiseling out the top and bottom slopes. Taking my time not to undercut them. There must be a faster way?"

I struggled with this on my frame.  I ended up using a chainsaw to carefully reach up in there to get some of the wood out.  Worked ok, but you have be so careful not to mess up your pocket!!  
Dave Rinker

TimFromNB

Dakota - I would be too nervous to take off too much with the chainsaw. I might see if I can use the chain mortiser at an angle to rough it out.

The post I am working on now has some gross grain to it (particularly on one face). It also has indications of ring shake on the top. Any opinions on the preferred layout orientation in this case (a vs b)? The drawings show the tie beam mortise locations and the arrows show the axis the tie beam would be in (looking at the top end). I am afraid of the roof thrust splitting the post where the grain runs out (see tie beam mortise location A). I think this run out might just be the sapwood, but not sure. On the top end, the heart is centered with the rings evenly spaced. On the bottom, the heart is slightly off center and the rings aremuch denser on one side than the other. I think that is what is causing the cross grain pattern. Is the ring shake more of a concern? Grain slope is about 1 in 8 max, but more typically around 1 in 12 around the tie beam mortise. This is a corner post, so technically it would have to sustain half the thrust than the center posts will have to. I also have a rafter tie above this bent. Will probably fasten it to the rafter mechanically to counter tension on peg.


 

 


Ljohnsaw

Looking at the pictures, where you show the housing cut for A, what is that streak running down and slightly to the left?  Is that punky wood (i.e. rotten)?  IMHO, the ring shake (is that a crack or did you just sharpie it to make it stand out?) you show would be a deal breaker for me - this might make a smaller post or maybe just firewood.
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

TimFromNB

The dark streaks are sapwood or reaction wood. It is sound, just darker. The shake line is something I drew in paint to show which ring plane. There is actually only a hairline crack about 3/4 inch long in the center of that drawn line, but when the wood dries maybe it will increase? I will probably need to get some spares at aome point but would like to use what I can if possible.

TimFromNB

Update: I ended up using that last timber I wasn't sure about. Looks like the shake was minimal. I also took a drive out to a sawmill to get some extra 8x8s. These are spruce as they did not have pine. I will let these rest for a month or so before I use them for the remaining 3 posts.


 

I brought back the 8x10 plates home to start working on them. I am scarfing them together for total length of 20'. I have 3 white pine and 2 red pine (only need 4). The white pine are ok, but I'm not sure which to use for the red. One has many large-ish knots and the other one has one knot cluster and localized grain runount on the ends...I'll have to figure out which one to use. Can't keep getting spares :).



TimFromNB

Hello again,

I've made decent progress since this summer. Will hopefully be posting some pictures soon :). Still have a handfull of timbers to cut but the timing is right to start framing the floor (2x material).

I had helical anchors (screw piles) installed about three weeks ago. My question is wether I need to use pressure treated for the floor (beams and joists w/ hangers) or can I stick with regular s-p-f?

The lowest point would be about 18" off the ground. I don't expect it to get wet with the siding coming down over the beams.

Any concerns with PT if I plan on drilling a well at some point?

Thanks!
Tim

Don P

There is no prohibition on pt in the vicinity of a well that I've seen. You can look up the MSDS for the product you will be using and make that call for yourself. Read the label of what you will be using, there are several kinds of treated. I wouldn't build a spring box out of it but that isn't the same as a beam off the ground under a roof. If protected from wetting borate treatment would be fine.

An untreated joist needs to be at least a foot off the ground, a beam 18", otherwise it should be treated.

TimFromNB

Thanks Don.

We started framing yesterday. Hope to have the floor done next weekend :).



 

 

wbrent

Greetings from another New Brunswicker. Im down here in Hampton. Just in the beginning stages of a smaller timber frame project - 12x16. Have almost all my timbers milled. White spruce cut off my own woodlot. Glad to see this post. You've answered a lot of questions I had in my mind. I'm trying to figure out the best way to do my mortices right now. Like you I only have a 1 1/2 " drill bit to start with. Glad to see you're using screw posts. I think I may do the same. Look forward to seeing your progress.

TimFromNB

Hi Brent,

Sounds like a nice project. What are you building?

Here are some update pictures of this past summer's progress. Finished a few spruce posts, then pine top plates and tie beams. Had to use snap line rule for most since they and moving on me :)



 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 



Nuts

It's been a great winter to keep working outside! Keep it up.
Aaron Lohr

timberframe

Good to see an update!  Looking good.

B

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