My family has 140 acres of Missouri River breaks pasture in South Dakota. I somehow got the big idea that it would be cool to use the burr oak and eastern red cedar growing there to build a family cabin. So, I bought a LT35HD mill, log arch, and an ancient T9 International bulldozer (vintage 1953) and got started.
I plan to cut the cedar and burr oak into dimensional lumber for framing and as much of the cabin as possible. The cabin will be a timberframe style with Timberlinx connectors (40 x 60).
There are no sawmills close by so I do not know the real value of the lumber that I plan to use. Am I a fool to use these trees for my project or should I be bucking and trucking them to a distant mill?
Do you enjoy that kind of work or do you enjoy/prefer cutting and trucking logs to a distant mill? I am not saying it is the most economical plan but if you have the skills and the time why not? Write it off as stress relief and a hobby if nothing else. Good luck and keep us posted on the entire project.
Oh heck, I love the work! Am excited about the project and my family is, too. I know it will take me two or three years to cut and air-dry the wood that I need, but that's okay.
I've read that it's cheaper to buy dimensional lumber than it is to mill your own but the point here is that the cabin is built from our own trees.
I also wonder where to use each species in construction. I plan to use the oak for beams and the cedar for studs and interior finish.
I built this for the wife.A women Cave.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10436/14516_10201976907882523_656589881_n.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1380154096)
Than one of inside.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10436/thecfarmgarden_shed1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1380205415)
All is a full 2 inches. Has that "look" to it. I myself would saw all lumber this way. Most of mine is.
You already have the equipment, seems like you're already past the point of asking the question ;) Some will call you a fool for doing it, most on this forum will call you a fool if you don't ;D
It's hard to put a price on some things. Sure, you might be able to sell the wood in your forest for more than it'd cost to buy dimensional lumber but would you get as much satisfaction out of it? It sounds like you enjoy DIY so I say go for it! Years later you'll continue to get the satisfaction out of remembering the experience and maybe it stays in the family for several generations and stories get handed down about how you and others built it. THAT is worth more than money in my opinion.
I've always thought it'd be fun to build my own cabin on my own land from trees I've cut down.
Some people make money milling or selling their lumber, the rest of us I think do it because it satisfies some need we have. Enjoy the adventure but be warned, sawdust is an addictive substance :D
Brandon
Thanks for the support, guys. Sometimes I think I hit off more than I can chew. I tell myself that it's not the destination that matters, but the journey. I've already learned a lot.
Even if I never finish, I hope to make a huge start. I have a couple of nephews in their 30s who I hope to inspire. (Ah, so now you know my evil plan!)
Cedar Buster, we've had our mill for a year now,. Built 2 sheds and a 8x12 well house, all out of oak taken from our property. Sawed the cedar posts that we drove into the ground for the hog pen and also the steer pen. Other places around the ranch show sign of the sawmill in smaller ways. We have lots more projects in the works. Next one is a 16x20 chicken run with roof off the side of the hen house. The wood is sawn/stickered and waiting for us to get it built. There is a theme here of self-sufficiency. I know many folks would call us crazy when you can buy pine framing lumber at the store for cheap but I tell you what, you can't buy the enjoyment of making a structure with material from your own land that was felled, skidded, milled, etc, with your own sweat. It's a feeling that I know is much more rare today than in times past. That holds a value all it's own.
Be blessed in your efforts.
Enjoy the trip! I'm building an apartment in my shop that we plan to live in while we build a house. Essentially all of the apartment framing is done with store bought boards, simply because of time available and snow coming. I plan to mill all of the trim and Wayne's cot, possibly the floors with wood from our property. Then I would like to start milling the lumber for the house over the next year or two. Have fun!
Sawdust running through your veins will leave you with lumber for a shelter. Enjoy the adventure.
Quote from: Crossroads on November 26, 2019, 11:02:58 PM. I plan to mill all of the trim and Wayne's cot
Are you hosting an exchange student?😆😆😆
We've all bitten off more than we can chew at first. Then we learn to chew more efficiently. That's what makes us better. Red cedar is so pretty. Shame to cover it up behind walls. Use the oak for frame for sure. What made you decide on Timberlinx so early? Don't want to do traditional joinery? It's like the milling, once you start, and learn, you'll be faster and more efficient at it. It's not rocket science.
A cedar log cabin, if you had enough, is what I would want if small diameter logs.
Welcome I'm sort of doing the same thing just farther down stream. So no I don't think you are a fool. :)Have fun dont get in a hurry, where in the breaks are you?
Cedar Buster:
Checking the Strength of Materials table for Permissable Working Stresses for Structural Timbers on page 428 of the 17th edition of Machinery's Handbook it shows the allowable compression stress parallel to the grain in columns for white cedar as 550 psi in dry locations, and 700 for red cedar. Since these numbers are less than for SYP I would suggest using full 2" material for wall studding.
GAB
Look up how much a 2x10x10' oak board is and then ask that question again! It may take longer but I'm betting it will be cheaper.
Nope, you're not a fool. I haven't seen one on this forum yet. Enjoy what you're doing!
Quote from: GAB on November 27, 2019, 02:43:00 PM
Cedar Buster:
Checking the Strength of Materials table for Permissable Working Stresses for Structural Timbers on page 428 of the 17th edition of Machinery's Handbook it shows the allowable compression stress parallel to the grain in columns for white cedar as 550 psi in dry locations, and 700 for red cedar. Since these numbers are less than for SYP I would suggest using full 2" material for wall studding.
GAB
That's not a big deal when end nailing into a stud but very often folks think they are improving things by using full dimension material and then use nails made for 1-1/2" thick material, then the nail is too short to develop full strength. Connections are more often the point of failure, just think through the whole thing when making changes. "Stud" is a unique grade of lumber, they are, or can be, a #3 with #1 edge restrictions, you could compare to SPF as well.
I loaded the trailer with poplar and red oak framing this afternoon, homemade works for me ;D
Quote from: GAB on November 27, 2019, 02:43:00 PM
Cedar Buster:
Checking the Strength of Materials table for Permissable Working Stresses for Structural Timbers on page 428 of the 17th edition of Machinery's Handbook ...
@GAB (http://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=18738) you are dating yourself,. I have a copy of the 18th edition which I was given as a parting gift when I graduated from high school in 1973 (46 years ago?). They gave them to us because they were old and out of date and were getting new ones (21st edition?) for the next class coming in. It sits on my self here for handy reference. Nowadays there are many companies publishing that book with minor variations on the name. I have 3 different ones in my office at work and they all have different stuff in them but so far, the numbers all agree. I keep my old ones because they don't print stuff like timber working loads in the newer ones. I get the newer ones for the metric information and the changes in thread standards that is being worked in more and more. Anyway , I got a good chuckle from your post, good on ya for using a real fine reference. ;D :D 8)
Quote from: Old Greenhorn on November 27, 2019, 06:48:49 PM
Quote from: GAB on November 27, 2019, 02:43:00 PM
Cedar Buster:
Checking the Strength of Materials table for Permissable Working Stresses for Structural Timbers on page 428 of the 17th edition of Machinery's Handbook ...
@GAB (http://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=18738) you are dating yourself,. I have a copy of the 18th edition which I was given as a parting gift when I graduated from high school in 1973 (46 years ago?). They gave them to us because they were old and out of date and were getting new ones (21st edition?) for the next class coming in. It sits on my self here for handy reference. Nowadays there are many companies publishing that book with minor variations on the name. I have 3 different ones in my office at work and they all have different stuff in them but so far, the numbers all agree. I keep my old ones because they don't print stuff like timber working loads in the newer ones. I get the newer ones for the metric information and the changes in thread standards that is being worked in more and more. Anyway , I got a good chuckle from your post, good on ya for using a real fine reference. ;D :D 8)
@Old Greenhorn (http://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=42103):
I purchased that book in my senior year at Vermont Technical College which was '67 - '68.
I used it quite frequently in my Engineering career.
My next birthday is 60 - 12 (Pete from Bear Swamp math).
GAB
Well, none the less.... ;D
I graduated form a technical high school, same deal. Many is the time I tried to look something up at work and it was in the book I had, so I had to come home and look it up in my old edition. At work, I am starting to feel like a dinosaur, these kids think they know it all because it's on the internet and you can't get skill from the internet, last time I checked.
Quote from: Old Greenhorn on November 27, 2019, 07:04:24 PM
Well, none the less.... ;D
I graduated form a technical high school, same deal. Many is the time I tried to look something up at work and it was in the book I had, so I had to come home and look it up in my old edition. At work, I am starting to feel like a dinosaur, these kids think they know it all because it's on the internet and you can't get skill from the internet, last time I checked.
The last time I checked the internet, I did not find any experience or common sense.
Growing up on a dairy farm you frequently learn tricks and also that mother nature is a wonderful teacher and does not allow dropouts.
GAB
Any lumber yard sells spikes for full dimensional lumber. It's those nails guns that can guess problems. A 3 inch spike is not much good with 2 inch lumber. :o
Timberlinx appealed to me because I'm not a skilled woodworker and I don't live in an area where guys like that are easy to find. I expect them to be easier and faster to work with than cutting traditional joinery.
Nebraska... My project is based near Bonesteel, SD.
QuoteI plan to cut the cedar and burr oak into dimensional lumber for framing and as much of the cabin as possible. The cabin will be a timberframe style with Timberlinx connectors (40 x 60).
Hopefully not flooding you with TMI, just stuff to think about or discard :D.
We've got 2 different schools of thought going on there in my mind, or a hybrid of construction types. Dimensional lumber is stick framing stuff, 2-4" thick and wouldn't need timberlinx, just the appropriate fasteners or connection hardware we were talking about above. BTW, the connections calc and the span calc at awc.org might be helpful.
Timberlinx are fine, they take a lot of assumption and guesswork out and do less damage by way of material removal to the timbers than traditional joinery, notice Ben at Firetower's endorsement. They will come into play at 6x6 and larger timbers. I would stick to using the ERC for posts and compression members. One rule of thumb that might be helpful is that a compression member only needs to be checked for crushing parallel to grain if the dimensions are kept at L/12 or less. For an 8' tall wall an 8x8x8' tall fills that bill. As a "stud", a post of less dimension, buckling also needs to be thought about since that is the usual way it fails rather than by crushing. In other words a shorter fatter column fails by crushing, a tall slender column (post or stud) fails by buckling. If you can keep the cedar posts in that short fat range it makes the design thinking easier and more conservative.