The Forestry Forum

I got into this project totally not intentional! timber frame supposedly built as a school 1900..... yea well proof found during the demo proves 1887 and then more demo and it was a barn before that so says I! 3 layers of tongue and groove floor Barn school "Pine floor "?? and 1947 church! they butchered the building! needless to say I have the north wall jacked up 3 of the 8" I need! the foundation beam is gone!! I milled up a new hemlock timber to take its place but the rock foundation sux and I am going to form up some sides and make a 10" wide rebar reinforced overlay. Legal of coarse! I have looked at some threads here about the building part and lay out but I think what I have here is a nuclear explosion! The thing is .... I know I can fix it! I already figured out all the new timbers I need to replace and the arches I am going to build but the floor and foundation are a disaster! I have no training ... I am a pipe-fitter welder without a job! But I can and do build. Not your tidy well planed laid out timber structure but I fit and make things work better, restore and create! this job will take me well into a realm that few would even consider! But I know I can do it! for all you veterans out there with experience in this stuff I hear-bye open the doors for any advice pointers etc you have! Aside from the traditional joinery for all the added timber I am making radically custom bracketry and using hand cut spikes from the period to attach the ornate visible stuff. I do not have the right tools but I am pretty fair with my saws and with good layout of cuts and notch's etc. plus I am pretty fair with my chisels. I will try and post pic's as I go but I am not so good at that. I do have a mill and a semi load of hemlock logs and intend to cut every size of everything I need. Sorry about the rant but this is so big for me!
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/c0.0.403.403/p403x403/61366_3861610219483_1010197737_n.jpg

Help us out with some pictures of your project. There may be some good helpful suggestions that come from them, and make your project easier.

Even'n Scully,

You're go'n to get this from most of us, "post pictures."  With that, there are many here with help waiting.  Was just in your area doing a dutch barn.  If you have the tools described, I'm sure you'll get through this.  Good luck.

Regards,

Jay

Hi Scully and welcome to the FF.  Do not get ahead of yourself on your project. I totally rebuilt the house in my avatar. When I came across problems that were not quickly solved I moved on to another repair and thought out the last problem while working on an easy fix.
  Pooring a foundation repair may get in your own way for other tasks that will need to be done. Replacing the foundation beam and setting it on rocks can work until you decide how much foundation you need to rebuild.
  It's a big loop of work around the whole project, just keep working your way thru the projects step by step. It will take a while but you can get it done.

Welcome to the Forestry Forum scully!