Goodwill Roadtrip/Sawing - Success

[dablack]

I'm going to try and post pictures of the slab soon.  I need to unbolt the toe boards and rinse it all off.  The slab looks pretty good.  The house burned from the top down so as debris fell it covered the slab.  I think that is what saved it.  If it would have burned from the bottom up, I think it would have been worse.  The damage I have is caused by the moisture in the slab boiling off and popping up chunks of concrete.  Usually it is just the cream that pops up.  Most of the "pot holes" are a 1/4" deep.  There is one that is maybe an inch deep.  That is the one I really need to clean out and see how the bottom of it looks.  The funny thing is, I found that really bad spot when the slab was still covered with debris.  I was thinking the whole slab looked like that.  Luckily, it does not.  If the bottom of that bad spot isn't too bad, I'm thinking I will fill with something made to patch concrete and then just tile over it.  Before the fire, that floor was acid stained and sealed concrete.  It looked great and I did it myself, but I won't be able to do that again without sanding the whole thing down to fresh concrete and there is no way I'm doing that. 

I have found the blades and gears from my chop saw, recipricating saw, winch, circular saw, power washer, caulk gun and other metal bits.  I found my framing hammer and my prybar.  I also found all the rolled up copper wire. 

[Magicman]

I am installing my Auto Clutch today, so I will be ready when the time comes.   8)

[Nomad]

I am installing my Auto Clutch today, so I will be ready when the time comes.   8)

     MM, you're really gonna like that new autoclutch! 8)

[ARp]

dablack, Austin, sorry to hear about the house.  I am 2 1/2 hours away in Carlos and would like to help.

Please keep us posted on the "Project Plan".  Will be watching for the slab pictures, but am away from the internet days at a time. 

MM, you truly are an amazing magic man. 

Allen

[Magicman]

The Auto Clutch is installed and adjusted and everything went smoothly.  I have pictures and may do a thread on it.

I will not cash any checks until the expense need is there.

I have gotten a few inquiries regarding personal checks.  Some to cash immediately, and some to not cash them until the need is there.  If anyone has a special request regarding the cashing of checks, just send me a PM and I will honor your request.  Handling someone else's money is a grave responsibility, and I take it very seriously.

[dablack]

Ok, here goes.  We have finally narrowed the design down and I have a basic cut list. 

2x6 8'  QTY 340
2x8 16'  QTY 80
2x4 8'  Qty 160
1x  for sheathing and subfloor.  2900 sqft for exterior sheething, 1352 sqft for subfloor.
That is all pine, obviously this is all as time allows.  If we don't get all the 1x material done, then so be it.

In White Oak, I need 2x material for counter tops and 1x material for flooring.  Flooring is 1350 sqft.  Countertop is 30 ft.
I also need 1x oak material for stair treads.  That is 15 treads, 1x12 3' long

So, it looks like I can cut most of my pines 8.5' long.  The rest need to be 17' long.
The oak, I will cut 6.5' long.  Does that make sense? 

Assuming all the bucked pine logs are 14" diameter on the small end, how many 8.5' logs?  How many 17' long pines?

Assuming the oaks are the same diameter and 6.5' long, how many logs for 1350 sqft?

thanks
Austin

[isawlogs]

 I am not going to try and give yopu a number of logs, but will sugest thast the oak be bucked at 11 feet for sawing ease. Its a lot faster to clamp down and cut a peice that is longer then trying to place ans saw a shorter one... well on my mill, maybe those doing the sawing have another saye. 

  Glad to hear that this is going down for you, really cool to have these guys pull together to give you a hand.   

[Magicman]

Absolutely, I would prefer the Oak to be 14' which will also allow for some end checking.

A rough estimate on the Pine is ~eight 2X6 or 2X8 per log.  Double that for the 2X4's.  Sure, we will pick up a few extras along such as a couple of 2X4's from the 2X6 logs, but extras are always good.  We will also pick up some 1" lumber as we go.

Allen and Mike plan to start felling trees this weekend.   

Not only is this an exciting time in Austin and his family's life, it is also an exciting chapter for the Forestry Forum.   8)

[dablack]

WOW!  Ok.  Eight per log.  SO:
size    length      qty           bucked logs (assuming 8 per log)              trees (assuming 24' of useable trunk)
PINE:
2x6       8'          340                     43                                                             14 trees
2x8       16'        80                       10                                                             10 trees (plus 8' stuff left over)
2x4       8'          160                     10 (assume 16 per log)                                4 trees
1x4       8'         5000sqft               58?!?! (assume 32 per log)                          19 trees                             

OAK:
1x4        14'       1352sqft               9 (assuming 32 per log)                             5 trees
2x12      14'        4                         2 (assuming 2 per log w/ 1x left over)           2 trees


There is no way I have that many trees to cut down.  We will focus on the oak and then the 16' 2x8s.  After those, we will get as many 2x6s and 1x material as we can.  It is pouring right now but Friday after work I should be able to get out there and do a complete tree count.  I'm thinking I have 30-33 pines and maybe 3 or 4 oaks. 

For the 2x8s we can make them a full 2x8.  For the other pine stuff we better go with the sizes you can find in the store so if I have to suppliment.......

Are my numbers above anywhere in the ballpark as far as number of logs/trees required?

thanks
Austin

[moosehunter]

Quote " but will sugest thast the oak be bucked at 111 feet" from isawlogs,

111 feet?? what kinda mill you got?? I think that is even too long for Jake!

[Magicman]

Remember now that I am being very conservative so that you would be guaranteed to make your cut list.  We would concentrate on the framing lumber and pick up "extras" such as the 1" along the way which would reduce the logs needed.

Also, every log will not be 14", the lumber yield per log will be slightly different.

[Nomad]

     For the stair treads, I think I'd be looking for 5/4 wood.  Might mess up your numbers just a little.

[dablack]

Magic,
If I were in the driver's seat, pulling the mill, on what side do the logs need to be stacked?  I'm assuming the off loading will be the other side.  Correct?

Nomad,
Yes, you are correct, it really should be 5/4 for the treads.  Thanks for the reminder.

Austin

[Magicman]

Magic,
If I were in the driver's seat, pulling the mill, on what side do the logs need to be stacked?  I'm assuming the off loading will be the other side.  Correct?
Austin

Drivers side. If there is any slope, then the logs need to be on the uphill side of the sawmill.

[dablack]

Ok.  I think we can make that work.  I might get some pictures from up there Friday to make sure it will work.  The camper that burned up in the fire needs to get gone before we have much room up there.  I need to see if a scrapper will come get it. 

[Magicman]

I am still planning to bring the RV for sleeping, cooking, & refreshments since you said that you had a 30 amp RV outlet.  OK?

[dablack]

Yes, 30 amp RV outlet.  We have water up there too but it is about 70ft from the outlet.  The only problem I see is, where we used to park the RV, is where we will most likely want to put the mill.  I'm sure we will figure it out. 

Right now we are kind of stuck because we had some driveway work done (more dirt and gravel) and now it has been pouring for two days.  He hadn't put the gravel down yet and hadn't even compacted it yet so we have a huge mud pit right outside our house.  No one is driving up to the top of the hill right now.  At least not on the driveway.  Allen and Mike said they were bringing a tractor.  We will just have to unload it at the bottom of the hill and drive it up. 

Austin

[Magicman]

I have 3 RV extension cords, so we can work out any different situation.  I also have a "pigtail" and can come directly out of a breaker box.  Surely we will not need AC.   :D

[dablack]

No, no AC needed.  In fact, it is pretty windy at the top of the hill in the winter.  Even if the weather shows 60 for the high, it feels colder.  Now, in the summer, there is zero air movement.  Cold and windy or hot and still.  I wish I could swap it around. 

Austin

[isawlogs]

Quote " but will sugest thast the oak be bucked at 111 feet" from isawlogs,

111 feet?? what kinda mill you got?? I think that is even too long for Jake!

Its all good now MH, I went back in there and fixed it so any mill could saw those logs now.  ;D

[giant splinter]

Austin,
I don't see any 4x material on your list, just wondering what you will be using for posts, window and door headers, garage door header and a few other things like 1x6 for let in braces and collar ties etc. Will you be laminating the headers and beams?
I am sure you have a complete list of materials all planned out and I wanted to make sure you have it all covered. So far your project is moving along on a fast track pace and the entire group is very much tuned in to your lumber list and cutting list and every component of your project.
This rebuild is a very special project and we all want to see it go together very smooth and with precision, I and all the others are I'm sure looking forward to your home in its framed and finishing stages and will be trying to help where ever we can with your project, I hope you have time to take photos along the way to help keep us up to date.

[dablack]

All good points.  In the last build, no windows were in load bearing walls.  I'm going to have to look into using mill cut lumber for window headers.  The new build will have at least four windows in load bearing walls.  For the garage door headers I was planning on 2  1.75x12" LVLs.  We have a full story above the garage doors and only 8' ceilings.  I'm not sure a mill cut beam would fit in the 2x6 wall.  I will look into that more.  With the full two story, there are no collar ties. 
We literally nailed down the floor plan three days ago.  A one story would have been faster to build but only the kids could have bedrooms in the "attic".  A 1.5 story is actually harder to build because all the roof work is higher off the floor of the second floor.  We finally decided to go full two story.  It is almost as fast to build as a one story and after pricing the whole house, the two story is only $2k more than the 1 story. 
No, we won't be using beams.  Posts and beams would require lots of cutting of the slab and pouring new footers.  I'm just not up for that.  So, to span the 26' we will be using engineered I joists.  Yes, mill cut beams would be more fun but just didn't work out. 

Yes, this rebuild is a very special project and I promise I will take tons of pictures and keep everyone up to date. 

thanks
Austin

[dablack]

 

  Are these down oaks any good for sawing.  Most of the sap wood has fallen off but the rest of the wood looks strong.  I have no idea and of course I'm sure it is hard to tell from pictures.  The two trees on the ground are pretty big and have been on the ground for at least three years.  The one standing is just as solid as the ones on the ground.  I think it would make great lumber but I'm not sure.  Is it worth my time to fell the standing ones, buck them and move them to the pile?  The last tree is down in a ravine.  From where I'm standing it is at least 25' down to the bottom.  If I fell it the right way, the top of the tree should be where I can get to it with my truck.  I'm hoping I can pull it out whole and buck it up in a clearing.  I'm hoping these four trees will provide my 1350 sqft of flooring, 5/4 stair treads, and about 30' of counter top. 
Thoughts?

[dablack]

Finally figured out the picture thing again.  Here are the other pics.



  

  

  

  

 

[dablack]

Great day today.  Allen and Mike showed up bright and early this morning at 8am.  I showed them where we would be cutting and we got to work......or....they got to work.  I just sort of watched at first. 



 

Mike is on the left and Allen on the right.  This tree fought them the whole way.  Just to the right is the fence line.  After the wedge got cut, the wind started blowing toward the fence line.  They finally got it on the ground right where they wanted it. 



 

Here is Mike taking a 16' to the pile.  The pile was about 1500' from the cutting area.  Made for lots of tractor time.  At this point, I'm finally helping.  Mike had a smaller saw for limbing and that is what I did.  OH YEAH!  They let me work the tape measure too.   HA!



 

Here are the shots everyone's been waiting for. 

Here is the 8' stack.



 

Here is the 16' stack.  There is also a small 12' stack to the right.



 

I had a great time with Mike and Allen.  They are great guys and taught by example.  I learned lots about felling and bucking trees. 

The next area to be cut is only 70' from the pile and I only have to cut 8's.  With that being said, after using Mike's spare saw, I don't think my little sears unit will work but I will give it a shot. 

HUGE THANKS to Allen and Mike.  Couldn't have done it without you.

thanks
Austin