My timber frame build

[Ljohnsaw]

Weeellll, I'm gonna git r dun this year 🤔😁

I learned a lot. Like, the old estimating rule is pretty true. Calculate what you think is the time needed to do a task, add 10%, then triple it!

I learned not all trees make good lumber.

Logs are pretty heavy.

A manual mill will make you loose weight.

This year's snow will probably set back my starting date to the end of June or beginning of July instead of mid-May and sometimes mid-April.

Plan to get the roof on this year along with the wall boards.

I've given up on long range plans.

[Magicman]

It's still an exciting labor of love project to watch unfold. 

[Ljohnsaw]

Back from Ireland about 10 days ago but came down with a nasty chest cold. Probably RSV? In the last stages of it now. So, took a ride up the hill today.


 

 
And I got a nail in my tractor back tire!


 
Took a ride over to Truckee for lunch at Burger Me. Was featured on Diners, Dives and Drive-ins. Great but pricey. Lots of snow to melt yet!



Time to get to it! Have to see if I can move the SkyTrak out of the way and pull the head. Then get a new battery for the tractor so I can get my camper trailer set up down by the bath house.

Looks like my storage shed slipped off it's blocking. Looking a little wonky.

[Magicman]

I am ready to see you busy.  :D

[TimW]

Just finished reading the thread.  Like Lynn, I'm anxious to see more.
     hugs,  Brandi

[Iwawoodwork]

Yes, like Brandy and Lin am looking forward to this summer's chapter.

[TimW]

Yes, like Brandy and Lin am looking forward to this summer's chapter.

It's Brandi, not Brandy.  I am not a drank.
             hugs,  Brandi

[Ljohnsaw]

Hauling stuff back up the hill. The series of thunder storms has ended. Tuesday I took my little Ranger bed trailer up and hooked up the water system. Filled a lot of tires that were low. The SkyTrak started right up and was able to move it to an area were I could work on it and not be in the way. The nail in the tractor tire was a non issue. I wanted to do some tractoring but the battery was dead and my jumper cables were nowhere to be found. So I ordered a new battery.

Battery came in late Wednesday. I went back up with my flatbed trailer with the mill on it. Put the new battery in the tractor and works great now.


 

 
Took some doing but was able to get the mill back on the track using forks on the tractor. Then I proceeded to play in the dirt on the north side of the cabin. Leveled it a bit and found a few rocks.


 

 

 
I quickly dumped my flatbed there as it was after 7 pm and I needed to head home.

[Andries]

Those tractor batteries seem to have a high gravity factor built in, wheeew they weigh! 
That swing out tray is a back saver.
That snow will be gone soon John - you'll be timber framing in short order.

[Ljohnsaw]

Snow is gone! There was one small pile hiding under some heavy tree cover.

Andries, had a weird thing happening with the 545D. I was using it for a couple hours and it just died.  Crank and nothing. In a couple minutes, it would start and die in 5 seconds. Like no fuel. Checked the water separator but all good. Then it ran great for another hour or so and did it again. So I checked all the fuses. Figured might be loosing power to the fuel solenoid. Working great now. Ever have this problem? Faulty solenoid?

[Magicman]

Hot diggity dog, it's good to see you back on your build !!!   8)

[Andries]

. .  Working great now. Ever have this problem? Faulty solenoid?

No, haven't experienced that on my 545.
Sounds like you're on the right track though.
 Could you check that thinking by running a 12v. test lead from the battery to the fuel solenoid - see if the solenoid clicks on and off?
Trouble is that it's intermittent, so you could try the test lead right after the motor shuts down.

[Ljohnsaw]

I mentioned that my storage box was off kilter. I was looking on top for something and noticed these.


 

 
The end ones survived but the middle 4 that have twice the tributary area all need some help.

[Magicman]

Looks like they need some sisters.  ;D

[beenthere]

The steep grain angle and the spike knots on the tension side (edge) looked to be the downfall of the rafters. 

[Ljohnsaw]

Yeah, those rafters were a quick build from the scrap wood pile close to 10 years ago. I think this year's massive snow fall contributed a little, too.

After last week's dirt work, I was thinking about where the flatbed trailer was. I didn't make the pass any wider, just flatter. But the spot on the right was quite a bit deeper. Almost could get it in there. Did a test fit and dug a few feet further and got a couple more yards of rocks along with more dirt to level up the road. Got both trailers in there and out of the way.


 

 

 
Also renewed my anti-mindreadimg shield. (Mylar foil on the slide outs)


 
The News mentioned that the burn ban will go into effect on Monday so I'm doing some quick cleanup today. There were some branches that have been sitting for 12 years that haven't rotted.

While burning, set down the temporary flooring. Seem it gained some winter weight! They were flat stacked and wicked up water. They also swelled enough that I need to rip a couple. Still need to screw them down.

[Stephen1]

Great see you back working on your project. My bobcat 739 was intermittant stalling and then sometimes not starting, then it died. Used the meter and made it up to the key switch, and there beyond it was the 20amp glass tube fuse holder at burned/rotted out. Picket up a new inline horseshoe shaped fuse holder as they didn't have a glass holder fuse. The little cat runs just great agin. 

[Ljohnsaw]

Still getting things back in place to work faster. Screwed down the floor yesterday and moved up a set of 8 braces for the west mid-beam.

Spent today working out the method of lifting those beams. Got the north end up and fitted with it's braces.


 
Then set it out of the way up on the mini tie beams so I can work on the south end tomorrow. 

I do have an issue with the middle bent that was a rush install last year before the early snow. The middle post is sitting up about ¾". I need to lift it up so I can remove the upper braces and shorten them. But I think the post bottom tenons are swelled up from the winter wet.  :

[Ljohnsaw]

Update 6/28/2023

Wrote it up in Did Something Dumb Today so a quick recap. Lifted the center bent, trimmed the upper knee braces and set it back down. All fitting flush now. Then got to lift it again since I forgot to put the lower knee braces back.  :-\



 
On to fitting the south section of the beam tomorrow.

[Ljohnsaw]

Yesterday the was a rip roaring thunderstorm from 1:30 til about 4 then drizzle til 4:30 or so.

Went about fitting the south beam, then with the braces. Finally, both beams together.


 

 

 
Still need to align the joint and put fasteners and pegs in.

Takes a lot of stuff to get it done.


 
Two 8 foot and one 6 foot step ladders. Would have been better with four 8 footers. One 20 foot extension and a half of one. Lots of ratchet straps, slings and shackles. Also a couple come-alongs on the left. I really like these. Very well made that I got cheap from the online auction.

[Ljohnsaw]

Best laid plans...

I had a plan to pull the head on the SkyTrak. Thinking the head gasket has really gone for how hard it is to start and keep running. First, I sprayed it with degreaser, waited and hoses it off. Hmm, the water separator/sediment bowl looks a little funny. Pulled it. Ton of sediment and mostly water. Pulled the fuel filter. Rusty and mostly clogged.

Called in the part, NAPA would have the part shipped up in 90 minutes. They are a 30 minute drive. Got there, the order was zeroed out by the shipping store. They order from another store and it would take 2 hours. So I drove another 30 minutes to get it myself.

Cleaned everything up and installed the bowl and filter. Purged the air. Notice a funky bailing wire job on some linkage that I thought was the engine kill. Nope, the throttle. No wonder I couldn't get full power!

Started up, runs great but still produces a LOT of smoke. So I pull the boom lift ram, take it to the hydraulic shop on Thursday morning. Probably have it back by Monday.

Got a call Friday and hour before they close for the weekend, it's ready. Picked it up yesterday and installed it this morning. Yay, leak free SkyTrak again!



Forty half revolutions later...

 
Also adjusted the boom chain that makes it retract. So, ran the engine some more and making even more smoke. Shut it down and look around my clean engine. Oil. Wipe it up, start it again to look for the leak. Too much smoke to see!

Looks to be dripping from the turbocharger.😕 So I pull it. Toast. The bearings are done. NAPA is no help. Internet at the cabin is horrible today. Go to neighbor and able to search the internet.  SkyTrak.com has some but probably just for late model. Pricey in the $1,500 to $3,000 range!


 

 

 
Found a site that has three that look identical but only one that matches my part number. Of course, it can't be the $250 one, it's the $450 one. At least FedEx shipping is free.

Maybe see it Monday or Tuesday? One step forward, two steps back.

As a wise man on the FF says, tomorrow is another day.

[Old Greenhorn]

Well, all in all I would say you came out of that whole thing a big winner and I am envious. I wish we had ours up to fixed like yours. You went through an awful lot of stuff in a short time. Good on you man! Enjoy the pleasure of using that machine now, you earned it.

[Ljohnsaw]

Update 7/11/2023:

So, while waiting for my turbocharger, I spent Sunday and Monday drilling holes and pounding 1" oak pegs all over the place and driving ¾" and 1" bolts through the lower knee braces on bents 3 and 4.  I also put in the four 1" pegs on each of the scarf joints of the current three beams installed.

Monday 10am I got an email from FridaysParts.com, where I ordered the turbocharger.  It was wishful thinking that I would get it by Monday or Tuesday since I placed the order after 7pm Pacific Time on Friday.  I assumed the part was domestic.  The message was from China and it would be shipping soon by DHL and to expect delivery on Friday by end of day. Ok, makes sense.  I set up text messaging for updates.  I get some messages about Customs clearances and that that (Tom) can happen while in transit.  It cleared Hong Kong Monday.

I came down the hill today to restock and get some other supplies.  I get a text that it cleared Customs in L.A. and, again, that can happen in transit.  Then a message that it will be delivered today between 3 and 5pm.  It hit my door step at 2:15 pm.  How is that even possible?

Now to change the oil and filter on the SkyTrak and install tomorrow or Thursday.

[Andries]

"How is that even possible?"
.
You're livin' right John.
Good things happen to reasonable people who aren't quitters.

[Ljohnsaw]

Update 7/14/2023

Took a little diversion. I need a pad in the basement for my big water tank.


 
Last year I bought some busted bags of Sacrete ready mix. Lowes was selling them for $1 instead of $5.73 for 80# bags. I got about 10. I needed about 40 for the slab. So I stopped in at an HD on my way to Lowes.

They had a free pallet of mostly 80# fibered stucco bags. So forked that onto my little trailer. Went to Lowes and bought one 94# bag of Portland and four busted bags of concrete. Swung by another HD and they had a huge pile of free. Got several bags of concrete, Portland and stucco.

The plan was to stop halfway up the hill at a concrete and aggregate yard for a 1/3 yard of rock. Use the stucco with some added Portland and rock. However, the TWO aggregate yard have ceased operations earlier this year. So, I mined gravel from my property.

And the big pallet of stucco from the first HD, it had four 47# bags of Portland hiding inside the twelve bags of stucco. Some scrap steel from some shipping crates to act as rebar.


 

 
So, three hours with the mixer


 
The only problem is I only used about half the bags!

Where you see the pipe leaving the picture on the lower left, that is were my 330 gallon IBC is located. I'll move it over to the slab temporarily (and hook up the water again) and pour another slab there that will hold two of those IBCs side by side. Those will be for my sprinkler fire protection. I only need one per the plans. The big stainless 1,100 gallon tank will be treated/filtered water for domestic use. I have to get the iron out.