My first job! Pictures added

[rbarshaw]

A friend of mine came over today and asked if I would cut some lumber for him. 8) 8)
After visiting for a while I find out he wants to build a 30' x 30' shed all sloped in one direction, planning on 9 posts on 15' centers with 15' beams in three rows and 2 x 8" rafters at 2' centers on top with tin on 1x nailers.
   Here's my questions, using SYP what size should the the beams be to support this roof? :P
He wants beams not truses.
He's cutting the trees off his property and will be paying in 50/50 shares of lumber. 8) 8)
How many logs at about 15" DBH would this take for his project plus my share? We plan on cutting 16' 6" lengths and making mostly 1x's out of the parts that aren't beams and rafters. :P
The posts will be store bought treated, which only makes sence in the low country.

Thanks for the help in advance, this is the greatest place to be.

[DanG]

Hey Bob!  Good to see you posting again.

I'll probably take some grief for this, but I'd be thinking 2x10s for those beams.  Just be sure the wood is dried before hanging it up there.  A green SYP beam won't support its own weight, let alone the weight of the roof above.  Give all of the wood a couple or three months to dry and it will lose 50% of its weight and the shed will come out nice and straight.

[getoverit]

I'm glad to see you posting again too

Hope you get some more pics of your latest mods to that motorcycle/sawmill you got there ;D

[rbarshaw]

I was thinking 2x10's also, my friend was thinking 4x8's. Thanks for the replys Dang and getoverit, I haven't made any more mods to the mill yet, were there certain pics you wanted?

I still need to know how many logs ( rough estimate ) it might take?

[getoverit]

assuming you are cutting a true 2 inches by a true 8 inch or true 10 inch boards:

a 15" log that is 16 ft long will be hard to get 10" lumber out of, but if it is still 15" at the small end, you can possibly do it. Make your first cut 1" thick then take a 1" flitch, which will leave you about an 11" cant (if you are lucky). You should get five 2x10's from each log. You may not want to use the ones that contain the pith for these, so figure 4 boards per log. for these you will need 3 logs.

You will need eight 2x8's for each 15' section of roof. You should get five 2x8's out of each log easily, and possibly 6 of them. You will need at least 32 of them, so you will need 6 or 7 logs just for the 2x8's. again, you may not want to use the ones that contain the pith, so figure on the 7 logs for this.

Using these figures, you will need 10 logs, and will get at least 40 1x6's out of the flitches. Double it to 20 logs when your share is added in.

My figures may be off a bit, and size does matter in these calculations. Hope it helps though

I'd love to see pictures of any hydraulics you have added to the mill. Especially a log turner and clamp if you have added these.

[rbarshaw]

Thanks for the help getoverit, We had made a wild guess at 20 logs :D I have no hydraulics on the mill, it's all done with 12 vdc motors and gearboxes.

[getoverit]

I know this is going to sound like it cant be done.... but....

I had a WHOPPER pine log that I milled yesterday... 16' 6" long.

I got 29 2x6's out of the one log. there were only 2 boards that had a knot in them, and it was a small knot near the pith.  I wish I had logs like that every day. Makes for some easy sawing with a swingmill

[beenthere]

Amazing to find those trees that can grow without any limbs, save for those two, in the first log.  : ;)

[getoverit]

It is the first time I have seen it too... no mater how impossible it sounds. I sure was pleased to get the log though.

[rbarshaw]

Well I got the mill there and set up with a log on it last evening and will be making lumber today, pictures will be on later.

[DanG]

Good luck with the job, Bob!  It's a good feeling to get that first one behind you.

GOI, it ain't unusual to find big, clear pine logs like that.  If they're grown in close quarters, pines will shoot way up there and self prune when they are still real skinny.  I'm looking out the window at one right now that is no more than 4" dbh, and it is at least 25 feet to the first limb.  I can see one little stub at about the 10' level where a branch died off.  When it gets big, all the knots will be within 2" of the pith for the first 25' or so.

[rbarshaw]

Well I got the first two logs cut, both from the same tree, the butt log was 25"at large end and 23" at small, the next was 22" at small and both were 17' long, not a knot in either. We got 10-2x10's, 16-2x8's, 12-2x6's, plus enough 1x1 stickers to do the whole job, all 17' long and clear. I have pictures but will post later, I'm tired.

[rbarshaw]

The first log 23" at bottom, 22" at top, 17' long and this is the 2nd log up the tree ;D

Another view

Yet another view

Most of the lumber from the first log, This is mostly full dimention 2"x10"x17'

Another view

These are four 2"x16"x17' boards Also is a fork lift called a Moffett Mounty that he had, made the job a lot esier 8) 8)

This is one of the wedges I use till the log has a flat bottom to hook the pipe clamps to

A 8"x16"x17' cant to be ripped into 8-2by boards

Another view

This was turned into 200 1"x1"x4' stickers, I made a 10"x10"x8' cant, cut it into two 4' lengths, laid them side by side and cut 20 boards just under 1", then flipped all the boards up on thier side and cut stickers.


So far we have milled 4 logs and I have only 15-2"x6"s left to finish his list

[DanG]

Looks like that went rather well.  Great pics and good looking logs/lumber.  8) 8)

[rbarshaw]

Looks like that went rather well.  Great pics and good looking logs/lumber.  8) 8)

It has gone very well, thanks to all the help from this wonderful Forum.

I have written descriptions since you looked at the pics Dang.

[getoverit]

Great Job and good looking lumber !

Thanks for the pics also. Looks like that motorcycle is doing the trick for ya ;D

[jpgreen]

Ha! That's beautiful, and motorcycle engine power..  8)

What can't power a sawmill?...

Next we'll see Dick Highpockets Old Dog in a squirrel cage running hydraulics..  :D

[highpockets]

Hey, I like that motorcycle engine.  This just proves that man can accomplish whatever he wants if he set his mind to it.   

JP, my dog is too lazy to stand up and eat, let alone power a mill. 

[UNCLEBUCK]

That is a fantastic job rbarshaw ! I am learning to saw dimensional lumber now and for me it looks weird to see a full 2x coming off the mill after only using nominal lumber yard stuff .  A full 2x seems like a bit thick to me and am thinking of going 7/4 .  I see my old edger only has settings for full width up to 12 inches . A bit confusing yet but in a few weeks I will be slicing them off like you . Thanks for the pics too 

[jkj]

Here's my questions, using SYP what size should the the beams be to support this roof? :P

Try this span calculator:

http://www.awc.org/calculators/span/calc/timbercalcstyle.asp