New & looking for timber info?

[BCWoodticks]

I just found this forum and it looks great. I just started doing CSM and want start timber framing. I have a small deck roof to try out and timber frame out the end of my free standing roof. I fell a large Grand Fir a couple days ago and need to know if it will be strong enough to make a large spanning beam. About 24' without having a center post because it will be beside a window. It would not be all that structural due to framing beside my engineered truss roof. Its more for looks but I still want to try my hand at the joinery. All I have access to is soft woods Cedar, Douglas Fir, Grand Fir. If the grand fir isn't strong enough what are the best uses? I need to know what to mill it into. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

[Don P]

hi bc, welcome to the forum.
i,m east coast and can only give you numbers for grand fir, it makes it out here under the Hem-Fir stamp, in #2 beams and stringers it has these base strength values
Fb, bending-675 psi
Fv, shear-140 psi
Fc perp, side crushing-405
MOE, stiffness 1.1 Mpsi

Doug fir is excellent wood, same grade;
Fb-875
Fv-170
Fc-perp-625
MOE-1.3

I really can't help with your beam question. Beams are either structural or aesthetic. If structural you need to quantify loads and check the stresses those loads put on the timber, then check to see that those stresses are within safe limits for the size, species and grade being used. There are some calculators under my name in the toolbox tab on the left of the page that might help get you started.

[BCWoodticks]

Thanks for the structural info, I'll have to figure out the timber calculations now and see what I can get away with. When doing the joinery green how much time do I have to stand it up before everything starts shrinking? Should I have all the timbers in the bents & roof cut before starting any joints? Also I am trying to decide what size of posts to go with, are 6x6's going to be large enough for the joinery. Probably going to use western cedar for posts and fir for beams and purlins. I guess I could use the cedar for some of the smaller spanning beams??
Thanks
Darrell

[Kevin]

Darrell;
You can always mill the timber and make a laminated beam from the same wood which would be stronger.