started on a mill shed

[fishpharmer]

DanG, as Wikipedia so eloquently states "Ignorance is the state in which a person lacks knowledge, is unaware of something or chooses to subjectively ignore information. This should not be confused with being unintelligent"  I find you categorized (if that is possible ;D) by the last half  (red) of the sentence.

Piney, thanks to you too.  DanG I love this place 8) 

Here is a link directly to what you led me too, for the benefit of other inquiring minds.

https://forestryforum.com/members/donp/logbeamcalc.htm

[bandmiller2]

As a lifelong shed builder its just a fact that a long unsupported carrying beam is going to sag some.Corner braces like LJ used greatly reduce that tendency.I like to use oak for support beams they may bend but won't break.Put the oak crown up for its self imposed preload.Frank C.

[zopi]

Might help a bit to cantilever part of the weight out board of the posts..a little weight ouside will go a long way to prevent the sag...

[Hilltop366]

I wonder if it would be practical to make a heavy duty truss like a floor truss design with a top and bottom beam and a   W   pattern of cross pieces , and then close it in with 3/4" plywood glued and screwed to it, Still taking care to put crown up.

I would think this would be stiff ?

Some times wondering will get a person in trouble though!

[beenthere]

zopi and Hilltop366 are on the right track, if sagging becomes a problem (and likely will over time).  Just keep an eye out for the fastened joints at the ends (top of the posts) separating due to some sagging. Can't tell for sure how the ends at the post tops are fastened. 

Just a pole supported on the ends with no additional weight at all, will sag.

Two smaller poles, one top of the other, with through bolts along the length will add a lot of stiffness to such a span. Three poles even more.

[ljmathias]

Hey, fishpharmer- good to hear from you again.  As for the beams sagging, here's my situation: they are SYP, either longleaf or loblolly, don't know which now as they were from Katrina blowdown that I peeled and stored in my pole barn till a few months ago.  Over three years drying means a whole lot less sag than with a green log which from personal experience I've seen will sag under its own way some and really shouldn't be used as a beam without support.  Also, I tend to overbuild but often by the seat of my pants (where did that expression come from anyway?) so my log beams are 10" at their thinnest.  Used the beam calculator and came out with 8" as minimum for 30' span, assuming I did it right, so I just be fine.  Worse case: I get a little sag, that pulls my posts in a little, my sawmill still doesn't get wet and I still get a nice breeze and ready access to both sides of the mill, so I can live with it.

Someday, when I get some spare time, I'll tear the whole thing down, make it over again with nicely kiln dried and engineered posts and beams all joined with beautiful mortise and tenon work.... right!  Life is too short these days for me to worry about it now, got other fish to fry (ouch!).

Lj

[woodmills1]

"seat of the pants"

I was pretty sure it is a flying term for landing with no help and looked and found this link.

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/139400.html

[fishpharmer]

Littlechub and LJMathias, you both have great looking sheds.  8) I wasn't trying to be critical at all.  The reason I said LJM's shed looked better in real life is because I have seen it first hand and know that it looks great and is complete (whereas the photo is before completion).

I know little, if anything, about timber framing.  I have shed envy (could that be shortened to shedvy? or chevy?).  I hate to admit this but most everything I do is by the seat of my pants, and it has on occasion served me well. 

I was actually trying to plan things out a bit and thought I would ask about sag.  LJ, you have taught me not to use green logs (unlike my original plan ;D).   And frying fish sounds great, let get together and do so sometime ;D

Fish