Whatcha Sawin' ???

WV Sawmiller · February 06, 2018, 09:46:24 PM

MM,

Sounds like you guys were really hustling. Also sounds like you are cutting some big stuff so be careful handling it and even being around it. Keep us posted - pictures expected. Stay safe and dry.

Dave Shepard · February 06, 2018, 10:27:41 PM

Sawing some log joists. The barn these are for originally used the knotty, twisted upper logs for joists, so they will be replaced with similar logs. Mill fired up at 14°F this morning. A new record.

One slab cut and they are ready for a tenon on the end. But on a warmer day

Magicman · February 07, 2018, 06:25:52 AM

Whoa there Dave with those temps. It's plenty cold here at 36°.

I'll try to get a picture of the whack this morning and also of how we are handling those heavy slabs. It's amazing what a skidsteer and a trackhoe with good operators can do.

Maybe I can upload to the FF with the phone. It looks different now. :P

coxy · February 07, 2018, 07:43:04 AM

MM never brag up and operator till the job is done

Magicman · February 07, 2018, 09:12:07 AM

Good call coxy.

Some of what we have sawn.

Some of the logs.

Job site showing more logs.

PA_Walnut · February 07, 2018, 09:55:05 AM

MM, that's a LOT of work! How did someone find you from so far away?
Have fun! 8)

Magicman · February 07, 2018, 01:05:11 PM

Internet.

E-Tex · February 07, 2018, 01:14:13 PM

MM, what all species are you sawing?

coxy · February 07, 2018, 06:15:36 PM

man all that sand has to ell on them undercarriages must be just like sand paper

ncsawyer · February 07, 2018, 06:34:14 PM

MM,

I had a similar job about 5 years ago, it was all white oak and we cut about 6,000 bdft of white oak 8x8 and 8x10 timbers for trackhoe mats.

They had two helpers and a tracked skid steer loader. We cut all those on my old manual LT40 with the 18HP briggs. I would hate to know I had to saw that job again with that same old mill.

But we did manage to get it done in two and a half Saturdays.

Southside · February 07, 2018, 06:57:08 PM

Magic Man -

Are they going to use the timbers to build a new home?

Magicman · February 07, 2018, 07:05:44 PM

E-Tex, this is all Red and Black Oak.

Not too much production today due to last night's rain and the tailgunners not showing up this morning. So much for good operators. :-\

Also it does not look like this job will go past this week because the customer is finding out that logs with sweep are not good candidates for posts/timbers with no wane. There are many culls. :-\

Yes, this contractor is building 70 units here and another 40 at another location. He also closed on another heavily timbered property today which will give him more logs for next time.

Southside · February 07, 2018, 07:13:51 PM

Wow - now that would be a building boom for sure!! Hello 2006!!

Peter Drouin · February 07, 2018, 07:48:52 PM

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
You worked the talegunners too hard. :D :D :D :D :D :D
Just like a 74 year old man would do.
Good for you Magicman. :D :D :D :D :D

WV Sawmiller · February 07, 2018, 08:36:39 PM

MM,

You need to get your customer linked up with Brad for all those crooked timbers. Isn't that his trademark cutting crooked stuff to for specialty bracings and such?

At least this will be a good learning experience for the customer and the next time he calls you out he will at least have clearer expectations. Not a bad thing. That is what is good about repeat customers IMHO. The next time you come they know better how to line up and stage the logs and what equipment and help they need to make the job go smoothly.

Hope all goes well with you. Stay safe and take it easy on those tailgunners. I think Coxy nailed it about that pre-mature praise. :D

Brad_bb · February 08, 2018, 02:51:03 PM

WV, I've never been to Mississippi. ;D
Here's a couple pics of most recent use of them.

WV Sawmiller · February 08, 2018, 04:46:42 PM

Brad,

Beautiful work there. Where did you learn to do it BTW?

Brad_bb · February 08, 2018, 06:11:33 PM

I milled and prepped those braces. I did not scribe them into the frame. Great guys that did these. Very tight housings. I've had my hands full milling material, and prepping a lot of materials for this build. With these braces, after you've dried the braces for a year, you go back and flatten each side so they are parallel. Then you remove the bark and prep the live edge surface, which differs depending on the type of wood. I've also been cutting 2x8 Ash to be come T&G for the interior walls and stall walls, I also stained and cleared the ceiling T&G sheathing and the loft flooring. I plan on doing a bunch of the scribing on the next project though.

Resonator · February 08, 2018, 06:56:57 PM

Interesting foundation wall Brad, is there a steel tube or rod mortised into the posts to hold them up like that?

Magicman · February 08, 2018, 08:36:49 PM

I had a slight malfunction today but nothing catastrophic.

Yup the power contactor got erratic and when I went to adjust it, there was no adjustment left. I always carry a spare so it was a simple matter to replace it, but with one small hitch.

Both of the carriage bolts wrung off but that was not a problem either. ;)

The whack is increasing and the builders are steadily hauling some off for use.

The log piles are steadily decreasing. We will make the cutting list for the 8" and smaller stuff but he did not have enough logs to get the 12" that he needs. They will fell more trees tomorrow so next week I will be sawing mainly 12" posts and 1¼"X 12" lumber.

The great majority of this is 18' & 20' so guess whose seat sits idle while guess who is walking? ;D

starmac · February 08, 2018, 08:46:24 PM

MM, why do you have to walk if the logs are 18 to 20 footers?

Dave Shepard · February 08, 2018, 08:49:28 PM

The seat takes up a couple of feet of track.

MM, I have to investigate my contact strip, too. It doesn't work until I get about three feet down the track. I'll wait until it gets up in the 20's to investigate.

Magicman · February 08, 2018, 08:56:31 PM

Well it was in the 20's here when mine failed this morning.

Starmac, I could saw the 18' logs with the seat but not the 20's and they are coming randomly. Dave gave you the answer. ;D

Brad_bb · February 08, 2018, 09:17:19 PM

Resonator, those are knife plates. A blade with a 1" hole extends up into the post a peg is driven through the post and knife plate. These particular plates are stainless steel so they won't react with the White Oak posts. I don't make them, not my design. If you PM me I can let you know who made them.
Here is one I was using the sharp edged hole to resize some pegs on.

Here you can see the peg hole in the posts.

The knife plates are installed on the foundation wall after it's cured. The wall is chalk lined and shot for elevation. All of the locations for this frame were within 3/16" at worst, which is pretty good for a foundation. Shimming can be done. The knife plates are set on the chalk lines and the to holes marked. The two holes are then drilled in the foundation for the anchor studs that hold the plates. The knife plates stanoff the post 2" or 4" or whatever is needed, though those are the most common. In this case, the plates will be covered with trim around the posts after the center Isle is poured, and the stall walls are installed.