Any Timber Framers here?

[cjk]

Years ago I worked for a timber framing co. for 2 years. Loved that job, just wish it payed better. The smell of the wood when you went in the shop in the morning. Huge stacks of oak timbers to play with. Very enjoyable work.

On the build site was the best. Seeing all our work start to come together was impressive. I was proud to be a part of those buildings. We even carved our names in the top of a beam, out of sight, when we were done so the guy who takes it down 500 years from then will know who built it.

This summer we had to move the wifes clothes lines for some yard work. Old steel pipe eyesores. I told her I would build her some new ones out of 6x6 timbers. She really likes them. And now I cant wait to build something else.

I really miss that job. But this one pays the bills much better.

 

[peter nap]

I'm doing my first one now. I decided to do a post and beam weekend cottage and probably, retirement house on our farm.
It;s enjoyable but there is a learning curve. Stick building doesn't relate to it at all.

Figuring ways to handle the beams by myself is......challenging.

That;s what got me started on milling. I'm trying to saw as much of my lumber as possible.

 

[Sprig]

When I first moved from Duncan in '89 to here I spent over 8 months on a massive timber frame house on a tiny Island just SE of Saltspring IS. It was one of the neatest jobs I've ever had the pleasure to work on. Man, that house! You could flip it upside down and sail it around the world. Every thing was mortise and tennoned, hidden steel strapping was lagged at every joint and all beams were knee braced. Over the center 'room' (its all open design) my good friend Rick Boylen, a master shipwright who taught me more than I'll ever remember, fashioned a massive corble where the eight beams met, hard to explain but it was a sight ta behold. I spent a lot of my time up in the rafters lag bolting, the high point was about 20' above the floor, not a job for the faint of heart I tells ya! Yup, pulled more than one sliver outta my butt I'm not sure where my pics of the job are but I'll make sure to post a few here when I find them and can get my scanner working. I do love timber framed anythings!~

 

[cjk]

I figured there where some of you around here.

Peter, one of the first rules my boss told me was " Dont fart when your lifting timbers":fart: When I first started we didnt have a fork lift so every timber had to be unloaded from the truck by hand. Then stacked. It was a good workout.

Sprig, why all the metal lags and straps? We didnt use any metal, only wood. 1 inch oak pegs for everything. I think I know what your talking about with the corble. I never did anything that fancy. The modified hammer beam truss was about as fancy as I have built. Reminded me of an old church. Pretty cool cutting all those pieces and then they actually fit together

http://www.vermonttimberworks.com/truss.html

They sure are a sight when all erected. We completed one house and all stood around admiring it, and we noticed you could hardly see any sky thru all the timbers.

 

[Gumnuts]

A labour of love !!!!

We even carved our names in the top of a beam, out of sight, when we were done so the guy who takes it down 500 years from then will know who built it.

This summer we had to move the wifes clothes lines for some yard work. Old steel pipe eyesores. I told her I would build her some new ones out of 6x6 timbers. She really likes them. And now I cant wait to build something else.
.

Sounds interesting -removed our old eyesore .6"x6" was that overkill.No offence meant just wandering on your design if = plus

====================================
Post an beam
Mortise an tenon
Timber grading
.
Block and tackle,winches,pivot points,counter-levering
Chain mortiser
Big 1 1/2" & 2" chisels -( choice Ohio / Stanley)
ENGINEERS REPORTS - Point loads , live-loads ,dead loads
BUILDING PERMITS --BOO / BUT NECESSARY
MILLING YOUR OWN SECTIONS OF BIG TIMBERS THEN DRESSING-----YUM
( ones on present project 12" X 5" X 18' ) SEASONED HW ]------ YUM

3x 84's ( re-builds/nearly finished THANKS to BRAD , LAKESIDE an AS community
CM using 404 loops( metal debri ! )
Makita 7401 CSmortiser

THERE SOME REALLY GOOD PICS ON THIS SITE OF POST AN BEAM Either in pics forum/ what did you do with your wood (post) or try forum search.

 

[zopi]

Sounds interesting -removed our old eyesore .6"x6" was that overkill.No offence meant just wandering on your design if = plus

nahhh...now if he'd put up king posts with gothic arch trusses in between...that would be overkill...

but then I did set up a mailbox on a D-9 crankshaft before...solved a little
vandalism problem tho'....

 

[Gumnuts]

Was'nt a good crank or was it ?

 

[clearance]

I haven't timber framed yet. But back in time, most houses were timber framed. When stick framing came along, platform or balloon, it was considered very shoddy and poor. I read this in an old book on carpentry, much to my suprise.

 

[Gumnuts]

I haven't timber framed yet. But back in time, most houses were timber framed. When stick framing came along, platform or balloon, it was considered very shoddy and poor. I read this in an old book on carpentry, much to my suprise.

STICK FRAMES are QUICKER AND CHEAPER
Any house over here ,that's over 30 years old was predominantly HW framed.Then , the price of radiata pine, tree farm , products made their move .Undercutting the more expensive (to process) native HW stock .Now we have soft wood stick frames.

HOUSING BOOMS
Often see either poor workmanship and flagrant disregard for building regs.
Combination of causes 1/ work done before more stringent laws or inspections
2/ Weekend fixets flying under the radar. Reno's often extensive.
3/ Building standards compromised by the need to throw em up quick and nasty.Often using dodgy,cheaper materials . Merch for studs.Dry walls air gunned ,one lick - build em quick /sell em sick ,for an ever demanding market.
Hang em high
.......Hang em high.
' No ones got any pride in their work' -one mate says
Yet as always /qualities still out their to be had -' but it'll cost ya'.
Post an beam -quality materials inspires quality workmanship ? !
The beams I'm milling would cost me US$35-45 a foot if i was
buying.

.02

 

[Sprig]

CJK, it was specified for earthquake protection/insurance, and seriously overkill imo. The timber frame actually became a house within a house as a standard frame was put up around it after (oh that part was fun, had to be exactly 1/2 away from the beams to be able to slide in the t&g walls afterwards, hm, maybe not quite the fun I remember). Even the knees were lagged in then each hole bunged, ever try to get that yellow wood glue outta your hair? As I said before I'll post a pic or two when I dig 'em out.
I have to agree with it being very satisfying type of carpentry too.



Serge

 

[Gumnuts]

CJK, it was specified for earthquake protection/insurance, and seriously overkill imo. The timber frame actually became a house within a house as a standard frame was put up around it after (oh that part was fun, had to be exactly 1/2 away from the beams to be able to slide in the t&g walls afterwards, hm, maybe not quite the fun I remember). Even the knees were lagged in then each hole bunged, ever try to get that yellow wood glue outta your hair? As I said before I'll post a pic or two when I dig 'em out.
I have to agree with it being very satisfying type of carpentry too.



Serge

Last week -worse than chewing gum / ended up pulling a whole chunk of
hair out . Not easy with a crew cut

Sprig -Looking forward to pics when you get the chance

 

[aggiewoodbutchr]

Just a side note about you signing the beams...

I was helping my father on a 107 year old historic home restoration a while back and found signatures and initials in several places all dated 1900. Pretty cool.

 

[cjk]

I think they look better than what we had. If they dont hold up i will do a 4 post with fancy trusses and roof. It could double as a gazebo for beer drinking by the fire.

If its worth doing, its worth overdoing right???

I may need to get a minimill. (just ordered a Baileys catalog)

 

[Gumnuts]

I think they look better than what we had. If they dont hold up i will do a 4 post with fancy trusses and roof. It could double as a gazebo for beer drinking by the fire.

If its worth doing, its worth overdoing right???
AGREED
I may need to get a minimill. (just ordered a Baileys catalog)

Thanks for the pic -see what ya mean now
Yep gotta hand it to you.Overkill for a clothes line -who cares-Looks great.Will do something similar .Vast improve on those pipe doodads.

p.s we're just coming outa summr - that snow quite a buz to see.Thanks.
-Graeme