Timber framing plans?

[MR4WD]

I'm new to milling, but have a few decent power heads and an almost limitless supply of Douglas Fir and Cedar to mill (old untreated power poles at work); Most of it's 30 plus years old so it's pretty dry. Also, I live in a forest ripe with Douglas Firs and Cedars 3' dbh. Adding to this I try and take about 4 or 5 months off every year to do whatever.

I'd like to build a garage (more of a pole barn) that should hold some big boats and vehicles, maybe 6 spaces (something 60x30 maybe?) and have at least a few 12' tall overhead doors along the long face.

I just need a few ideas of where to start and how big to cut my beams? I'm pretty lousy when it comes to carpentry, I've never really done it much... But I can build anything out of steel and rebuild any thing mechanical, just not familiar with wood...

Any good links to plans, or books to familiarize myself with timber framing?

Thanks,
Chad.

 

[deeker]

Power poles are full of crystals from dust, dirt and anything else it can pick up. Rough as hell on the bandsaw blades. Would be the same on a CSM.

The green stuff works best to saw. It is cleaner and blades will last a lot longer. Fewer cracks that will affect the final product.

I have built a few cabins out of power poles. They are rough and it looks great, but still prefer the green stuff.

Good Luck

Kevin

 

[MR4WD]

I know what you're saying. It's more of an access to opportunity thing; If I can deliver 20 60' poles to my doorstep with trucks from work vs harvesting my own lumber from the forest, I'd probably take the old dirty poles.

For what it's worth there's actually quite a demand for our old poles though, a lot of people seem to like milling them to sell the lumber...

 

[redoak]

Pole barns are are a great way to get a building up fast and strong. Most of the ones I've seen use only simple lap joints and heavy lag bolts to join the timbers together. Often the only real "timbers" in the structure will be the treated poles sunk in the ground. Everything else will be rough sawn dimensional lumber. Usually a primary ledger will run from pole to pole and the joists will rest on that. Often the poles in the center of the structure will support either a ridge beam or purlins to carry roof load. With purlins you can really use light weight rafters, makes a gambrel roof easy as well (good for storage, very efficient roof design). Its like old ballon framing, but you hang everything off the poles.

If you've got treated poles and a power company auger you're half way there! (ha!)

Got to be plenty of plans online. Good luck.

-redoak

 

[Mad Professor]

Try the forums at the timber framing guild and forestry forum. There are some sharp guys at both sites.

 

[Streblerm]

My dad has an old pole barn with metal siding and roofing. All the poles are actually round poles. The headers are bolted through the poles. I'm pretty sure the building has been there for 50 or 60 years. It was old when we moved in 30 years ago

Just a thought, might save you some chains.

 

[zopi]

Google up the University of Tennessee's agricultural extension..they have a bunch of pole/post& beam plans...

There is a nice plan book available from the TF guild...it's in their web store.

Or..go to google books and search under full view only for "Timber Frame"

Lotta old and free books on the subject.

 

[Narwhale]

Try a google search for ag sheds or ag buildings +pole

 

[MR4WD]

Thanks for the input, there's some great plans available from the last two posts; Probably gonna mod something from the university of tennessee's ag site, with a heavy snow load twist.

I'm a lineman too, so when I wreck out the old poles, I wreck out hardware too; Most of which is salvageable for the building of a pole barn;

Thanks again,
Chad.