Showing posts with label timbers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label timbers. Show all posts

Sunday, June 21, 2009

week three: stump to sticker

Stump to Sticker


That's our tree in the ground then on the ground. we triangulated where the tip would land- about 100 feet from the base!



The arch makes it easier to take logs ou of the forest in a lower impact way (lower than a machine but there is still a big flattened area where the tree landed) but with the bigger logs it takes more people


the arch centers the weight of the log an enables you to pull it around easily, but first you have to use leverage and force to get it off the ground.


I could almost pull it by myself!


On the ground you can use tools to move them- all the tools are designed like levers to roll or push big logs into place. the small 2x6 board is used as a pivot to turn the log- when it is balanced o the 2-by it only needs a nudged ti spin around


We used a saw mill called a Wood-Mizer to cut the logs into boards. The Wood-Mizer is basically a large bandsaw on it's side that moves along a track. It has only a 1/8" kerf whereas most traditional circular saws have a 1/4" kerf. This means you can get board board feet (a volume measurement of 1'x1'x1" or 144 cubic inches) per log.


Boards are then removed from the mill and piled in the lumber yard (or in this case- the parking lot)


This stack is from the last class. The small 1"x1"x4' sticks between the boards are called stickers (hence the name of the class). It is important for the stickers to all be lined up or else as the wood dries it can become warped and unusable. Layers of metal roofing are placed on top of the pile and weighted to help keep the pile dry.

Week Two: Timberframing (part three) Raising Day!

Raising the first bent into place.





























Bringing up the rafter plates

















The two hemlock tiebeams which span the whole structure are too heavy for us to lift so we got a backhoe to lift them into place while people at either end guided the mortise and tenon together.

The students took over the raising after this section was together- asking the instructors to let us put what we learned to use. They said if we could do it we'd get beer!


Almost done!








A group pictures at the end of the day. The small branch at the peak of the end of the roof is an old druid tradition giving thanks for the trees used in the construction. As the "fair maiden" of the class I was asked to tack it to the highest point on the structure.








We were successful!



Friday, June 19, 2009

Week Two: Timberframing (part two)

Now it's time to make a mortise for your tenon!

Sawr (saw) it, score it and bore it!
Here's me working with one of the really old boring machines








Once I've bored it and cut out all the space within my outline it looks like this.







Then I cut the housing and it's done!


Week Two: Timberframing (part one)

Layout your post in pencil directly on the lumber











Saw your kerf











Chisel out the extra stuff using a mallet to take out big chunks










Make it smooth with your chisel by paring it (or use a rabbet plane)







Then do the other side, taper and chamfer it and you have a tenon!