Timber Frame Tractor Home

[khd]

Well here's an update....

The boss got me a nail gun for x-mas, unfortunately it was a finish nailer instead of a sheathing nailer so I got it exchanged and it cost me...yes me...$150 more than she spent. Oh well, she did try and it is a specialty gun and I am very happy with it. Carrying it in the house I thought the case certainly must be empty because it was so light but it was in there and it is extremely light for a large gun. Probably half the weight of my framer. Found an online place to buy sheathing nails for it. I'm going with stainless ring shank and they ship for free but wow stainless nails are expensive.

Ordered up some more metal, zee flash for the siding tranistion and since I am using galv. rake trim I decided to also do galv facia trim. I finally commited to how I am going to do the soffits and orderd 1x6 T&G, rough sawn pine for the soffits.

I snuck out of work early today as the weather is only going to hold through Saturday and I needed to do some ciphering on the rafters. I asked for the tails to be square cut and they cut them plumb. Also, an 8" rafter isn't very condusive to a 1x6 facia and 1x8 is just not proportionally correct for the size of the building so I hade to figure out all the cuts I am going to have to make before I can assemble and raise the rafters. I will have to cut the ends of all 15 rafters which will be time consuming as a 4" thick rafter and a 7-1/4" in circular saw means cutting from both sides of each and finishing with a hand saw.

Will be up early in the morning to get as much done as possible. Hopefully I will get all the rafters up and purlins on so I can tarp it before the rain. It's time to get it out of the weather.

Will have more pics tomorrow.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[Cliff_Johns]

Thanks for the update.
A good nailer makes all the difference in the world.

Cliff

 

[khd]

Saturday was a beautiful day. The fog burned off by 11 and by two it was shirt sleeves and sunshine. Started by 7:30 laying out rafter tail cuts. Then I used the old rule: Measure 10, cut once , start the saw put it back down and measure again. Its a little nerving cause you can't just run to the lumber yard and get a new 4x8 white oak rafter.

Help arrived by 11:00 and then we hoisted the 3 three middle rafters peice at a time and the assembled on the loft and raised. These were quite simple and it didn't take much time. Then it was time for front and rear. These were assembled on the ground and then hoisted. The front one was a bear because of the loft door framing and my rafters are taller than my gin pole can lift. The pic shows it being set.

I am very pleased with the overall height. I have 7'4" from the loft floor to the inside of the peak. When you are 6'4" you come to appreciate these things. Everyone was teasing me all day as they went up, asking where the cross went as it looked more like a church than a barn.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[khd]

Got all the main rafters up. The next logical step was to anchor them to the plates but since I had help and nice weather I thought it would be better to get the lean-to rafters up as there was only enough daylight left to do one or the other. The lean-to rafters all had to be layed out in place and be cut and notched so it was put 'em up mark them, bring them down, cut and set.

So now I have all the frame up. I suppose the heavy stuff is done. Anyone need a good used gin pole? Hate to see it go to waste but were do you store something like that? Now I need to anchor the rafters to the plates and get the purlins on then it's on to finishing.

Pic one is looking up on to the loft from inside. Pic 2 is the lean-to side, 3 - rear and 4 front.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[khd]

After I get the rafters tied and the purlins on I'll start some itermediate framing for windows. I will be using 4"x4"s for this. This framing is traditionally nailed but since I would have to drill pilot holes for the nails I think I am going to use pocket hole screws. If you haven't tried them before you should. The best $125 I ever spent was the Kreg pocket hole jig.

I bought my windows. I found leaded glass panels for them all. I went with clear glass and I was able to find matching windows. These are new but are sandwinched between two layers of safety glass and sealed so I will be happy with the life of them. The doors will have a row of windows across the top (transom style) and I found ones that are almost deadnuts on to size that I had designed. These are the same as the side windows. Since all the windows will be fixed, building the frames will be simple. Pic 1 shows the side wall windows. They will be mounted horizontal. Pic 2 shows the main door windows. I will be building 8' x 6.5' double swinging doors and each will have a row of 3 windows. Pic 3 shows the loft door windows. The pic shows six windows, the door will only a have one row of 3.

Does anyone know of a source for quality galv. gable and soffit vents. I can find lots of nice copper ones but finding good galv. isn't as easy, especially from someone that will semi-custom build.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[Egon]

Thank you very much for the pictures. It is an impressive project!

Now I want one too. We have a perfect place in the back yard.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

You're living my dream. Thanks for taking me along.

 

[DOUBLEG]

Looking good! Makes me wish I could think of a project I could timber frame.

Thanks for the pictures.

 

[dapper]

KHD: Thanks for the pictures. You made my day. I have lived around old timber framed barns all my life, and can not say enough good about them. They are exceptional pieces of antique architectural art, and I personal would love to see every one of them saved. True they have their own set of problems, but it hurts to see one in a field dying, with no one to care for it. Currently I am the caretaker of 2 of them on my property. One is 30x150ft tobacco barn turned garage/machinery storage. The second is 30x30ft shop with 20x30 machine storage for shop tools. Money pits for sure, but worth every penny of it to me.
Unfortunately most of the barns in my area (south west Ohio) are starting to decline as machinery no longer fits in the old barns, and animals are better suited to the modern techniques used with modern pole barns. Due to material and labor cost, I can only think of one new “barn” being built in the last 15 yr.
It is really amazing how long a old timber framed old barn will stand with no maintenance. This can be witnessed in any rural area by the number of slowly rotting and dying old barns. (had friend who thought he could just pull down a 150 yr old barn carcass. HA! Took weeks and had to chain saw all joints just to get on the ground.
Kudo’s to you for taking on the job of building something that you and the next generation will be proud of. As others have said, the thing about building is not how BIG you can make something, but how well something should be done. From the proportions and sizing, to the location and siting . Attention to detail. Take just a little time to get the details correct now, and you will be happy for the rest of your life.
I appreciate your taking the time to think about how it is going to fit into its surroundings, and how it is going to work in that situation. And to making something that will stands the test of time.
We look forward to seeing your project to completion. Thanks for sharing.

 

[BTDT]

After I get the rafters tied and the purlins on I'll start some itermediate framing for windows. I will be using 4"x4"s for this. This framing is traditionally nailed but since I would have to drill pilot holes for the nails I think I am going to use pocket hole screws. If you haven't tried them before you should. The best $125 I ever spent was the Kreg pocket hole jig.

I bought my windows. I found leaded glass panels for them all. I went with clear glass and I was able to find matching windows. These are new but are sandwinched between two layers of safety glass and sealed so I will be happy with the life of them. The doors will have a row of windows across the top (transom style) and I found ones that are almost deadnuts on to size that I had designed. These are the same as the side windows. Since all the windows will be fixed, building the frames will be simple. Pic 1 shows the side wall windows. They will be mounted horizontal. Pic 2 shows the main door windows. I will be building 8' x 6.5' double swinging doors and each will have a row of 3 windows. Pic 3 shows the loft door windows. The pic shows six windows, the door will only a have one row of 3.

Does anyone know of a source for quality galv. gable and soffit vents. I can find lots of nice copper ones but finding good galv. isn't as easy, especially from someone that will semi-custom build.

Regards,
Kevin

Can you check with someone who sells greenhouses for your vents? I am sure they would have them, with exhaust fans, temp controlled, and otherwise.

 

[Cliff_Johns]

This project makes me drool. I want one. Thanks again for the fine pictures. That barn seems perfectly proportioned. It's a work of art just standing there as it is. Keep those photos coming.

Cliff

 

[Egon]

Me first Cliff!

 

[khd]

Kudo’s to you for taking on the job of building something that you and the next generation will be proud of. As others have said, the thing about building is not how BIG you can make something, but how well something should be done. From the proportions and sizing, to the location and siting . Attention to detail. Take just a little time to get the details correct now, and you will be happy for the rest of your life.
I appreciate your taking the time to think about how it is going to fit into its surroundings, and how it is going to work in that situation. And to making something that will stands the test of time.
We look forward to seeing your project to completion. Thanks for sharing.

Dapper:

Thanks for the kind words. I think it has taken me so many years to get to the point of doing this because I knew I would get carried away and end up spending way too much money getting the details "right". Like right now I am contemplating a pipe railing for the loft. My middle son is a pipefitter and a highly skilled welder so I am looking at steel pipe and weldable fittings with figured cast panels and having him weld it all up for me.

I hope it will stand the test of time.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[khd]

Can you check with someone who sells greenhouses for your vents? I am sure they would have them, with exhaust fans, temp controlled, and otherwise.

BT:

Thanks for the idea, I hadn't thought of that. I looked at a few greehouse supply places on-line and unfortunately they only sell fancy, high volume, automatic vents. Far too sophisticated for this. I think I found a company that makes all different kinds of galv. gable vents and will make standard styles to semi-custom sizes. The only thing I still can't find is soffit vents. I have 9" of soffit and would like to put one in the middle of each bay and would like them to be operable so can I vent in the summer and close them down in the winter. It will be an exposed metal roof inside and the green wood will put off moisture for awhile so I really want to keep condesation out but since it will be unheated I don't want to vent it in the dry, cold winter. Any other ideas are appreciated.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[khd]

This project makes me drool. I want one. Thanks again for the fine pictures. That barn seems perfectly proportioned. It's a work of art just standing there as it is. Keep those photos coming.

Cliff

Thanks Cliff but I am still waiting for you to update your built in thread. I think you should volunteer to make wall cabinets for the barn...LOL...just kidding. I'll never use it enough to justify a Leigh jig and I don't have the time and its been many years since I hand cut dovetails.

 

[Cliff_Johns]

So . . . how's it going? Got any new pictures?
Cliff

 

[khd]

Well, between work, travel and weather progress has been slow. The weather has finally broken and I have had a few weekend days the past couple of weeks so I am now able to get working again. Over the cold months I cut and oiled the lifting corbel. Got it installed a couple of weeks ago. Here's a pic.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[khd]

I've been putting purlins on for a wile. Got four up on the prevailing side back in late December just to hold things up. Last weekend and today I finally got all the rafters set. The lean-to rafters took quite a wile to do as the each had to be lagged at the header and pegged at the transition. Each one took about an hour. I broke the head off the screw the holds my chuck on my cordless drill while I had an 18"L 1" in. auger bit buried in a rafter now I have to find a one. Finished that up and set the rest of the purlins. Now I have to go through and cut off about 10 bent nails that didn't drive. Once you hit the oak if anything stops the nail it will bend instantly and there's no getting it out.

Hopefully next weekend I'll be able to cut and install the fly rafters and box in the soffits. If I get that done then I'll be able to start setting the tin.

Here's two pics. as it looks tonight.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[Joe1]

What great documentation on a sharp looking project.

One question: Why did you lift the really heavy stuff by hand (2 guys at 250 each) instead of using the tractor or the Dodge pickup in the first pictures to do the heavy lifting? It appears you did use the tractor for some of the later lighter stuff.

 

[patrick_g]

Great looking structure. Mine will look a lot like yours but with "wings" on both sides, one closed and one open (south side.) I'm in south central Oklahoma and we are short on Amish around here so my buddy and I are logging our own timber and milling it for lumber to produce his and my pole barns.

Any ideas regarding painting green milled oak? I haven't found much info on that. I will use board and batten siding and it will be pretty fresh from the mill (as will be all the wood in the two barns.) I found some Behr brand post preservative that you can soak a post in or spray or roll it. It stains the wood very green. Have never used it before and don't knonw if you can pait over it with good results. I'm just trusting to Behr as they usually make good stuff and Home Depot was closing it out at 1/4 regular price.

Pat