Another new pole barn

hookdrvr · Sep 3, 2014

Short version of this story, I've followed a lot of post on here over the years and was inspired by "Steeldust" (http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/projects/110718-want-see-yet-another-pole.html) barn build several years back. After retiring from the military a little over a year ago and buying a nice 60 acre parcel of land in central Tenn, I decided it was time to start on a barn for the wife's horses and hopefully a cow or two later on. I hated the thoughts of purchasing all the lumber with so many popular, cedar and oak on my land. I've also followed along on the Forestry Forum for several years and talked with "Motorseven" (http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/projects/156451-log-house-project-begins.html) and after following his thread, and decided to buy a bandsaw mill and mill out my own lumber. I'll add some pics to get up to the current state of the project. Fair warning, I'm no carpenter and have learned a lot on this project to date, so if you see something out of plumb or notice a post not set quite right, the reason is probably lots of late nights or in the case of the post, solid rock and lots of broke grade 8 bolts and auger tips.

Heres the Timberking 1600 I bought to start on the logs. I was offered several acres of large cedar trees if I would clear out for a home spot. I'm cutting them down to 6x6x22' for the center post and 6x6x16 for the outer wall post. I'm putting them 4' in the ground, even though the frost depth is only 12".

Walkin Horse · Sep 3, 2014

Keep posting pics. I have had lumber sawed the last 2 years. I have gotten about 16000 bf so far. I'm building fence and sheds and remodeling the barn.

wmonroe · Sep 3, 2014

Nice looking 6x6! It would be fun (and plenty of work) to saw your own boards for a barn. Good luck and post plenty of pictures, we love pictures.

hookdrvr · Sep 4, 2014

The 6x6's came out nice, hard to mill a 22 footer on a 16 foot bed though, but I'm learning as I go. Here's a few pics of my machines, a TD9B that was my dad's and a Cat 933H I picked up cheap.

I've just recently replaced the Cat with a newer Dresser 175C. Its much more powerful and works faster.

Here's my start of several stack's of lumber........

And starting to set the post..........

wmonroe · Sep 4, 2014

Looking good.

buckeyefarmer · Sep 4, 2014

nice, can't wait to see the rest.

EddieWalker · Sep 5, 2014

Very ambitious milling our own lumber!!!! One day that's on my list of things to be able to do.

From your pics, it looks like you are using some good sized boards for your beams, but they look like they are attached to the sides of your posts. Bolts are not structural and shouldn't be used to support a load. You either need to have metal brackets designed for that load, or solid wood under your beams to carry the load. You can add lumber to the sides of your post that go from the ground/concrete, up to the beam just like it's done when creating a header in a house. Search jack studs and kind studs.

Eddie

hookdrvr · Sep 8, 2014

Eddie,

Thanks for the info on the bolts. I've not updated my pictures yet, however I do have 18"-24" boards, depending on location, nailed below each rafter at this point. I will also be adding additional bolts soon as I like those better than lag screws. I understand the concept of jack studs, but without pouring a floor or having something more solid to sit on other than the dirt floor, would a jack stud be as beneficial as say a 24" board nailed tight below the rafter?

Like I mentioned in my first post, I'm learning as I go, but not sure I'll tackle something this big by myself again.

MotorSeven · Sep 11, 2014

Looking good....a 16" ERC cedar 6x6 is a thing of awe since 90% here are too short with too much taper. Build and extension for that mill...you will never regret it.

Eddie's right, but he forgot you could notch those 6x6's and set your beams on the notch. "would a jack stud be as beneficial as say a 24" board nailed tight below the rafter?" I think that would work if you through bolted it and used some big nails.

buckeyefarmer · Sep 13, 2014

For the header that is holding another floor, then I would have solid wood under it. However, for other things, like the roof header can be bolted on the side of the pole. At least the inspectors here allow it. As far as bolts not being structural, most deck ledgers are put on with bolts, and the joists are hanging from joist hangers held on by nails. It all depends on the weight it is designed to hold up.