Ranger Rick
Gold Member
Heck you do not need the visual barrier you need a place to put your beer after a hard day of working on the house. It sure looks good.
Rick
The Log house Project begins........
- Thread starter MotorSeven
- Start date
Heck you do not need the visual barrier you need a place to put your beer after a hard day of working on the house. It sure looks good.
Rick
A top rail would be nice but it would negate the invisibility of the wire. One important factor you may or may not have overlooked. Can you get a steady rifle rest off the top wire? 
I like the tensioner idea. That worked out well. How many turns did it take on average to make it tight?
I heartily agree with stopping to put in the wire. A man probably wouldn't survive that fall. If he did survive he would probably wish he hadn't.
I like the tensioner idea. That worked out well. How many turns did it take on average to make it tight?
I heartily agree with stopping to put in the wire. A man probably wouldn't survive that fall. If he did survive he would probably wish he hadn't.
shane
Gold Member
I am loving this build. I've been enjoying the whole process. Maybe, one of these years I'll get the privilege to take on an adventure like that.
I too had concerns about the oaks. But, like you, I'd take the calculated risk. They may make it another 40 years.
I do wonder why you went 4' high with the wire rails. Codes only call for 42". I really like how they disappear. And those socket tensioners, way too clever.
Thanks for taking the time to share.
I too had concerns about the oaks. But, like you, I'd take the calculated risk. They may make it another 40 years.
I do wonder why you went 4' high with the wire rails. Codes only call for 42". I really like how they disappear. And those socket tensioners, way too clever.
Thanks for taking the time to share.
OP
MotorSeven
Elite Member
Trust me, I do think about a place for a beer. But, a top rail would kinda skew the view, especially when seated...right at eye level. I have given it some thought, how about a mini shelf around each post giving just enough room to set a few cocktails?...roundished shaped like a lilly pad ?
Shane, I am 6'4, the wife, 5'11....42" railing don't cut it. Matter of fact I think that will be the height of the kitchen cabinets:thumbsup:
Mike I just experimented with different lengths of wire shank until I could get the proper tension with 2 complete turns. The sockets were varying a bit in diameter, so some tightened reasonably quick, others were piano wire tight. The wire does stretch on the long run(36') but on the 8' run it was difficult...heard lot's of popping and creaking
Hey Arrow, the Red Oak in question is about 6' in circumference. At 30' high how much movement will the trunk have in a wind storm? I gave it about 5-6"...and looking at it, I am not sure that is enough. I was up on the porch roof yesterday watching it in a moderate breeze(10-15mph) and it was moving about an inch in either direction. Sitting on the roof and staring at a moving tree trunk will definitely give ya vertigo
Shane, I am 6'4, the wife, 5'11....42" railing don't cut it. Matter of fact I think that will be the height of the kitchen cabinets:thumbsup:
Mike I just experimented with different lengths of wire shank until I could get the proper tension with 2 complete turns. The sockets were varying a bit in diameter, so some tightened reasonably quick, others were piano wire tight. The wire does stretch on the long run(36') but on the 8' run it was difficult...heard lot's of popping and creaking
Hey Arrow, the Red Oak in question is about 6' in circumference. At 30' high how much movement will the trunk have in a wind storm? I gave it about 5-6"...and looking at it, I am not sure that is enough. I was up on the porch roof yesterday watching it in a moderate breeze(10-15mph) and it was moving about an inch in either direction. Sitting on the roof and staring at a moving tree trunk will definitely give ya vertigo
Mistyridgefarm
Silver Member
Awesome thread. You are doing a great job and I really love the use of odd materials and methods.
On the porch wire, I know you don't want to block any of the view but you might want to reconsider the top rail idea. I think you will find your end posts bowing in over time with the high tension wire. The top rail between the posts will counter act that pull and keep the wires tight.
One other suggestion would be to put some heavy valve springs or something like it on the ends of the long runs. You would be surprised how much that wire will shrink or grow as the temperature changes. The springs will give it a little play and keep it tight.
Again, great thread and great job!
On the porch wire, I know you don't want to block any of the view but you might want to reconsider the top rail idea. I think you will find your end posts bowing in over time with the high tension wire. The top rail between the posts will counter act that pull and keep the wires tight.
One other suggestion would be to put some heavy valve springs or something like it on the ends of the long runs. You would be surprised how much that wire will shrink or grow as the temperature changes. The springs will give it a little play and keep it tight.
Again, great thread and great job!
OP
MotorSeven
Elite Member
Springs are not a bad idea at all, but it would be hard to hide them. I think your right about bowing, I'll have to keep an eye on that. If I must I am thinking a schedule 80 galvanized 1/2" or 3/4" pipe for a top rail.
I did make one mistake, I only drilled one set screw hole in the sockets, and should have drilled another one at 90 degrees to the first. With one hole it makes the wire is either too loose or very tight, so having one in-between would help. The good thing is I can take them all off in a matter of min, take them down to the shop and drill another hole. I am sure there will be some modifications as time goes by.
Les saw it for the first time yesterday and said she got vertigo standing near it while looking down through the wires. I think our minds are programmed to "expect" a hard railing, and the wires give you zero sense of security. By the end of the evening she was leaning against it, so at least her mind still has some adaptability left.:laughing:
I did make one mistake, I only drilled one set screw hole in the sockets, and should have drilled another one at 90 degrees to the first. With one hole it makes the wire is either too loose or very tight, so having one in-between would help. The good thing is I can take them all off in a matter of min, take them down to the shop and drill another hole. I am sure there will be some modifications as time goes by.
Les saw it for the first time yesterday and said she got vertigo standing near it while looking down through the wires. I think our minds are programmed to "expect" a hard railing, and the wires give you zero sense of security. By the end of the evening she was leaning against it, so at least her mind still has some adaptability left.:laughing:
BoFuller
Veteran Member
M7,
Thanks for the thread. I have my logs arriving soon, and when I think of the size of the job, I wonder what did I get myself into. But one day at a time, and one of these days I'll be finishing up like you.
Thanks for the thread. I have my logs arriving soon, and when I think of the size of the job, I wonder what did I get myself into. But one day at a time, and one of these days I'll be finishing up like you.
Iplayfarmer
Super Member
Bore a hole through your post that is the diameter and depth of the valve spring. Then bore a hole in the center of that the diameter of your wire. Send your wire through the small hole and then through the middle of the spring. Put a washer on the end of the wire that is larger than the diameter of the spring, and knot or clamp the end of the wire.
This way the spring is hidden inside your post.
arrow
Super Member
Hey Arrow, the Red Oak in question is about 6' in circumference. At 30' high how much movement will the trunk have in a wind storm? I gave it about 5-6"...and looking at it, I am not sure that is enough. I was up on the porch roof yesterday watching it in a moderate breeze(10-15mph) and it was moving about an inch in either direction. Sitting on the roof and staring at a moving tree trunk will definitely give ya vertigo
Where are you getting your circumference from? If its at breast height (about 4.5 ft.)
then you have a tree considered to be about 2' across. There are several factors involved some not as clear cut. It has to do with crown spread and the resultant root architecture and if the tree is on the outside of a stand or the inside. Then of course if it is foliated or not. Then the obvious is wind speed. I have seen trees in 70-90 mph winds oscillate over a foot at this height. Based on crown and root structures along with ground moisture would cause tree failure or not as I have also seen trees fail in 50 mph winds and in one storm, many trees were knocked over in 40 mph gusts. Naturally how thick a tree is helps with its dampening. My unfoliated oaks this size are only moving an inch currently at about 30 ft in 15-20 mph winds . If you are in the middle of the forest, internal trees are less affected but they can grow long to reach light amongst a canopy of other trees so a good wind can oscillate this type of tree at a good rate. Is there anything on the bottom to have weakened its root structure? Other considerations are falling branches that might hit the house hard enough to create roof damage. I am sure there are formulas abound for this kind of thing but in my career, we didn't mess too much with formulas. It was mostly about recall from experience and observation mingled in with tree type and structures. I am afraid I cannot mathematically answer your question.There was simply a general consensus amongst us tree cutters that if one needed to structurally alter a building to account for a tree, the tree should not be there as we felt one should never trust a tree to stay up ( but hey, we were lumberjacks..what else would we think)