Timber Frame Tractor Home

[Cliff_Johns]

kevin,
Thanks for keeping us up to date with the photos. The window looks great, and also very stoutly build, which goes well with the building.

Cliff

 

[BayouMan]

Hey Kevin,

I have really enjoyed following this project. Great job on documenting your progress.

Mike

 

[khd]

Kevin, That is one sturdy looking little box you are building. Man, that thing looks like its load bearing capacity is beyond snow loads and could hold up a glacier.

This is my first time to try to build with green wood. My friend says they used to do this all the time in Kentucky and other places back there. I guess I'll see a little of how it goes up front as he is building his first. I will help him with his and learn enough to make mine easier for me to do and of course he will help me with mine some. If the oak board and batten is a total shipwreck on his then I can always go for metal siding or other alternative instead of the board and batten.

Pat

Thanks Pat. There are no worries about snow loads, codes or construction techniques as it is obviously overbuilt in comparison to what would be an acceptably built building.

Kevin

 

[hazmat]

Forget the tractor, I'm moving in - when's it gonna be done?

I can't believe I missed this thread until now. I love all things timberframe. Someday, I'm going to build a timberframe house. Probably a dozen or more years off...


One word - outstanding

 

[khd]

Only got a half day this weekend to work on the barn but I got most of the intermediate framing done which frames out the windows. Good thing I left the gin pole standing in the back as the back wall framing for the transom probably weighed about 100 lbs. so the gin pole made it easy to get it up there.

Finally got the 1x6 T&G for the soffts delivered this week. Even though it doesn't look like it, it is getting close to being roofed and sided. I can't seem to get off the want of having a cupola so it has to be ordered and shipped before I get the roof on so I can make sure it is framed out properly. Next weekend is memorial weekend and I already asked the boss to let me have all three days to work. If I get them I will be able to finish up the fascia, soffits and intermediate framing and then be ready for roof and siding.

Pic. 1 shows the intermediate framing in, rear gable and side back bay. Pic 2 shows the two windows set in to get a feel of what it will look like and Pic 3 shows the rear transom window looking up from inside.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[EdC]

Wow
Really looks great. I just spent a while reading the entire thread and this is really a spectacular building. The attention to detail is tremendous. Thanks for sharing this with us.

 

[BTDT]

Since it's been about 6 months since you started, does it seem that your lumber has twisted/cracked to the point of causing any problems? Hope things work out for you over the holidays.

 

[khd]

Thanks EdC, its been fun.

BTDT,

When I contracted the cutting of the frame I had to sign a waiver stating I understood that the frame would check and shrink. I guess they have had buyers that didn't understand green wood and what happens when it dries. I knew this going into it so I was not concerned. All the timbers are large enough that they are almost all from heart so checking and shrinking is acceptable as it happens in all planes equally. There has been no twisting what so ever, all my dimensions are still the same as they were cut. The only thing that I am a little disappointed with in not having the time to get the frame out of the weather is that it is starting to get a little silver hue to it but that will change once its closed in and oiled.

Its a barn and will look like a barn.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[khd]

Still making slow progress but she is coming along. In the last installment I said I couldn't get the want of having a cupola out of my mind. Because all the metal is galv I wanted to be able to do a galv roof on the cupola. I found an all eastern white cedar cupola with a wood roof that would be just right to do a custom galv roof (Boy them things aren't cheep). Pic. 1 shows what I started with after its first coat of oil. I have an article reprint from the 20's that explains traditional batten metal roof work so I started custom bending up a roof. First I installed battens on the corners which took hours because of the compound, compound cuts that needed to be done for the hip roof (I'm compound angley challenged). Then I bent up the cornice and then did the end caps of the battens. I only have a 24" brake so I had to do the cornice in two pieces per side. All the joints are soldered and water tight.

I still have to do the roof pans and the batten caps which will hold the roof on with a double lock seam no nails. Pic 2 shows it this morning waiting for the rest of the roof. In Pic 2 you can also see where I bent up and soldered a skirt for the ledge below the louvers as this won't shed water very well.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[khd]

I have been working on the roof and it is 90% on. I left two panels off so I can still get out on it. Teetering on a 12 / 12 roof with tin isn't very fun. I think it is coming out very nice. At this stage I needed to get the base and louver portion of the cupola on so I can do the rake trim and ridge cap.

Pic 1 shows the first side of the roof on. You can see the cupola mount framing up top. The last four Pics show how it looks tonight. The cupola is on and secure. The cupola roof is just sitting up there for now as I still have to complete its tin as previously mentioned. Pic RoofCupola3 shows the transition from main to lean-to roof.

The Fourth of July is Wednesday so I'm hoping to get most of the rake trim up which means I will lose my access to the roof without climbing. The ridge cap is going to be the real challenge.

Regards,
Kevin