Oak log store - now finished

[cusimar9]

So it's been a couple of weeks since I finished the TV unit so I thought I'd get started planning a log store for the garden.

So I popped in to see Zach at Peak Oak Frames who gave me some great tips on working with green oak beams and I've knocked up a plan which will keep me busy for the next couple of months.

I've priced up all the Oak which works out around £300 inc VAT from a new timber supplier I've sourced in Somercotes who will be sourcing me the following:

8m x 100mm x 100mm
1m x 150mm x 75mm
10m x 100mm x 75mm
16m x 200mm x 20mm

It'll be a rather different build to anything I've done before - very little prep or sizing on the materials, no gluing up or anything, just a few cuts and a whopping 22 mortice and tenons joints!

I'm wondering if I should be ordering a couple of metres spare of everything ready for the inevitable balls ups which will no doubt come up!

Any advice before I get started would be much appreciated

Rick

UPDATE It's done!

And nicely watertight

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, if I was doing it again I'd do loads of things differently, but then this was always a bit of a training project for me and I think overall it's gone quite well!

 

[kostello]

Get a proper framing chisel..... And a decent 3/4" auger

 

[cusimar9]

Got a set of Narex cabinetmaker chiselswhich are still waiting for a good bedding in so they'll be being put to work and a new set of auger bits are on their way to me as we speak.

I do need to invest in a good handsaw however...

 

[Andy RV]

Your chisels will turn blue / black with the tannin! Other than that you should be ok so long as you don't go too mad.

My only real advice would be to make it bigger than you think! When I find a fallen tree I tend to get 'log fever' and before I know it the log store is full and there is still a couple of cubes of logs dotted around the place.

 

[marcros]

I think your chisels are a bit delicate for the large mortices you will be cutting. I have got one of these http://www.workshopheaven.com/tools/ARNO.html which would be good for your purpose- you can hit them hard all day long with a hammer. Or a 3/4" pig sticker. Save the cabinet makers chisels for fine work.

 

[kostello]

http://www.toolpost.co.uk/pages/Woodwor ... amers.html

Loafs of stuff to choose from

 

[Andy RV]

Ashley Iles make some nice beefy firmers!

 

[hanser]

Looks like a fun project.

Agree with Andy - it look a bit small. Fine if you are an occasional user. Some practical suggestions you might consider....slope the roof to the rear and also reduce the roof pitch - both result in more useful storage space.

 

[cusimar9]

The total dimensions are 2.2 by 1.35 metres! That's pretty maxed out for where I planned to put it!

 

[cusimar9]

I think your chisels are a bit delicate for the large mortices you will be cutting. I have got one of these http://www.workshopheaven.com/tools/ARNO.html which would be good for your purpose- you can hit them hard all day long with a hammer. Or a 3/4" pig sticker. Save the cabinet makers chisels for fine work.

I purchased an ARNO framing chisel which will shortly be getting put through it's paces! It has no handle though, it's designed to be used with a hammer. Rather than hammer my hand to death, any suggestions on a cheap handle/spreader so I can use a standard wooden mallet with it?

 

[Grahamshed]

Bearing in mind that logs come in all sorts of shapes and sizes you may find they don't stack very well. Maybe a shelf or two so you don't have to build them to high ?

 

[Halo Jones]

Maybe a shelf or two so you don't have to build them to high ?

This also helps if you intend to buy greener timber as the dry stuff always ends up at the bottom!

 

[cusimar9]

And so it begins...

 

[cusimar9]

Things have progressed well and raising day is scheduled for this Sunday!

Took a bit of thinking to work out how I was going to cut the curved braces without a bandsaw:

 

[cusimar9]

And now finally finished! See first post for pics

 

[hanser]

Very nice!

 

[Halo Jones]

What a cunning cheat to make us avoid all the mistakes! Seriously, it looks great and I plan something just a little larger next summer when we plan to install a new wood burner.

Do you use the Paul Seller method of chopping mortices? This is my preferred method but tried it at a wood working class and the tutor nearly sacrificed me!

Well done,

H.

 

[cusimar9]

Well my mortices were 30mm x 100mm x 60mm deep. I bought a set of auger bits which included a 25mm bit which I used to drill out the bulk of the material. Unfortunately it was too much for my little Ryobi drill and it overheated in no time. So I set it down and thought "I'll just cut one start-finish with the Paul Seller method". I'm not sure how long it took me but I could barely move my arms by the time I was done! It's certainly a great way to keep fit!

In the end I realised the batteries were overheating so I swapped between two batteries and cleaned out the mortices in between. Each mortice was taking about 15 minutes in the end, MUCH easier drilling out the bulk first. I'd recommend using a corded drill as well, or at least something a bit more heavyweight than a cheap Ryobi.

I'd also take much more care over the peg holes. I tried to drawbore them and this worked on some joints and on others it just caused problems. Personally I would just clamp the joints tight and then drill and peg them in one go. It would give a much better finish and be so easy to do.

I've also learned a hell of a lot about tiling with slate! But that's the whole point of a project like this, it's a learning curve. This is just a log store at the end of the day, but the same principles could be applied to all sorts of joinery.

 

[UrbanSpaceman]

Cracking result. If I may, why did you make it out of Oak?

 

[cusimar9]

I haven't much experience working with different woods to be honest. Until recently I'd only ever used pine, then I made a tv cabinet out of oak and really enjoyed working with it and the final look of the material.

I therefore already had oak on the mind when I was considering this log store and, given it's extensive use in timber framed buildings I didn't really want to use anything else. I believe larch might be a good alternative and should work out a little cheaper.