Working in green oak

[chris_d]

Thank you Colin - you're an absolute star!

Luckily I used 7" posts on the gate I've already hung so I can try to copy your suggested layout (I overlapped the post by 1.5"). However, I've got a second gate to do but bought 6" posts for that.

Since I've yet to open the second sprung latch kit I'll heed your advice and swap it for the auto-lock catch type.

Thanks again,
Chris

 

[CWatters]

How wide is your gate? Few days ago I ordered a 6 foot oak gate and 6" posts and today they rang up to say the post I'd ordered was marginal for a 6 foot oak gate and that they had cut me a 7" hanging post and a 6" striker post instead for same price. Nice one. They said they normally recommend..

12 foot gate => 8" post
6 foot gate => 7" post
3/4 foot gate. => 6" post

 

[EddieJ]

Strange what a quick Google of 'green oak' brings up, and here I now am making my first post about the subject that I work with for living.

With ref to the mortice holes, obviously I'm in a different situation to yourself and use either an elderly chain morticer, a Ryobi portable chisel morticer or a Ryobi portable chain morticer. When I first started, I simply had a large washer to act as a stop welded onto a 25mm wood auger. It worked very well, didn't clog and I still have it tucked away in case of an emergency. In your situation the later would work very well, although as already stated you would need a decent drill. I have two Metabo single speed drills for my work, and find them both more than adequate for this type of work. If the prospect of drilling it and squaring the holes daunts you, then just opt for the easy option of stainless bolts/coach screws.

In respect of lifting, I work solely on my own with no outside help, and regularly lift/ move beams in excess of your required size. Its just down to being methodical about your approach. Use rollers or a trolley to get the wood into position, then use either a Genie lift (the costly approach) or simply use staging at various heights and lift one end at a time, moving onto each lift. I used to use this method, but bought a Genie lift a while ago and haven't looked back!

Here is a couple of projects that I'm currently working on.

I should finish this one tomorrow

And this was taken today in my workshop

 

[Jake]

I should finish this one tomorrow

And this was taken today in my workshop

Quoting so your pictures show up - caught by the spam trap - it wears off after you've posted a few more times.

 

[EddieJ]

Quoting so your pictures show up - caught by the spam trap - it wears off after you've posted a few more times.

Thanks for that, I thought that I had already got off on the wrong foot !!

 

[Jake]

No problem, a couple more posts and you'll be free!

Very tidy work by the way, very smart.

 

[MickCheese]

I bet that workshop is cold in the winter!

Mick

 

[CWatters]

I thought about hiring a chain morticer but there aren't any locally and I don't have many to do. Have some spade bits and a chissel at the ready.

Unfortunately my building is going to have to wait a week as it looks like my gate will arrive first.

 

[CWatters]

EddieJ - I'm thinking of cladding my building in waney edge oak..

Do you find oak cladding shrinks much in length?

How long are the planks you are using? They appear to be very long. Is there much of a premium for that length?

 

[big soft moose]

Since I've yet to open the second sprung latch kit I'll heed your advice and swap it for the auto-lock catch type.

Thanks again,
Chris

if they won't swap let me know as i have tonnes of those kicking about ( we buy them in hundreds at work) and i could sort you out with one for the cost of postage.

 

[Grinding One]

I had to raise a beam to install my overhead door on it was 12" wide 4 " thick and 18 ft long....I thought about how to lift it and came up to with this Idea .....I used two step ladders and my wife,we put it on the closes step I could handle then had the wife keep it stable there and moved to the other side,raised it the same height and moved over to the other side....I know ,I know but she couldn`t lift the weight on her side but she could keep it stable.I should say here our step ladders have steps on both sides and flat rungs to stand on.They are Little Giants ,A frame ladders that will extend.
This is how I got it up there tho....Worked great,no problems.

 

[EddieJ]

EddieJ - I'm thinking of cladding my building in waney edge oak..

Do you find oak cladding shrinks much in length?

How long are the planks you are using? They appear to be very long. Is there much of a premium for that length?

To be honest, I stay completely clear of oak cladding. The reason being that it would just cost me too much time and hassle to keep going back on jobs where boards have shrunk, twisted and generally just look plain nasty. Its not a material that I personally would recommend, but if you are still set on using it, then I would advise ply lining the outside of the frame first. The boards will shrink slightly in length, but obviously nowhere near as much as they are going to in width. I guess that if you intend to use waney edge, then none of the above may be of paramount concern, as ultimately you are after a natural looking appearance.
I wouldn't rule out using larch for the cladding, and this would be my material of choice when using waney edge. I'll try and get some photos for you this week of some new and weathered larch clad buildings. It's a bit orange to begin with, but it soon mellows down.

In respect of the wood that is currently in my workshop, the project is a single storey extension on a listed property.

Sole plates are 225mm x 100mm x 6300mm and 5500mm
Eaves beams are 175mm x 150mm same lengths as above
Tie beams are 175mm x 175mm
Posts are 175mm x 175mm and 175mm x 150mm
Studs are as above.
Principle rafters are 150mm x 150mm x 4300mm (that's going to be fun!)
common rafters are a stupid size of 115mm x 100mm
The project hasn't been going too well though, because as usual the architect keeps changing things including dimensions, and I've now marked the wood up four times!! I'm just hoping that's its all going to fit now!

As for paying premiums for long lengths, I'm fortunate enough that my workshops are based at a sawmill, so I'm kind of at an advantage when it comes to buying wood, but generally speaking at all sawmills around here, you may pay a two pound a cube more than normal for timber that is over 6000mm.

Let me know if you need any other help, as I'm always willing to help out if I can.

 

[Night Train]

I had to raise a beam to install my overhead door on it was 12" wide 4 " thick and 18 ft long....I thought about how to lift it and came up to with this Idea .....I used two step ladders and my wife,we put it on the closes step I could handle then had the wife keep it stable there and moved to the other side,raised it the same height and moved over to the other side....I know ,I know but she couldn`t lift the weight on her side but she could keep it stable.I should say here our step ladders have steps on both sides and flat rungs to stand on.They are Little Giants ,A frame ladders that will extend.
This is how I got it up there tho....Worked great,no problems.

That's the same method I used to lift a stone lintel for a fireplace opening. The stone was 8' x 12" x 8" so quite heavy. I placed it on a 10' scaffold board and strapped it on tight and then lifted one end at a time up the ladder rungs until it was level with the top of the fire opening. I then unstrapped it and slid it across into position.

I also moved some stone gateposts, 8' x 12" x 12", laid on a 2 wheel trolley that it balanced on.

Moving a long, heavy oak beam I would use scaffold poles or equivalent. For lengthways movement I would use the poles just as rollers and for sideways movement I would have a long pole at each end and slide an end at a time until it was in position. Alternatively you could use a logging arch.
I made one recently for moving some logs:

When it is pulled the action lifts the front of the log off the ground making it easier to move.

Lifting it could be achieved by using three legs, shear legs or whatever the local venacular calls it but one of these made of scaffold tubes or timber with a chain or hand winch.

 

[RogerS]

Colin

Have you got yourself a good bowsaw with a coarse blade? I made the mistake of using normal saws on my project until I asked here if there was a better way!

Roger

 

[CWatters]

Hi Eddie - Thanks for the reply. I haven't totally ruled out larch but will decide later. My local sawmill (C N Spencer near Brigstock) seems to work mostly with oak though. I'm already planning to clad the walls with WBP plywood.

 

[CWatters]

Colin

Have you got yourself a good bowsaw with a coarse blade? I made the mistake of using normal saws on my project until I asked here if there was a better way!

Roger

Not yet but I'm working up a list for a trip to Screwfix. If you're listening Screwfix it's a good time to send me a 10% off voucher

My worst mistake was burning up my Circular Saw trying to cut some railway sleepers. I was using the totally junk blade supplied with it. I didn't know about TCT blades then.

 

[CWatters]

Grinding One - I (well myself two mates and someones sister) once used a pair of step ladders to lift the engine out of a Herald . Bit of a struggle until we realised we'd still got an earth strap connected and were trying to lift the whole front of the car.

 

[Grinding One]

:lol: :lol: Thats a good one.....

 

[milkman]

Drills: If this isn't very old news by now a lot of framers I've worked with use this model

a Hitachi D13. Works well with larger augers for morticing.

 

[MikeG.]

The project hasn't been going too well though, because as usual the architect keeps changing things including dimensions, and I've now marked the wood up four times!! I'm just hoping that's its all going to fit now!

Oi!!! Don't tar us all with the same brush! I have never, ever, not once, changed any part of a project once contracts have been let.

The job I have just put out to tender has a beam 475x250x5.3m. I don't think they'll be picking that up on step-ladders!!

Mike