Good frame for beginner?

[Joshua Kingsley]

I am looking at building a small cabin for a retreat on our farm and was wondering about building a timber frame or log camp. I was wondering which would be easier to build with an alaskan mill on my chain saw and some pine that I have on the property. I have a book with plans for some smaller 12 X 16 cabins ect.. that are timber framed but was wondering which would be advised by those who have tackled such a project. Any input or advice would be appreciated.
Thank you Joshua

Ps. This is a gift for my mother who has very little time to actually get away on a “vacation”…

[Donn Hewes]

Hi Joshua, It sounds like a good project. I have always enjoyed the smaller projects that need to involve the code department and so many mechanical considerations. Just fun to construct. Do you want to be able to heat it? If so I would be less inclined to make a log cabin although at that small size ti would still heat relatively easily. Timber frames are more effort if you are just learning those skills, but are worth it if you plan to enclose it so you can see the frame work. One structure I have always been interested in is called a tide – water timber frame. These were a transitional type of construction from true timber frames to what we know as stick framed today. They used smaller dimension lumber ( 3″ x 5″ posts ) and a combination of joinery and nails. Just some thing it might be interesting to google. Donn

[Scott G]

Joshua,
Small cabins are fun to build. Being small, you have a lot of options. I built the barn http://www.draftanimalpower.com/showthread.php?t=1821&page=2 using an Alaskan mill and Beam Machine. Nothing fancy, I had to half-cant the logs to acommodate half lap joints to make up for the fact I had short trees from a poor site. Alaskan mills work OK but you want a saw with a minimum displacement of 70cc and use ripping chain. Kerfs are pretty wide and wasteful but hey, its a heck of a lot cheaper than a Wood-Mizer. Hiring/trading with someone who has a band mill might be a better option though if you have more resources than time. Even using the correctly filed sharp chain; chain saw milling is very slow..

Donn is correct when talking about heating a log structure, it doesn’t have the R value of a well insulated timber frame/traditional dimensional building. The ability of the logs to absorb and release heat is something that those structures do not have, however. They take a while to heat up from the start but once they are they stay warm for much longer provided they are tight.

What Donn mentioned about zoning is definitely a heads-up. Depending on where you live you may be able to build something that falls into a “shed” category and doesn’t necessarily need a permit. Out here we can get by with a 10×16 (160sqft) or less as a shed.

Have fun!

[Joshua Kingsley]

scott,
I milled out most of the lumber for my chicken coop with an alaskan mill so I understand what it takes work wise. Being unemployed / disabled I have more time than $$$ so I will likely try to do somthing I can afford. As for zoning I am able to build on this farm as long as it “can” be moved with out taxation and zoning…. Read This thing up to 16 X 24 will be built on skids and a pier foundation. I have a brother in law that can move a larger structure if required as he moves houses to build new foundations all the time. I was leaning twards a timber frame but was looking for some advise before jumping in with both feet.
Thanks Joshua

[Anonymous]

not to be the party pooper but if you are disabed how are you going to do all of this, to me someone truly disabled canot do what you are talking about

[Joshua Kingsley]

Mark,
Disabled due to an injury at work, so I can not work right now not that I will be on disability forever. I am at about 75 to 80 % recovered right now and I should be able to get back to life as before in the next few months… I have a back injury I’m Not DEAD. I have a friend that is in a Wheel Chair and he is finishing a 3 story log home. I don’t see my injury as an end of my dreams but as a time to re-evaluate life and figure out what is really important and make plans for the future.

I am in the planning stage of this project not planning on doing the building until I have healed the rest of the way. I find that disabled is in the mind and you can do anything with the right planning. I can figure out what needs to be done and set things up so that the frame is cut by a friend with a band mill or by my brother or what ever. Besides that I am working with my father on this as well as my brother so we are not totally with out able bodies.

Joshua

[ArtieT]

Joshua – I have a book titled ” Timber Framing for the rest of us – a guide to contemporary post and beam construction” by Rob Roy. It was published by New Society Publishers. http://www.newsociety.com I have used some of the techniques described in the book to build a sugar house here at the farm. I am using rough sawn hemlock and white pine. Not true timber framing but it doesn’t look half bad.

[lancek]

Many people with disability can do many things just in a different way! It is pretty small minded to think that a disabled person couldnt take on a task like this ! Your only limited by the limits that you set for yourself !Lancek

[OldKat]

@lancek 13334 wrote:

Many people with disability can do many things just in a different way! It is pretty small minded to think that a disabled person couldnt take on a task like this ! Your only limited by the limits that you set for yourself !Lancek

Wouldn’t it be a matter of exactly WHAT disability a person has? There are all kinds of reasons to be on “disability”; some physically limiting, others not so. Probably would also be impacted by what type of work a person normally does. Some jobs require physical excertion, others don’t.

However, if there is a workman’s comp claim involved it might not be a good idea to be doing too much public discussion of construction plans around the old community. That could easily result in an investigation to see if a continued claim is warranted; with understandable justification.

[Anonymous]

the above post is exactly what i was talking about in my first post so im not small minded ive known few of supposedly disabled people who have no more aches and pains than the rest of us but at their doctors visits there in agony go home there just fine its what they do to get a check but im not implying this to this poster

[blue80]

Joshua:

You may also look at a yurt as an option. Pretty versatile and may be easily portable, smaller dimension materials and lots of flexibility.

Integrating a cupula on top makes a great deer stand…

Kevin

[Author]

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