Friday, November 27, 2015

Log Home & Timber Frame Construction Simplified

The style of roof depends on personal taste, location, the environment and the structure. If snowload is high it makes sense to use a steep roof, if water collection is part of the plan then different materials will be needed, and a large roof are will need a string structure to keep it up. One common characteristic, however, is big overhangs. The less weather touches the walls, the better. Make it a minimum of 16 inches.  Additional tips can be found at http://www.timberframe1.com

As well as the lathe, a well-equipped turner's workshop will have a bandsaw, chainsaw, cut-off saw, table saw, grinder, power drill, sharpening jigs, air compressor, belt sander, drill press and possibly a vacuum line for chucking. All must be in a convenient position for use.

The pieces of wood are stacked just as you would stack a pile of firewood, except that with each course you lay down two parallel lines of mortar along the outside edges of the stack. The mortar is roughly 4"wide. If you're using 24" long pieces of wood you end up with a space between the mortar, inside the wall space, of about 16". This should be filled with some sort of insulation. You can use fibreglass, rockwool, sawdust or just about anything else that will restrict air flow and heat loss. If you're going off grid and trying to be low impact get creative.



I had so many questions about fire as a heat source, and I'm pretty sure lots of other people do too. Especially those who are planning on moving to the country, or have just moved. So I put together my top five lessons for using fire for heat - I hope it's helpful!

There should be a sharpening area close to the lathe where the grinder and jigs can be used. If you want to hone the tools, ideally this should be a dedicated small bench or table at a comfortable height, with the grinder higher, nearer eye level so you can check bevel contact easily. Some people use a mobile stand, which can be convenient as long as it doesn't shake when you hone the tools.

In most locations, while a house frame is being built it frequently becomes wet from rain and then dries out in the sun. This exposure to the weather can cause timber wall frames to warp. Warping can cause problems later on for windows, doors, and the internal finish. A steel frame will remain straight and true whatever the weather. There is a myth that a steel-frame house is noisy because it shrinks and expands as temperature changes. This aspect of a steel house has been greatly exaggerated, and a properly designed steel frame is not noisy.

new home construction, timber frame rafters

No comments:

Post a Comment