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rockies
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# Posted: 22 May 2015 07:48pm
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This company makes metal plates and the tools needed to install them so that you can build quick and easy timber frame structures. Using an Alaskan Timber Mill on your chainsaw you can make the cuts and install the plates in about 6 minutes rather than using mortise and tenon joinery.
http://ctpostandbeam.com/
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leonk
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# Posted: 22 May 2015 09:16pm
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what's the fun in that..?
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Don_P
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# Posted: 22 May 2015 10:13pm - Edited by: Don_P
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It's all good
Timberframe is heavy timber with primarily wood connected joinery, mortise and tennon, wooden pegs, etc. Post and beam is heavy timber with steel connections. Post frame is a mix of heavy timber posts generally with light truss roofs, the modern version of the old pole barn.
Heavy timber is 5x5 and larger where dimensional lumber is 2-4" thick... where I'm going with that thought, the strength tables change at those dimensions, you're sizing heavy timber beams or posts using lower design strength values than dimensional lumber beams. Heavy timber technically gets outside of prescriptive code so can require an engineer, sometimes using post and beam methods will help in that regard with a building department. A recognized connector helps some inspectors sleep easier. The engineers this company used are highly respected in timberframe circles. Simpson also makes a wide selection and I believe all their stuff carries with it an ICC engineering services report. From memory, I think they have similar hidden knife plates.
The gap between having those specs and knowing what to do with them is not small, you do need to get the design right. On the whole there is usually less redundancy in a heavy timber building. For most folks it would be a good idea to have a basic design and then have an engineer flesh it out.
Those caveats said, I really like heavy timber buildings.
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MtnDon
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# Posted: 22 May 2015 10:28pm
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Heavy timber buildings do well in a fire too, compared to standard framing and especially modern truss use.
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 22 May 2015 11:00pm
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Quoting: leonk what's the fun in that..?
I would say its quick. Most cabin builders are limited to weekends. I know I was unless I took some vacation time and my cabin at 310 miles or 5 hours drive. So I needed to have a dried in shell as soon as I could. This would be a reason to use that set up. Once dried in, then build time isnt as important.
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Don_P
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# Posted: 23 May 2015 12:24am
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With either method you can precut and notch the timbers at home and do the final fitting and assembly onsite.
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creeky
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# Posted: 23 May 2015 09:23am
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nice. neat plans too. comes with a price tho.
Barn Packages: 12x16'
Option 1: Plans and T-Rex Connectors $950.00
Option 2: Full Kit (includes everything listed) $9,800.00
seeing as I built my 10x14 bedroom w/ insulation for $3k, seems those are some pricey connectors.
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rockies
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# Posted: 23 May 2015 06:27pm
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The connectors themselves range in price from $18 for a 3 1/2 x 3 1/2 inch plate to $59 for an 8 x 12 inch plate, and $125 for a three way connector. The connectors for my design will probably cost about $600.
You can also buy the Alaskan chainsaw mill from them, and some specialty attachments for routers, etc to help you make the cuts.
I think the point being, that most people think timber framing is far too expensive for them to use. I recently sent my plans off to a timber frame company, and they wanted a $5000 deposit to design and engineer the frame. They said the final price would be $40,000, not including set up.
If you have trees that you want to cut yourself, or can buy timbers at a lumber mill, these plates look like a good method for a novice to build a frame. I would still run the plans by an engineer first before building, but this seems to be a very inexpensive method of building.
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bobbotron
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# Posted: 26 May 2015 09:49pm
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I was thinking about doing post and beam when we built our cabin. Still kind of wish I had, though at the time it was hard to find info on the process and where to buy the connectors.
I'm not sure about systems like this, why not use the exterior connectors, I think they look pretty good. Hiding the fastener in the middle of the beam seems a little weaker and like the look of the exterior connectors. Structural aluminum?
I'd love to do a timber frame one day, but you've really got to have some time on your hands for such a project - post and beam seems like a great compromise if you can find the hardware and the beams.
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Don_P
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# Posted: 27 May 2015 11:40pm - Edited by: Don_P
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Which method of connection to use is first based on load, then on personal preference. Usually on the job I just present the choices and let the client decide what rocks their world. I don't view one or another as a compromise, structurally these are strength of materials problems, for instance many sporting goods are made from high strength aircraft aluminum. I don't doubt that these connectors are up to their published capacities, but, I wouldn't use them for treated lumber or something highly acidic like oak.
There is no cheaper connection than using the piece of wood to make the joint... as long as you aren't paying for the labor. That's part of why most old farm auctions have at least a framing chisel or two. There was no mystique back then, it was simply the way to do basic framing and they were poor. No condensation or mixed materials corrosion issues with wood to wood joinery. A $1500 chain mortiser and productivity goes way up. I can be poor in white pine but I ponied up when facing a few hundred mortises in oak.
Try http://www.strongtie.com/products/apg/index.html for their architectural products group. Those are their post and beam connectors. You should be able to find a CJT concealed joist tie, this is basically the same connector as the op's but in steel. There are load tables and code reference reports. Pg 229 of the current print catalog.
I can't remember if I've posted this pic here. I made a series of posts with bolsters on top and kneebraces in the comfort of a basement shop. When they were done we rolled the scaffold with chainhoist around and lifted them onto steel knifeplates that were later drilled and pinned at their bases. On top I field cut the beams to land on the bolsters, which gave plenty of room for lagging everything together. So not true timberframe but somewhere cool along that path.
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