Timber Framers Guild Forums General General Forum Questions Sourcing timbers

Ugh, I am paranoid this is not the right forum for this thread, but if that is the case, please take it easy on me.

Anyway, I am getting ready to start on my timberframed shop this spring. It will be a simple affair, basically the 12x16 shed that is in the Guild's book on 14 Small Timber Frames (aka the project shed form the Sobon book).

I have been trying to find the best (and most affordable) source for timbers. I am in Ann Arbor, so if anyone has any leads right off the bat, that would be great.

I have spoken to a sawyer I know on the west side of the state, and while his price is good (I think), the logistics of getting the up-to-18' timbers here is the crux of the matter.

I found a company that sells reclaimed barn timbers and ships them around the country, but their prices for a 7"x7" beam starts at $30 a foot - pricey stuff.

The lumber dealer who I get a discount through my woodworking club with can do the timbers, but again, they are expensive for this application.

Any recommendations? I have thought about stopping at the occasional farmhouse I drive by with a collapsed barn, but I hear that quite often the owner will let you take some beams, as long as you take everything else with it. Being a residential neighborhood dweller, I don't have the means to store a bunch of barn pieces I can't use.

Thanks in advance for any help.

-Jamey

Welcome aboard, Jamey.

If anyone gives you a hard time here - you let me know.

We'll forward their email address directly to WikiLeaks.

In the meantime, I am certain someone will be logging in before the weekend is over with a timber source recommendation for you.

There are lots of good choices still.

And nice choice for a first project; I'll bet there are at least a hundred people on this Forum who have built that particular structure - and most of them can't wait to be of use on your project.

What species are you looking for? I use Eastern White Pine for small buildings, and there should be plenty of that in MI. The longest stick you will need for the Sobon shed will be 16'-6". Around here pine timbers are anywhere from $.70 to $1.00 in these sizes, with anything over 20 feet being in a "custom" cut category. You could also try the "Find a Sawyer" search function at the Forestry Forum (forestryforum.com) I know there are many MI members there.

Hi Jamey, welcome;

I have found that their are numerous timber framers and sawyers around me who never advertise and are hard to find. Word of mouth helps to find them but you need to keep asking many different people.

I did a search for the Ann Arbor area and found this guy:
http://local.yahoo.com/info-16184179-burhop-forestry-consulting-dexter;_ylt=ApLda8473Nl9X9g0PIBfwk6HNcIF;_ylv=3?csz=Ann+Arbor%2C+MI

He uses the www.forestryforum.com which is another good place to ask questions about wood related topics.

Maybe see if their are band saw dealers in MI and ask them where the local sawyers are.

You are right about the high cost of reclaimed timbers. They are dry, but may contain old joinery and nails which complicate your task. Green lumber cuts easier but is heavier and shrinks a little.

Finding a mill which regularly produces timbers that are true (accurately sized)and square on both ends makes your job easier and may be worth paying more for the lumber. Do you know if you are going to use mill-rule or square-rule layout?

Good luck;

Jim

I forgot to say....Oh no, WiliLeaks!!! (smiley face)

Yes, there are many ways to find a mill/sawyer in your area.

One is the forestryforum.com, they have a "find a sawyer" option.

Also, you could try www.woodfinder.com

As mentioned, you can try contacting sawmill manufacturers. One that has a "find a sawyer" option is woodmizer. Go to woodmizer.com and get their 800 number. Call them and select "find a sawyer" from their options. You should get real live person to talk to. Tell them your zip code and they will get/give you a list of sawyers in your general area. You'll have to call each one of them and see what they have to offer.

Good luck with your search.
Jim Rogers

Well, my west Michigan sawyer acquaintance knows of 40,000 board feet of tulip poplar logs about to become available. He will cut these to my specs for $1.20/BF. I am contemplating this, but I can't wait too long as the logs will be cut too short (for use in pallets) by Saturday. This puts me at about $2000 for my framing timbers based on the frame in the "14 Small Timber Frames" book. I think I might temporarily leave out the loft joists. I am also wondering if I need so many rafters for this design as other I have seen use fewer and tie them together.

This is about double my budget, so I have some thinking to do.

Try Webber Bros. in Mt. Pleasant (white oak - white pine). They know timberframing well.

I have used Cruse Sawmill in Moscow, Mi. They are south of Jackson, they have a 4 sided planer also. 517-688-4891. Variety Farms in Hartland is closer to you, I have used them also. 810-623-0041 Good luck on your project.

Dredging this back up....

May has been crazy busy, but I put up a craigslist ad looking for salvaged timbers. Tomorrow I am supposed to go see a collapsed barn which may lead to free wood (more effort) but today I saw some beams from disassembled barn for a good price. It raised a couple of questions though.

Is it advisable to try to reuse the joiery of the prior structure or should I avoid existing joints? Should I tailor the dimensions of the new building to divisions of the old one (I was planning on 12x16 and the building these timbers came from was 20x30 - I am trying to stay below 200 sq ft for permit purposes)?

Anything to keep in mind with old timbers in general?

Interestingly, this barn had been converted to a workshop with a one shaft. The guy has the shaft and lots of the old machines.

Thanks in advance for any guidance.

Jamey