So I have successfully finished my first timber frame. As I'm sure many of you can imagine, I now have the timber frame bug and am ready for my next project. Which brings me to my question(s):
I have access to 3 larger (~60' tall) white pines that are currently standing and are going to be removed for a friends new garage. I would like to try my hand at hand hewing these logs for timbers to be used as the frame for a sauna. From what I have read it is better to hew a green log vs. a dry log. Is this true, and if so, how dry is to dry? Unfortunately I can't start this project for another year but it seems like a waste to not use these trees. I have a lot more questions, but hopefully this will get the discussion started.

Thanks!

Congrats on your first frame!
Green would be better but after a year pine is still very workable. Just make sure your using a sharp hewing axe, Gransfors Brunks makes a good one. Good luck. BB

Not sure where you'ld find a body of water in MN but you could pond the logs until you're ready to hew them, otherwise seal the ends and strip the bark to keep the beetles from turning them into swiss cheese. If you're going to hew a 'dry' log then white pine is probably better than most.

Great, it looks like I'm going to have the trees down this spring and will work them next spring so that should work out. I was planning on sealing the logs with Anchor Seal (I have a bit left over from my first project).
After the trees are down, sealed, and debarked, would it be better to cover the logs with tarps or just let mother nature do what she does?
I was looking at the Gransfors axe so I guess I'm heading in the right direction with that. As for ponding the logs, I like that idea, but I'm not entirely sure about the logistics of how I'd do that.

Hey Wet Blanket here
In most states ponding logs will require permits from your environmental agency. I think that is why most yards went over to sprinklers.

Bob :p

That's certainly a concern, especially if you are a commercial outfit...

When it comes to tarping the logs I'd fly the tarp above them so as not to promote decay by trapping moisture against the logs. Basically you want to keep them protected from direct sun and fast drying (especially on one side only). Also keep them up off the ground so air can flow below the log as well as above it.

An alternative might be finding (or creating) a large tank to "pond" them in. I know of a couple of 'hobby' sawyers that are doing that. With a tank it's fairly simple to chain down the logs so they remain completely submerged.

Hello Ranger,

I'm curious to hear more of your plans for the sauna. It's on my list, too. I've oscillated between a small frame and hewing logs for a more traditional solid log Finnish sauna.

I posted something on here a while back looking for ideas on a frame sauna, and no one posted with experience of such.

I'm thinking solid log to get away from modern insulation and yet still have decent R value. Now whether or not I hew all those logs, well that's between me and my chiropractor.

Zach

Hey Ranger. Howzit goin' eh?

I built a TF sauna about 10 years ago, when I was still an amateur. I did my drawings by hand back then, but I scanned a posted them a while back. They're still lurking on my web site, but I don't think they're linked in. You'll need to go directly there:

Clark\'s Sauna Plans

I'd do some things differently today, like make the tenons longer, but for such a small structure, it's fine. On the pieces I named the 'bent plate' (should be called the tie beam), I cut the ends at 45 because the stock I had for rafters wasn't long enough to reach the foot otherwise. I'd square that off if I was doing it again.

I would strongly warn you against leaving any white pine beams exposed on the interior of your sauna. Hot sap stuck to bare skin ... need I say more?

White cedar is really pretty, and you shouldn't have any trouble finding that in your neck of the woods. Maybe the pine pieces can be used in a changing room area?

Good luck with your project. CB.

Hey daiku!

Thanks for posting your plans. To be honest I haven't gotten this far down the process yet, but had thought about a similar size and construction. I definitely want to avoid directly exposing the pine in the sauna for the same reason you stated. I'll look into the white cedar as well, I haven't used that before.

Zach, as for my plans on finishing, I'm going to go with post and beam, but I'm still unsure with how I want make the walls. I've been reading a Sauna book by Rob Roy and looking into cordwood walls, and I've also thought about stick built walls. Doing cordwood walls does have one advantage for me in that my wife likes the look of them and would like to help build the walls if we end up going that route!

I'm working on an arbour in white cedar today. It is lovely wood and goes outside or inside, but it will keep you humble as it is difficult to cut with the chisel. Saw everything you can, I found myself doing some electric chainsaw brushing rather than risk tear-out with the adze.... If you can find cedar that has less knots, you will have more fun cutting the joints.