Greg:
Yes I own and operate a portable bandsaw mill.
Most timbers I've worked on in various workshops have been very high quality grade. I'm sure building codes have a say in this... But I'm wondering (for the small buildings I produce) if grade can be sacrificed in many cases, without structurally weakening the structure.
Do you have a hard and fast rule on grading when you mill logs to timbers? Or is it simply based on what the buyer requests and/or local codes demand?
Yes building codes to have a 'say' in it. Timbers should be grade two or better. Which is a code, and I'm not sure if that's a local code or nation wide. But I wouldn't want to build a timber frame with anything of a lower grade, would you?
As to hard and fast rules, there are many. And if you are milling your own timbers then you might need to learn them. If you are buying timbers then instruct your sawyer that you want grade two or better. If he doesn't know what grade two or better is, then find another sawyer, or educate him. In your area, I'm not sure what lumber association rules apply. In my area it's NeLMA (New England Lumberman's Association) and they put out a grade rule book, and in it are all the definitions of grades for timbers.
You could do some research in your area and find out what grade rule book you need to get and get one and read up on these grade rules. This will hopefully insure that your timber frames will meet code rules and will pass inspections by building inspectors.
Jim
