# From Tree to Barn photos



## madrone (Jan 7, 2011)

Here are photos from my logging/construction project which many folk here offered advice and support (but no labor lol.)

One of the more difficult trees to drop was this split topped fir.






During the facecut the tree gushed 5+ gal. of water all over my saw and my leg. 
My girlfriend/logging partner was quick with the camera.





Backcut and wedging




Both tops split on impact but fall in the right spot.




Bucking to board length


----------



## madrone (Jan 7, 2011)

*Next comes milling*

Took some time to get the 090 and alaskan mill working right




Timeless hours later it starts to look like something we can build with




Brought in a local guy w/ a Lucas Mill to do the siding




Lots of 1x8's




Bucked and split over 16 chords of un-millable cherry, fir, alder, maple


----------



## Rudedog (Jan 7, 2011)

What bar and chain combo did you use and what size Alaskan. Man ...... that looks like a ton of work.


----------



## madrone (Jan 7, 2011)

*Construction begins*

We used the fir tops for support beams




The top handle Echo became building tool #1 (it's only a barn)




Maple stairs and maple flooring for the loft




Interior 




Exterior, mostly finished, dry and solid


----------



## madrone (Jan 7, 2011)

Rudedog said:


> What bar and chain combo did you use and what size Alaskan. Man ...... that looks like a ton of work.


 
I used a 36" Alaskan mill with a 36" bar .404 square ground chisel. Hand filing the square ground was a major learning experience.
Not shown was a ms660 running a 20" bar on a 'Mini Mill' to square the boards.

Yeah, a ton of work. Took most of 9 months off and on.


----------



## 820wards (Jan 7, 2011)

madrone said:


> I used a 36" Alaskan mill with a 36" bar .404 square ground chisel. Hand filing the square ground was a major learning experience.
> Not shown was a ms660 running a 20" bar on a 'Mini Mill' to square the boards.
> 
> Yeah, a ton of work. Took most of 9 months off and on.


 

Nice job Madrone, it looks cool!

jerry-


----------



## Toddppm (Jan 7, 2011)

Very cool. Definitely looks like a lot of work. 
How did you set your posts? Buried in the ground or sitting on the dirt?


----------



## madrone (Jan 7, 2011)

Toddppm said:


> Very cool. Definitely looks like a lot of work.
> How did you set your posts? Buried in the ground or sitting on the dirt?


 
Like this. The concrete was poured into a 2 ft. hole and framed in on the surface.
There's also a round piece of galvanized sheet metal to keep the bottom from dry-rot.


----------



## nba123 (Jan 7, 2011)

It looks awesome from start to finish.


----------



## huskyhank (Jan 7, 2011)

Outstanding!!!!


----------



## Cowboy Billy (Jan 8, 2011)

Great Job! You did a lot of work and have a barn to be really proud of!

Billy


----------



## madrone (Jan 13, 2011)

A couple more photos

Colorful wedges before dropping:




Another 090 milling shot:


----------



## treemandan (Jan 13, 2011)

madrone said:


> Like this. The concrete was poured into a 2 ft. hole and framed in on the surface.
> There's also a round piece of galvanized sheet metal to keep the bottom from dry-rot.


 
REALLY! That's it!:jawdrop: 

Its not like I would really know but that just doesn't look suffecient, I am and would be amazed if that was proper. Is there anymore support?


----------



## madrone (Jan 13, 2011)

treemandan said:


> REALLY! That's it!:jawdrop:
> 
> Its not like I would really know but that just doesn't look suffecient, I am and would be amazed if that was proper. Is there anymore support?


 
"Proper" is really a relative term for an ag. building.
Barns are built in all sorts of ways, often with posts in the ground (where they rot sooner or later) or just on the surface (same).
If it was only one post supported like this, it would fall easily. Keep in mind there are 9 post like this, squaring the building and braced together by more wood than I care to remember. 
If the building was free-standing it would be fine except for a major earthquake. But as earthquakes happen here, we attached the building to the garage next to it for extra support.


----------



## lwn9186 (Jan 13, 2011)

Nice job I like it. Rep for ya


----------



## 7oaks (Jan 13, 2011)

Looks great - tried to rep you but it says I have to spread first. LOL


----------



## puzzledmonkey (Jan 14, 2011)

Great job,looks brilliant.

Great to see loads of pics:glasses-cool:


----------



## Mournetas (Jan 15, 2011)

*Bravo!*

Hats off to you bro for your staying power, I've done a bit of this so I know the grunt it takes. Great story in Photos.


----------



## JDCOMPACTMAN (Jan 18, 2011)

Heck of a job.


----------



## bunchgrass (Jan 18, 2011)

madrone-

What did you get out of that forked fir in the OP?


----------



## madrone (Jan 18, 2011)

Thanks all for the good words. 
Because I live out in the boonies not all that many folk have seen the barn or the project as it happened it's nice to show it off a bit. Especially to people that appreciate this sort of thing. 
A handfull of people I show pics to just nod and say cool........

Bunchgrass, as far as the fir in pic. 1, I didn't really keep track of the BF for each tree. But by looking at pic. 4 where I was bucking it, I'd say there were 8 millable logs 12' to 19' long, 24" to 30" diam. Each log milled down to 8-12 2x8's (dimensional) with some 2x4's to spare. Both tops became support posts about 19' tall.
That plus about 1-2 cords of firewood from the lower 10' of the tree made that tree pretty damn productive.


----------



## treemandan (Jan 19, 2011)

*Man down, Man Down!*

Sorry, if you are reading this post I deleted, it was in the wrong forum.


----------



## teamtree (Jan 26, 2011)

I was thinking about that type of felling job the other day. I would think you are lucky the back half of the tree did not fall opposite of the notch and possibly on yourself. Did you have the top tied together? 

The pictures don't tell the whole story but it looks like you cut through all the holding wood on the back trunk, therefore loosing all control.

Can you give me the scoop? Just curious as I was thinking this is one of the more dangerous felling jobs next to dead and hollow trees.


----------



## madrone (Jan 27, 2011)

teamtree said:


> I was thinking about that type of felling job the other day. I would think you are lucky the back half of the tree did not fall opposite of the notch and possibly on yourself. Did you have the top tied together?
> 
> The pictures don't tell the whole story but it looks like you cut through all the holding wood on the back trunk, therefore loosing all control.
> 
> Can you give me the scoop? Just curious as I was thinking this is one of the more dangerous felling jobs next to dead and hollow trees.


 
Good point Teamtree. 
I admit there was a lot risk on this tree especially for someone like me with only medium experience.
I did attach a chain and binder to hold the trunks together at the graft but did not know for sure that it would be enough to keep them together. The graft *did* hold until it fell.

Here is a link to the thread I started to get advice. 

I'll tell ya one more thing, when I was making the back cut, I was watching that top for any sign it was splitting away from the front. I was ready to get outta there ASAP.


----------



## deeker (Jan 27, 2011)

madrone said:


> "Proper" is really a relative term for an ag. building.
> Barns are built in all sorts of ways, often with posts in the ground (where they rot sooner or later) or just on the surface (same).
> If it was only one post supported like this, it would fall easily. Keep in mind there are 9 post like this, squaring the building and braced together by more wood than I care to remember.
> If the building was free-standing it would be fine except for a major earthquake. But as earthquakes happen here, we attached the building to the garage next to it for extra support.


 
Looks great from here.


----------



## madrone (Jan 27, 2011)

deeker said:


> Looks great from here.


 
Thanks


----------



## OregonSawyer (Jan 27, 2011)

madrone said:


> Thanks all for the good words.
> Because I live out in the boonies not all that many folk have seen the barn or the project as it happened


 
I've seen the barn first-hand (albeit briefly and in the dark) but it looked good from my angle.  I used to be a sawyer at a local sawmill here just to declare my credentials. I know a couple things about doug-fir lumber. I can't imagine the effort required to mill THAT much dimension with a chainsaw!


----------



## deeker (Jan 27, 2011)

madrone said:


> Thanks


 
Oh, by the way...pics of your partner in crime would be good too.

:snicker:


----------



## madrone (Jan 27, 2011)

OregonSawyer said:


> I've seen the barn first-hand (albeit briefly and in the dark) but it looked good from my angle.  I used to be a sawyer at a local sawmill here just to declare my credentials. I know a couple things about doug-fir lumber. I can't imagine the effort required to mill THAT much dimension with a chainsaw!


 
Is that you A...? And if so, is that 046 of yours getting enough exercise?:hmm3grin2orange: Thanks for the good words.

Deeker, i'm not sure if you're talking bout my saw or ol lady but i'm guessing this is what you want to see (ya perv).
It's not the best photo of her, the hardhat really brings out her eyes....

Just after the tree fell, she's checking out the grubs and stuff living in there.


----------



## madrone (Jan 27, 2011)

Here's another pic of her.


----------



## needwood (Jan 27, 2011)

*Wow you are the man!*

I have wanted to do something like that for years""" Unforchantly, i don't have the money for the tools or the place to cut the timber. Nice job friend"


----------



## OregonSawyer (Jan 27, 2011)

madrone said:


> Is that you A...? And if so, is that 046 of yours getting enough exercise?:hmm3grin2orange: Thanks for the good words.


 
Haha yeah. 'Tis me! It's not getting as much exercise as I'd like. But then again for some reason I put Calculus and Chemistry ahead of chainsaw time... I put it through it's paces bucking that Old Growth I sent you the vid of into firewood rounds. It was sound for all but the last 25 ft or so. I got a few tanks through it anyway!


----------



## olyman (Feb 8, 2011)

treemandan said:


> REALLY! That's it!:jawdrop:
> 
> Its not like I would really know but that just doesn't look suffecient, I am and would be amazed if that was proper. Is there anymore support?


 
18 in dia x 24 deep concrete,weighs?? post weighs?? plus the anount of concrete outside dia against dirt?? and the approx 18 dia concrete footing will hold how much,before sinking??? take near a hurricane to lift it,,or a tornado


----------



## Toddppm (Feb 9, 2011)

18" diameter ? Really?


----------



## madrone (Feb 10, 2011)

Are you guys talking about the cement the posts are on? 
Probably 14-16" diameter in the ground, 14x14(ish) on the top.


----------



## Gologit (Feb 10, 2011)

Well done.


----------



## slice'N'dice'M (Feb 11, 2011)

*Workin fool !*

Awesome job my friend...and it is done just how you want it

don't ya love that stank juice that comes out of those holes ! :msp_huh:

I put a cable in a willow tree once with "I" bolts. When I drilled that hole, boy howdy did it gush...washing machine couldn't touch that tree stank !


----------



## jerrycmorrow (Feb 11, 2011)

very impressive. how long did you cure your boards? under cover?


----------



## madrone (Feb 12, 2011)

jerrycmorrow said:


> very impressive. how long did you cure your boards? under cover?


 
Hi Jerry, the boards were stickered and stacked in the shade, under hanging tarps (more ventilation) from the milling time mid-winter until Sept. when we started the barn. 
The photo is just the early stages, I don't have a pic of the whole stack.







Thanks everyone for the nice words. It means a lot.


----------

