Test-Assembling the New Frame
10/2/18
I've decided to just go ahead and start documenting the project as it is now. We are more than half-way through the workshop phase, but I can come back and talk more about things we have already done later once the project is finished for the year. I won't have the time to blog the current backlog until after this season.
Today we test fitted the new frame. This involved fitting each joint separately and then putting them all together by raising each side and plugging in the side strut. The frame joins together with mortise and tenon joints. The pieces on the ground are put together first, and then the main rails are laid sideways on top of them and the a-frames and uprights plugged into the rails. Then the axle blocks are fit on the top of the uprights and a-frames and the assembly, called in timber-framing a "bent," is raised barnyard-style by having a person walk-up each piece. Once a bent is in the air we can plug in the corresponding side-strut.
The joints this year are fitted a lot better than they were last year, due to my increased experience and knowledge. However, the quality of the wood is just as bad if not worse. The main rails bow up and down in the middle. One of the uprights is twisted. The uprights have a lot of grain tear-out around some sizeable knots. And many of the A-frame pieces have knots that compromise more than 50% of the thickness of the piece.
The poor quality of the wood is very frustrating to me. You don't get a chance to hand-pick boards when you special order them from Home Depot, and you always get the crappiest possible pieces you could ever hope for. I didn't have time to complain and ask for the boards to be returned -- I wish I could have -- but it would have just spiraled the whole thing into a mess anyway since the next round of boards would have been just as bad. It's always best to avoid buying boards that you haven't seen first. If I did this again I would talk to a local sawmill for lumber. Or, if I had a larger budget, I could have bought a better grade of lumber, like #1. I bought #2 (some of the knots seem so bad as to qualify the boards for #3). Either way, I suppose I would have needed a larger budget.
The point is, with the poor quality of the frame this year, my hopes for really loading this machine up with a lot of weight have been all but ruined. Some of these knots could be whacked clean out with a blunt chisel and two or three blows with a hammer. We are going to have to reinforce these boards by screwing scrap wood on around knots to sandwich them. I don't have any better ideas right now (I have a few other ideas admittedly but they would take more time and money than I currently have).
Next week I plan to go back through the frame and drill out all the holes for the drawbore pegs. I can talk more about this when I get to it.
Sanding down the thickness of a tenon with a power sander.
The Frame laid out on the lawn.
One of the side struts joined into its upright while the frame is in the air.
One bent test-raised and the side strut plugged in. The fits are pretty good.
The axle blocks 15 feet in the air.
A very concerning knot. It comes out the other side towards the bottom there. This is compromising literally more than 50% of the board.
Another concerning knot. I could whack this out easily and then the board would be critically weak.
Chiseling down a tenon to fit it in the axle block. Usually, you don't want to chisel towards yourself, but Tim is experienced enough with chiseling.
One of the bents lying on the ground. It will be raised later by tipping it up onto the ground frame.
I've decided to just go ahead and start documenting the project as it is now. We are more than half-way through the workshop phase, but I can come back and talk more about things we have already done later once the project is finished for the year. I won't have the time to blog the current backlog until after this season.
Today we test fitted the new frame. This involved fitting each joint separately and then putting them all together by raising each side and plugging in the side strut. The frame joins together with mortise and tenon joints. The pieces on the ground are put together first, and then the main rails are laid sideways on top of them and the a-frames and uprights plugged into the rails. Then the axle blocks are fit on the top of the uprights and a-frames and the assembly, called in timber-framing a "bent," is raised barnyard-style by having a person walk-up each piece. Once a bent is in the air we can plug in the corresponding side-strut.
The joints this year are fitted a lot better than they were last year, due to my increased experience and knowledge. However, the quality of the wood is just as bad if not worse. The main rails bow up and down in the middle. One of the uprights is twisted. The uprights have a lot of grain tear-out around some sizeable knots. And many of the A-frame pieces have knots that compromise more than 50% of the thickness of the piece.
The poor quality of the wood is very frustrating to me. You don't get a chance to hand-pick boards when you special order them from Home Depot, and you always get the crappiest possible pieces you could ever hope for. I didn't have time to complain and ask for the boards to be returned -- I wish I could have -- but it would have just spiraled the whole thing into a mess anyway since the next round of boards would have been just as bad. It's always best to avoid buying boards that you haven't seen first. If I did this again I would talk to a local sawmill for lumber. Or, if I had a larger budget, I could have bought a better grade of lumber, like #1. I bought #2 (some of the knots seem so bad as to qualify the boards for #3). Either way, I suppose I would have needed a larger budget.
The point is, with the poor quality of the frame this year, my hopes for really loading this machine up with a lot of weight have been all but ruined. Some of these knots could be whacked clean out with a blunt chisel and two or three blows with a hammer. We are going to have to reinforce these boards by screwing scrap wood on around knots to sandwich them. I don't have any better ideas right now (I have a few other ideas admittedly but they would take more time and money than I currently have).
Next week I plan to go back through the frame and drill out all the holes for the drawbore pegs. I can talk more about this when I get to it.
Sanding down the thickness of a tenon with a power sander.
The Frame laid out on the lawn.
One of the side struts joined into its upright while the frame is in the air.
One bent test-raised and the side strut plugged in. The fits are pretty good.
The axle blocks 15 feet in the air.
A very concerning knot. It comes out the other side towards the bottom there. This is compromising literally more than 50% of the board.
Another concerning knot. I could whack this out easily and then the board would be critically weak.
Chiseling down a tenon to fit it in the axle block. Usually, you don't want to chisel towards yourself, but Tim is experienced enough with chiseling.
One of the bents lying on the ground. It will be raised later by tipping it up onto the ground frame.
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