building a cheap structure

In reply to Dusterbd13:

If woodturning and mortise and tenon furniture is your thing, you might actually really dig a little timberframe woodturner's shed (AND have the capability to build it!)

I know I would!

In reply to mguar:

Your info would be more valuable if you didn't use 1999 prices.

And Dusterbd13 is a social worker. I see no reason to assume he is a skilled mechanic (no offense, Duster).

i am both, actually. origonally went to school to be a teacher for shop, wound up being called into social work. still run a shop on the side building crs for customers. just finished a full chassis/drivetrain build for a 1954 ford f100, restoring/prepping an ACR neon, EFI'ing and 5 speeding a 70 duster, fixing to rewire a 442 convertable, and then do vintage air on a 58 caddy.

but in my line of work, being not a skilled mechanic is an appropriate assumption. same with being a non-skilled woodworker. im kinda an oddball in my field. only social worker in the organizationn with sawdust in his pockets, grease under his nails, steel toed boots, and scabbed knuckles.

i need to google timberframing after work. sounds like fun. i had nnever heard of it before. michael

Dusterbd13 wrote: i need to google timberframing after work. sounds like fun. i had nnever heard of it before. michael

Be prepared to kill a few hours. Lowes-Depot might have a couple of books as well. I have Ted Benson's timber framing book, but can't remember if I bought it in a store or online. Personally, I don't see a problem with doing a timber-frame construction for a relatively small and basic-box building. Done right, you'll have something that looks ho-hum on the outside but looks really cool inside. In theory, you could pre-cut all of the parts inside over the winter and assemble them in the spring, but you'd have to be pretty damn confident in your measuring.

Call your code office and ask some questions about what your allowed to do. My experiences have been that code officials in the areas I've lived have been very helpful. Sure when it comes time to build they want your $$ but ultimately they don't get paid unless you build build build so it is in their best interests to help you.

It may be that you fall under a "no building code" area like I do. We have zoning codes but no "building codes". At least we have no way of enforcing them. If I wanted to build a super exotic chicken wire and paper mache 1000 sq. ft garage my local zoning officials would take my money and come out and ensure that I'm going to use the structure as I said I would and Let me go on my merry little way. Our codes only pertain to setbacks, heights and area. Where I lived previously was the same way. No 3-4 inspections during the course of construction just a general certificate of use so they know what you built and how to tax you on it.

The shrinkage/warpage factor is what would mess with my head. That seems to be a problem with true log cabins, you build it, the logs shrink and warp, now nothing fits right. I considered building one at one time, when I read up on all that I changed my mind.

mguar wrote: To be fair I need to go on line to check currant prices

Probably not too expensive, especially if you pick your own.

mguar needs to go get a hobby