[Augshire]

Just showing a little weekend project I whipped up for getting welding fumes out of my shop. Didn't wanna waste $1500-$3000 on a ventilation system so I built my own for around $200. Can also be used for venting out exhaust and paint fumes or whatever else you don't want floating around

 

[Classic250]

Well done. Nice, large workshop. I'm envious.

 

[Augshire]

Well done. Nice, large workshop. I'm envious.

Thanks man, it makes an adequate hiding spot to escape house chores

 

[Tinsnips]

Well done. Damn, look at the size of those beams!

 

[Augshire]

Well done. Damn, look at the size of those beams!

The loft is a pretty solid part of the building, I actually store all my steel up there. It was once a 2 story house but had it's 2nd floor removed and turned into a storage until I ran 220 out to it and cleaned it up. We actually live in the barn converted into a house 🤣

 

[BigAl8295]

Fumes?

 

[Augshire]

Fumes?

Smoke, soot, gases, things of a carcinogenic nature

 

[Classic250]

The loft is a pretty solid part of the building, I actually store all my steel up there. It was once a 2 story house but had it's 2nd floor removed and turned into a storage until I ran 220 out to it and cleaned it up. We actually live in the barn converted into a house 🤣

hhhmmm....turning the house into a barn and a barn into a house...ok. I get it. Also - yeah - those beams. Awesome. What timber do you use there?

 

[Augshire]

hhhmmm....turning the house into a barn and a barn into a house...ok. I get it. Also - yeah - those beams. Awesome. What timber do you use there?

I wish I could tell you, its actually my girlfriend's property. her father built the house and barn and when she inherited it she took a loan out to construct a house out of the barn and lopped off the 2nd floor on the house. By the time I showed up everything was paid off and finished (aren't I a rascal?). I'll take a closer look when I get home

 

[TrialsRider]

If it's in the deep south east USA, probably Sycamore.

 

[Augshire]

If it's in the deep south east USA, probably Sycamore.

Nah, northern Indiana. Hard to say exactly what wood it is because every wooden beam that was used is reclaimed (bless her old man for being frugal). Given the location that we live I'd say the support beams in our house is definitely the work of Amish craftsmen

 

[TrialsRider]

Nah, northern Indiana. Hard to say exactly what wood it is because every wooden beam that was used is reclaimed (bless her old man for being frugal). Given the location that we live I'd say the support beams in our house is definitely the work of Amish craftsmen

Sure looks like sycamore from here

 

[Augshire]

Sure looks like sycamore from here

You'd know better than I wood. I'll take a few closer pictures in a little bit and let you take a whack at guessing

 

[TrialsRider]

Sycamore grows fast and has few branches or knots compared to fir trees, much like that vertical support post the outer wood is whitish grey and the end grain wood splits and checks just like that split log beam.

 

[Augshire]

Pretty good observation, the vertical post is indeed smooth all the way around and has some splits in the grain as well

 

[TrialsRider]

If you cut it the shavings should not have much smell

 

[Augshire]

Alright I got a few extra pictures to show and I'll explain them in order

First is our home
Second is the barn beams in our home (the way they are cut is why I think it's the work of the Amish)
Third is the shop
Forth is underneath the loft
And fifth is a close up of the horizontal beams, which the bark show they are not sycamore, but the vertical posts might be

 

[Classic250]

And fifth is a close up of the horizontal beams, which the bark show they are not sycamore, but the vertical posts might be

The bark of the beam and the grain of the planks above remind me of pine. Apparently you have several native species of pine in northern Indiana, including the eastern white pine which can grow to be a very large tree, or so I have read.

I didn't know anything about Sycamore, so did a little searching. It seems that it is very rot prone when in contact with soil and/or the outside weather, so it's probably a reasonable assumption that the uprights are a different wood - depending on how they are set in the floor.

 

[Augshire]

There is definitely an abundance of pine around here, In fact our house is surrounded on all sides by it. Like I said I'm not a carpenter or wood worker so I'll have to take your guys word on it. The posts have lasted 40 years so far, worst case scenario I'll have to knock them out and put in metal supports

 

[TrialsRider]

There is definitely an abundance of pine around here, In fact our house is surrounded on all sides by it. Like I said I'm not a carpenter or wood worker so I'll have to take your guys word on it. The posts have lasted 40 years so far, worst case scenario I'll have to knock them out and put in metal supports

You won't live long enough to need to replace them unless they are exposed to harsh elements and get bugs in them.

Gypsy moth caterpillars have destroyed many of the large white pine trees on my property, the top 60 feet broke off one a couple weeks ago and destroyed my 5th wheel toy hauler travel trailer I'm going to have to drop several more in my camp ground where the tree has a Y in it half way up, they don't seem to survive as well as the perfect straight trees. I've got one old growth white pine that is an easy 4 feet in diameter. Closest thing I have here to Sycamore is Beech trees, but the Beech bark doesn't peel off easy where a Sycamore tree which sheds its bark.