Saving $$$ by BUILDING the BIG BEAM Ourselves (OFF GRID SAW SHACK HEADER)-Popple People-Episode 60

In this episode, we tackle BUILDING A BIG BEAM to be used as the front HEADER on our OFF GRID SAW SHACK. Originally, the plan was to use a few laminated beams for this header, but when we priced them, they were $200 USD each! 😮😳😩 (Much too much!)
So…we decided it’d be considerably cheaper to build a big beam ourselves (& save a TON of money in the process)!
We still had to purchase some lumber for this, since we needed to span an 18 foot opening, & our Woodland Mills HM 122 sawmill (with 1 track extension) only cuts a max length of 16’9”. It still came out significantly cheaper to do this than to use the laminated beams.
How did we do it? Did it turn out?
What challenges did we encounter?
Tune in to find out!
#header #cheapheader #sawshack #popplepeople #aspenridge

[@bcgold1873]

Great job guys. Excellent work. I need to build one just like yours.` I just got a Woodland 126 and can't wait to see your shelter finished. Thanks

[@PopplePeople]

Thank you!

[@cnoguerag]

Thank you Because always I do some similar with openings no longer 16foot, but I usually do it with pressure treated wood and everything with decks screws.

[@PopplePeople]

👍

[@JohnnyFiveThousand]

was removing load bearing walls in a house. 28 ft span. decided to build my own beams. laminated multiple layers of osb which is typically used in engineered joists with amazing results and it has nearly no flexibility when on end. I used lots of glue and sandwiched 2 layers onto 2x10 boards 14ft each. had a completed beam approx. 9.25x4.5x28 and I tested it by laying it across a couple of sawhorses, it would sag and bounce far to easily to be useful for any load. I ordered 2x10x30 LVL beams.. absolutely no bounce, There is a incredible difference between typical framing grade lumber and the marine grade hardwoods used in these applications.

[@PopplePeople]

Interesting! Thanks for sharing!

[@24June91]

Great Video!

[@PopplePeople]

Thank you!

[@lrw1105]

Planing laminated beams and posts is reccomended, at a min for areas making contact

[@jeffmadole4369]

Great video! Informative Will subscribe!

[@PopplePeople]

Thanks! We sure appreciate it!

[@littlegriffoffgridalberta6837]

Great video ! The beam looks awesome & strong I'll check out see how your mill is running :)

[@PopplePeople]

Thanks!!

[@joshpoole6056]

For future reference, there are ways to get your sawmill to make longer cuts without extending the track.

[@PopplePeople]

Thanks for the heads up! We didn’t try that because we needed to get that made & up quickly (we were racing against the weather turning to winter).

[@joshpoole6056]

​@@PopplePeopletry it when you get some free time and warmer weather, super easy and basically makes milling length capacity X 2. This beam you fabricated looks like it will work just fine regardless.👍

[@PopplePeople]

Thanks @joshpoole6056

[@alanhuntington1593]

my only comment would be, most places i've seen follow the 1 nail every 2 inches of board height when securing the boards together. from what i could tell, you used 2 per row of nails.

[@PopplePeople]

Good observation. The glue & nails we used held up very well so far, & we had 12 feet of snow last winter, so it definitely got tested. Thanks for watching!

[@thurlravenscroft2572]

How is this holding up? It looks like a good idea.

[@PopplePeople]

Amazing! We had a winter with 12 feet of snow & it held up like a champ. We are very pleased with performance.

[@donwolfjr1]

Did you use the plywood in your beam for a reason, such as getting a specific thickness?! Or does that add strength or what?!? I'm curious!! Great video and excellent work on the beam!!! Cant wait to see this building project completed!! Thanks!!! Don W., Ohio

[@PopplePeople]

Thank you, Don! Yes, the plywood was added for strength, as well as the structural wood adhesive when assembling, as shown in the video. Also, we add a vertical 4x4 to support the beam in the winter, just to be safe, due to snow load (& we are not using the mill in winter anyway). Thanks for watching! We appreciate it!

[@darrenpodger7294]

Great video I am doing an extension to a single story bungalow 4.5mtr plus 2.5mtr thinking of doing this rather than steel beam for header resting on original stone walls , would this be strong enough to support ridge roof with tiles , anyone ? , thanks in advance

[@PopplePeople]

@@darrenpodger7294not sure we’d do this for a dwelling…this was for a saw shack. What are building codes in your area?That being said, this roof did hold up 12 feet of snowload during winter 2 years ago, so it’d likely be able to handle tile roof weight. (We ended up shoveling it just because 12 feet was such a crazy amount-not what we typically see during a “regular” winter). Best of luck on your build!

[@darrenpodger7294]

@@PopplePeople thank you for replying, that's alot of snow wow and weight , I'll have a think and ask a few builders , great video .

[@PopplePeople]

@@darrenpodger7294thanks!

[@thelawdoc8029]

Those metal T plates do not appear necessary from an engineering point of view. And the expense nowadays for those large bolts and metal plates is surely greater than the expense for large timber sizes. I have seen carriage bolts shear, even pricey ones. I have seen four pieces of 2x12" and four pieces of 2x10" laminated and mounted up as you have done with wooden treenails and timber screws without the slightest issue over years in high snowload areas.

[@PopplePeople]

Good to know! Thanks!

[@user-rw1lo4gi6q]

Isn't the glue supposed to be spread out evenly to maximize the strength of the bond? Just wondering. I could well be wrong.

[@PopplePeople]

No idea…all we know is that we have glued boards together before (using a similar technique) & when we needed to get them apart, it was very difficult to do. Ended up having to use a sawzall to cut them apart. That glue spreads out quite a lot once you press the boards together. This beam has held up so far with no issues (it’s over a year since we installed it & last winter we had 12+ feet of snow & it withstood that considerable snowload). Even if it was done improperly, it worked for us.

[@michaelwells7348]

~ Looks Good !! But U Better get Cracking.... looks like Winter is Coming ....

[@PopplePeople]

😝truth!