Yard Layout

[N1ck]

Right, I need some advice. I currently rent some barn space for machinery storage but my landlord is looking to lease the whole building to a single tenant and will ultimately be hoofing me out. However, they have offered me another part of the site to have as a wood yard.

 

There is currently a small steel framed barn with open sides which will probably stay and some derelict pig sheds which will go leaving some hard standing. I need / would like secure covered storage for the machinery including a tractor and forwarding trailer (minimum internal length 38'), some form of hardstand and cover for a mobile mill (which could be the existing barn athough the central steel pillars would make loading / unloading awkward) a series of mono pitch / lean-to buildings for drying firewood and milled timber, and a yard for storing and processing round timber.

 

What I would like to know is:

Does anyone out there have a good set up for housing a mobile / semi-static sawmill that provides shelter & security but allows ease of use without extensive set-up each time it is used?

 

What simple lean-to buildings are people using for drying firewood / timber? Are these DIY or commercially available agricultural buildings? Dimensions and pictures would be fantastic.

 

What size of yard do people find is sufficient for small-scale firewood processing and sawmilling. There is plenty of space but my rent will depend on how much I use so don't want to be greedy.

 

Any suggestions or experiences of what works or doesn't would be great.

[TRADITIONAL LOGGERS]

20' ISO Shipping Container with alarms and lockbox?

[N1ck]

I will probably end up using shipping containers for additional security but would like open plan buildings in which to site them.

 

What do people find works, a single large barn or a series of bays in a lean-to?

 

Does anyone have experience with Farmplus or equivalent kit buildings?

 

Cheers

[agrimog]

use 4 containers to make a tunnel, roof over the space and theres your storage in the middle, if you get the side opening ones, you can put your mill in and work from there, if not build a lean to roof off the container and use that