Milling green oak

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Afternoon all,

I'm currently looking at milling some green oak into 8 by 8 beams to support the first floor joists, I was going to have the uprights as 8by 8 and secure the roof beams by means of mortise and tenon, I'm just wondering if anyone knows the shrinkage rates of green oak and at what moisture % should I wait before working the wood.

Cheers

[muttley9050]

Do it green and use proper peg joints. You will be waiting a long time to season 8x8 oak. It's hard to know your design bit you may need 10 x 10 posts so ypu can form some gun stock posts to support am 8x8 ring beam.

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I was thinking about that coming out the posts and an angle and up into the joists so to lock it all together , see the joints if done when it's green , and pegged, would there be much shrinkage or movement ? As in would the mortise and tenons possibly pull against each other and move the supporting joist?

It's basically to stop floor bounce in the cottage , I'm going to try and make a feature of the oak like it's always been there, refuse to use steel beams it must be oak and done the old way , I just need to learn the old way 😬

[muttley9050]

Will shrink but shouldn't move much if the correct joints are used. The reason for gun stock posts is so the whole of the joint is supported. For example 8x8 half lap scarf joint on the corner needs a 10" post so the join support has some spread on the joint thus supporting it all. Same for a scarf joint on a straight joint.

They used to work the bottom of the post to 8x8 so it wasn't thicker at the bottom and take up wall space. Hence it looked like a gun stock. It wouldn't contain the post up the side though.

[muttley9050]

Loads of good books on framing. One of favourites fir traditional joints is this one.

[ame]https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/091146932X/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469480648&sr=8-1π=SY200_QL40&keywords=timber+framing[/ame]

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Cheers sir i shall get that book, I'll put up some photos once I get the oak over , appreciate your reply mate

[muttley9050]

Where you based?

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Near Stirling mate