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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Melbourne, Vic, Australia
    Posts
    1,255

    Default Cypress Pergola and Vindication!

    Hi guys,

    Assumed since I was working with effectively green cypress (30% moisture content) my thread was most appropriate here? Looks pretty lonely and empty in here at the moment .

    Anyway, I started building a simple pergola for my brother a couple of days ago. It's just going to be a very conventional, straightforward timber pergola, with an open, alternating-beam roof. Four 140mm square posts, 240 x 70mm main longitudinal beams 5m long, and cross beams, 190x45, 3m long. First step was to cut the timber beams to length, taper the ends and mark out joinery. Then cut the joinery (kind of housed lap joints?) in the main beams and the corresponding cross-beams. Then half-laps in the posts for the main beams, (will be bolted together with through-bolts). Next will be some corner braces and additional lateral beams, lower down and lapped into the posts.

    Now, here is the main reason for my post: I actually got to use my Lie Nielsen Jack Rebate plane in anger and it was a thing of beauty. That and the Barr framing chisel really made short work of the cypress and were both a joy to use. The Barr chisel in particular is extremely tough. The edge has not fractured or rolled at all despite being whacked through many super-hard knots etc and really retains its edge. I'm impressed. The Festool HK85 circ saw has also been great and doesn't even slow down when making 80mm deep cuts through the 140mm posts etc.


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    It's been a good trial run before I start my own, much more complicated, timber-framed garage project sometime soon. It also opened my eyes to just how much work this future project will be and how long it will take! It's hard work!

    Cheers,

    Dom

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Melbourne, Vic, Australia
    Posts
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    Default

    Bit more progress. Diagonal braces made and first pair fitted. Getting there. Not sure if we'll be able lift up an assembled frame of 240x70 x 5000 beam and 140x140x3000mm posts....

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  4. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Victoria
    Posts
    731

    Default

    Nice cross brace detail ! Will the timber shrink and open up gaps in those lap joints ?

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Melbourne, Vic, Australia
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    1,255

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Sam View Post
    Nice cross brace detail ! Will the timber shrink and open up gaps in those lap joints ?
    Yep I think it probably will. But I was given 1 days notice to design and build this so went with the best I could come up with on short notice. Guess we'll see!

    Cheers, Dom

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Cairns
    Posts
    41

    Default

    I'd be interested to see how it fares over a few years, the cypress I've had in the yard with bark on has only had minimal end checking in the two/three years it's been there. I think you may be surprised how well it holds up, especially considering the diagonal joint (halves the potential gap size compared to perpendicular joint). Nice work. I like it so far. Trapped water might be an issue.

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    the sawdust factory, FNQ
    Posts
    1,051

    Default

    Cypress (and im assuming its callitris as opposed to macrocarpa) is fine used green, and it is recommended that dressing and moulding is done green: It has very low shrinkage so moves little during drying, and is prone to being brittle resulting in edge tears if machined dry. So I wouldn't sweat green framing with it at all.

    Ive never played with macrocarpa to know what it does.

    Nice job

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    back in Alberta for a while
    Age
    68
    Posts
    12,006

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by DomAU View Post
    Getting there. Not sure if we'll be able lift up an assembled frame of 240x70 x 5000 beam and 140x140x3000mm posts....
    20171231_120802.jpg
    build yourself an A-frame and get some semi-decent rope.

    The principle is that the A-frame is stood almost upright (say 30 degrees off vertical) over the frame. The A-frame is attached to the frame you want to lift by a rope. Using a second rope you pull the A-frame over. As the A-frame rotates, it will lift the pergola frame to vertical. Once up, the standing frame can be used to lift subsequent frames.

    The A-frame doesn't need to be fancy. Basically it's just two heavy sticks. You could use posts or beams destined for the second and third pergola frames.
    regards from Alberta, Canada

    ian

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Melbourne, Vic, Australia
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    Default

    Thanks Ian,

    I actually finished it about two days after my last post. Juat haven't made the time to post about it.

    I also don't have any good pics of the structure. Turned out good, however it still needs some small additions to the side, without which it currently looks a little funny (and is the reason for the purlins/cross pieces inset from the post).

    With three people it wasnt hard to just pivot the frames up. Everything locked together nice and tight and the top pieces fit tightly into their housed lap joints; requiring just the right amount of persuasion with a large mallet. A good 4 day project.

    Then the rest is up to him. Pavers below. Some stainless wires above and grapes growing up and over the whole thing.

    That's my brother in the post. At least he helped on the last day to raise the thing.

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    Cheers, Dom

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Seattle, Washington, USA
    Posts
    1,857

    Default

    Looks great, Dom. I can imagine that will be extremely strong and last for many years.

    Well done!

    Cheers,
    Luke

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Dundowran Beach
    Age
    76
    Posts
    19,922

    Default

    Great job!! Love the joinery!!

    I like cypress as it is tough and durable. Only problem is that it becomes very brittle with age.

    Funny property with cypress is that even when very old and dry it will pare like cheese with a sharp chisel.

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