Thread: Timber frame engineering details in australia.

i think you find that the calc's are not applicable as our llading factors for wind, uplift, etc are not same as overseas.

you will also need to have the timber graded, to be used in a structer it can not be sawn from logs with out a certifeid grader giving the timber the big tick

The calculations will be relevant as I'm not working from span tables but from first principles. As you say things would be different over here, no snow loadings for example but for different safety factors, loadings, standards, etc. you just plug different numbers in to the formulas. However you can't do that until you get the base numbers for the timber you are using.

No point getting a grader to grade timbers until I've engineered the frame and can specify what grades different members need to be.

Have you tried google?
It through up www.timber.net.au - The Australian Database of Timber - Home with link to AS1684.2
F17 implies a working stress of 17MPa

The americans have a stack of info that I need ( not for the cypress) I just cant seem to identify their timber groupings by species. In particular where does P. radiata fit into their timber classifications.

No one seems to have anything on C. Macrocarpa.

Originally Posted by weaver

The americans have a stack of info that I need ( not for the cypress) I just cant seem to identify their timber groupings by species. In particular where does P. radiata fit into their timber classifications.

No one seems to have anything on C. Macrocarpa.

Just out of interest, what are you trying to do?

I think Pinus Radiata is also known as Montery Pine, but please do your own independent check.

Bear in mind that most Australian practice is based on quality old growth hardwood

All sorts of stuff.

First project is a cider press cable of pressing out at least 100L of juice in a single pressing.

Then it will be a small shed to keep it in.

Followed by a series of trusses for a bigger shed that e will hopefully be building next year.

That will do for starters.

I now have basic details for monterey cypress, fb, horizontal shear and vertical shear.

Can I caution you against using timber property data sourced from the US.
Australian plantation grown pine is straighter and less knotty than native growth US wood.

For a small shed, Aus standard building practice should surfice -- ie no need for calcs
For trusses -- all bets are off as there's a whole lot of factors to be considered

As far as I know there are no australian standards for large timber frame building without steel connections. If there are yes that would save a lot of time but as far as I know they have to be engineered from first principles.

i think you'll find that the australian standards doesn't cover macrocarpa,so it can't be graded.but new zealand will give it an F4 rating but that doesn't stop people from using it to build homes here in oz,but if you google mudbrick at the duckpond you will find a house built from macrocarpa

If you're aiming to avoid using nails or bolts and instead intend to rely on pegged mortice & tenons and/or dovetails to hold things together, furniture design principles should guide you. ie the members will be much bigger than determined by the load, the critical issue being how much "meat" is left in the member after you cut the joint.