Pergola build
- Thread starter ihadablackdog
- Start date
belt sanders are brilliant for removing the rough saw marks out of timber
Have you not got a hand panel saw? That will cut the posts easier, just mark on two sides of the timber as a guide.ihadablackdog said:
Be careful with using a circular saw like that, as it can catch and buck. I have seen too many chippies without fingers in my time!
With hindsight, maybe should have asked the mill for PAR (planed all round) then no sanding. Mills use massive table saws with huge blades that only have about 4 teeth per inch, so they don't give the finest finish (called rough sawn)!
ihadablackdog
Senior member
Yes, I have a hand saw but never seem to be able to cut straight with it, so it didn't really occur to me. I got them fine in the end and with the belt sander they are now perfect.
3rd post took me 3hrs today to sand all sides, and thats with 60 grit belts!!!!!!
Definitely wish I'd asked the sawmill to plane everything for me (again, inexperience).....loads left to do, so I started one of the beams and it was no easier....remember my neighbour saying he had a thickness planer so asked to borrow that.....did one board, then on the 2nd f*cked the machine!
Don't think the board was even as it jammed and looked like the cutting mechanism that you adjust up and down on threaded rods on each side had sort of slipped a thread and no longer level...therefore it woudn't raise. And the machine doesnt have a reverse option so I couldn't back out.
Eventually managed to get the board out and I think that board will be ok.
So after several hours trying to fix it, I had to fess up to my neighbour! Going to see if I can get it repaired tomorrow morning, if not I'll need to order a replacement.....at £300 !!!!
Oh, and its gonna rain on Wednesday! So my plan to have all the wood done today and the posts and beams up tomorrow has gone pear shaped.
To say I'm f*cking p$ssed off right now would be an understatement!
3rd post took me 3hrs today to sand all sides, and thats with 60 grit belts!!!!!!
Definitely wish I'd asked the sawmill to plane everything for me (again, inexperience).....loads left to do, so I started one of the beams and it was no easier....remember my neighbour saying he had a thickness planer so asked to borrow that.....did one board, then on the 2nd f*cked the machine!
Don't think the board was even as it jammed and looked like the cutting mechanism that you adjust up and down on threaded rods on each side had sort of slipped a thread and no longer level...therefore it woudn't raise. And the machine doesnt have a reverse option so I couldn't back out.
Eventually managed to get the board out and I think that board will be ok.
So after several hours trying to fix it, I had to fess up to my neighbour! Going to see if I can get it repaired tomorrow morning, if not I'll need to order a replacement.....at £300 !!!!
Oh, and its gonna rain on Wednesday! So my plan to have all the wood done today and the posts and beams up tomorrow has gone pear shaped.
To say I'm f*cking p$ssed off right now would be an understatement!
ihadablackdog
Senior member
Think I’ve fixed the planer so will try again tomorrow......
ihadablackdog
Senior member
Yes, think that was possibly the mistake, slowly slowly gradually is key.
As you said a new planer/thicknesser is about £300, I am guessing it is a small portable hobby type? If so, as Chippie said go very gently; about 1/4 mm at a time. My P/T cost 3 grand and it is still not the easiest thing to use accurately especially with long boards.
Do you have a hand-held power plane?
Or just pop down to screwfix and get some 20 or 40 grit sanding belts to speed up the sanding and one of those rubbery/ waxy things to keep the belt from clogging.
This https://www.screwfix.com/p/titan-abrasive-belt-cleaner-76mm/16210
Do you have a hand-held power plane?
Or just pop down to screwfix and get some 20 or 40 grit sanding belts to speed up the sanding and one of those rubbery/ waxy things to keep the belt from clogging.
This https://www.screwfix.com/p/titan-abrasive-belt-cleaner-76mm/16210
ihadablackdog
Senior member
So yesterday started crap....the planer thingy was still broke! The rollers that pull the wood through won’t move. So I gave up. Yeah, it’s a portable unit (heavy as feck though).
So bought a cheap planer from screwfix. Used that and then sanded over again and finished today. 3 days wasted!
Some of the wood is cracked and twisting but I’m hoping that will add character
Cant do anything tomorrow so Friday is hopefully when I can finally start building it! Just sketching out the end design for a template and should be off and running on Friday.
Doesn’t help that this week has seen the hottest days of the year! 27 yesterday, hence my desperate sun shielding methods with a tea towel!
So bought a cheap planer from screwfix. Used that and then sanded over again and finished today. 3 days wasted!
Some of the wood is cracked and twisting but I’m hoping that will add character
Cant do anything tomorrow so Friday is hopefully when I can finally start building it! Just sketching out the end design for a template and should be off and running on Friday.
Doesn’t help that this week has seen the hottest days of the year! 27 yesterday, hence my desperate sun shielding methods with a tea towel!
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ihadablackdog
Senior member
Got back to the pergola today.
Cut the front beams to length and tried to do a fancy end on them but we weren’t happy, so to my surprise Deb said to just do the offset 45 degree....result! Not as fancy but easier and I don’t think long term we’ll miss it.
Cut the 45 degree bevels for the side beams and will cut those to length when the other bits are up.
Cut the front beams to length and tried to do a fancy end on them but we weren’t happy, so to my surprise Deb said to just do the offset 45 degree....result! Not as fancy but easier and I don’t think long term we’ll miss it.
Cut the 45 degree bevels for the side beams and will cut those to length when the other bits are up.
ihadablackdog
Senior member
Chippie said:
I would hope so.....there was no alcohol involved when levelling the post bases or cutting the posts, so everything should be “reasonably” level. I won’t say perfect (because it’s me doing it) but close enough to be a good job.
ihadablackdog
Senior member
PROGRESS!!!!!
Got all 3 posts put up today and by some miracle they were all plumb!
Then attached the two front beams and 1 side beam.
Bloody rain stopped play at that point so the final beam is for tomorrow. Happy to do the rafters after work over a few days, so although I had hoped to be done by Wednesday, it didn’t go as planned.
Got all 3 posts put up today and by some miracle they were all plumb!
Then attached the two front beams and 1 side beam.
Bloody rain stopped play at that point so the final beam is for tomorrow. Happy to do the rafters after work over a few days, so although I had hoped to be done by Wednesday, it didn’t go as planned.
ihadablackdog
Senior member
Final beam installed and marked out where the rafters are going….11 of them in total!
Crack has been there for ages. You got me worried now.
Crack has been there for ages. You got me worried now.
ihadablackdog
Senior member
Yeah, been there for ages and haven’t noticed it getting worse but I’ll try and find some old photos and see if it’s on them.
ihadablackdog
Senior member
Finally started work on the rafters.
2 of 11 measured and cut….will do the rest and then try and notch them to sit properly.
2 of 11 measured and cut….will do the rest and then try and notch them to sit properly.
ihadablackdog
Senior member
Only 4 more to cut!!!!
ihadablackdog
Senior member
I’m going to cut out a diamond shape on that end so that it will look right from inside and outside.
If it goes wrong I can just cut off the bottom bit for that whole end bit, but that would look poor.
No work tonight as it’s raining, but hopefully do more tomorrow, so I’ll take a picture of the pencil lines showing where I want to cut.
Currently working out how much 1x2 I need for the strapping across the top of the rafters to give them a bit extra support from moving. Cancelled it off the sawmill order so having to get pressure treated battons, just hope the colour isn’t too different.
If it goes wrong I can just cut off the bottom bit for that whole end bit, but that would look poor.
No work tonight as it’s raining, but hopefully do more tomorrow, so I’ll take a picture of the pencil lines showing where I want to cut.
Currently working out how much 1x2 I need for the strapping across the top of the rafters to give them a bit extra support from moving. Cancelled it off the sawmill order so having to get pressure treated battons, just hope the colour isn’t too different.
