New workshop project

[Retroanaconda]

In between the rain this afternoon I unpacked my delivery of of lovely larch cladding fresh from the sawmill. Smells so good! 

[Anderzander]

You’re in the right job 😊

[Arjan]

Oh yes !!!!!!!

Have Fun !

Hope you have an air tacker...

[Retroanaconda]

Indeed. Unfortunately my line of work doesn’t make it any cheaper 

No air nailer, but I have an impact driver and a box of nice stainless steel screws.

[ianmayco68]

Yes there’s nothing quite like the smell of fresh sawn wood , workshop is looking good James .

[landroversforever]

Love the smell of fresh timber  .

[Badger110]

23 hours ago, Retroanaconda said:

Indeed. Unfortunately my line of work doesn’t make it any cheaper 

No air nailer, but I have an impact driver and a box of nice stainless steel screws.

Grab yourself some of these for the planks when screwing 👍

https://www.screwfix.com/p/trend-snappy-drill-bit-countersinks-5-piece-set/26921?tc=VA7&ds_kid=92700048793290430&ds_rl=1244066&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8dboub785wIVxbHtCh3ynA_iEAQYByABEgI_JfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

[landroversforever]

Just now, Badger110 said:

Grab yourself some of these for the planks when screwing 👍

https://www.screwfix.com/p/trend-snappy-drill-bit-countersinks-5-piece-set/26921?tc=VA7&ds_kid=92700048793290430&ds_rl=1244066&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8dboub785wIVxbHtCh3ynA_iEAQYByABEgI_JfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Unless extremely dry and thin planks or something I want to fill and paint I don't like countersinking in timber.

[Badger110]

9 minutes ago, landroversforever said:

Unless extremely dry and thin planks or something I want to fill and paint I don't like countersinking in timber.

 I imagine the screws will be visible rather than underneath the lap too so a neater finish will arrive by countersinking 

 

[Retroanaconda]

They’ll be visible yes. I’ll see how I go when I start fitting the cladding, I wasn’t intending to pre-drill other than for the end fixings however the larch is that bit harder so might need it.

I’ve got a countersink bit somewhere if necessary, although those combined jobbies do look handy so might splash out 

[Badger110]

I find with stainless or any non standard biting screw is they don't have the ability to cut through timber in a straight line, with hardwood it's worse but for a different reason.  The make up of hardwood allows a straighter drive but without pre drilling you have more chance of ruining the head of the screw.

Pre drill at least, it'll save you a whole load of possible hassle.

 

if you do go for those, screwfix do their own brand for much cheaper

[daveturnbull]

My top tip - if you can't be bothered with drilling pilot holes, and you are finding the screws split the timber, blunt the tips of the screws with a hammer then proceed as normal - then the wood won't split.

Edited March 3, 2020 by daveturnbull

[Cynic-al]

You could hire a nail gun. I borrowed a pallet nail gun, works off compressed air and fires annular ring nails. Very strong joint and very fast, like a machine gun if you hold it down. My most recent shed I just fired them in but on previous sheds I've gone to the effort of putting them under the lap so you can't see them. 

[paime]

1 hour ago, daveturnbull said:

My top tip - if you can't be bothered with drilling pilot holes, and you are finding the screws split the timber, blunt the tips of the screws with a hammer then proceed as normal - then the wood won't split.

This is hurting my brain a bit - how does it work? I always thought it was the diameter of the screw that forced the timber apart causing it to split?

[daveturnbull]

11 minutes ago, paime said:

This is hurting my brain a bit - how does it work? I always thought it was the diameter of the screw that forced the timber apart causing it to split?

🤷‍♂️ Witchcraft. Try it. 2 or 3 blows with the hammer to blunt the point.

[Peaklander]

Yes - my Dad, a time served 1950s shopfitter (beautifiul oak etc.), always did that with screws and nails.

[Blanco]

1 hour ago, Peaklander said:

Yes - my Dad, a time served 1950s shopfitter (beautifiul oak etc.), always did that with screws and nails.

My Dad was a time served joiner, .... the point (!) is ,....with a nail anyway, the shaft of the nail then tears and cuts the fibres on its way in instead of separating them and forcing in between, which would cause more potential for splitting. Modern screws often have cuts in the thread at the point to achieve the same effect. Blunting a screw before driving might help but modern screws tend to be very hard from the manufacturing process. Also depends on the larch, how long felled, and many factors there, can be brittle, it is a suck it and see job really. 

Piloted screws are nearly always a stronger job, there are profile cladding screws designed for timber frame which have a pilot drill built in but I wouldn't know if you can get stainless, which I think is a good idea.

 

[paime]

Everyday is a school day! Looking forward to giving that a go later on tonight.

 

[landroversforever]

4 hours ago, daveturnbull said:

My top tip - if you can't be bothered with drilling pilot holes, and you are finding the screws split the timber, blunt the tips of the screws with a hammer then proceed as normal - then the wood won't split.

Guessing you've watched one of the youtube or Faceache 'hack' videos? It doesn't work as the screw is still pushing the same amount of wood away from where it needs to be. Also, if you look at those videos closely, theres a pilot hole when they've blunted the screw.

[daveturnbull]

23 minutes ago, landroversforever said:

Guessing you've watched one of the youtube or Faceache 'hack' videos? It doesn't work as the screw is still pushing the same amount of wood away from where it needs to be. Also, if you look at those videos closely, theres a pilot hole when they've blunted the screw.

Can't remember where I found out - was years ago. I make quite a bit of stuff out of timber, and always use this trick on high split risk pieces. It really does work.

[Retroanaconda]

When I was doing fencing years ago I was taught to blunt the end of the nails to stop them splitting the chestnut or oak rails - worked quite well. I have no idea how, but it did seem to make a difference.

It's these screws I'm using - they have the cut point to help with reducing splitting. Stainless steel and TX head as well so easy driving. I'll try them and see how I go - it's not the end of the world to pre-drill, just adds a bit of time and faff to the process.

[Anderzander]

We must be close to more pictures ?

[Retroanaconda]

This weekend if the weather allows. Got a few long weekends coming up later in the month but no other time to spare at the moment.

Forecast not looking hopeful though 

[Retroanaconda]

Well it’s been pretty wet and wild but beggars can’t be choosers, so I donned the waterproofs and cracked on.

I spent most of yesterday doing the membrane on the wall facing the fence, until I got fed up with being soaked and freezing. Today I managed to get some of the cladding on the same wall. I’m pleased with the cladding, seems to lie very well and other than a few imperfections here and there the quality is good.

The screws work really well. The only fixings I’ve pre-drilled are the ones where there’s a join on a batten and so I’ve only got half a batten width of cladding piece to screw through. For everything else the drilling end of the screws does a great job.

I also finished putting the membrane on the front wall and have blocked off the door aperture with sheathing ply to keep the rain out, with a view to helping the building dry out a bit over the next few weeks. It also finally gives me a dry-ish, albeit rather gloomy, space to work.

[Arjan]

Looking Very Good !!!!