Here's A Stairs For You

[Drilling Man]

  I have a customer/friend that is building a timber frame barn/cabin.  Here's it is, a "work in progress",


 

 
  These are some red oak logs i harvested, to saw out some "half rounds" for stair treads for the barn/cabin.  Actually i had to harvest several tree's to get all the "half rounds" i needed...
 

 
  Once on the mill, i started by leveling them across the top, and cutting 7" thick slabs off for the "half rounds".
 

 

 
  Once i had them all sawn, i picked them up with the pallet forks,
 

 
  and put them in my pu so i could deliver them...
 

 
  AND, here's the stairs that's "also" a work in progress!
 

 

 
  Hope you liked the picts!

  DM

[DalesCarpentry]

Great pictures!!!!! I could build these stairs but it would cost a lot of money for my labor. I do not know if the novice would notice but the stair stringers are notched to receive the treads. There is a lot of labor involved in doing such a thing that is so irregular. It is a matter of test fitting many many many times before you get the proper fit. This takes many hours. It could have taken the guy that did this 4 to 6 hours to fit just one tread. I could be wrong though!!!!!! If you are a guy that builds log homes and have done it for many years I am sure you have come up with some short cuts. I my self have never tried to do such. I am sure I could but it would take awhile. Dale

[corbanzo]

Yeah you use a pin guide.  (I don't know what they are actually called, but it is a whole bunch of pins which are held together by a metal strip)  You take it, and push it against the bottom of your logs, which gives you the shape of your cut.  You then use that to mark your stringers and cut with a jigsaw.  Well, unless you have big stringers, then you start it out with a chainsaw or a circular saw and finish it with a chisel.  Doesn't take too long, still some work though. 

I'll look it up....

[corbanzo]

Pin contour gauge - for those of you whom are politically correct

http://hand-tools.hardwarestore.com/21-399-other-measuring-tools/pin-contour-gauge-205161.aspx

[DalesCarpentry]

I am just curious. Are you a carpenter? The reason I say this just because you have one of these tools. It still doses not make it easy. I have one of these tools and in this application it would be about worthless. The reason being this is a good tool if you were to lay it against something flat but in this case you can not. You may get a rough draft but you would need to be real carefull not to take the full amount shown by the tool. Dale

[Drilling Man]

You take it, and push it against the bottom of your logs, which gives you the shape of your cut.  You then use that to mark your stringers and cut with a jigsaw.  Well, unless you have big stringers, then you start it out with a chainsaw or a circular saw and finish it with a chisel.  Doesn't take too long, still some work though. 

  Hey corbanzo,

  Is that how "you" actually do that??  I mean, have you used that tool that way??

  I'm just wondering...

  DM

[williamlayton]

There is no easy way to create a template that large, I don't think or that accurate.
Those half rounds are heavy also---especially when they have to be moved many times.
I am sure there are tricks---but---you can't get around the weight.
Blessings

[corbanzo]

I have used one yes.

and I have worked as a carpenter yes.

For a quick check tool on a custom contour, it is a good tool to have around.  I'm not saying that it makes it easy and simple. 

If you have something like that to check against, it takes a hell of a lot of time out of your work. 

[corbanzo]

Oh and dale.  As for complete uselessness in this application, you take the tool, press against the bottom of the log, which makes the impression, which you then use the other side to mark your stringer for cutting.  So yes, it is useful, very useful. 

[S.B.]

Just a dumb laborers' opinion but, contour gauges can be a real pain in the A** to use, seems the move around too much and loose position? And to transfer the shape to wood can be a challenge also.

[52bagman]

Kinda new here and seen this old thread and thought I'd give my 2 cents worth. Use dividers or a compass. Start by setting the tread in place and above it's position at level and plumb. At the widest distance, underneath, and at the correct position, set the dividers at that distance. Now scribe underneath the tread keeping parallel to the tread, now you have a radius that matches the underside of the tread on the stringer.
Same as when log home builders interlock logs on the corners of a log home.


( yes I used to be a carpenter in a former life, towboat pilot now,lol)

[sr sawyer]

May be an optical illusion but it appears the treads are notched or dadoed to fit the stringers.  To cut a radius in the stringer to fit the treads would greatly reduce the stringer strength.
 
Anyway that is how I would do it.  Among other things I have been called a carpenter.
 
Ken

[Drilling Man]

May be an optical illusion but it appears the treads are notched or dadoed to fit the stringers.  To cut a radius in the stringer to fit the treads would greatly reduce the stringer strength.
 
Anyway that is how I would do it.  Among other things I have been called a carpenter.
 
Ken

  Did you notice how OVER BUILT those stringers are???  NO strength problems with those!
 
  DM

[no guns here]

I'm NOT a carpenter.
 
It seems like you could do it like this...
 
http://www.dickproenneke.com/alone_in_the_wilderness.html#video
 
click on the first video and it should be at the 5:46 point.
 
Seemed to work pretty good for Dick's logs.
 
 
NGH

[Drilling Man]

I'm NOT a carpenter.
 
It seems like you could do it like this...
 
http://www.dickproenneke.com/alone_in_the_wilderness.html#video
 
click on the first video and it should be at the 5:46 point.
 
Seemed to work pretty good for Dick's logs.
 
 
NGH

  I've spent a lot of time in that area, it's pretty nice country there...
 
  It's a lot of work to build a cabin the way Dick did.
 
  DM

[sr sawyer]

Was looking and referring to the last picture of your original post.  Appears in the picture treads 2 and 3 from the bottom are notched to the stringer.
 
The stringers are plenty beefy but from a carpenters point I would notch the tread (with the consideration of log construction) in lieu of a stringer.  In perspective would you rather fit two irregular semi rounded surfaces or two straight surfaces.
 
Ken

[Don Fischer]

That is a nice looking set of stairs! But, they don't match the rest of the building! Not a lot of cabins had what looks like Hardi Board siding. Maybe it's cedar? And not a lot of cabins had plastic frame wondows either. What will go on the inside finish walls? Not wall board?
Almost looks like the corner boards have plywood pads under them that the siding butt's up to then the whole thing covered with the corner board. Makes a great corner.