A Logosol “Hybrid” Cordwood/Timber Frame Garage

There is a lot in the news these days about hybrids,  especially when talking about new cars.  Most car companies are coming out with a hybrid model  of one sort or another.  However, Greg Van Winkle of Alma, Arkansas, has used  the hybrid concept in the design of his new garage.  He has utilized his M7 sawmill capabilities to cut the timbers for this unique garage.  He may not drive a hybrid, but he parks his vehicles in a garage that can be termed a “hybrid”.  It used to be you only heard the term “hybrid” when you were talking about new seed for your garden or farm. 

Greg Van Winkle of Alma, Arkansas, has used the hybrid concept in the design of his new garage.

However, now when we discuss  hybrid designs, we are combining different types of elements to make a new version of something.  The something in this case is a garage.  Greg has used Timber Framing techniques to provide the structural support for a new style metal trusses and metal roof, while closing in parts of the walls with another building technique – Rob Roy’s cordwood/masonry walls.  The result, as you can see, is a unique, beautiful, and fully functional structure.
Greg lived in Fort Smith, Arkansas most of his life,  until he found a home on seven acres of land in the Alma area.  He bought a chainsaw to help clear out his fence row after he moved to the country.  He says, “ My only hobby was hot rodding, little did I know that was about to change!” 
He started clearing land for people for their cedar trees.
“I was needing a garage really bad and wanted something different than a ugly metal building out in front of my house,” he added. “ I love the timber frame and log home desgns, and like the strength they offer.  All that was left for me to do was decide on what portable sawmill would be best for my needs.” 
Greg helped a neighbor on a different type of portable sawmill to get a feel for milling, and after that experience sent off for information on the Logosol sawmill.  He said, “soon after that I found myself putting my M7 to work.  It’s no joke, my life went crazy for me after that!”  He found himself milling all his hard-gotten cedar logs and making them into different projects.  One of the first projects was an 18’ X 18’ Salt Box timber-frame shed. “It helps keep wet weather and summer sun off me and my sawmill,” he said.
The new sawyer found that the M7 came in handy for cutting all kinds of lap joints for his timber-frame shed.
“My garage took me a little longer to finish.  The fastest part of building it was cutting the 40 plus 6X6’s I used for the post and beam structure.  My sawmill amazed me for its accurate cuts time and time again.”  The garage is 28’ X 41’ with walls that are 1 foot thick using Rob Roy’s cordwood and masonry construction method.  Van Winkle  was able to use many of the cedar limbs that came from the  trees he cut up for the timber frame.  The cordwood masonry wall is a method of using short pieces of round wood and a cement type mixture to make a thick wall which provides a substantial wall in between the timber-frame posts.
  Greg is not finished with the Timber-frame and cordwood/masonry combination.  He told us, “hopefully soon  I will be able to match my house to the garage.  More beams and all sizes and lengths of lumber are waiting for that day and once again my life will change for the better.”
 We look forward to seeing the results of this next “hybrid” project built with the Logosol M7 sawmill. *