Been a bit quiet posting so thought I'd better give an update.
The two sets of frames (five each) for the two long 8m walls are done and have a good coat of linseed oil primer.
The end frames have had multiple redesigns as I vacillated between glulam direction. I also realised that I'd originally designed it as one piece which in hindsight was a bit dumb as it would not have been easily moveable from the workshop. So this is the final design showing the infill details - windows and doors - but not the frame...you need to imagine that !
Oh, alright. Here's one of the outermost frames..
Little bit of more interesting joinery here as I needed a return to tie in to the front or rear walls.
And what about the glulams did I here you ask. Well.................I drew a blank with the structural engineer as you know who only really understood steel which is fair enough. One company started asking me about 'grades' and lots of other techie questions which were totally out of my depth. I'd sent a drawing to several companies with sizes and roof loading so I thought it would be plain-sailing. I started looking at tables myself but they all seemed to be for floor joists and so using lots of them. Then the tables started talking about shear and all sorts of other stuff that although I knew what the terms meant I hadn't a clue how to put them into practice !
I needed this
to support this
I was beginning to despair. Gut feel and looking a little bit at the tables plus some rumination told me that I could get away with glulams 45mm wide but my local company stocked 90 x 315mm which I kinda thought was definitely up there with the best Victorian over-engineering but beggars can't be choosers. And then .....
Out of the blue I got a phone call from a design engineer at a company that I'd contacted via their website some three weeks or more ago and forgotten all about. He asked me some more questions and then asked 'Would you like me to quote for JJ-ijoists to go round the flat part of the roof'.. Oooh...yes please
Next morning, completely detailed quote....the four glulams (45mm ones ...hah...I was right, see) plus all the hardware and JJ-ijoists and VAT and delivery for less than 1/3 the price of the four 90mm glulams.
If anyone is interested in seeing how they make them
[youtube]LfuI4kiVy0A[/youtube]
If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door.