Posts in the «timber frame» Category
- Scarf Joints in American Timber Joinery This is the last in a series of 6 articles by Jack Sobon, author of Timber Frame Construction. We are often amazed at the lengths of timbers found in old American structures. Plates 40 ft. long are common. Fifty-footers are encountered occasionally, and timbers 60 and 70 ft. long are not unheard of. In the great [...]
- Roof Joinery in American Timber Joinery Here is the 5th in a series of articles by Jack Sobon, timber framing book author. In the design of timber-framed buildings, the roof is the dominant element. The structural system necessary to support its expanse greatly influences the total building design. In masonry buildings, the roof structure may be the only timber-framed element. The carpenters [...]
- Wall and Brace Joints in American Timber Joinery This is the fourth in a series of articles by Jack Sobon, author of Timber Frame Construction. More great diagrams of joints and analysis of their strengths and weaknesses. When a timber-framed building was sheathed horizontally, typically with clapboards, the supporting framework provided vertical nailers called studs, spaced according to the type of sheathing applied. [...]
- Sill and Floor Joints in American Timber Joinery Third in a series of timber framing joint articles by Jack Sobon, author of a great book on timber framing. His diagrams make understanding even complicated joints easy. Personally I find the sill and floor joints to be some of the most interesting. Sadly they are almost always hidden from view once the timber [...]
- Tying Joints: Tie at Plate in American Timber Joinery This is the second in a series of articles written by Jack Sobon, author of Timber Frame Construction: All About Post and Beam Construction. His ability to represent common and not so common joints is outstanding. The tie-at-plate category encompasses the most complex and varied of timber joints, including not only wall, roof and cornice [...]
- Tying Joints in American Timber Joinery Here is the first in a series of articles written by Jack Sobon, author of one of my favorite timber framing books. The diagrams he uses are incredibly clear and effective at conveying the simplest and most complex timber framing joints. Of all the joints that make up a traditional timbered frame, the most important are [...]
- Cordwood Infill is an interesting option
I found this video today showing how cordwood (predominantly old cedar logs) can be used to create an infill wall between posts on a timber frame.Pictures from the cordwood workshop can be found… here.
I wish there were more how-to’s described in the blog. But it was interesting to see another option.
There is an interesting [...]
- Timber Framing Workshop – learn timberframing
This timber frame workshop (to teach timber framing) was taught right in my town. Unfortunately it took place a few years before I got bitten by the timber framing bug.
This was a bit of fun to watch.
- Circular Saw for the Serious Timber Framer
For the gazebo I built, you can get by with a couple of decent hand saws and a 7 1/4″ circular saw. However, if you plan to make a living at timber framing or are just timber framing a single house with lots of timbers that need cutting, there is a larger circular saw [...]
- Amish Barn Rasing
The scale of this is huge. What the Amish have going for them is lots of manpower. Here in the Finger Lakes region of NY we have a lot of Amish in the area. I have seen them put up barns and houses in similar fashion. You drive by one day and [...]
- Timber Framing Slideshow
I enjoyed this video as it has some very artistic shots of tools and wood together. Great closeups of joints too. It has a nice flavor of simpler times and the connections made by people putting up timber frame building.
Timber Framing isn’t done for the speed, it is done for the fun of [...]
- Larger Timber Frame Erection
This is a nice video that shows a large scale timber frame building being erected.Notice the need for a lot more people on hand. This one has some neat joints that go into the construction.
- Balinese Gazebo
This gazebo built in Bali has some very interesting joints that tie one piece to another. I enjoyed watching the thing be assembled. It impresses me the way timber frame construction has developed around the world and some of the methods of joinery are so different from one region to the next.
- Raising the Rafters
The rafter seats have been cut in the top plate. The top plates are in place on the gazebo, and the rafters have been cut and pegged together at the joint. Now it is time to raise the rafters.This is the first rafter raised into position and temporarily held in place with a brace [...]
- Top Plates – Tying it all together
With the bents raised, it is time to put the “plates” into place. They will tie the two bents together.
Now the top plates that join the South bent to the North bent are brought into place. They are a little over 16 feet long and true+ 6″x6″.
With one raised up but not put into [...]
- Rafter Creation
This roof will have a 12″ in 12″ pitch and will use bird mouth joints to attach to the top plates. The rafters are made of 4″x6″ that are tenoned and open mortised at the ends. Each rafter will join to its mate at a 90 degree angle.
Here are the mortises and tenons. They will [...]
- Time Lapse Timber Frame Erection
This video is pretty funny. It shows a time lapse of a timber frame gazebo being erected at what looks to be a trade show. Don’t be fooled…it didn’t take them 15 seconds to put this up This particular design did not use the bent method of building two bents then connecting [...]
- Bent Raising: Post and Beams (part 4)
So now the bents are assembled and we are ready to raise them. For brawn their was just my FIL and I.
Here is the South bent ready to raise with lumber temporarily nailed to the post to act as support once we stand this up. The supports will need to stay on until the [...]
- Bent Assembly : Posts and Beams (part 3)
Finally we can start assembling the bents. This day made me feel like real progress was being made.
Before the parts can be raised, the mortises for the bottoms of the door frame studs have to be chiseled into the floor.
Holes…its all about making rectangular holes and things to put in them. Calling them mortises [...]
- Braces – Posts and Beams (part 2)
Braces are put in the corners of the bent to keep the wind and clumsy winos from knocking the building over. In this gazebo there are 4 corner posts. Each post will have two braces. Each brace has two ends. That means there will be 16 tenons to cut and 16 mortises to create.
16 [...]