It was a good week to be a duck, but a bit wet for timber framers. It was still a great week with the rain seeming to stop at the right moments when we needed to be outside. New timber framers were from Scotland by way of Arizona, a father-son team from Minnesota, another father-son team from Pennsylvania, one from Ohio, and 2 from Kentucky. In spite of the weather these guys did a great job cutting their joinery and put together a really nice looking frame! I also had my oldest participant in a workshop this week, 71, and my youngest, 15.
Day 1 - Learning to read the plans and lay out the posts before the rains begin!
Timber framed duck house?
Scott, the instructor, does a demo cut on each type of joint within the timber frame and instructs in the use of modern timber framing tools, such as the chain mortiser.
Day 2 - Finishing up the joinery on the posts with the chisel and mallet, the most important tools of the traditional timber framer. Nice work on those joints!
A man and his beam, complete with dovetail mortises. Life is good for a timber framer!
Day 3 - Learning the layout of and cutting of the braces. Cutting the joinery on the rafters. Power and hand tools are utilized throughout the week. The method of timber framing taught during the week is fairly traditional, but incorporates modern power tools to speed up the cutting of the joinery
Cutting dovetail mortises for the floor joists in the loft.
Day 4 - Pegging it together. Assembling the bents in preparation for the raising day.
Introducing the BENT 3 BOYS, the latest timber framing boy band. Featuring a banjo player from Kentucky, a Scotsman and a diehard stick framer, but good timber framer also!
Day 5 - Finishing the assembly of the bents and cutting the rafters, collars and trial fitting the rafters for the raising tomorrow.
Day 6 - RAISING DAY! The rain finally stopped we were able to proceed with the raising. It is really rewarding to see all of your joinery coming together! This timber framing workshop even had its own song written for the week. Look for CD's at the TIMBER FRAME STORE!!
After the workshop the timber frame was disassembled and the planed timbers were chamfered on the edges and oiled.
Grand Oaks newest group of timber framers. Happy chiseling on your projects back at home!
"Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at 20 or 80. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young."
Henry Ford
This Grand Oaks Timber Frame found a great new home in the Hill Country of Texas. It was raised by a great bunch of people and it will be standing for many generations watching the Llano River flow by!
2" x 8" cypress boards were used for the roofing material, ensuring a long lasting roof to match the strength and beauty of the timber frame!
Grand Oaks Timber Framing
