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Timber Framing

May 27
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Timber Framing Moment of Zen: Scarf Joint

By Timber Framing, Strawtron

sillbeam-scarf

When two timbers join to become one unit, they are mated with a so-called “scarf joint”. Scarf joints come in many different styles, some more elaborate than others. This sill beam scarf joint is a rather simple one, as far as layout and cutting, goes and it is wisely located directly above a support pier.

This photo was taken before pegs were driven into each tenon, but if you look carefully you can see on the upper half of the scarf where the peg hole is marked.

Scarf joints were developed when taller trees became scarce and long spans had to be created with shorter pieces of timber. I think that timber framing is beautiful for its ingenuity and effective use of materials.

May 23
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Replacing Concrete with Wood: Pier and Beam Foundation

By Hand Tools, Timber Framing, Strawtron
Timber frame pier and beam foundation

Standing at the future floor height... we are way up there!

Many people are shocked at the giant size of the sill beam timbers we are using (myself included), as they are very burly 8×12 white oak beams. They are no joke. Lately I’ve been thinking about a concise way to describe our foundation design, and I’ve decided to make clear sense of it by explaining that we are replacing concrete with wood. These are serious pieces of wood, and they ought to be as they are supporting a heavy straw bale house with a living roof.

Anyway, we’ve had a lot of excitement the past week wrangling with the 8×12 beams, and setting the first three onto our concrete pier foundation.

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May 17
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Timber Framing Begins: Building the Strawtron House Platform

By Workshops, Natural Building Workshops, Timber Framing, Strawtron
Timber framing

Making wood chips... er, timber framing beings!

Today was a historic day in the “Strawtron” building timeline — we began timber framing and building our house platform. Yahoo! A few nights ago, we got our delivery of massive sill beams and floor joists, including some honking 8×12 white oak beams at 16 feet long each — requiring no less than ten people to carry them 30 feet into our newly erected “wedding tent”, the temporary shade/weather structure we constructed for our Timber Frame Workshop.

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May 09
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Only 30 Days Until Timber Frame Workshop!

By Workshops, Natural Building Workshops, Timber Framing
Timber Frame Workshop

Reserve your spot today in the 2012 Timber Framing Workshop!

Wow, it’s hard to believe only 30 days remain until the Timber Frame Workshop begins. From June 10-25, we’ll be hosting our first workshop dedicated to traditional timber framing, led by Tom Cundiff, a talented builder with 15 years of experience.

Build a House… Without Nails

It’s going to be a great chance to learn how to build a home — without nails, screws, and lackluster dimensional lumber, but instead with beauitful, durable posts and beams that will last for generations. A timber frame house is the kind of home that can stay in your family for literally hundreds of years!

Anyway, we’ll be teaching participants the skills necessary to build their own timber frames, using hand tools and traditional techniques, of course. Not only that, students will get a valuable look into life at a functional ecovillage powered by renewable energy, complete with a range of various natural buildings.

Guarantee Your Timber Framing Workshop Participation

It’s going to be a very fun time, and I hope you’ll consider joining us, because there are still a few spaces available. Apply today for the Timber Frame Workshop to get a guaranteed chance to be a part of our comprehensive building course!

And did I mention you’ll get fed delicious home-cooked, organic meals while you’re here? Mm, mm.

May 04
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Precut: Mechanized Timber Frame Construction in Japan

By Video, Timber Framing

Leave it to Japan. Seriously. I recently stumbled upon this video, which demonstrates the mechanized timber frame building technology that is being employed in Japan to build homes quickly, with little human labor involved.

Japan has one of the richest timber framing traditions, with centuries of experience and a host of complicated styles and techniques that have developed over that time — take a look at The Complete Japanese Joinery book for some intense examples of the work of traditional carpenters.

Well, some of that same timber joinery is now being completely created through the use of highly precise machines. As this video explains, a single factory with less than half a dozen human employees makes all of the timber for 800-1000 homes in a single year using this “precut” method. Gulp.

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Apr 27
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3 Days Remaining to Save 10% Off Timber Frame Workshop

By Natural Building Workshops, Timber Framing, Workshops
Timber Frame Workshop

Demonstrating a scarf joint in a Timber Framing course

Wow, it’s almost May already. Time flies when it’s a beautiful spring! May 1 is also our Early Registration deadline for the 2012 Timber Frame Workshop — there are 3 short days left to apply and save 10% off the cost of the Timber Framing course.

Get your application in now to be a part of this unique course. Learn all about traditional timber frame construction with hand tools in a thriving ecovillage community this June. It’s a great chance for aspiring builders, current carpenters wanting to expand their skills, or for budding homesteaders to learn how to build a home that will last generations.

Thanks for reading!

Mar 26
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Flea Market Tool Finds: Froe

By Timber Framing, Strawtron, Hand Tools
Woodworking tools: froe and maul

An old froe and mallet

Every month, I make my pilgrimage (er, it’s really just a short trip, I guess) to the local flea market, the so-called Dog and Gun. Usually I go in search of old hand tools, especially woodworking tools. The latest find was this very old froe.

A froe is a tool used for cleaving wood — very often they are associated with splitting shakes, but they can be used to pare down wood for making handles, or whatever other reason you would have to cleave wood. They are used by striking a wooden mallet on the top of the blade (seen at right in this image). They are not sharp — they are basically a glorified wedge on a stick.

They are extremely useful, however. Recently, I spent a lot of time starting to split out blanks for wood pegs for the future timber frame. The handle is shot, so I need to make a new one, but for $20, it was a nice deal. This one’s quite old, too. I like when you can tell that an old woodworking tool has a lot of history.

(New froes are at least $50 or more, by the way.)

Mar 15
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Handmade, Hand Forged Axes: Amazing Blacksmithing Video by John Neeman

By Timber Framing, Hand Tools

John Neeman is a small outfit making stunning quality, hand forged woodworking and timber framing tools in Latvia. Their work is impressive on multiple fronts (including this gorgeous documentary). Very inspiring.

I will have more information about John Neeman tools up in the coming weeks, as they are planning to launch an online store in the near future. (I’ve got a broad axe coming from them, too.)

Yea for traditional skills and blacksmithing!

p.s. Today is the last day to save 20% off the 2012 Timber Framing course! We may even get to use that handmade John Neeman broad axe during the workshop…

Mar 12
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3 Days Left to Save 20% Off Timber Frame Workshop

By Timber Framing, Workshops

timber framing workshop 2012Timber Frame Workshop 2012 Update!

Here’s a friendly reminder for all the prospective natural builders and timber framers out there.

There are only 3 days left to qualify for the Extra Early Registration Discount for this year’s Timber Framing Workshop.

You can SAVE 20% by applying now — that’s a savings of $400. And don’t forget — spaces are limited. All experience levels are welcome.

After March 15, there is still an Early Registration Discount, which is 10% off the tuition.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for applying! Hope to see you soon.