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Timber Framing

Unique and Interesting Antique Woodworking Hand Tools For Sale

By Timber Framing, Resources, Hand Tools
Millers Falls Boring Machine Bits

Lovely Millers Falls Boring Machine Bits from Jim Bode

There are a wealth of interesting antique woodworking hand tools out there in the world, and thankfully Jim Bode has a great online shop devoted to preserving and reselling some of these beautiful items. I recently received 3 lovely drill bits for our Millers Falls boring machine, a 2″, 1 1/2″, and a unique 1″ bit, all lovingly sharpened and cleaned, and a sheer pleasure to use for the first time. Wow!

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Thank You Timber Framers!

By Natural Building Workshops, Timber Framing, Strawtron
Timber Frame Workshop 2012

Thank you Timber Frame Workshop participants!

Yesterday was the end of our fantastic two week Timber Framing Workshop. I’m very sad that it is over, and extremely grateful for the fantastic progress we made, and the quality of work we produced. Wow. We did everything from square rule layout, to lofting and daisy wheel layout and scribing, to hand hewing, working with roundwood, hand raising 18′ tall posts and beams, and so much more. We used Japanese hand saws, planes, chisels and mallets, boring machines, broad axes, and more with a group of students with minimal hand tool experience. It is incredible what we were able to achieve.

I cannot express how much enjoyment I was continually experiencing during the course, and how satisfied I am now to have been able to host such a wonderful workshop, with wonderful folks involved.

Thanks April, Tom, Chris, Lauren, Kyle, Dan, Will, Carl, Jacob, Kiera, Alex, Shand, and Micah!

(Expect more updates about what we learned, and what we built in the next couple of weeks.)

Timber Framing 2012 Workshop Video: The French Snap

By Natural Building Workshops, Hand Tools, Timber Framing, Strawtron

Here’s a quick little video of one of our favorite tricks we’ve learned during the Timber Frame Workshop: the so-called “French snap”. After you saw the tenon shoulder one on side of your piece, flip the timber and saw the end cut down to that same shoulder cut depth. Once you’ve got your cuts, you can snap the material off by striking it with a heavy mallet. It works with straight grain and eliminates extra sawing and splitting. It’s very satisfying!

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Days 1 & 2 of the Timber Framing Workshop

By Hand Tools, Timber Framing, Strawtron, Workshops
Antique Boring Machines

Tom shows off three different antique boring machines

The first two full days of the Timber Frame Workshop have already come and gone, and it’s going great! We’ve got a great group of participants, the weather is just lovely, and we’re cranking away on some good ol’ fashioned joinery using a whole bunch of sweet hand tools from Tom’s collection. Chris Newman arrived yesterday and will be a great backup to Tom in guiding our group through the process of building the rest of the timber frame.

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Two Days to Go Until Timber Frame Workshop

By Natural Building Workshops, Timber Framing, Strawtron
Tounge and groove subfloor

Tongue and groove subfloor under the main house is complete!

Wow, what another whirlwind of a week as we prepare for the first Timber Frame Workshop, beginning Sunday, June 10. We had a delivery of tongue & groove subflooring just in the nick of time on Sunday, and got immediately to installing it, and now it is but a few feet shy of completion. I have been so thankful for all of the great help this week from friends, neighbors, and visitors alike.

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Timber Frame House Photo Update: The Floor Platform & More

By Strawtron, Natural Building Workshops, Timber Framing
Timber frame house subfloor

The latest step: installing reclaimed subflooring material

The major framing of the timber frame house floor platform is complete! All of the sill beams and floor joists are firmly in place, and now we are at the exciting stage of installing our reclaimed tongue and groove subflooring.

Whew.

Here’s a photo update of how things are shaping up at the work site.

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Instructor Chris Newman Joining 2012 Timber Frame Workshop

By Natural Building Workshops, Timber Framing, Strawtron

sillbeam-angletenonWe are pleased to have Chris Newman joining the 2012 Timber Frame Workshop team as an assistant instructor to Tom Cundiff. Hailing from Michigan, Chris has 10 years of timber framing experience, making for 30 years of timber framing experience between both Chris and Tom. Wow! Chris is a Timber Framers Guild member and has helped teach several workshops.

Things are shaping up very well, and the two week Timber Frame Workshop promises to be a very comprehensive, packed, and well-rounded event. I can’t wait to meet and work with everyone who is making it out! The excitement is definitely brewing, as we are 10 short days away from the start of the course.

For any latecomers out there, we can still squeeze a couple of participants into the class. If you have any interest whatsoever, please contact me immediately, or send in an application. It’s not too late!

Expect regular updates during the Timber Frame Workshop here on The Year of Mud to catch a glimpse of what we are up to, and how work is proceeding. Oh yea.