No disrespect to them, but if they are not familiar with timberframe techniques and design, they may have just calculated some bending and shear across the whole cross section. You cannot do that with a timber frame (so I've learned). You will have tennons and mortise shear areas that will bear all the load and not the whole cross section of a beam. I know it may seem like I'm complicating things, but it's important to use proper timberframe design techniques. Before you ever start laying out things on a timber, you will need dimensioned drawings for every member. They don't have to be separate drawings for each, you can have a drawing of a bent and a few detail drawings where needed. You need to have everything drawn and dimentions so that you can first visualize each member, where and how it's oriented in the frame. This will prevent many mistakes and serious ones. I haven't got all the books I'd like to yet, but I'd recommend Chapell's book for starters. You need to work though the design of joints sections and thoroughly understand. There are also tips and tricks that we picked up in the intro class that we wouldn't have gotten from any book, many time saving and technique improving things. If I were you I'd get the book at a minimum and ask questions on this forum when you get stuck. It's helpful if you know how to scan and post pics when you ask your questions. Also, see if you can find a good intro timber frame class for next spring. I can recommend foxmaple.com (Steve Chapell). The intro class is end of May/beginning of June. I also think there was another school in Tennesee earlier in the spring but don't know the website. These are excellent skills to learn and will help you in other building areas and projects as well. I don't want to discourage you from doing this or drive you to another method of construction because this seems to hard. I don't think it is once you are informed.
