Just a further note to this pic before moving on, the seating as you see it here was produced using an adze only and after the ring of sill timbers were slid into position and proper measurements were taken,
On the timber you will also notice the wooden rule that I always kept close by me as I worked. I was taught by my father to always use it along with measuring poles of varying lengths. We used metal tipped poles, these metal tips came out to a square knife like edge on both ends, and varied in lengths from 3' to 16'-- (3', 6', 8', 10' 12', 16' respectively). Metal rules were not used on site, and I will tell you once you became familiar with measuring poles you would not go back to a flexible tape for accurate measurements.
One exceptional use of measuring poles was to square up frameworks both standing and horizontaly while fitting up on the ground. You would measure up the post on the framing line say 6' place a fine nail, and then from the base of the post out 8' on the plate from the same framing line and place another fine nail.
The 10' measuring pole should when everything is square just touch both fine nails. It was at this time that you could check the contact point of the post to the seating on the plate and adjust as necessary, also at this time you could do layout work for the brace holes using the correct measuring pole for that particular building.
