I'll post a picture or two soon, but the CG (as we call it) uses a beefy top wall girt as principal bent connector.
We've been dicussing this style in the other section of this forum called "Barns and Traditional Timber Framing." look at the "No long top plates..." thread.
But the long and the short of it is that the CG typology seems to be a regional Northern New England style. Often there are NO PLATES used in the construction, which flies in the face of many building practices. Therefore not everyone is a fan of the style...The girts and purlins tie the building together instead of plates.
The system is old enough to have early 1800-era hand-hewn, scribed examples still kicking around, however, so it is considered "traditional" as far as joinery techniques, etc.
It is a very modular system, meaning the bents can be erected and tied together as you go...once two bents are up and connected, the frame can then be used as an anchor point to hoist the others in position. All the bents needn't be stood and braced to receive a long plate.
Some have said a cutting list is more effecient as well, as all the girts and purlins can be cut to the same length.
Instead of a wall plate, the major rafters rest atop the building's crossties, which are directly atop the wall posts.
