Timber Framers Guild Forums General General Forum Questions evolution of the craft

Maybe this topic has been discussed a lot, but I'm not sure of a key word to use in searching.

I am reading Sobon's "Build a Classic Timber-Framed House". On p. 78 ff. he discusses hand vs. power tools. I think his book is oriented toward a less-expensive and a simpler way of building these structures, and not toward an industrialized way.

So, he makes the point that hand tools are not necessarily harder work. "Once you are accustomed...you will find that they work well and that the work is not hard." Good. Glad to hear it. Now, my question:

He writes: "There are many new power tools for timber framing, but too often the joinery is redesigned to enable the joints to be cut with those tools, and then these power tools are not doing traditional joinery." So, what do you think? Is the field changing? Are power tools displacing hand tools at the workshops, and among the companies that do timber framing for a living?

It has always changed from the start many years ago, 1000's. As technology quickens so does the craft. It would be your choice as to where in the technology you choose to place yourself. I myself am still developing my custom system, still a lot of hand tools with a mix of power. The power tool pull is strong. It help when you have a strict time frame and you have to either through men at it or power to finish in a unreasonable time.

I would encourage hand tools, if you can cut with them than the shift to power is just a $ issue, the skills needed for the power tools come with a shallow learning curve, on top of your developed hand tool skills.

On page 88, of Sobon's book, the center photo, shows an example of a scooped housing, that is difficult with a router and would require clean up with a slick anyway. In the latest issue of Timber Framing Paul Oatman alternative approach to a previous article. I don't think I would be far off in saying that the router in fig. 6 is slower than hand tools to gain the same end, in fact hand tools would most likely be more efficient with that example.

That is my view, I look forward to others. Tim

Eye,

I think all would agree that there is a time for power tools, and there is a time for hand tools.

It's what you happen to be cutting/doing at the time. Like Tim said, it's your choice. Time is usually a factor for contractors/framers. Those like Sobon (a purist) would do everything w/ hand tools. But he is not doing the craft day-in-day-out for the money, you know? He is resurecting an art form.

In my experience w/ woodworking, I find many process are just as fast by hand as they are via power (to an extent)...

Take cutting a mortise (w/ a router, vs. chisel): In power, you need to find an extention cord and set it up, get the proper bit installed, and then clamp a sraight-edge or some other jig in place, then begin.

All that takes more time than you might realise. You could likely be halfway done chopping w/ a mallet and chisel in the same time.

But alot depends on how many mortises, etc. you have to cut. Power is much faster when considering multiple operations, etc. (that time thing).

Today, most folks begin woodworking/carpentry via power tools, then get intriqued by the hand methods...where it all began. They each have their pros and cons... You screw up pretty fast w,/ power tools... zip, and you're off the line.

You can cut most any joint w/ just a few hand tools. Power tools lead to more power tools, as each is limited to what they can do... hand tools are wonderfully versatile.

I guess the long and the short of it is to embrace both... don't become an extremist to either camp. Follow your intuition and have fun.

Eye,

I wanted to add a response to your 1st post... In re-reading it, I see that you're not just asking about the power vs. hand tool debate, but how tool evolution is changing timber framing... It definitely is.

Check this out:

With more than 207,000 board feet of Douglas fir timber in this horse barn, we relied on our computer-aided Hundegger machine to make hundreds upon hundreds of highly accurate, repeat cuts to create the joinery.

http://www.bensonwood.com/engineering/cnc.cfm


The craft is changing. Do we buy chisels, routers, or software?

I think it comes back to who you are and what you're doing...

Jack Sobon has his place and so does Tedd Benson. They love the craft, but are totaly different animals. I guess the real question is, what "school" will prevail?

Don:

Curious word choice: "prevail". Sounds like one wins and the other loses. Does it necessarily have to be that way? CB.

.... I was visiting the hundegger shop where some parts of our current frame are being cut and those guys where using a chisel to square up some of the hundegger cuts, as my crew will also do with some of the brace pockets cut by the hundegger.
Just wanted to add a real life situation where software/routers/chisels and mallets are living side by side.

Prevail...

Allow me to digress a little:

I hope it doesn't come down to a choice, but time has a way of settling these things, it seems.

Nail guns have prevailed over hammers; the variety of engineered lumber/ sheet goods grows by the year... etc, etc.

I don't know if I really support Benson these days... I mean yes, he's done tremendous work for resurecting timber framing, (25-30 yrs ago, and we all owe him a great deal... but he's become a techno nerd, hasn't he? At least that's what's seemed to "prevail" at his company. He loves efficent, mass production? Software rules at Bensonwood. He has become what I would call an elitist of the trade. His clientelle is quite wealthy.

Fine, that's him.

Hopefully hewing can gain a larger following. Hopefully people will still know how to sharpen chisels. Hopefully good steel can continue to meet good timber. I think it will... we will at least, But will it ever prevail? We know the answer, sadly.

I guess I meant "prevail" as akin to "prevelant." Yes, I should have used the word prevalent instead.

In this day and age, the Benson "school" of TF will likely become pervalent in years to come. He has the money to spread the next generation of TF here and abroad... The sad part is that not much else can compete w/ an arsenal of software and cookie-cutter TF. Bensonwood seems like cookie-cutter TF. But it's not his fault. He's a businessman running a business and has just borrowed the heart and soul that is wood.

How radical indeed would our world have to change in order for hewing and the "old ways" to become prevalant?

The impact driver has replaced my hammer. The nail gun is used to nail roof boards only, screws every where. I even screwed the roof boards on one building, it was faster than hand nailing but slower than the nail gun.

Let us look into the future and see what is really going to prevail. What will the world look like in 150 years? I am sure there will be big changes, beyond my imagination. A timbered building will be a speciality item and how will that speciality item be cut? By hand, technology that will not fade. Tim