Timber Framers Guild Forums General General Forum Questions historic hewing questionnaire

Wheelbarrow, for the foundation. And a good eye.

Bartering and borrowing, grain, livestock and such, for the cost consideration.

I found this interesting.....http://www.wvculture.org/hiSTory/journal_wvh/wvh51-4.html
"Folkways can tell us much about the non-monetized economic exchanges of rural West Virginia. If someone possessed an implement that was not in use, another person could arrange to borrow it or request help with the work he or she intended to do. It was implied that the borrower would later repay the favor by lending something in return, volunteering labor when necessary, or contributing other goods at some mutually convenient time. Within this context, a relatively poor farmer might contribute mostly labor while a relatively prosperous farmer might more readily lend equipment."

Tim

Tim, Things still work that way where I grew up. Often where livestock or harvest is involved.

beers stashed in the spring for the end of the day.

Hi everyone tonight:

Further to our discussion ABOVE--

No one seems to be coming forward with further suggestions so maybe I will put in a few items

-two man crosscut saw will be a must for sawing to length
-Peevey for rolling the timbers (2)
-timber dogs (4 sets)

NH

and some big spikes to make a bunk. let's add that to the list.

and now we need horses to carry all of this.

axe, chisel, cross- cut saw, square, string. simplify, simplify, simplify.

Hi Richard,

Why do you need 4 sets (pairs ?) of log dogs ?

Regards

Ken Hume

Hi Ken and Tovio:

Ken-- during the trial layouts an extra set of log dogs come in handy to hold the frame down while the squaring off and checking for accuracy is ongoing, maybe many would skip this step but in my books it is imperative to catch mistakes prior to the day of the raising

NH

Hi Richard,

Aha, so this relates to framing rather than hewing. I have just ordered up some blacksmith made log dogs (one short and one long pair) for hewing but have never considered that these tools might also be used in framing, though you suggestion might have legs.

Anyone else using dogs during layout ?

Regards

Ken Hume

Ken, I have used clamps when working alone to hold one end of timber while I deal with the other. Those curved sticks some times have a mind of their own, they don't behave as a straight piece. Dogs, I imagine, would bump the timber too much when setting them or at least a chance of it. Maybe I am seeing the dogs used for a different purpose than NH is proposing?

I do like my dividers. I am starting to use them more for copying small increments in trim work and such. My big set will stretch out to 24" I don't need the tape measure. No more holding on 1" or trying to stick the hook end of the tape into a tight corner, or guessing where the fraction is on the bend of the tape. Yes, dividers/compass would surely be on the list.

Tim

Hi everyone tonight

I should add here that I always worked with hewn material that continued to carry the chalk line lining marks on all the finished framing surfaces.

I expect that most of you work with smoothly finished surfaces, and possibly no lining chalk marks.

During the fitting process the frame's long segments are laid out in the fitting area, on top of six by sixes and held tightly in position using timber dogs, while all the other segments are tapped into their positions.

Then using measuring poles of varying lengths the measurements are double checked using the intersecting points of the chalk lines to ensure their accuracy and also to ensure that they will properly meld into the finished frame as a whole.

I hope that I have explained how these sets of timber dogs would be used in the fitting process

NH