Hello everyone tonight:
I worked for a number of years under the direction of one of the best Historical achitects in Canada Mr. Peter John Stokes, I am just throwing this in because I am sure that Peter had never laid a hand on a broad axe but could visualize the resulting finishes that he required.
He amassed this information from not only education alone but from crawling around getting dirty and examining many period structures. He was an expert at opening up a wall or ceiling and then sketching freehand drawings (to scale) for you to work from that never seemed to contain any irregular measurements
I suggest that any one of you guys that have some unemployed time to spare keep amassing knowledge about what ever you are interested in, it will come in handy some day.
For instance I restored a 1784 period wooden Garrison Carriage about 20 years ago not realizing that the knowledge that I gained at that time would come in handy now once more
If you want to honestly build your own timberframe home examine many and work out all to logistics and costs. you might even hew the timbers at another site and frame them closer to your residence.
You may even give up the idea and go in a very new direction, keep your mind open to new ideas, and don't let the modern world rule, but use it to your gain.
Good luck
NH
