Hi Ken;
Your information about Scottish buildings is much appreciated. I was aware most Scottish buildings were stone and cruck framing was used, but I was not aware it was so common.
This post/plate/tie intersection in this framing is a rare example of reverse assembly where the plate is on top of the tie beams rather than normal assembly where the tie beams are on top of the plate. It looks like the assembly requires the bents tipped up with the ties in place but then the ties would need to be elevated so the plate would slip onto the tie beam tenon. In the U.S. we also have what was dubbed the triple bypass joint where the assembly sequence also requires lowering assembled tie/plate connection down onto a flared post as seen here:
http://www.tfguild.org/joinery/part2.pdfThis is a link to a PDF file, look for figures 28-30.
I have no additional information about this framing.
No offense, but Richard Babcock's books often present information in the Eric Sloan style of not being documented and possibly presenting speculation or opinion as fact so I am careful to double check information from the Babcocks. I was wondering if the attribution of this framing type to Scots or Scots-Irish immigrants was well founded.
Jim
