Derek your a lad
yes they are strappd/bolted ect in those pics (I didnt pick those photos because they all had metal fittings, it just happens that mostly all the photos I took of knee brace arrangements are bolted in??) There was a lesson in there for me as I am finding ways to do tying joints not necessarily with jowl posts, they did it on at least humble workshops without jowl posts in some cases anyway
Being as a newbie novice with little theoretical understanding of these things I find its difficult to tell what is origonal and what is later repairs. I think the tarred braces were original work, but the bigger ones (from a restored tithe barn) were later additions where the tying joints had failed at teasle tennon and/or dovetail 1/2 lap, or split jowl post.
In the wheelright/blacksmith shop I saw the other day I am almost certain the bolted knee brace tie joint arrangement was original work (1750-1795) the bolt heads were sort of not square or home base regular, rather hand forged looking (this was always a blacksmith shop so he'd make the iron work in his own shop?) also the wood usage was stretched to the limit, there was so much wane as to be almost on the level of scrap trimmings like they use for fake rustic fences. the few hewn beams were ocatoganal rather than square, I dont recall seeing a square wall stud either. theyd almost used timber of the firewood pile
They did have massive standing braces though and they hadnt skimped on tying beams either
What strikes me is like status, purpose, price, pragmatism
status of building user-is it to flaunt ostentatious wealth, or a humble utility that stretches a tradsmans budget to the maximium? Some old frames locally ARE ostentatious eg Lavenham guildhall with LOTS of fancy mouldings carvings and trimmings, panels, nicely carved doors etc, and including cutting edge (lousy pun) joint technology of the times as another fashion staus statement.
Cheers Derek PS seeing the catch of fish brings happy memories of fishing in Canda for blue bass with floating frog lures, 25 years ago now. I ate fresh bass every morning, steamed in foil with bread and onions in a truck wheel fire, bears roaming about, deer, turtles....happy days
