Thanks Richard for the input

Yes, these tools are all useful, and in many ways we can't go without them. It's just interesting to look at the tool sets used by different traditions

In Switzerland a century or two ago, you would have seen a much different set of tools than what was used in North America at the time. The boring machines, socket chisels, folding rule, spirit level, and a few other familiar tools would be nowhere to be found. In there place would have stood 3 different axes -narrow bitted for chopping out mortises, short handled (somewhat between a felling axe and a hatchet) for most work, and a goosewing- comparatively light chisels for paring, not for chopping, often double beveled, plumb bobs for checking plumb and level, and saws would have been scarce. Measuring would have been done with story poles or large compass and, most surprising of all, many of these fantastic buildings were built without ever drafting any sort of plans or drawings.


On another topic, I got a new book today, Schweizer Bauernhäuser, about Swiss rural architecture. Fascinating.

But one thing got me thinking, in talking about the roof structures there is a distinction made between so called 'Rafendach' and 'Sparrendach' which is a distinction we can't so easily make in english, since both 'Rafen' and 'Sparren' would translate as 'Rafters'
The distinction is between a roof built with rafters hung from a ridge beam and one built with rafters that are more or less free-standing, with rafters seated into a tie beam. It is interesting to observe how the Sparrendach, a truss like assembly, evolved from the Rafendach, a simple roof form.

What fascinates me most, however, is the roof forms that combine the two, using a lower 'Sparren' assembly to support the ridge, from which 'Rafen' type rafters are hung.