Timber Framers Guild Forums General General Forum Questions Storypole

Storypoles and layout before the steel tape are key interests of mine. An old topic:

http://www.tfguild.org/ubbcgibin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=22;t=000004

I would express a different emphasis today but at root I believe master measuring rods with the scales in common measure and modular rules ie brace, strut and rafter. The scales would be marked like the common drafting scale.

Trautwine's engineering handbook is a good source on archaic method.

Hello,
Thanks Roger for the discussion from the archives, this is an interesting topic. Although we're not the type of people to make assumptions, is it fair to assume that the tape measure or measuring sticks evolved from the traditional storypole? And also, Jim, could you clarify for me if the labels and marks on the storypole corresponded to specific sides of the timber, meaning, did one side of the storypole correspond to the reference face, another side to the inside face, another to the opposite face etc.? Thanks, Jeremy

Interesting! I very much enjoyed the 2003 exchange.

Roger, How long was a carpenters reference rule?

I am still forming a mental picture of a framer arriving on a job in, say, 1750. Did they have enough tools, templates and rods to need a mule or even a wagon to carry it all? I have a well organized 6'x12' cargo trailer loaded with tools and still leave several specialty tools in my workshop!

Jim

Housewright, rule and instrument makers had a wide variety of rules in production for centuries for diverse purposes. A reference rule for a carpenter could be two feet or a yard long, single piece or flat folding. The rods and storypoles could be site made. The basic carpenters kit probably could be carried in a chest.

This is also something I was wondering. Makes sense that it would...or could...

*K

I saw photos of a four sided story pole but it had different timbers (and notes) on each side, one side had marks for several standard lengths plus brace and joinery layout. At the time I knew the difference between timber frame and post & beam, but didn't have a clue how lines drawn on a stick could translate to a 'dove tail tying joint'.

Does anyone recall seeing this same article? It might be from a coffee table sized book on old tools, but I recall it as being a fairly in depth magazine article.

I hunted around for reference to it online when I first read Jim Roger's story pole post in the FF but apparently it's too old and obscure.

You can do that if you want, whatever works for you.
I like to layout all my locations for joints along the reference edge and the move them around the timber to the faces they are cut one, using a "big Al" or some other layout tool.
Jim Rogers

Hi all:

Very interesting thread

What I used for quite a number of years was a variety of lengths of measuring poles, not storey poles.

These were 1" square oak poles with metal tipped ends blacksmith made. These ends fit on the ends of the poles snuggly, and were drew out to a very sharp square end almost like the edge of an axe blade.

These poles were of varying lengths and fit the measurements of a popular frame in multiples for instance 10 foot, 12 foot, and 16 foot.

I also had short ones that matched the run of the braces exactly usually 24 and 36 inch which were the popular measurements.

Exact repeated measurements could be done as you worked along on each timber and eliminated errors, some notations could be made on the sides of the poles for referrence during repeat measurements.

I wouldn't be without these poles and they were guarded against breakage.

Inches and feet became a thing of the past really, the poles became the standard for a frame

A good timberframer didn't need figures on all sides of the poles, I felt that that would compound errors.

food for thought

NH

Hi all on this thread:

Just another of my life experiences

something that I was taught by my dad for very fine repeating measurements (especially inside measurements). He made up small straight sticks about 5\8ths square (2), tapered them at the ends and squared them at this point. Each stick was about 3 feet long and they were used by placing them on top of one another and sliding them along until they were up against what ever you were measuring, at this point using a finish nail it was tacked lightly, now it was easy to transfer this measurement to a new position as many times as it was needed and the measurement was very accurate.

I always used this method when accuracy was the rule of the game, and errors not allowed or could be costly.

I always kept a couple of sets of these sticks around the shop and forgot about the tape measure

NH

Howdy,

A shipwright taught me that trick. He called it a pinchstick, and cut working ends at a 45° or greater. With a sharp layout knife, it works great.

Thanks for the interest read, everyone.

Zach