Timber Framers Guild Forums Tools Timberframe Design Sill beam scarf joint

Hi I am new to the Guild so have some questions which hopefully wont be ones that have been answered too many times. I had a lot of large eastern white pine down from hurricane Dorien. Not wanting to waste these beautiful pines I bought a max 130 mill and decided to help one of my sons build a house. I have done stick frame but not timber frame. The plans I bought is 24’x 24’ with 9 piers on bedrock. The 3 main beams 8”x8” can not be milled by my 16’ mill or any other mills in area. If I scarf off to side of middle post I have no brace under scarf as it is a beam on concrete post which are 16” off the ground. I am retired and this is my first TF so am hesitant and on a bit of a time pinch so would like to use a simple scarf joint. Would a large angle iron under the scarf be acceptable or am I over engineering. If large angle iron is acceptable can I put the scarf under the post or still off to the side with no brace. Thanks for anyone who has some advice.

The issue with a scarf being supported can be resolved with putting a timber under the scarf if it is located at a supporting concrete post. The timber under the scarfed sill over the concrete pier would be called a bolster. This supports the scarf at that pier location. And it can have a post over the scarf if the design is such.
see this image and the post could be your concrete pier.
https://pin.it/3YyN14y9e

Jim Rogers

Great thanks Jim that was just the info I was looking for. Hope you are having a good day. Gerald

Thanks again Jim. We are sawing on a 16’ woodland mills 130. The building we are putting up is a 24x24 king post timber frame from timberframe HQ. We attempeted to mill a 18.5 ‘ ridge plate by moving the beam on the mill after milling 16 ft it was a long process with lots of log moving. Would I lose strength by using a bolster with two 16’ beams meeting under the center bents wall posts. Sure would save a lot of work trying to mill 3 (18.5foot beams) we plan yo build an extension on the end of the mill in the new future but would like to get this frame up before the snow flies.

Sorry for the spelling I should have re read it before posting. I meant putting a scarf joint under the 3 centre plate/ridge with a bolster. Would this be as strong as the scarf under one of the knee brace. Thanks Gerald

It is really an engineering question. But I feel if you have properly supported the scarf joint with a bolster timber then you can have the scarf over the bolster supported by a post.
Good luck with your project.
Jim Rogers

Super thanks again. Hope you have a good day.