Hello Experts,

Simple question: What is the best road to take to learn the fine art of TimberFraming. what pointers would you give to yourself when you first caught the TF bug? classes, workshops, best reads?

First of all, I'm no expert, but I've read a lot of books on the subject and gone to many courses and TFG events and conferences.

My advice is to read, read, read. To start.

Here is my book list:
The first is Steve Chappell's book: "A Timber Framer's Workshop", I know him personally. I took one of his courses. And I've been to many of his raisings of his frames built by his students.
Then I've read both Jack Sobon's books; 'Timber Frame Construction', and 'Build a Classic Timber-Framed House'. I also know Jack personally; I took a course that he taught. This Dutch style house/shed/barn frame that I had in my yard is the style we, as students, built at the workshop. I see or talk to him every couple of months. I went out to the workshop raising a few yeas ago with my wife and daughter to see the students raise another frame. That one was different and won't be taken apart and shipped out. That's what we did. We put it together and it stood there for two hours and we took it apart and shipped it out.
Also, I've read Tedd Benson's 'Building the Timber Frame House' with help from James
Gruber. This book was very good on how to use templates and laying out
timbers and order of making cuts. Also, Fine Homebuilding's Great Houses,
Timber-Frame Houses. This is a collection of articles that were published in
Fine Homebuildings magazine, so there is no one author. The ISBN number is
1-56158-150-x put out by Taunton Books and Videos, Tauton product number
070279. You should be able to find it with all those numbers.
Another one of my favorites is 'Home building and Woodworking in Colonial America' by C. Keith Wilbur. Put out by The Globe Pequot Press; ISBN 1-56440-019-0.
Also, there is one more that I have read, sold by the Timber Framer's Guild store. It's a
book of articles written by different authors and it called 'Timber Frame
Joinery & Design Workbook'. I've read this one and it's got a lot of
information in it.
And just recently I got and read "The Timber Framing Book" by Stewart Elliot and Eugenie Wallas. This book was ok, and I've heard from others that some parts of his work is incorrect and either different or wrong. I heard this before I read it and was curious to see what he said compared to others. As I can see the only thing I don't like is the way he connects plates and or girts and tie beams on top of posts. I feel this joint, the one he uses, is very weak.
Another I just read last spring was Discovering Timber-Framed Buildings by Richard Harris. This is a small paper back book published in England, and is about all the different types of English style timber frames and why they were built the way they were. It’s very interesting in regard to the history of timber framing. It has some pictures of timber framed houses still standing in England as well as drawings of very old style joints that are still used today.
Another book on hand that I read is ‘Timber Construction for Architects
and Builders' by Eliot W. Goldstein, sold by the Timber Framers Guild. Well that's it for the list of technical books.
I did get a few years ago at Christmas and just finished reading a book called "Barns" (sub title: Their history, preservation, and restoration) by Charles Klamkin. This book is mostly a picture book and has little to do with timber framing. Although some parts were interesting about how or why certain barns were built the way they were.
I also got for Christmas last year a book about outhouses. But it's very interesting about the history of out houses and how they were built. It is mostly a picture book, but there are some interesting drawings in there also.
And still, another good book if you’re interested in history is “The Framed Houses of Massachusetts Bay” by Abbott Lowell Cummings.
And also, English Historic Carpentry by Cecil A. Hewett is very good on history of how joints evolved.
Well that's it about books, for today.
Jim
PS. I just saw another one in my stack of books, by Jack Sobon. It's the "History American Timber Joinery" A Graphic Guide. This book is a collection of articles written by Jack for the Timber Framers Journal magazine showing all types of joints used in timber framing. You can get it from the guild online store for $10. If you are a member of the guild you can download it for free from their web site (I believe).

Well, I am not an expert, but this has worked for me so far.

I started out with books. For the essentials of joinery, both of Jack Sobon's books are excellent, as is Tedd Benson's first book. Jack also has a booklet of historical joinery that I also think is very good.

Then I took a workshop. I attended Jack Sobon and Dave Carlon's workshop at Hancock Shaker Village. This workshop is hand tool only, which suits me. Other workshops use power tools, if that is the way you want to go.

Then I came home and built the same building as we did in the workshop (a 14'x16' Dutch-style shed - I posted a pic in a different thread on this site). I also taught my brother what I learned. Doing this on my own really reinforced what a I learned in the workshop.

Now, I am working on an addition and garage. The addition is 16x26 and the garage 24x24. All the joinery was cut with hand tools and hand raised with the two of us and a gin pole.

Cheers,
Dan

if you are interested in cutting wood, i would suggest working with the most basic tools to develop your eye and strength.
You could spend some time cross-cutting a few logs with the axe(start with a small axe and cut small softwood), definitely try hewing with the broadaxe and use the adze.
In this way your chisel and power tool work will become freer and easier, and you will develop more knowlege of how the grain works.
And yes, reading, participating in a workshop or finding an existing timberframer in your community to apprentice with will be the keys to your growth.
-Mark in Ontario.

In reading your question, i am left wondering whether you want to timber frame professionally or for your own sense of accomplishment. If the latter, I commend all the prior posts. Read and attend workshops or rendevous.

If you want to become a professional timber framer, my advice is a little different. I would look for a job in a high volume timber frame shop. It won't pay well, and may not satisfy your aesthetic sense; but if you want to learn to cut joinery quickly and efficiently, I can think of no better way. If after gaining proficiency in the mechanics of timber framing, you want to explore other paths, that's great. It's what I did. I now own a small shop in Virginia with my wife.

Whatever path you decide on, an active approach to guild membership is vital. The guild is a constant source of inspiration, education, and (most importantly) friendship.

Having all the fun there is,
Bob