hi Ken
I had a good chance to look closely at your report on Finland and area as well as the pictures of each stop.

The finish on the surface of the logs were interesting, and as you mention probably from the double bevel broadaxe and the angle of the blade to the wood as it is being used. It would be neat to try on out

Your comment ken about the original surfaces seem to having been produced with a single bevel blade is interesting, I wonder just what percentage of the antiques in their museums are single bladed types versus the double bladed ones. They seemed to think that the use of the doble blade type was okay for the reconstruction of the church.

anyway a very good article and nicely presented

NH

I would classify as "those that might like to learn". I fall into the owner-builder group although I have no timber framing experience yet.

I am looking to build at least one small timber frame barn on my property in the near future and was hoping that I could get some guidance and/or direction from the experienced crafts people on this forum.

What would all of you recommend be my first course of action for learning the basics? What are some good resources that I can use to get myself started; workshops, books, trial and error?

I would like to build using the trees that I have on the property already so my first specific question regards felling/drying. What sort of timeline and order of operations am I looking at in terms of felling a tree, rough hewing it, and drying it?

Sorry for the barrage of questions!

Hi Kevin:

I am quite willing to work with you and to that end I will send you some information

NH

Kevin,


I think hewing and then using such timbers for a TF structure will leave you very frustrated. I would suggest you start with something like the Sobon shed with sawn timbers and then consider a log structure for hewn timbers first.

B.

Hi Kevin

good comment Bruce, and one that I strongly endorse. the rough texture of hewn material would be a challenge even for some experienced framers to use.

Having said that though I believe that there are those out there that have accomplished some very high goals, it just depends on the individual and their desire to produce something with their signature.

Over the years I have experienced couples that would come to me and say that they were going to build a log home, I would look them over and to myself say well maybe--then after 2 or 3 years thy would reurn and say that they had completed their home and were living in it, I must say it sure surprised me to say the least.

I think that anyone with enough desire can attain their goal taken step by step with help from those around that can be of assistance.

NH

Hi Kevin

good comment Bruce, and one that I strongly endorse. the rough texture of hewn material would be a challenge even for some experienced framers to use.

Having said that though I believe that there are those out there that have accomplished some very high goals, it just depends on the individual and their desire to produce something with their signature.

Over the years I have experienced couples that would come to me and say that they were going to build a log home, I would look them over and to myself say well maybe--then after 2 or 3 years thy would reurn and say that they had completed their home and were living in it, I must say it sure surprised me to say the least.

I think that anyone with enough desire can attain their goal taken step by step with help from those around that can be of assistance.

NH

Bruce,

Thank you for your input. This is a long term project/goal for me, I am not in a rush to get the building built and would rather learn the craft the long/traditional/correct way.

I would classify myself as someone who does not frustrate very easily and has a lot of patience. With that said, I plan on learning in small, incremental steps. Due to the fact that such work is skill and labor intensive I am looking to learn the hewing and the framing simultaneously rather then sequentially; so I am planning on doing some TF work on cut timbers just to get the technique down first while I actually cut and hew the timbers.

I saw on the Whipple Tree site several of the workshop projects were small assemblies just to get the basics of the joinery.

I appreciate the recommendation of the Sobon shed. I will look into that.

Is it significantly different planing out the faces of the joint surfaces on hand hewn timber then squaring the faces on cut lumber? Or is there something else that makes the roughness of the hand hewn timbers more of a challenge to work with?

My wife and I do have some lofty goals, and I am not above admitting that my ambitions are beyond my (current) reach. But, again, we are looking to do exactly what you say; small step by step achievements while taping the resources we have available to us and taking the time to learn how to do what we need to.

Kevin

Edit: Edited for clarity.

When using square rule layout on hewn timbers, the framing square becomes more like a transit, you have to sight down the timber to be sure that you are square to the edge you're working with, rather than feel the edge as in sawn material.
I prefer to use lines on hewn material(and sawn material for that matter). I place level and plumb lines on the timber ends, then snap chaulk lines on the faces. If you don't want to see chalk lines on your timbers, you would need to either plane off the chalk after layout, or use a regular piece of string that is stretched over the face during layout.
Cutting is also different. In sawn material, you can more or less use the surface of the timber for the circular saw base/mortiser base, but in hewn stuff you will have to be more careful and sometimes use a shim with the mortiser.
I would be able to teach you what I know about hewing at one of the whippletree framing courses, if you'd like to visit Canada sometime....
http://www.wpltree.ca/workshopindex.htm