Hello everyone.
I am so glad I found this forum. I have been lurking for some time now, but I decided to come out of my shell. Since this will be my first post, I thought I might start by giving you a little back ground on myself. I fell in love with the timber frame structures about 7 years ago and at the time I had just finished having a traditional stick home built for my family. Sucks, huh? Anyway, God led me to the mission field 2 years later and we left our high paying jobs and 3300 sqft home. At that point, I decided that some day I would have a timber frame house of my own. Unfortunately, children’s homes pay so little we could qualify for food stamps. To top it off we paid for our house for a year after we moved before selling it. So after 2 years of being houseparents caring for 8 kids and with two kids of our own God decided it was time for something new. My wife became pregnant and to top it off I broke my leg and had to have my bone screwed back into place  Well it healed and I continued working for the children’s home, but we quit as houseparents and my wife now works part time. Anyway we decided as a family not to go into debt to purchase a new house. After doing some research, I decided that what little money we had saved I could still build a timber frame structure and keep from going into debt. The only catch was that I would have to cut the frame myself , do practically everything inside/out ourselves and pay as we go. I attended a week long timber framing class and have read multiple timber frame books. I purchased a set of plans that fit my idea of a nice frame and simple enough for me to cut. I found a sawmill that selectively had the pine trees cut from the virginia forest and logged using horses. I paid 60 cents a bd ft. which I thought was a great price considering the process. It’s been a year and a half since I took the timber frame class and about one year since I received the timbers. I decided to build a small cottage before building our main house just to make sure I could do it. Well I am 6 pieces away from finishing the cottage frame. Anyway that’s my story for now. I hope to continue posting on the forum and I welcome any advice. I need advice on raising a fairly small frame 14 wide by 17 foot high. Is there an alternative to the crane on such a small frame?

I'd say that six-eight reasonably healthy adults and a few kids could probably raise that frame, try to find a timberframer in your area to learn about safety and have fun saving 100/hr craning your frame....

When raising a frame of any size, it's best to have a plan. This plan is usually called a raising script as it tells which "players(timbers)" go up in what order.
If something unplanned happens then the script has to be flexible to accommodate that event.
Have every thing you need on hand.
Test fit every joint, before raising day, to make sure everything will go together without any problems.
One method is to do a full frame fit up, first. That is fit together, laying down - on blocks or sawhorses on the deck, all timbers that make up one wall. Then, dis-assemble and do the other wall. Then dis-assemble, and do each bent, if space allows leave the bents together and ready for raising day. Assemble the last bent to be raised first and then the next to last, on top of it or leaning on this bent. With the first bent to be raised on top of the pile, on the completed deck.
Place some boards or timbers so that the feet of the first bent's posts won't slide off the deck when raised, sometimes called 'kickers'. And use these kickers at each bent to prevent the posts from sliding when being lifted.
Figure the weight of all the timbers in one bent and know the total of what this bent weighs. Then figure each able bodied person can lift 50 lbs easily and figure out how many people you'll need to raise this bent. A good part of this bent's load will not be lifted as the feet are on the deck.
The more the merrier and have a party at the end of the day provide food and drink to all who helped.
If you have large or long timbers to raise, such as 17' long plates you might consider constructing a simple "gin pole" to use to lift this timber up and over the tops of the posts, and lower it down onto their tenons.
This coming Saturday we will be raising a 12' x 16' shed, and we'll be using a 'gin pole' we just created for this and other such events.
If you have more specific question on raising a frame ask them, and we'll all try and help.
Good luck with your project.
Jim Rogers

Jim...

I'd be interested in knowing more about your gin-pole. I too will be raising a frame of about the same size, and looking for an economical and safe way lift bets...

I also have a small (8000# total, 42 hp)) tractor with loader and backhoe. Any ideas on using the loader with a boom or the back hoe?

Joel

After raising the frame I plan to finish the skin quickly. I was going to rent a 10000# Variable Reach Forklift, beacuse I won't have much help. Check them out at

http://www.ur.com/index.php/rentaleq/general_rentals/Forklifts

Can you utilize one of these in raising? I've never heard of anyone using one of these when raising a frame but I recently watched a Steel gym be built using this machine.

alvajo:
Send me your email address by private email and I'll send you some info about gin poles.
Jim Rogers

Jim I tried your email address, but it wouldn't work. It keeps bouncing back. Here is my email joe_and_jessica@yahoo.com

I don't understand that as I get emails everyday and my mailbox is not full, by any means.
I'll send you some info.
Jim Rogers