It is indeed in my neck of the woods (about 30km from where I live). And somewhat irritating as I was looking for that last year. It was a gathering of carpenters who (IIRC) would erect a timber frame using traditional (read medieval) methods. I had been hoping to go as a spectator, but the person who told me about it couldn't remember where it was or who organised it and I never managed to find it. Thanks for the link.

If I can work out how to use the horse to get the timber 7m up in the air, then I'm game to give it shot.

Back in the world of reality, I'm currently investigating a rework of the frame, using hardwood splines and having the beams all joining posts rather than passing over them. This eliminates the scarf issue (both in SU and in the real world). This being my first attempt at such work, simpler is definitely better.

Thanks again for the link. I'll have to watch the rest of the videos. If you've already seen them and need any translations, feel free to PM me.

Hi Jon, here is one thread on gin poles, Craig has a nice system, Jim show some stuff, I rig a little different than both of those example, all the same concept.

Fun reading if nothing else.

My foreign language abilities are non existent but I love the pictures and videos, they say a lot.

I can't seem to find a SketchUp manual in the Guild store. Any help?

In which case (if you haven't already scoured it), you might like:

http://www.charpentiers.culture.fr/delarbrelamaison/lartducharpentier/levage

It demonstrates the use of a "chevre" (a 2-pole gin pole). I had already considered this (and I'm still toying with the idea for getting the ridge beam in place), but I'm more likely to hire a genie superlift (or equivalent). For lifting the frames I have the advantage of a large slope to one side of the plot from the top of which I can attach lifting gear. This will allow the use of pulley blocks to raise the frames directly. In theory, a chevre mounted some distance up the slope would provide me with a crane... once I'm sure that the design for the house is valid, and I can order it all in time, I might come back to alternative lifting methods.

The other videos on the site are equally good. There's a few demonstrations of traditional carpentry techniques, and (from memory) some nice video footage of a treadmill-powered crane lifting large timbers up to the top of a castle.

Hello,

A great deal of open space is not necessarily needed in order to hoist and position timbers of large dimension. It depends more on the proper rigging. We set up once scaffolding with only an electric winch strapped onto it to lift and maneuver 22 x 22 cm x 7 meter long oak beams in a very enclosed back yard in the middle of a small compactly built-up village through narrow streets and small alley ways, sliding them inside the house through a small opening in the roof like threading a needle. It was basically all accomplished by a single pair of hands as well. And it was a lot of fun too.

Greetings,

Don Wagstaff