I discovered timberframing only 3 years ago and immediately fell in love with the notion and resulting architecture. Looking to soak up every useful piece of information I could find, I felt grateful and indebted to Ted Benson and Jack Sobon (men I've never had the pleasure to meet) for the knowledge they had compiled and passed on through their books. Hoping to catch up with the timberframe revival (which probably started right about when I was born!), I bought the entire archives of the TFG journal, and read them over the course of about two weeks (like drinking water from a firehose). I attended a one week workshop on timberframing that promoted a style that was what I would call "Bentonesque with a top plate." Like my timberframe instructor, I was ready to borrow from both camps and build what ever was possible with the tools within my reach. Why all the controversy?
At first I didn't understand why Jack Sobon would use rafters with "spikes" (can we call them nails?), or why he would devote so many pages of his book to hewing a log. Equally as bewildering was the backlash against Mr. Benson that was evident in the "letters-to-the-editor" of the TFG journals. Mr. Benson found his timbers in old textile mills and Mr. Sobon found his in the back yard. Benson would free man using machines, and Sobon would free man from machines. There was room in the middle wasn't there?
I set about building a house for my family, using trees from our farm. Lured by the (bensonesque) frames in glossy magazines, I set out to emulate them, eschewing both "hewing axe" and "hundeggar" (from a practical standpoint, one was too much work and the other was too much money!), but embracing "the woodmizer" and "the makita chain mortiser". Now I'm in the throws of finishing the house and the romance of timberframing is a foggy memory as I try to get a waterproof roof before winter sets in (a second time!) on my frame.
Looking back on my short journey, and thinking about a timber framing philosphy going forward, I would have to say that I lean toward Sobon, now that I have a better personal grasp of the fundamental differences between Benson's approach and Sobon's approach. I can understand and empathize with the backlash against the direction Ted Benson proposes for timberframing (actually for house building in general). Although I love all of his books, I reject whole-heartedly the thesis put forward in his latest article published in Fine Home Building... that house building should be centralized and that centralization and specialization is necessary for quality. Bleeeuuucchhkk. I live in a manufactured (mobile) home now and that's the biggest motivation I have for finishing my site-built timberframe! What really turned my stomach was about 6 months after FHB published Benson's article, they published an article with the same thesis written by one of Benson's employees. Seems to me like they're all drinking the same kool-aid at Bensonwood.
I guess what I find most empowering about timberframing is that green wood and local materials are on the menu. The dreamer, the architect, the sawyer, and the builder can be the same person. You can do your own thing in your own corner of the world, without relying on or imposing on anyone. Take that away (I wouldn't say he wants to take that away, but Benson leaves no room for it in his own approach now) and the appeal of timberframing dissolves for me. Power tools, do not for me, detract from the lure of timberframing, because they provide leverage for the
individual, without imposing on other individuals. Take a look at the computer you're reading this on right now - what wonderful power and leverage it provides you, but you can't make it in a blacksmith's forge. hmmm, I think I just figured out why Sobon never posts here...
I'll admit that I have to go to Lowe's to buy the tools, and for that I am relying on someone or worse yet, some company. I forget who said that an extremist is someone who is completely consistent in their beliefs. I realize that I'm not completely consistent in my timberframe philosophy, but maybe after I've got a roof over my family, I can throw away the power tools and be more consistent. I look forward to that.