Tim and Roger, my situation with my paying job is why I will need the high-priced mortiser. It's worth it to spend a reasonably high amount on tools (even if I have to sell some when the project is completed) so that I can put up a fantastic structure AND keep my somewhat steady income. I can't take time away from regular job usually to do this so I must do it fast AND do it well.

Hi TMC,

I have just been reading along, not reason to add another voice as Tim, and the others are doing good helping you along, with good guidance I might at all in all, so nothing to add there.

I do, at this point, just have to through out that you are spending a lot of time trying to make power tools work for you??? Hand tools are not as slow as many think they are. I have, and I try to get my students to cut there first few frames entirely by hand. I understand your time constraints, but most small frames take less than 200 to 300 man hours or less just with hand tools, if you don't have to hew the timber. Power, if all present, operating in good order, and designed for the craft does (as we use them) speed the process up, but only if they are proprietary and set up for the job. In general, if you focus on the task of joinery, they only add a little, and can also make big mistakes in both your body and material. Just some food for thought.

Hi Jay, thanks for the input, I do appreciate any and all advice, help and shared knowledge gained from experience. One sticking point I probably have is I trust myself more with power tools for the bulk of the work than to finesse it all start to finish. I do trust myself to finish the joinery with chisels, hand planes, anything else necessary….at least well enough to be sure this thing will stand for as long as routine maintenance is done to protect it from the elements.
The other problem I have which I know will cost me a lot of time is that I over-analyze things such as the joinery lay-out because while some people might measure 27 times and cut once, I will probably measure 227 times and cut once (I believe one might call it OCD).
IF I were to end up cutting by hand, what do you recommend Jay for hogging out the mortises? Can you give me specifics such as what tools to buy where? I've seen drill bits in my web searches that cost $300-$600 dollars! I understand I would be paying for the built-in craftsmanship of the bit but aren't there cheaper bits to do the work? Those bit prices are almost as high as some of the chains for mortisers.
I'm still open to suggestions regarding the entire process except having already payed for the timber. I hope to learn a lot during the winter.
I will try to get my rough drawings linked here today so everyone can give me constructive criticism. I especially want to here how badly I over-engineered my brackets for securing the frame to the foundation.

Here are the drawings. I'm no pro at creating drawings and it's been 30+ years since I took a class in drafting.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/r6zi8uxb57myipq/Kh1RYMJ8MN

Another reason I may need power tools assistance is the thing no one wants to admit: wear and tear on my hands permanently damaged from 11+ years using 60-80 pound jackhammers and hammer drills with 2" drill bits hitting unseen rebar in concrete and the drill trying to rip my thumbs off. Did that until I was 46. The permanent large calcium deposits in my hands below my thumbs make it impossible for me to hold tools the same as if my hands were shaped as originally designed. Don't get me wrong, I'm not crippled but I recognize the drag on labor time this could create. Maybe I'm over-analyzing again but I like to plan for every contingency.

"IF I were to end up cutting by hand, what do you recommend Jay for hogging out the mortises? Can you give me specifics such as what tools to buy where? I've seen drill bits in my web searches that cost $300-$600 dollars! I understand I would be paying for the built-in craftsmanship of the bit but aren't there cheaper bits to do the work? Those bit prices are almost as high as some of the chains for mortisers. "

Really??? All you need are single spur auger bits, google that. Do not buy 'nail eater' bits or you will be hoggging and tearing, spurs cut.

Can anyone tell TMC if boring poplar is similar to boring eastern white pine?
I have never bored poplar.

Jim Rogers

I've worked a lot of yellow or tulip poplar, which is unrelated to aspen, cottonwood and other poplars, but I would say green tulip cuts similar to white pine but the wood properties are very different regarding shrinkage, expect up to 3/4" checks.

Roger, should I use the sealer on the ends as soon as the trees are cut an timbers milled?

I won't be doing the joinery for 6, 8 weeks or more after timbers are milled to size