My name is David Frankenfield and I design and craft timber framed homes and barns. I have been coming to the forum for over a year now and I enjoy reading all the terrific post that all of you have written. We frame with a lot of Hemlock and Eastern White Pine. Yesterday I received a request to frame a German or perhaps Austrian type home for a couple here in Maine. The clients have a cuckoo-clock of which they love the design of and they want us to replicate the clock. I was wondering if any of you had framed homes in this European style. We generally produce New England style frames using square rule joinery, principal rafters and minor purlins. Any help or steering me to books or other resources would be much appreciated.

David

E.H.Carpentry has experience with German timber framing. I know he checks in here frequently.

Dave

Welcome to the forum, David F.!

Thank you Dave Shepard. I wanted to post a picture but I couldn't see how to do this.

Check out the thread "posting associated pictures", I brought this to the top so you could read it through. I also am just learning to post pics.
I downloaded an image optimizer from www.xat.com. It only took about a minute to download on dialup, and works well for getting pics ready for the internet.

Dave

I am going to try to post the picture of the clock.

David,

welcome to this Forum. Well those Germans, nothing better to do than making cuckoo clocks

Like Dave already mentioned( thanks Dave) I have experience in German Built TF. My favorite by the way.
Your clock however looks more like a log home with TF roof. You can contact me under my private e-mail if you want and will send you some pics of German style TF.

Not sure what square rule or other layout options are. But in Germany we were using perfactly square timbers from the mill. They get planed and then cut and fitted. And if you are really willing to get this type of frame cut you better have a least one Mafell Chain mortiser or else a lot of helpers that will cut all your mortises and tenons.

Byk the way: Are your clients interested in just a german style frame or also in the exterior frame exposure with brick or plaster infill?


Back to another post where I was asking for Hundeggers in my area: This is exactly why. A lot more joinery than in a traditional american Frame.

David,

here are some sample pics.






Edited for pictures

Thank you E.H.

The pictures are great. I need to meet again with the customers to get more in put. I also think that the clock may be of log construction.
Designing a house from a cuckoo clock? I must be going cuckoo!! :rolleyes:

Ever thought that you might be in the wrong nest.