OK, guys, help me decide what to do here...
I'm planning a small shed about 6'x8', and plan to use 6x6 posts (cedar). I would like to fit them into 1/2 lapped sill plates in the corners, but was thinking of using only 4x6 for the sills. But this leaves me with only 2" of lap, and I would like to mortise the lap as well....will I be left with enough meat, or should I get over it and start thinking 6x6 for the sills as well?

*K
And, no, I'm not running it through the Hundegger!

Hey TG, are your sills fully supported, or are they spanned between pillars? Supporting a floor? If not, you may omit them and place them directly in a saddle?

Brock

could you expain how you will mortise the lap?
generally lap joints are not mortised.... unless you mean a mortise for the post bottom?
these corner connections could be blind mortise and tennoned with 1.5" m&t...

Yes, a mortise for the post bottom.
I suppose it really would only need to be a 1" locater peg...

This is what I'm thinking....

go for it, your drawing looks workable.

TG:
The corner joint you use will depend on whether or not you are a Sobonite or a Bensonite

The drawing you have posted, IMHO, is leaning towards the Bensonite side of timber framing.

I consider this joint a Sobonite joint (although it is drawn with 8x8s and the layout is 2" and 2", the principal is the same with 6x6s, except the layout is 1.5x 1.5"...


Jim Rogers

Hi all

Jim is on the right track in my books, the only thing that I would add is that the tenon and the mortise be placed at least centrally on the timbers concerned, and the tenon on the vertical post be only long enough to not quite touch the through tenon when it sits down in its top mortise

NH

Thanks for the replies.

I never really considered Sobonite vs. Bensonite style, I just want the joinery done well, and it doesn't need to be too complicated as it's a quick project that will need to be cut in a day or so. So, ya, Benson.

But I do need to know if I can use 4x6's for the sill plates.

When I have the time, which I'm hopeful will be this summer, I will do another small frame with more of a Sobon/Scandinavian influence (I'm going to start working on it soon). Then I'll be back with more questions.

Jim - was that a stock drawing of yours, or did you manage to whip it up just for this? I'm impressed! It pales in comparison to my 2 min. doodle...
*K

Hard to say: Are the sills supporting a floor load or just there to tie posts and nail wall planking to? Are they fully supported or only where there are posts?

The latter and the latter to both questions.