In research for the Guild Safety Curriculum, I've found little if any information on specs, standards or recommendations for the temporary bracing or shoring of timber frames during raising. If anyone has anything, please share it!
Thanks.

The folks I would ask for input, in no particualr order:
Grigg Mullen, Joel Mcm, Al Anderson, Curtis Milton, Sandy Bennett, Rudy Christian, Daryl W,
Any others I omitted please don't be offended but the crew mentioned has done a lot of bracing.

Hi Will,
Just a couple of thoughts on bracing. Having worked with a number of different framers over the years, I have done things differently on almost every raising / dismantle. I know that some do not like to use duplex nails and will only use "Oly" screws to attach bracing. The same goes for attaching strongbacks, some use pipe clamps but I prefer to lash them on with ratchet straps.
The only rule that I have is that if anyone on the crew feels uncomfortable, put more bracing on. I like that we all do things differently. If everyone is thinking the same, then someone is not thinking. Tom

Personally I think the most important thing to think about when temporarily bracing timber is what happens if a bracing failure occurs? If one 16' 2X4 breaks, will the bent fall over? The key to preventing catastrophy is redundancy. There is at least one brace for each post. I brace back with Arborplex and a rope come-a-long to a tree or truck. This has the added benefit of offering some adjustability when spreading for connectors. In oak I trust duplex nails. Everything else gets screws.

Whatis arborplex and what are oly screws. I use timberlok screws w/ 5/16 hex head and most of my bracing is larch. We use little footer stongbacks for the bases with a12-16' rising brace on most appl. 2x4 and 2x6

Timbo, Arborplex is a brandname for a type of rope used by arborists. "Oly" screws, is short for Olympic Log Screws, aka timberlok screws. Tom

A point here

Some time ago there was an article in Fine Homebuilding by a gent who had built a scaffolding using screws on the assumption that this was superior to using nails.
Long story short, the scaffold failed, he spend a long time in the hospital and learned that the screws (#8 buglehead “sheetrock” or “deck” screws I assume) had considerably less strength in shear than 16p duplex nails. They also have the unfortunate characteristic of failing all at once. They don’t bend, they break.

I doubt that the screws Tom mentions are a problem and I would rather use a screw gun than a crowbar in disassembly but don’t assume that any screw is better than nailing.

Thanks for information on aborplex. Must have very high shock strength? Amen to that screw disclaimer I use combo drive screws only to tack things inplace till I can get a minimum of 2 oly's per brace and 3 or more for main conection. Also please note oly's get tired and snap off too. I always discard (use in permanant installtion) any bent,dull or worn head screws.We usually start a scaffold with a new box or 2. I've used nails also and probably always , but screws really grab! One other thing I'd mention is timber loks/oly's usually don't want to come out of old hardwood beams or knots in my larch bracing. Well the head and part of the shank come.
How would you guys go about attaching a scaffolding plank to a queen post for instance to work on the q. purlin ?

Try dipping the timberloks in wax (end sealer) before you drive them. You'll get longer life from the batteries in your cordless driver and they will come out easier. Tom

Thanks for your replies guys. Valuable input, and I'd like to keep this string active in case someone has any more quantitative info. Believe it or not, when I asked two of the largest and most reputable tf companies, with engineers on staff, what they do to spec temporary bracing, they both said " Well, we keep screwing on braces until someone standing on a ladder leaning against the top of the assembly can shake it without much movement." Some engineers have said that the frame under construction should be able to withstand at least the same loading it will when finished, but that doesn't seem logical or feasible. A frame with panels on one wall or the roof only will behave very differently, and loads will be significantly different and greater, when a freak storm comes through during close-in.

Murphies law of construction states that when ever a building is vunerable you WILL have severe wheather. I had a large tf stripped and ready for disassembly, ie pegs loosened or cut ,roof removed etc. and a micro burst blew threw that night. We had a sale booth set up by the road and we had stuff scattered for miles. The frame had no damage. There is no such thing as over building or over bracing. another time I had a camp jacked for a foundtion and Montague NY got the national record for snowfall . When we shoveled the roof we were throwing snow up over a bank to clear the roof. That record held till a couple weeks ago when oswego NY took it. Expect the unexpected!

Thanks for posting those pictures Derek; they make a great sequence. I have stared into that first one very profitably in contemplating the raising process (and safety of course). And its a great looking frame to boot

Lee