My husband and I are planning to build a timber frame/straw bale house. We've just begun looking for land and are probably years away from actual construction. In the meantime, we want to learn as much as we can in preparation.

For a (probably belated, at this point) Christmas gift, I would like to get my husband a few basic tools and a book teaching some techniques necessary for timber framing. He's got no carpentry experience and we live in an urban condominium.

I'd appreciate any suggestions. Thanks much.

Hi Tricia - I am also a beginner having just completed the framing for a timber frame barn. My recommendations for books are: Tedd Benson - The Timber Frame House - Revival of a Forgotten Craft; Steve K. Chapell - A Timber Framer's Workshop; Timber Framers' Guild: Timber Framing Joinery and Design Workbook. For tools, the best investment I made was to buy Barr Quarton chisels. Website is: http://www.barrtools.com:8070/test/htdocs/

My barn has 2" tenons, so I have a 2" framing chisel, a fat boy slick, and as a luxury, a 1-1/4" swan neck chisel. These tools are all excellent and beautiful. Good Luck! jekbear

[This message has been edited by jekbear (edited 12-21-2001).]

Tricia, I don't know what part of the country you are from But the guild has a few week long timber frame workshops at verious locations. Also Jack Sobon and Dave Carlon have a week long workshop at Hancok Shaker Village, that is Great! I would strongly suggust attending one of these workshops, they are hands on, informative,and a lot of fun, and will give you the experience you need to get started. Good luck, John.