"A little bit of knowledge can sometimes be a problem. For instance, if you think that with only a joist and rafter span table you can do your own structural design, you are mistaken." So says Jack Sobon in Appendix A of his book: Build a Classic Timber-Framed House. I couldn't agree more. However, since you didn't ask for that lecture, I'll stop there.
You'll find some help in the Timber Frame Joinery & Design Workbook, a Guild publication. See the articles by Levin (pp. 20ff) and Chappel (pp. 32ff). Conventional span tables are included in Benson & Gruber's Building the Timber Frame House, Scribners, 1980. There are also a host of software products that do member sizing. These include Woodworks (see
http://www.woodworks-software.com/ ) and Construction Calc. (see
http://www.constructioncalc.com/ )
Finally, allow me to offer a plug for a new workshop sponsored by the Guild: Engineering Design for Timber Frames (see
http://www.tfguild.org/courses/courseedt.html )
[This message has been edited by Dick Schmidt (edited 06-26-2001).]
[This message has been edited by Dick Schmidt (edited 06-26-2001).]
[This message has been edited by Dick Schmidt (edited 06-26-2001).]