Hi all;

In the old text books to "take a timber out of wind" (as in winding) they instruct the tradesman to re hew the timber so that you have 2 square sides, and then placing the timber on trestles and blocking it from movement, you would continue to smooth off spots along the length of the timber to coincide with the position of the each mortise location, using a square and straight pieces to sight over on each end of the timber.

This does work amazingly good in practice, and will allow you to utilize timbers that are quite twisted and that have long sweeps.

"It is always good practice anyway to hew or broadaxe timbers oversize to allow for adjustment such as that above should the timbers move in the drying process that usually occurs during the time that the timbers are being readied for the carpentry to begin."

The above instructions appear in a book written by Willam E Bell in 1858 titled "Carpentry Made Easy"

You will also notice that timberframing is referred to as "Carpentry" not timberframing as we refer in our modern world.

NH