Hi D.L

This forum is an ideal place to pose questions for the timber framing community to try to help you by providing answers or opinions that might help fill gaps in your own knowledge base and of course that of others.

It is becoming obvious that you are approaching a point where you really should consider writing articles for publication that could be better supported with photos, illustrations and of course appropriate references.

Some of the aspects that you raise above are in the process of being researched by others (Laurie Smith) with some articles having already been published in "Timber Framing", "Mortice and Tenon" and "Vernacular Architecture" journals.

I would like to encourage you to reach a wider sudience where the content of your topic could be subjected to peer review in order to help establish reliable outcomes.

Your message is important and is in danger of being lost if simply confined to this forum.

Regards

Ken Hume