Hi all,

Quick question. I milled some beams with a chainsaw mill, and while they came out great, they are not perfectly square. The structure I am building right now utilizes square rule layout, with joinery spaced 2" from the outside edges. I have very little knowledge in other layout systems, and no experience in centerline, snap line, or scribe. The beams will be used as corner posts, with 5 joints each.

It seems to me that my best option is to use snap-line layout, and space the snap line 2" from my determined outside edge. Sobon describes this process in his Build a Classic Timber Framed House (pgs. 77-78). It entails leveling the piece, then using your framing square to draw level and plumb lines on the butt ends of the timber spaced 1.5" (or I will do 2") from the outside edge that represent a perfectly square (and smaller) inner timber to which the joinery can be laid out to. These lines are drawn on both sides of the timber, then connecting with snap lines.

Any advice on using this system, especially for a newbie, and especially when used in conjunction with a frame that otherwise is all standard square rule?

Also, one member that will be joining into these posts, is a tie beam with 2 thru tenons, and braces at connecting it to the posts. This particul tie beam is a timber milled on two sides, but with live edges on the top and bottom. The timber has a slight curve throughout. For layng this out, should I just snap lines representing its square top and bottom, and cut the joinery to that, including the brace pockets? Any advice for snapping accurate lines on the live-edged underside for the brace joinery?

Thanks so much,
Dan