As I have been and am involved in the mechanics of this, I feel I should give my perspective.

To me, this move makes sense on a lot of different levels.

On a philosophical/spiritual level I think the timber frame community is stronger united than it is separated by blurry lines into two organizations with overlapping aims. Especially since we are not many.

I am familiar with many of the reasons behind the original separation and was happy to be informed that there are no longer any barriers to both groups operating as a single 501(c)3 group due to changes in the interpretation of the tax codes. A lot of those original reasons are no longer in effect.

Operationally/financially, we always have shared overhead among all of the Guild councils and other Guild programs (like our publications and conference production). To add such a strong shoulder to the wheel (the TFBC) is a good move for the Guild in a time where frankly it has been challenging to develop sufficient predictable income to operate at the levels we are all used to. (Our most predictable revenue streams are dues and ad revenue and they barely cover more than the cost to produce our journal and newsletter). I think that it could make good sense fiscally for the Business Council as well. It seems to me like an opportunity for a bigger slice of their budget to go towards their programs as opposed to basic overhead costs as they will be sharing many of those costs with other councils and the rest of the entire TFG.

Back to the philosophical (and here's where I might get carried away). Without healthy timber frame businesses we are a craft that will disappear (again) within a generation. That's a truth that we ignore at our peril. The TFBC's stated aim is to "expand the demand for timber framing". What timber framer doesn't want that?! A rising tide really does lift all boats - you don't have to be a member of the BC to benefit from their efforts if they are successful. Outside of museums and hobbyist/DIY (both important but not enough to insure the future of our craft), pretty much everyone pushing a chisel is doing so because of a business transaction. Without timber framing businesses and a customer base, we are the equivalent of the rotary phone. Still cool, but they aren't making very many more of them now are they?

Every year at the Guild conference slide show I am reminded that as a group we really know how to build some phenomenal stuff. Really amazing stuff. What if we could create that many more well designed, carefully crafted beautiful buildings out there because as a group we were able to get our share of the market from 1% of new homes to 1.5% or even 2%? That's twice the work that's out there now. How cool would that be?! How many more timber framers would have a job, how much more would they would be paid? I'd like to find out...

Enough from me, I would like to hear more from the rest of ya'll...