Sorry Sean...My mistake...didn't mean to be confusion or answer a question not addressed to me...I am very excited to have this discussion with everyone and the subject is dear to me, and my interest in it spans almost 4 decades now...
Should you ever find anything in your reading that indicates the use of snapped lines in the historic application prior to 1880's Sean, I would love hearing from you (or anyone else that finds this.)
I think that this describes one of the essential differences between North American square rule and Eastern center line layout. The former normally snaps lines only rarely. It is not the essential element or technique. The latter totally revolves around the centered snap line.
I also very much agree with you, that for those of use that use Eastern Layout systems almost exclusively now, that there is no comparison with...Square Rule...and...Line Rule... systems. I would suggest that it is somewhat misleading and inaccurate (in my view) to use the two terms interchangeable at all...They are just too different in nature historically and in practice even today...If actually following the original intent of either system, and not a reinvention or reinterpretation of them.
Hodgson mentions Bell's Carpentry, which predates his own book. I was thinking about picking up a copy of that, for reference. Has anyone here read it?
If you are speaking of "Art and Science of Carpentry Made Easy" by William E. Bell, 1888...Yes I have read it in both tomb and virtual text. Here is a link to a digital copy:
"Art and Science of Carpentry Made Easy" by W. E. Bell 1888 I believe this book and Bell's descriptions of modalities for construction is indicative of the homogenisation of not only Balloon Frames (which originally hand been built as timber frames with Draw Born wood joinery and later wood and metal fasteners) but also Barn timber frames. As to lining methods this starts on page 50 with the employment of snapped chalk lines. Barn building start with Plate 7 and page 55. I have (at this stage in the game...ha, ha) seen countless frames of Bell's configuration in this book, and time period where most of the frame has many transposable parts...even frame members such as Queen Posts.
Sean, I would also suggest reading:
"Light and Heavy Timber Framing made Easy" by Fred T. Hodgson 1909 Now that many of these books are digitized you don't have to wade through countless libraries like I had to in the 70's and 80's...ha ha. Many such tomb can be read now with the push of a few buttons. All of these where my foundational reading lists prior to the more modern publications that started in the late 70's and 80's which I know many were based on information from these original text here in North American timber framing. My reading about Chalk Lines, and their application is what turned my attention to the Eastern methods once I got to travel there while in the Marines. It was a real eye opener to realize that the vastness of timber framing was only a glimmer (at best) here in the West compared to that history and its richness of methods and systems of designing and building timber frames from the Middle East and beyond.
Good Reading to you!!!
