Hi Andy.

I find that we get a lot of use out of all the standard woodworking machines, even if they aren't specifically for timber framing. They're just nice to have around for miscellaneous tasks that always seem to come up. Maybe you need to build a cart, or a shelf, or something like that for use on the cutting floor. We also use many of the stationary tools specifically for timber framing. We use the table saw, jointer and thickness planer for prepping splines. The radial arm saw does a nice job on knee braces. The bandsaw cutd the inside radius of curved knee braces, etc.

I'm not sure if the dust collection system was worth the trouble, since most of the sawdust is created with portable tools where the dust just spews on the floor. I'd be interested to hear if other folks have an opinion on DC systems. CB.