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Here in no particular order are the Top 20 most frequently asked questions of the Guild office. Note: The following information is intended only to assist you in your timber framing adventure, and in no way constitutes an endorsement of the people, organizations, companies, or products. Nor does the Guild warrant or guarantee the results or advice you obtain.
Enough of the legal stuff we are wise to mention. Onward to the useful information.
What publications or resources are available on the topic of timber framing?
Magazines:
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Timber Framing, the quarterly journal published by the Guild at a subscription rate of $25. To sign up for a subscription, go to our online store or contact the Guild office at info@tfguild.org. Most back issues are available.
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Joiners Quarterly, a quarterly publication of Fox Maple Press, P.O. Box 249, Brownfield, ME 04010 (207 935-3720).
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Fine Homebuilding, Taunton Press, P.O. Box 355, Newtown, CT 06470.
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Timber Homes Illustrated, Goodman Media Group, 250 West 57th St.,
Suite 710,
New York, NY 10107 tel - 212-262-2247
fax - 212-262-2278
www.loghomeexpo.com
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Timber Frame Homes, Home Buyer Publications, P.O. Box 220039, Chantilly, VA 22022 (800 826-3893; fax 703 222-3209).
Books:
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Catalog with 250 to 300 titles on timber framing and related topics provided by Summer Beam Books, 2299 Rt 488, Clifton Springs, NY 14432 (phone 315 462-3444 or toll free 877-272-1987).
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Amazon.com, an online bookstore with 1 million+ titles, has a search facility for books on any topic.
Videos:
The Guild offers videotapes for sale on general topics in timber framing; they aren’t meant to be how-to teaching tapes. Order online or send your check or money order payable to the Timber Framers Guild at P.O. Box 60, Becket, MA 01223 phone: 888-453-0879.
- TIMBER FRAME TRILOGY.
This 85-minute DVD is an edited compilation of four Guild videos: TIMBER FRAME: THE COMPLETE VIDEO, COVERED BRIDGE: 400 TIMBER FRAMERS BUILD A BRIDGE, TIMBER FRAME BARN RAISING 1929, and TIMBER FRAME GAZEBO, and includes new footage as well. A comprehensive collection including house and barn raising, joinery, notching, historic replication, workshops and education. It also includes building a gazebo and covered bridge and a tour of timber frame homes.
- TIMBER FRAME: The Complete Video. A 55-minute video that offers a general overview of timber frame construction and includes historical background, building terminology, explanations of joinery and raising the frame, interior views, and information on historic restoration and replication.
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COVERED BRIDGE: 400 Timber Framers Build a Bridge. A 55-minute video about the Guild's volunteer effort to build a 120' pedestrian lattice-covered bridge over the Speed River in Guelph, Ontario. Some 400 people raised by hand the two large side trusses of the bridge, assembled the roof, and later pushed the completed bridge into position over the river.
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TIMBER FRAME BARN RAISING, 1929. A 24-minute video with archival footage of a traditional barn raising, the celebration that followed, and recollections of three people who took part in the raising in July 1929.
- TIMBER FRAME GAZEBO. A 20-minute video that records the cutting of a gazebo frame by members of the Timber Framers Guild in Canada. They used the traditional French scribe method, with plumb lines and levels, to build the 20' x 30' gazebo.
Where can I get timber framing tools?
Check the
Resource Guide First
Power tools:
Hand tools:
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Hida Tool and Hardware Co., 1333 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley, CA 94702 (415 524-3500).
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Woodcraft Supply, 210 Wood County Industrial Park, P.O. Box 1686, Parkersburg, WV 26102 (800 225-1153).
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Lee Valley Tools, Ltd., 2680 Queensview Dr., Ottawa, ON Canada K2B 8H6 (613 596-0350).
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Garrett Wade Co., 161 Ave. of the Americas, New York, NY 10013 (800 221-2942).
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Barr Specialty Tools, P.O. Box 4335, McCall, ID 83638 (208 634-3641)
- Woodline the Japan Woodworker, 1731 Clement Ave., Alameda, CA 94501 (415 521-1810).
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Whole Earth Access, 822 Anthony St., Berkeley, CA 94710 (800 829-6300).
Where can I find used hand tools and power tools?
Used power tools are sometimes offered through the Guild's monthly newsletter, Scantlings, in the classified ad section. Scantlings is distributed to members of the Guild only. Used tools may also be available through Upper Loft Design, Rte. 1 Box 2901, Lakemont, GA 30552 (706 782-5246).
Can you send me information on stress skin panels?
Please contact the Structural Insulated Panel
Association at www.sips.org.
Phone: (253) 858-SIPA (7472)
Fax: (253) 858-0272
Email:
staff@sips.org
What alternatives are there to stress skin panels and where can I get information on them?
Among the alternatives available are natural house building methods using straw bale and straw clay. For additional information, visit the Oikos web site and the University of Colorado's site at http://csf.colorado.edu/. There, you can read a summary of Robert Laporte's book MoosePrints: A Holistic Home Building Guide, (Fairfield, Iowa: Natural House Building Center, 1993).
Where may I take classes to learn how to do timber framing?
Who offers apprenticeship programs?
We offer information and experience through providing workshops, conferences, and our quarterly publication, Timber Framing. Some individuals have taken workshops and gone on to gain further experience by working in entry-level positions in a timber frame company. Contact the Guild office in Massachusetts for details: 413
623 9926 or email Will Beemer will@tfguild.org.
Apprenticeship programs in timber framing are offered by
Are there any accredited college programs that offer courses on timber framing?
Palomar College in San Marcos, under the guidance of Guild member Chris Feddersohn, offers accredited timber framing courses. Also, Yestermorrow Design/Build School in Vermont offers courses in woodworking, home design and building, and other related topics. The Vermont Department of Education has approved certain courses to be eligible for college credits. If you know of any others, please let us know by email.
I want to cut and raise my own timber frame, but I'd like to hire an experienced timber framer to assist me. Can you provide me with names of timber framers in your organization?
First check the
Resource Guide.. We also recommend that you join the Guild. That way, you will receive a printed directory of all members and a password to the Members Only section online, which includes a searchable directory of all members and an invaluable Ask the Experts forum where you may post messages and ask for assistance.
I'm interested in computer software used specifically for designing and engineering timber frames. What's available?
Does the Guild have timber frame plans available for sale?
The Guild doesn't offer timber frame plans for sale. Most timber frame homes or commercial projects are built by companies on a custom design basis. Some timber frame companies do offer house plans for sale. Get an issue of the magazine Timber Frame Homes, which lists some of the companies. It's available on many magazine stands or through the publisher Home Buyer Publications in Chantilly, VA (800 826-3893; fax 703 222-3209).
I'm designing my own timber frame home, but I need help in knowing how to calculate the size of the timbers needed. Can you help?
The Guild strongly advises that your completed plans be reviewed by a qualified timber frame designer or engineer. To help you get started, we offer a 160-page book entitled the Timber Frame Joinery & Design Workbook, which is a compilation of technical articles on timber frame engineering, joinery design, framing systems, peg design, and stresses on the frame. Drawings and tables are also included. Please visit our online store or send your check or money order, payable to the Timber Framers Guild, for $25 (plus shipping and tax if applicable) to P.O. Box 60, Becket, MA 01223 phone: 888-453-0879.
What companies supply pegs and timbers?
How do I join the Guild, what are the benefits, and how much are the dues?
The Timber Framers Guild is an educational organization composed of individuals who are interested in the craft of timber frame construction, and there are no requirements you must meet to join. Dues are $85 annually. You will receive a Membership Directory, the quarterly journal Timber Framing, the monthly newsletter Scantlings, and notification and registration materials for all Guild conferences and workshops. You will also have access to a network of people who are knowledgeable about the craft. To join, visit our online store (credit cards accepted), or download a membership form (in PDF format).
What does the Guild offer regarding information on restoration and preservation of timber frames?
There is a group within the Guild called TTRAG, which stands for the Traditional Timberframe Research and Advisory Group; its members are involved in the documentation, restoration, and preservation of timber fame structures. TTRAG sponsors an annual conference that features seminars, slides, tools, and an opportunity for like-minded people to discuss restoration topics. In addition, the Guild's journal, Timber Framing, has published articles on various projects and methods of restoration and preservation. Search the online index of the publication.
I have a barn that needs repair. Can you direct me to someone who can help us with this project?
For names of TTRAG members who may be interested to help you in your area, please visit the TTRAG section of this Web site, as well as the online Resource Guide.
What is the difference between recycled timber and green timber?
Recycled timber is salvaged from older structures such as large warehouses and port buildings. They offer several benefits over green timbers: First, because of their age, recycled timbers are dry and won't shrink or check (have cracks), and thus are very stable for cutting timber frames. Second, recycled timbers can sometimes be found in large sizes and longer lengths because of the spans that were built in the older structures. Third, even after planing, the timbers retain an aged appearance that makes them desirable. On the minus side, the cost of recycled timber is generally higher than green timber due to the labor involved in acquiring the timber.
 Green timber is the more common type of timber used in cutting timber frame structures. Green timber sizes are available in different species of woods and tend to be less expensive than recycled material. Some checking and shrinkage do occur in the timber as a natural process in the drying of the timber, but that shouldn't cause any structural weakness, nor should shrinkage affect the joinery. Timber framers have methods and materials that they use to keep shrinkage to a minimum. In the eastern and midwestern parts of the United States and Canada, timber framers tend to use oak and pine as their main species. In the western areas, framers use more Douglas fir or Port Orford cedar. Other species can be used, but are not as readily available.
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