Timber Framing

77 degrees, dry and still no mosquitoes.  Felt like California.

Yesterday I was sidetracked with a project to build a frame for Lauren's school project.  She painted a wonderful Vermeer painting and was doing an essay too.  My job was to put together a frame that was ornate with a border painted with chalk paint.  After it completely dries she will use chalk to design the details of the frame.  Hard to explain and maybe I'll include a picture of this later.

On Saturday morning I received the special order items from Home Depot, which included the three large 4x8 timbers for the front wall that will frame the German doors and also the long twenty foot timber that will be used for the ridge beam.  However, I noticed a little bend in this very long beam and have contacted Home Depot to request that they send a replacement.  It will be critical to get this strait because the roof will not align correctly if the ridge is bowed out to one side.

On Sunday morning I began to cut and fit the timbers around the doors.  I carefully measured and then measured again as I cannot afford to make a mistake.  These are the most expensive pieces of the entire project.  I created what Norm Abram calls a "story board" to transfer the end cuts and the locations where the timbers meet without using a tape.  I agree that this is more accurate.

Measured drawings - free.

Cutting the intersections between the timbers.

German doors brought out of storage.

Once the horizontal beam was installed and level I began to use the story board to layout the cuts that will be needed for the two large vertical timbers.  I did have to use a heavy rubber mallet but I was pleased to find that the two places where the wood intersects fit well. 

I did have to make a small adjustment at the end to swing the base of both vertical pieces about a quarter inch to the left to get them to be level.  The door opening is square and level but the openings to the left and right of the door are just a little bit off but I can live with that.

The doors where temporarily set into the opening so that I can make some measurements to install the hinge pins and know where to fit the bottom, which will need to be rebuilt due to damage over the years.

Come on in...

I'll be out there again on Columbus Day.