pavilion timber frame question

[charlo489]

Hi guys, I'm new here and have some questions. I'm an amateur woodworker and I've built most of my furnitures using traditional joinery and now I'd like to build a 12'x12' timber frame pavilion on my concrete slab. I've bought Will Beemer's book and been watching a lot of youtube videos lately on the subject. I figure I'm gonna have to do around 25-30 mortises depending on my final design and my big question is how to do those mortises.

I have a router but I don't think it's gonna cut it and in my area (Quebec, Canada) finding a boring machine will be next to impossible, very few people do timber framing around here. I was thinking about buying a  new makita chain mortiser and selling it afterwards since this will most likely be my only timber framing project. Am I gonna be able to sell it easily on ebay ? I just don't want to get stuck with such an expensive tools if you guys tell me it's gonna be hard to sell. If you could give me some advise, it would be appreciated ! THanks a lot

[Dave Shepard]

Wood Owl bit in a strong drill. 

[dearchap]

I dont think it will be hard to sell. Very few used ones from North America come up. Depends on price as well.

[Andries]

Dave Shepard is right, that isn't too many mortises for a 'Wood Owl' bit and a strong drill. Much less argent up front.
But, if you list the Makita Mortiser on Marketplace, you'll get most of the money back. Just not 100%.
Good condition, used mortisers sell quickly.
There is always the chance you'll be addicted to timberframe and use it for many more projects. 😋

[charlo489]

What about trying to buy a vintage boring machine ? Did a search on google and they seem hard to come by. I'm a bit hesitant about drilling those mortises with a hand held drill, not easy to keep straight

[Ljohnsaw]

I actually have two hand boring machines. First one I got is an Ajax with a variable angle. Thought I needed that, but no. It's an ok machine.

The second I bought from @Jim Rodgers, here on the forum. He sells timber frame tools. You will also need a good, heavy slick (2" chisel) and maybe a good corner chisel.

I drilled a few mortises.

[Dave Shepard]

Personally, for one small frame, I wouldn't buy a slick, unless you wanted one. I'm sort of minimalist in this regard. If I'm cleaning up a tenon with a 2" chisel, I just finish the job with the tool that's already in hand. You can put on some miles changing tools. It's always at the other end of the timber. 

[Brad_bb]

I agree with Dave, a slick is for someone doing a lot of tenons.  A regular framer  may use one for a little faster work.  For a 4 post pavilion, no problem to just use your framing chisel. 

You can use the wood owl ultra smooth bits with a drill like a milwaukee hole hawg.  I've heard that's used a lot when hogging out material (no pun intended).

That's all your doing, is getting rid of the majority of waste material so you can finish it up with your chisel.  You need one or two good framing chisels (1.5" and 2"), and a  good mallet for them.  @Jim_Rogers sells used vintage chisels that will work for you.  There are some new ones available as well, but the old ones work just as well.  All of mine are 1800's.  

You didn't say what wood you're going to use.  Maybe if you were using hardwoods, then you might want to think about a chain mortiser, but even for a small frame like that, you could do the wood owl bit way.  If a guy is building a much larger frame, it makes sense to buy a Makita mortiser and then sell it.  Used you'd get most of your money back.  They do sell.  I bought one used 14 years ago.  

Lastly, I'll say it's not easy to learn/understand how to layout a frame by yourself with no TF experience, and not having taken a workshop on it.  There are timberframers and shops in Quebec.  If you could somehow get an experience framer to layout your timbers with you for 1 or 2 days, whatever it takes to get it done, and they teach you as they do it, I feel that would really benefit you.  Once the timbers are laid out and marked, the cutting can be left to you.  It would really help to have an experienced person to help teach you techniques and efficiencies....    Is there any chance you'd sign up for a 5 day workshop and travel to that workshop?  You really learn a lot in 5 days and they are skills that will help you with all of woodworking.