Timber-framing!..Addiction?, or Way of life?

[Rooster]

Dear Fellow FF Members and Guests,

After looking at the "Total of our experience" poll, I see that most of us are new to the art of timber-framing.

I am curious, are most of you (FF members) full-time, part-time, weekend warriors, a guy with a mill who wants to do more than just make sawdust and sticker lumber, or do you just like to learn from the vast amount of knowledge and experience collectively?

In short, "What do you all do for a living?...And how much of that is connected to the timber-framing industry?

I'll start us off....


Hello.... My name's Rooster.....And I'm a timber-framer.  
It's been 3 days since I used my framing chisel. (T.A.  Timber-framers Anonymous)

I build and restore barns full-time in Southern Wisconsin.  Most of my work includes doing whatever is needed to "save" the structure.  I try to use reclaimed lumber in the repair work and in the additions to the buildings.  I have done 6 full frames, including one covered bridge, 3 other frames from scratch, and 2 disassembled and re-raised barns.  I have been a carpenter for 19 years,  but started timber-framing and barn work in 2002.  Please feel free to contact me via phone or email.


OK!   Who else wants to share?

[witterbound]

I'm a recently unemployed lawyer.  I did an apprenticeship in NC three years ago, and have dabbled in various projects since then.  I am cutting my own frame with the help of an experienced timber framer.  We are working mostly outside, along the side of a stream.  It's a nice change from working in an office, except when it rains.  The two of us hope that we can turn this into a way to make a living.   We bought our timbers from Arky, who did a wonderful job for us.  We are using mostly SYP, but are also using some walnut braces.  I designed the frame using sketchup and Clark's rubies.   We hope to have a summer raising.

[ljmathias]

I'll share, and it's a sad, sad story as far as timberframing goes.  Started out with the best of intentions, even hosted a small intro class here to get started, but then it happened: I bought a newer sawmill, upgraded from my really old LT30 to a hydraulic LT40- now I don't know what I am or want to be when I grow up.  Looks like retirement is coming sooner than expected- the university I work at/for is offering an incentive phased retirement program that will be the only "raise" I can look forward to in the next decade or so, so why not?  I can still teach half-time and do what I love and have spent 35 years doing, at the same time I further hone my skills (and chisels) to make timberframing worth doing more diligently.  Problem is, down here in the Deep South, there doesn't seem to be too much demand for timberframed houses- some log homes are around (witness Pineywood's finally finished cabin) and one true TF nearby (using cypress for all the posts and beams- Frank Lad), but other than that, I'm not aware of much activity.  So if I do pursue this as a change of profession, I've got a lot of advertising and education to do so that people will want to use what I mill and TF for them.  Might not be a bad fit- from science educator to science of wood educator.  Hum, could work...

Lj

[stumpy]

I have had a couple of careers ( power co. lineman, construction manager, consultant) and have always spent time in the woods and building things. I've built cabins, log cabins and done my own select logging on my Northern Wisconsin paradise. I never really thought about retiring.  Instead, I decided I wanted a semi-retirement business that I could do myself and not have employees.  Well I have that now, but with the economy taking a nose-dive, this "semi-retirement" is more full time right now.  That's ok cause I'm havin a ball.  On another note, I've worked with Craig on a couple project and it was very interesting.  I can tell ya from experience, his work is pretty impressive.

[Rooster]

Stumpy,

Thanks for the compliment.....I can't wait to stop paying you, to say nice things about me....I'm going Broke!!!

By the way, this week's "check" is going to be late......haha!  Sorry!


Stumpy makes great lumber and poles/timbers out of the cedar and treated SYP utility poles....look him up in SE Wisc.!!!

Rooster

[Dave Shepard]

I think it is both an addiction and a way of life. Right now I'm a part time framer, with ambitions of making it a way of life. I run a sawmill at work, and have sawn out some beams for timber framers.

[logman]

I'm a full time timber framer, at least I was until about a month ago.  I got laid off from my trimber framer job, (not misspelled).  I moved from Maryland to NC about a year ago.  I had my own timber frame company in Maryland.  I also have a Wood-Mizer LT40 so I'm in the process of starting my own business here.  We just bought 5 acres and will be building a timber frame home for us and to also use it as our model home.  It's kind of strange here, there are a lot of timber frame companies here, both handcrafted and machine cut, but it's not the norm to see or hear of a full frame being built.  Most of what I've seen and worked on are mega-mansions with timber accents.  I just want to build small, rustic and affordable little frames without all the stupid arched crap with the funkiest joinery I've ever seen.

[ljmathias]

Logman- I'm with you on the target for timber framed houses.  Seems like the whole market has gone so far upscale that you can't tell if it's daylight anymore.  Seems like the rest of our society in the recent past: buy on credit and buy way, way more than you really need.  I firmly believe this self-centered attitude is the reason we're in so much trouble right now: build for show and not for what you need.  What's sad is the question: show for who?  If it's for you, than you have a real problem with who you are and what makes you what you are.  If it's show for others, than you have almost as bad a problem.  Either way, I'd like to build TF homes that are "just right," as the little bear said... not too big and not too small.  We need to regain our sense of balance: what we need vs what we want, and get what we want under control real fast.

Just my 2 cents worth, and just a comment: I don't even take back pennies in change anymore- not worth the paper they're printed on.

Lj

[ARKANSAWYER]

 




  Well GrandPa started showing me when I was very young. (that was a very long time ago)  My Pa was a nail bender and my son is a nail bender.  I just got off into sawing to make my own timbers so I could afford to do what I like.  Then I started making all the wood for the buildings.  TO be able to do all I wanted I needed more men and logs.  Kinda growing out of control at this point.  We do about 3 frames a year and saw out 3 or 4 for other folks.  They will be any where for 300 sqft to 4,500 sqft.  I am working on a frame now (3,500 sqft) that we are to raise in the next week or two.  So for me to say I have been doing this for a living (as poor as it is) I would have to say 8 years.

[Brad_bb]

I'm a recently unemployed mechanical engineer.  The upside is that I have time to catch up on projects now.  I am going to build my own home and workshop. They'll be timberframes and I plan to learn stone and slate work too.   I don't have the land yet though.  I do have 108 10X10 X16feet and 12feet Beech timbers.  I took the Foxmaple intro course in 2007.  We used mill rule, but I need to use square rule on my stuff as some of the timbers have more than 1/8 crown and a few have some twist.  I have been acquiring my tools, and building some too.  I plan to start my workshop frame this summer.  I'm currently learning sketchup and playing catch up on my never ending task list.  Unfortunately the grass is growing now which means mowing.  That's why I love winter-no yard work.

[frwinks]

purely an addiction, which in the last few years has gotten out of hand :D currently cutting our frame, which what started out as a few posts and beams holding up our existing roof has turned into a full frame with not soooo much of the old house left : :D :D