Is there a market for traditional timber framing?

[Myles Franco]

I am going to start by complaining about how sick I am of taking freshly milled old growth Doug fir and making it into non structural architectural accents... This is what the company I work for does in between the real jobs. And when I take the time to make a mortise and tenon that doesn't have an eight to a quarter of play in it, I have to hear about it. I am a red seal cabinet maker, and I know timber framing doesn't need to be tight like a glue joint but I want to know, IS THERE STILL A MARKET FOR QUALITY? Or am I just working for the wrong people? I feel like I am taking gold and turning it into poop. Not much respect for the timbers where I work... Almost anywhere we can cut corners we do, our signature joinery consists of a standard sized mortise and tenon and then the basic housed and structural screwed post and beam style joints. Is this typical?

Does anyone here work full time making beautiful quality proper timber frames? where structural screws are used only when it is best and not as often as possible. (IE, Jack rafters). I am a carpenter, I don't want to be a rich man. I simply want to make things of true quality that will last. Am I going to starve?

[Brian_Weekley]

I can't speak to "non-structural architectural accent pieces", but I can tell you the timber framers that I know who build structural timber frames take great pride in their joinery and craftsmanship.  It sounds like you are working with the wrong people.  You probably should hook up with people who belong to the timber frame guild (tfguild.org).  There are many fine timber frame companies out there that do beautiful work and make a living doing it.

[S.Hyland]

Hi Myles,
     I make a living on quality and a lot of people out there do. And I can say that there are people who can tell, and appreciate the difference.
    I don't understand people who think they have to cut corners and produce sloppy work to make money. I can say that I have finally gotten to the point that I have the right tools, the right layout method, the right techniques... and man can I bust out really accurate work quickly! I am not trying to boast as I am and will constantly be evolving,  but there is no need to sacrifice quality for speed or vice versa.
   You should try to get involved with a different crowd with a different mindset. It sounds like the place you are in is a dead end from a craftsmanship standpoint!     

[Brad_bb]

x2 what Sean said.  The timber framers guild has a lot of high quality shops involved and I know a lot of them are looking for good craftsman.  By the way, high quality craftsmanship doesn't need to be slow.  There are tricks to the trade and efficiencies that are learned where do don't have to trade off quality. 

[Myles Franco]

Oh yes I know quality does not have to be slow, but it is near impossible to keep up to negligent practices... For example look at production conventional framing! 

[Brad_bb]

I'm speaking relatively, not in comparison to conventional hack framing.  For example the first frame you cut will be pretty slow.  But in a good shop with good techniques, you'll do the same in half the time or less from your first time.

[Brucer]

To answer the question ... yes.

I did contract sawing for a local timber frame business that used traditional joinery with oak pegs. There would be hidden metal connections from time to time but that was only for unusual situations. I've sawn timbers for homes in Montana, BC, and the Yukon.

When the owner of the company died unexpectedly, one of his employees started a small timber frame business and I still saw for him.

There are a couple of other timber frame businesses in the area who use traditional joinery (but they have their own sources of timbers :(.

[Carpenter]

Yes, there is a market for traditional timber frames.  Sometimes, depending on your location, you may have to build your own market.  People can see quality, even if they don't understand that the wood joinery is actually what holds the frame in place. 
     This is a little off subject, but right out of high school I apprenticed to a muzzle-loading gunsmith.  He taught me to make higher end rifles.  He was a very good teacher, and looking back on that I was a very good student.  Steve has made some guns worth upwards of $20,000.00 from approximately $600 worth of parts.  How is that possible when you can buy a muzzle loading rifle from Cabelas for under $200 that probably functions just as well?  He built a market.  (The way that he did it was that he always did quality work and just lived on next to nothing for several years selling his guns for little more than the cost of the parts until he gained a good reputation and got associated with the right crowd, which is the crowd that likes to spend money on very nice hand made things.)  This road is not for everybody. 
     You will be limited while you are working for a company, and I wouldn't suggest striking out on your own too soon.  But, I've heard it said that there is always room at the top. 
     I'm currently in a similar situation as you are.  Although I do run the company.  I would like to be doing more higher end actual timber framed projects for people who know the difference and appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into it.  As it's been for several years I've had to take on projects just to pay the bills.  I have also set up a booth at a local trade show to showcase my timber frame work and furniture building.  It has taken several years for that to pay off.  But, I've finally got some good actual timber frame projects on the schedule.  I've had to educate some of my clientel on the difference between wood joinery and faux joinery.  I think they listen with half an ear at best because most of them are going for the wood beam look and they don't really care how they are fastened together.  But, they can see obvious quality when they look at my work which just plain makes me happy.  Because of my location a lot of them can't afford the quality of my work which is a problem.  But fortunately for me, I can fit the occasional timber frame in with the other work that I get asked to do.  And I hope that when more people see my work they will want something similar.  It's always a balancing game, I need a certain amount of money coming in to justify being in business for myself.  I could easily make the same amount of money and probably more by roofing houses.  But, for me to find my place in this world I really need to build something that I can take pride in when it is finished.
     

[Myles Franco]

Yes, there is a market for traditional timber frames.  Sometimes, depending on your location, you may have to build your own market.  People can see quality, even if they don't understand that the wood joinery is actually what holds the frame in place. 
     This is a little off subject, but right out of high school I apprenticed to a muzzle-loading gunsmith.  He taught me to make higher end rifles.  He was a very good teacher, and looking back on that I was a very good student.  Steve has made some guns worth upwards of $20,000.00 from approximately $600 worth of parts.  How is that possible when you can buy a muzzle loading rifle from Cabelas for under $200 that probably functions just as well?  He built a market.  (The way that he did it was that he always did quality work and just lived on next to nothing for several years selling his guns for little more than the cost of the parts until he gained a good reputation and got associated with the right crowd, which is the crowd that likes to spend money on very nice hand made things.)  This road is not for everybody. 
     You will be limited while you are working for a company, and I wouldn't suggest striking out on your own too soon.  But, I've heard it said that there is always room at the top. 
     I'm currently in a similar situation as you are.  Although I do run the company.  I would like to be doing more higher end actual timber framed projects for people who know the difference and appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into it.  As it's been for several years I've had to take on projects just to pay the bills.  I have also set up a booth at a local trade show to showcase my timber frame work and furniture building.  It has taken several years for that to pay off.  But, I've finally got some good actual timber frame projects on the schedule.  I've had to educate some of my clientel on the difference between wood joinery and faux joinery.  I think they listen with half an ear at best because most of them are going for the wood beam look and they don't really care how they are fastened together.  But, they can see obvious quality when they look at my work which just plain makes me happy.  Because of my location a lot of them can't afford the quality of my work which is a problem.  But fortunately for me, I can fit the occasional timber frame in with the other work that I get asked to do.  And I hope that when more people see my work they will want something similar.  It's always a balancing game, I need a certain amount of money coming in to justify being in business for myself.  I could easily make the same amount of money and probably more by roofing houses.  But, for me to find my place in this world I really need to build something that I can take pride in when it is finished.
   

Respect to you sir! And thank you for sharing. I guess some folks just would rather keep feeding the masses what they want, instead of showing them what it should be.