Any good Timberframing books?

[paul]

I was going to build a log cabin next summer, but now when I should be cutting trees, I'm rethinking what I really want. Does anybody know of any good timberframing books? I need one that will cover what size timbers and spans and such.

Thanks, homesteadpaul

[gunsmithgirl]

I don't know of any. I am looking into the same idea but haven't found any good ones. Hopefully someone here can recommend one.

[cathryn]

Taunton Press in Newtown CT has some good books on timber framing. Ted Benson is the author of several really great (and beautiful) books. There are a lot of good books that show the way to make a frame if you poke around.

Here is a search I did to see them. Their books focus on the high end homes, but the concepts apply to any house you want to build.

http://www.taunton.com/searchTaunton...archfor=timber

Hope it helps.

Peace, Cathryn

[How Do I]

I was just looking through The Timber-Frame Home by Ted Benson trying to come up with more ideas for our place. Covers the following:

* Timber-Frame Home Development
* The Structure
* Frame Design
* Home Design
* Skins and Frames
* Getting Out of the Ground
* Wiring and Lighting
* Plumbing
* Frame Details
* Finish Details
* Sources of Supply - Stress Skin Panels

Lots of great pictures, diagrams, good information overall for building timber frame. I haven't read any other books on the subject, but this one would be hard to beat so far. I like a complete walk-through process book, but with this one you can pretty much figure things out in your own head since there's enough information supplied.

[wy_white_wolf]

I've read several Timber framing books. None of them covered beam sizes and spans and such. That information varies too much for the books by species of wood. Even local area variations can make a big difference on span.

[texican]

If you're a very good wood butcher, most timber frame books will get you there... If you're not that great a butcher, Timberframing for the Rest of Us is something that might interest you... goes into detail on how to 'plate' the fancy wood joints...

Recommend google or amazon searches, write down the titles, and go to your local library and do ILL (inter library loan)... find out which ones are the best, before buying....

[barn-apart]

One thing that I have done is to find a barn that needs to come down and dismantle it.The timbers are dry , the knotches are made, the spans are determined and proven, modifications are relitively simple, and they are readily availible in most areas of the country, often for free or very little cost.
Even just doing a study of the frame is a good method to gain information, however there is 3 main systems used to build, those being scribe rule framing where each piece is only fitted to a single location, this is the oldest method derived from the old country. The second is the sguare rule frame, which is an American development where common surfaces are cut to equal depths where members join thus allowing for members to be equal lengths and interchangeable in mulitible locations. The third is mill rule frame which is much what the name inplies where all members are equal size, thus eliminating the need for joining surface detailing.
Timber frames can be sort of intimidating ,but broken down into small sections they are relativly simple in design. For me the most difficult part is the verticle members since they have the most varied knotches of all components in the frame. If you have any specific questions you may PM me and I'll try to help. I'm no expert by any means but have built more than a dozen both recycled and newly milled material.
I did most of my research on line and found most info there.
Good luck,