this housing was cut with a 1" irwin chisel from the box store.
would a dedicated timber framing chisel be better?
sure.
but this taught the same lessons:
clean edges.
cross-grain work.
paring.
patience.
sometimes you just need to stop researching and start cutting wood.
what was your first chisel?
Short clip from a recent timber framing class.
This student was drilling his first peg hole using a 1" x 18" WoodOwl ultra smooth bit and a simple shop-made jig built from scrap wood.
The jig helps keep the bit aligned, reduces wandering at the start of the cut, and makes it easier to produce a clean, straight hole through the timber. It also helps reduce tear out on the exit side.
Nothing fancy. Just a simple solution that works surprisingly well.
Curious how others are drilling peg holes in larger timbers. Are you using guide blocks, commercial drill guides, or freehanding them?
test fitting wall plates this week.
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one thing new timber framers quickly learn: small imperfections create big gaps.
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a tiny bump in a mortise or a little waste left in a corner may seem insignificant while cutting, but once two timbers come together those small errors become very visible.
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that's one of the reasons we test fit before a raising.
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it's not just about making sure the frame goes together. it's about understanding how your layout, cutting, and cleanup process affect the final fit of the structure.
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for many students, this is the moment when the light bulb goes on.
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it's a lot easier to fix a problem on the ground than in the air.
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3" timber framing slick.
i'm a big fan of convex grinds for one simple reason: they're scary sharp and easy to maintain.
for this cut i flipped the slick over so the convex side was riding against the timber. that lets me peel a light cleanup cut without the edge wanting to dig in.
the curl is satisfying, but the real goal is the surface left behind after the curl comes off.
that's the finished edge.
no sanding.
no cleanup.
just a sharp tool leaving a clean timber.
i know convex grinds aren't for everyone, but i've become a believer.
road tripping today and stopped to look at the rippa rs06 pro.
we've got some bigger projects moving from idea to reality over the next year:
• fairy cabin
• pergola & patio
• flagstone work
• moving timbers
• moving rocks
• moving logs
our backs and shoulders aren't getting any younger, so we're looking for a compact machine that can help without jumping all the way to a full-size skid steer.
overall, we liked what we saw. access to the engine was good, controls seemed straightforward, and the machine felt pretty substantial for its size.
for those of you actually running one:
• how many hours do you have on it?
• what attachments are you using most?
• reliability issues?
• parts support?
• things you love?
• things you wish you'd known before buying?
not looking for brochure opinions. looking for real-world owner feedback.
photo from today's stop.
a lot of folks call this a commander.
it’s just a chunk of hardwood with a handle, but it saves a lot of grief when fitting heavy timbers together. normally i’ll attach an axe handle, a baseball bat handle, or whatever stout piece of scrap wood is handy and use it to persuade joints into place.
one thing worth mentioning: even with a commander, i’m usually striking a sacrificial block rather than the timber itself. it spreads the force, protects the workpiece, and keeps the inevitable dents somewhere that doesn’t matter.
simple tool. ugly on purpose. works every time.
Using truck straps during test fit before drilling peg holes
One of the most useful tools during a test fit isn't a timber framing tool at all. It's a truck strap.
We use straps to pull joints together, bring assemblies into alignment, and make sure everything is tight, square, and sitting where it belongs before we start drilling peg holes.
One thing we've learned is not to put the strap or ratchet directly against the timber. We'll usually use sacrificial blocks under both the strap and the ratchet to spread the load and avoid denting the timber.
Another thing that might be a little different from some shops: we don't typically pre-drill peg holes in the tenons.
With multiple people involved in layout, cutting, fitting, and assembly, things can move slightly during the process. Instead, we'll pull everything together, verify dimensions, check square, and make sure the joint is exactly where we want it before marking and drilling.
If we're drawboring, we'll assemble the joint, prick the tenon location through the peg hole in the timber and housing, then disassemble. When drilling the tenon, we'll move the hole about one moose hair toward the shoulder before reassembly. That offset gives us the drawbore and helps pull the joint together as the peg is driven.
I'm curious what others are doing.
Do you pre-drill tenons before assembly, drill during test fit, or use a different drawbore workflow altogether?
this past weekend we raised the first bent for the sno hill build.
for me, raising day is always the transition point. months of planning, layout, cutting, fitting, fixing mistakes, and double-checking details finally turn into something standing in the air instead of laying on sawhorses.
this frame was cut as part of a star hill class, and the students were involved throughout the process. before we ever lifted the bent, we went back through every joint, every brace, and every connection. in fact, we found we were one knee brace short and had to cut an emergency brace before the raising could begin.
the actual lift went smoothly, and seeing that first bent standing is a reminder that timber framing is really a series of small steps done carefully and in the right order.
more bents and more raising photos to come, but i thought some folks here might appreciate seeing the first one go up.
a little behind-the-scenes from the weekend as we got everything in place for today’s frame raising.
always interesting to see what can be done with a few people, a simple plan, and a little preparation.
anybody else using a timber wrench a lot?
funny how workflow changes over the years. early on i mostly just fought the timber. these days i’m way more interested in leverage, control, and moving big material without wrecking myself.
simple tool, but once you get used to rolling large timbers with control, it’s hard to go back.
curious what other folks are using for handling and rotating big material around the shop or yard.
we found two guys timber framing a couple years ago and started experimenting with using the sawmill directly in timber framing workflow.
the photo is a 16' 8x10 tie beam with a 2" x 6.5" true through tenon being processed on the mill.
we’re now using the sawmill for:
tenons
housings
scarf joints
reductions
shoulder cuts
personally, i think it’s fast, precise, and incredibly efficient.
curious who else is using this approach and what operations you’ve found work best.
paring a scarf joint using a standard 1 1/2" framing chisel works fine.
but once you switch to a slick for larger surface cleanup work, the difference becomes pretty obvious.
the 3" slick:
honestly one of those tools you don’t fully appreciate until you use one on a big surface.
curious what others here prefer for large timber cleanup work:
standard chisels
slicks
japanese slicks
something else
using our little “tonka” mini excavator to dig footings for a 10 x 10 pergola.
surprisingly capable little machines for small property work.
that said, expect to:
check bolts
check hoses
fix wiring
do modifications
not commercial-grade machines, but useful if you’re mechanically inclined.
curious what others are seeing with these smaller chinese minis?
working on footing layout for a 10 x 10 pergola build
started by establishing the first corner and running a control line parallel to the building
from there we squared everything up using a 3-4-5 method and checked diagonals before digging
one footing is being dug by hand because it’s close to the well line and well pump electrical
didn’t want to risk hitting anything with a machine
the remaining footings will likely be machine dug
these will be sonotube footings about 4' deep to get below the frost line here in wisconsin
curious what others are using these days for layout
3-4-5
lasers
batter boards
matching diagonals
something else
been lining up a few different chisels lately and figured i’d share what we’re seeing
brands in the mix:
barr
refiners forge
star hill
arno
sorby
and a couple homemade
you can see a mix of grinds:
flat grind
hollow grind
convex (rounded) shoulder grind
these days we’re leaning toward the convex (rounded) shoulder grind
cuts really well
and more importantly
it’s simple to sharpen and keep consistent
for what we’re using regularly right now:
star hill
arno
barr
refiners forge
sorby
all solid tools
just different feel and grind preference
curious where others have landed
what grind are you running
and why
6 x 8 red pine timbers
cut using a chainsaw jig and saw
we completed the build in about 2.5 days
kept the structure simple
king posts
ridge
rafters
the goal was a clean, repeatable system that goes together without a lot of guesswork
everything laid out and cut to fit tight
no scribing
curious what others are doing for small cabin builds
anyone else working with dovetail joinery on this scale
or using chainsaw jigs vs scribing