# Hand Hewn Timber Frame



## crosley623 (Dec 14, 2007)

Just as I have recently fell in love with hand tools, and especially hand planes, i fell completely out of love with them.
I work at a custom timber frame shop and the most recent project we are working on is a reclaimed white oak grea room...with a hand distressed look. What this equates to is utilizing a scrub plane to give all 4 sides a distressed, hand hewn look, followed up with a scraper to smooth things out. And then using a drawknife to round and break the edges in a random fashion, followed by a block plane to get the edges a little smoother, and finally a scraper to sompletely smooth over the edgee to ot leave any visible lines when viewed under light.
So far it has been 4 weeks of work, ranging from 10 x 10's to 6 x 6's to curved 19 x 12's. That equates to over 1,600 SF. of scrub plane work and over 1,800 LF of edge work.
And we are 1/4 through the project.

I would be happy right now if i didnt see any hand tools for a few months, my body is dead.


----------



## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

I hear ya broth'a... Them boys of yrs gone by must have been built like a brick house

~tom ...it's better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt...


----------



## JMC'sLT30 (Oct 26, 2010)

Come work for me a little while and learn the easy way LOL.


----------



## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

I can relate to that. Went to log building school in Ontario, and we used draw knives to peel the logs for the cabin we built. Its sure is a work out. Not for the fainted heart.


----------



## Wrangler02 (Apr 15, 2011)

I spent a career working at a desk. Since I retired and have been a full time hand tool woodworker; I have lost 40 pounds and am in the best shape since I left the farm. I can only imagine the workout from timber framing.


----------



## crosley623 (Dec 14, 2007)

Im glad a few people on here can somewhat symphathize with me. 
JMC, if you got any magic ideas on powered scrub planes, drawknifes, and scrapers Im all ears!

Only 2 more weeks of it and then i can get to raise it and leave it all behind me.


----------



## JMC'sLT30 (Oct 26, 2010)

How about some pics, maybe I can help.


----------



## crosley623 (Dec 14, 2007)

Ill shoot a few tomorrow and try and get the light right to show some of the texture.
I guess the company has been fighting with the architect for almost a year regarding the texture, making samples and sending them out only to be rejected. It all came down to the architect sending out a guy from Connecticut that has done work for them in the past to show us what they want. I think it may be a situation where the architect just wont like anything.


----------



## JMC'sLT30 (Oct 26, 2010)

Most of my work is custom textured. We do many variations as you can see in my website. Once every couple of years I will get a high profile/picky architechtural firm. Mostly they are fairly flexible when it comes to big timbers. I must admit that on my custom hewn (with actual foot adze and mechanical planers) that it would'nt hurt to do a little hand scraping to finish it off, but for the most part customers are tickled.
James


----------



## crosley623 (Dec 14, 2007)

So i tried to get some photos to no avail. The finish on these timbers is so subtle that i could not get the light right to show all of the work. I really think it will look good after it gets oiled. You can sure feel the texture, just cant see it all that well.
Its funny you mention the adze technique, we just finished the outside porch on the same house that is the same technique.
All of the main bents are preassembled and loaded for next weeks raising. Ill try to get a few pics.


----------



## eagle49 (Mar 22, 2011)

be thankful ya gots a job. Lots of people will do it and for less money.


----------

