Draw Boring Top Plates

Last night I started cutting the rest of the joinery in the top plates.  Before the joinery could be cut I had to drill out the peg holes.  We did this with a draw bore and some of you have had questions on how this is done.

Harvesting Timbers

Spent a day in the woods with the boy dropping trees for our timber frame project.  It was a good day and a safe one too, can’t ask for more than that. 

There was only one snag and it was minor, the first tree out of the chute hung up but it was expected.  Enjoy the show.

A Work Day with a View


Sometimes when you live in an area that is known for its scenic splendor you tend to take it for granted, sometimes you get to a point you don’t even notice it.  That happens to me most days in the area I live in.

People flock here from all over the world to see these islands.  For us locals it makes for a long summer and we tend to wonder what the draw is.

Today as I’m covered head to toe in soot from an oil fired boiler I took a minute to step out and take a look at the river and the islands and just enjoy my surroundings for a moment.  

We often tend to bury ourselves in our task at hand and often forget to appreciate little things.  So from one tradesman to another, take a moment, look around, try to pick out a moment of peace and quiet for yourself and enjoy the day.

Test Fitting Our First Top Plates

Test fitted the scarf for the top plate last night.  It went pretty well for the first one.  So much easier to cut that scarf than the ones in my ties.  The rest I’ll cut on the saw mill, cut the time in half.  This joint sure will solve my setting the top plate dillema.

A Different Kind of Scarf Joint part 1

It’s no secret that I’m flying solo on this timber frame project and it is also no secret that I run into challenges along the way.  Figuring out the best course of action for setting my top plates was one of my largest concerns.  In the video below I am solving that issue with a different style scarf joint than what we used for the tie beams.  Hope you folks find the information useful.

Sawmill and Chainfalls

In the spirit of working smarter, not harder, we are showcasing another trick for dealing with logs on the sawmill without a peevee.  A good set of chainfalls is a must have item around a farm or homestead.  They work better than a come along for hoisting and are easier on the body.  Dave your backs folks.

Setting Some Floor Joists

Moving along with the barn project here is a video on floor joists.  Normally I use the tractor with a homemade boom pole but this time I decided to set them by hand.  Hope you folks enjoy the show.

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