From the Back Cover
Rustic Elegance
A classic timber frame is as practical and beautiful today as it has been for centuries. In this beginner-friendly guide, veteran builder and educator Will Beemer brings the historic craft of timber framing within reach by walking you through the process of building a simple 12' x 16' structure – a starter project large enough to serve as a cabin, workshop, or studio – that can be modified to suit your needs. Along the way, you'll learn what makes timber framing distinctive, how to acquire and use local lumber, and the proper handling of chisels, saws, and other essential tools. Up-close photos and instructive diagrams illuminate each step, from preparing and cutting the timbers to the thrill of raising day.
About the Author
Will Beemer is a founding member of the Timber Framers Guild and served as Co-Executive Director for 11 years. He’s been a builder for over 40 years and an educator in the building trades for 30 of those. With his wife, Michele, he owns and operates the Heartwood School for the Homebuilding Crafts in Washington, Massachusetts, which has been teaching courses in timber framing, home building and other trades since 1978. Beemer has taught timber framing around the world, including in Patagonia (with Rocky Mountain Workshops), at Palomar College in California, at North House Folk School in Minnesota, and through numerous Guild workshops and projects. He has authored many articles on basic and advanced timber framing techniques and is a regular contributor to Timber Framing (the quarterly journal of the Guild) and Fine Homebuilding and has also written for Wood Design & Building and Joiner’s Quarterly.
Jack A. Sobon is an architect and builder specializing in timber-framed buildings. A founding director of the Timber Framer’s Guild of North America and founder of the Traditional Timber Frame Research and Advisory Group, Sobon has devoted his 38-year career to understanding the craft of timber framing. Using only traditional hand tools, he has framed and erected over 50 structures. He is the author of Build a Classic Timber-Framed House and coauthor of Timber Frame Construction. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, Sobon teaches and consults nationally on traditional building structures and timber-framing techniques.
