A Timber Framer's Workshop: Joinery, Design & Construction of Traditional Timber Frames (Paperback)

~ Steve K. Chappell (Author)
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Among owner-builders, the traditional timber frame has been held as a pinnacle of achievement--for its rich history, unsurpassed beauty, and the sense of accomplishment it can offer. As founder and director of Fox Maple School of Traditional Building, Steve Chappell--author of A Timber Framer's Workshop--is in a unique position to share the knowledge he's aquired over the past 30 years. The title page says this book has been a work in progress for 15 years. The detail offered in illustrations and explanations supports that completely. Design and engineering make up a good part of this bookbut it also includes an essential introduction, a section on tools, wood characteristics, and joint details, among many other subjects. The point is, Chappell's 256-page book should not be overlooked if you are serious about timber framing. -- Back Home Magazine, Sept/Oct 1999

Thank you for A Timber Framer's Workshop. I have been wanting to add a book like this to Earthwood's Book Catalog for years. Other books in the field are either glossy coffee table fare (pretty to look at, but lacking in hard-core info) or they are not particularly user-friendly. It's great to see a timber framing book which is logically organized for easy extraction of the essential information. We are pleased to add your crisply written textbook to our list. -- Rob Roy, Director, Earthwood Building School, October 1999

Product Description

Timber Framing has been a part of our building culture and an inspiration to mankind since the Middle Ages. As we enter a new millenium, it is designed to remain as one of building's most enduring forms, not only because of its intrinsic beauty, but because it is a pure and complete structural system.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 252 pages
• Publisher: Fox Maple Press; 2 edition (July 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 188926900X
• ISBN-13: 978-1889269009
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #92,788 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars From Theory to Practice and Back Again, February 1, 2000

By	[e-mail] (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

This is a serious book...for serious timberframers and those who seriously aspire to become a timberframer or build their own timber frame house. My copy of the 1st edition was passed out to the participants of a 1998 onsite Fox Maple timber frame workshop in High Rolls, New Mexico. It served as our 'bible' as we selected, planed, laid out, cut, chiseled, mortised, fastened, and erected the timber frame members for the Robinson's house overlooking a spectacular mountian valley. The workshop manual served as our daytime reference and our nightime reading. After the workshop and to this day, when I reread the manual, it serves to recapture many memorable moments of successes and screw ups. But, more importantly, it gave this reviewer the fundamental information I needed to decide to build my own timber frame house and to invite Fox Maple to Stuart Island, Washington in August, 1999 for another workshop where the 2nd Edition was again distributed to the workshop participants.

Steve Chappell is a master craftsman and teacher. He is a passionate advocate for timber framing and a wants to infect and educate the reader with the spirit of working with big pieces of wood and the art and science of creating structures which will withstand the rigors of time and use.

I consider the 'Timber Framer's Workshop' a valuable addition to my library because it delves deeply into the "whys" of timber framing with lots of illustrations of the "hows" to support the theory. Chappell minimizes the use of photos except to clarify the reader's understanding of favorable results or competent practices.

Don't be frightened off my Chappell's use of and illustration of mathematics. You may have a similar experience to mine, ie. I more fully understand why high school geometry and trigonometry were important.

43 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I actually used the methods in this book to build my barn!, February 7, 2000

By	Bob McKelvey (Boston, Ma) - See all my reviews

I actually used the methods in this book to build my 40 X 30, four-bent barn. I can't say enough about this book. From the dedication to the index this timber frame manual was crafted in the same manner as author Steve Chappell's structures: solid, precise and with artful beauty. This book teaches everything from the basic tools to advanced joinery and details everything you need to build a traditional timber frame structure. The illustrations are great and the exercises are extremely useful.

"A Timber Framer's Workshop" is an essential reference tool for anyone who's serious about timber framing.

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An invaluable, reader-friendly how-to guide for the novice., February 3, 2000

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Timber framing has been an essential part of our building and architectural culture since the Middle Ages. It remains as one of constructions most enduring forms, not only because of its intrinsic beauty, but because it is a pure and complete structural system. In A Timber Framer's Workshop: Joinery, Design & Construction Of Traditional Timber Frames, Steve Chappell covers every aspect of the process timber framing including joinery, design, construction, frame plans, tools, timber and wood, technology, engineering, builders math, and goes on to offer a wealth of tips, tricks, and techniques. A Timber Framer's Workshop is exceptionally well written and will prove an invaluable introduction for the novice, with much to commend it to even experienced architects, construction crews, and specialty timber framers.