Recently we hosted a group of high school carpentry students and instructors from our county career and technology center. Trade school education is becoming an increasingly popular option with numerous job openings and opportunities. Introducing these students to timber framing is an effort on our part to spark an interest and create new joiners!
First, Ben and Stephen presented the shop drawings for a project in the works. Moving to the timbers themselves we described how lay out is done and then checked. Nick explained some of steps necessary to cut the tenons.
We stopped in the yard to look at a round log that has been prepared to go up as a porch post. Stephen described the process we use to join round to square timbers, as well as some of the issues that have to be dealt with. Next we went in the back shop where a large bent in a frame was being fit up, and other timbers were being cut and sanded. Ben broke out some tools that aren't used in stick framing. He demonstrated a chain mortiser and chain beam saw, two of our very useful tools.
To finish up we strolled next door to the Long Creek Community park. We showed the students and instructors the shed roof pavilion we erected there, and talked a little about timber species and how a frame is raised. Trade school education is a good stepping stone to a rewarding career. We hope we sparked an interest in timber framing in these young adults, and we let them know we're always looking for good help!
