Building a Timber Frame Woodshed - Milling Raw Logs to Lumber, Hand Cutting Mortise & Tenons

What's up everyone! This is my timber frame woodshed - a simple DIY structure to hold my winter firewood. My goal is to inspire you to build your own timber frame shed by watching me make my first timber frame. I learned as went along, and I want to help others figure out this ancient technique for building wood houses, barns, sheds, and whatever else you can think of. Some people use timber frame kits, but I started with raw logs and bandsawed them on my wood mill. A lot of these same techniques could be used to build a timber frame home.

I have a lot of basic woodworking skills, but I had never tackled creating my own hand cut mortise and tenon joinery. I also didn’t know much about designing timber frames or what type of joints they used. I learned nearly everything about timber framing from two books:

* Learn to Timber Frame, by Will Beamer: https://amzn.to/3xgINIW
* A Timber Framer’s Workshop, by Steve Chappell: https://amzn.to/3QEz4mN

If you buy only one book, get Beamer’s “Learn to Timber Frame”. He concisely covers a ton of information, and has a lot of detailed pictures on the process. This short video doesn’t have enough detailed information on how to build a timber frame, so I really recommend getting the books. Sometimes you can borrow them digitally from your local library.

Download (for free) my Fusion 360 CAD file and “plans” that I used to make the shed:
* Timber Frame Woodshed Plans: https://www.corbinstreehouse.com/blog...

The layout guide I quickly designed in CAD for 3D printing:
* Borneman Layout Template - 3D Printable STL: https://www.corbinstreehouse.com/blog...

Other things this is known as - timber frame shed, a timber shed, timber frame kit, timber frame shed kit.

I had to buy some basic tools that are specific to timber framing:

* Sorby 1.5” Timber Frame Chisel: https://amzn.to/3d5FZaP
A tang chisel; it is not as strong, but it is what I bought, at $100 shipped.
* Bar 1.5” Timber Frame Chisel: https://barrtools.com/product/framing...
A socket chisel; strong, but around $200 shipped. I’d like one, but didn’t get it.
* Wood is Good 30 oz Mallet: https://amzn.to/3xijA10
* 1.5” Ship Auger Wood Drill Bit: https://amzn.to/3BwhfC7
* 1.0” Ship Auger Wood Drill Bit: https://amzn.to/3d5fGBC
* Japanese Pull Saw: https://amzn.to/3QDbxm7 - I didn’t use this much

Other necessary carpentry and woodworking tools that I already had:

* Framing Square: https://amzn.to/3L8S3oq
* No 4 Plane: https://amzn.to/3B9FPat
* Rabbet plane — I really should have bought a shoulder plane: https://amzn.to/3eMnt89
* Combination square: https://amzn.to/3RYNKOQ
* Heavy duty 1/2” drill - small battery drills can’t turn the 1.5” auger bit
* Beam Saw: https://amzn.to/3RD8ADD - I borrowed this from my friend
* Tape measures, circular saw, angle grinder, table saw, etc…other basic woodworking tools

Then, the expensive stuff I used to make my lumber:

* Woodland Mills HM130MAX Portable Sawmill: https://woodlandmills.com/hm130max-po...
* Endgrain wood sealer: https://amzn.to/3SbArKL
* Bobcat T595 Compact Track Loader: https://www.bobcat.com/na/en/equipmen...

I didn’t watch any timber framing videos, but I bet there are a lot of great channels on YouTube covering the subject. I did learn bit about building layout from these videos:

* Using String Like a Pro:    • Using String Like A Pro  
* String and Batter Boards:    • How To Layout like a PRO with String ...  

Other useful links:
* Corrugated Panel Install Guide: https://images.thdstatic.com/catalog/...
* Simpson Rough Timber Post Bases: https://www.fastenersplus.com/product...

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:29 Getting Timbers & Lumber
1:47 CAD Design & Plans
2:13 Foundation & Post Base
5:12 Cutting Joinery
10:36 Cutting Curves
12:32 Wedges and Pins
13:05 Assembling the Frame
16:17 Rafters and Roofing
17:06 Finishing
17:18 Roof
18:25 Finishing Touches

#timberframe #woodworking