[Greenbuilding] Sustainable post and beam construction

[John Salmen]

One of the reasons I used to give for making a life of building things is
what you describe so nicely as the intimate connection. And that does hold
true I feel regardless of the tool and the material and technology. That
said part of that history is also one of servitude and selling labour. I've
seen a lot of pb buildings from the 17-1800's in north America that are poor
examples of the skill - representing more a struggle with tools, materials
and time. I've been in attics where wedges and pins have worked loose or
sheared and joints have failed.

 

I liked Ken's comments and the doubts he expressed. Framing with timbers has
a place and was the only way I could work with local 60yr old timber.
Regardless of whether a connection is achieved through wood or introducing
metal it comes down to the physical properties of the wood and the
time/complexity/ resources involved in achieving the connection.  

 

A timber frame though is not a building - it is just a skeleton and my only
problem with it is that as new builders get involved with it can produce a
certain blind adherence (similar to other building techniques) that can
limit all the other knowledge that needs to go into building sustainably. 

 

From: Greenbuilding [mailto:greenbuilding-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org]
On Behalf Of Clarke Olsen
Sent: November-04-13 5:53 AM
To: Green Building
Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] Sustainable post and beam construction

 

True, as we streamline process, we lose our intimate connection with both
the method and the product. 

I didn't mean that traditional methods be scrapped, but that newer
technologies can be used to our benefit.

Clarke Olsen
clarkeolsendesign.com
373 route 203
Spencertown, NY 12165 
USA
518-392-4640
colsen at taconic.net




 

On Nov 3, 2013, at 9:38 PM, Reuben Deumling <9watts at gmail.com> wrote:





 

 

On Sun, Nov 3, 2013 at 1:05 PM, Clarke Olsen <colsen at fairpoint.net> wrote:

Maybe it's time to revise traditional timber frame. A system of bolted
connectors,
rather then tenons, would reduce both lumber and time, and make alteration
easier.

 

Ah, but where's the fun (history, craftsmanship, beauty) in that?! 
:-) 

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