<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Papyrus;
panose-1:3 7 5 2 6 5 2 3 2 5;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Clarke and Chris may concur on this. I find that traditional mortise and tenon joinery is easier to assemble since I can assemble loose at first and pull or pound it together prior to marking the tenon for drilling the tenon for pegs. I usually do a drawbore procedure so the joint is pulled tight, possibly even after the timber has had some time to dry and shrink. Kerfs for knife plates (hidden steel joinery) tend to be less precise so assembly is more difficult to get looking good but the strength of a steel knife plate allows me to do even more of a drawbore to achieve tight joinery. It is just more difficult, more expensive, and not as much “fun”. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The additional timber required for a tenon is indisputable but it is usually only 6 inches…. and I have even used free tenons as a “timber stretcher”, even when a free tenon was not necessary for engineering and joinery challenges.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>My shop is also set up for traditional joinery with some special machinery and jigs. When I have hidden steel, I am primarily relying on some somewhat scary chainsaw techniques. I have adapted an old Makita tenon cutter to hold an electric chainsaw and I can plunge into end grain of timbers for a hidden steel knife plate. I primarily use it for post attachment to the foundation, piers, or subfloor assemblies. It takes away the “pucker factor” of plunging a chainsaw.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The use of a light frame or SIPS outside a nice timber frame makes a tight insulation with few thermal breaks which will help contribute to the sustainability of heavy timber construction. As far as SIPS go, I really like the end product, hate the installation process (plasteeek!), and consider the joints in the panels and use of OSB as skins to be the weak points. A light frame outside the timber frame sprayed with polyisocyanurate is a good option but I am still dealing with foam. I would like to try cellulose in either a double wall or Larsen trusses or dense pack in another light frame. Anyone tried that? Got any details? I have actually done some at my own home but with mixed results.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thanks,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Ken in Whitefish<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:Papyrus'>Ken Beiser<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:Papyrus'>Western Woodwrights<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:Papyrus'>Whitefish, Montana<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:Papyrus'>406-212-1811 mobile<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:Papyrus'>406-756-0889 office, shop, home, and fax<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>