My largest project to date...

Holy Moly! Dan, this is just awesome! You are obviously very talented and skilled. This project all done with hand joinery! I’m very impressed. Again, just awesome! Welcome to LJ! You sure popped in with a splash!

Tom from Canada

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

Thanks Tom, I wish I could show more photos… I just stumbled onto lumberjocks this past weekend.

holy moly is exactly what I was going to say!!!

totally amazing… what an inspiration.. what an undertaking!!! holy moly..
bravo; bravo; bravo!!

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Awesome! Wish I could take some vacation and come help. I’ve always wanted to do something like this, although I’d probably start with a shed or something smaller. Can’t wait for more pics.

-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX

I have to agree, Awesome!

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

Incredible joinery! This takes the whole concept up an order of magnitude! This sort of work is a rarity today. Impressive job.

-- Robert from Raymond, MS. "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is therefore not a practice, but a habit." - Aristotle

I love the look and strength of large timber construction. If I were younger and healthier I would take an apprentiship to learn how it is done. I look forward to seeing the process continue until its finish.

-- Jesus is Lord!

Dawm!! I am sooo jealous!! I have always wanted to build a timber framed house!, Your skills are truly amazing. Thanks for sharing:)

-- http://rjoneswoodworks.com/

I like it! You’ll have to let us see some updated pics! Check this out. What material is the roof?

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

Terrific project, seeing all of that beautiful timber makes my mouth water. The large Skilsaw sure helps wit this kind of work.

-- Dick Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

Dick, That Makita cir. saw (see the flickr photos.) has 16.25” blade. Almost uncontrollable and inaccurate as hell. The blade actually bends and rarely cuts a 90 deg. angle. I used it for very rough “hogging out” of material and then finished up with hand tools. Not to mention it constantly trips my generators breaker ;-)

-Dan

I am glad to see timber framing is still alive. Can’t wait to see the finished product.

That is incredible Dan. I can’t wait to see the rest of the cabin!

-- John, Auckland New Zealand - http://www.farmgeek.co.nz

WOW!

That’s some amazing ambition and just flat beautiful!!!!

Carl

-- Carl Rast, Pelion, SC

OK, Dan, this is incredible – what a way to arrive at LJ’s. Awesome work, great photography (I visited your Flicker album – Wow!), and very nice dog!

Best wishes.

-- CanuckDon "I just love small wooden boxes!" http://www.canterburybaptist.org/

I went to Flicker too pretty awesome Dan you didnt tell me how good you were just we used to be neighbors. LOL. mike

-- Mike. Profisher50@yahoo.com

Wow, thanks everyone for the kind words! If your like me, all I see in my projects are the screw ups and missed opportunities. Your feedback has boosted my ego a little.

I have contemplated creating a blog to document the progress of my cabin, but have often wondered who would want to read it. Maybe I’ll do after all.

Best, -Dan

Awsome Dan – I may have to get them books and do some reading. Thanks for sharing

-- Joel Tille

What a huge undertaking. Great job Dan. Wonderful picture show.

-- Carpe Lignum - Seize The Wood,

What a great weekend project!! LOL! I’ve had a small piece of property by a mountain lake for many years and always said i would put a small cabin on it “someday”. I think the timber design is a great way to go and a new skill I could learn. Keep those pics coming Dan.
It never ceases to amaze me what shows up on this site, no wonder I’m checking it 2 or even 3 times a day.

-- DocK, WV

DocK, You can’t go wrong with these two books, almost everything you need to know 1. http://tinyurl.com/ytta3u 2. http://tinyurl.com/2gzh6b

I purchased many other but these were the two go to books.

If your going to try and cut and raise a frame DIY style, avoid the magazines they are not much more than just bound volumes of advertisements. OK for ideas, but little to no instruction/information.

-Dan

Wow is the right comment! – you got my vote in the contest, great job and craftsmanship!

-- The Gnarly Wood Shoppe

Great job! I like especially the big dovetail

-- Pedro Rodrigues da Costa, Sintra, Portugal

Ted Benson is definatley the guy to follow… I’ve read tons of great stuff about his company. Makes me think I would love to work there someday (he’s only an hour away afterall) – even if only to Build my own house.

I worked in a Timberframed house one (basement finishing) – the whole structure was a work of art.

Can’t wait to see how it comes out!

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Vincent Van Gogh

You’ll definitely have people reading the blog if you do go that route, which I would encourage you to do. This is definitely something that I’d like to follow!

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

Incredible! I’m in awe of your skill

-- Chuck, chuckvosburgh.com

great project. I think you’ll do well in the competition.

-- Mark DeCou - Kansas Flinthill's Artisan

Hi Dan;
—-great cabin here! I happen to be a fan of post and beam barns, although I usually go by way of taking down and setting back up.

I was looking at the pictures on your site over at Flickr and I guess I’m a little confused here. You stated that their was ‘no metal’ in the construction of the frame; ”And not a single piece of metal in the frame” and what got me started to thinking and wondering was when I saw the ratchet and socket laying there on the timber….

So what I’m asking about here is, if there is no-metal used in the frame, then can you please explain the use of ‘steel bolts’—-’mechanical fasteners’?

...and….

....and….

It seems as if you have used many steel bolts to tie the crossbeams into the end posts of the bents and then maybe I’m wrong. Can you explain?

Thank you.
GODSPEED,
Frank

-- --frank, NH, http://frank.wordpress.com/

Frank,

They are holding temporary bracing until the SIP panels can be installed. If you nail into white oak in the green state the wood dries shrinking around the nail and then their is no removing it.

-Dan

Hello Dan;
Maybe we are not connecting on what I’m asking about or maybe I’m not understanding what I’m seeing and your answering about.

If you look in the second, third and fourth photo above, I’m not talking about where you have nailed the composite board to the beams or the bracing of the 2’ x 4’s. What I’m talking about is in the middle there is a steel bolt that looks to me as if it running from the outside of the end post and into the cross member beam. You can see the steel bolt very clearly in the second photo….? Are you saying that when that nut is removed from the steel bolt or is that an all one piece steel bolt, there is a piece of temporary bracing that will then come off the outside of end post?

Maybe this link will explain what I’m asking much better.

....and….

Thank you.
GODSPEED,
Frank

-- --frank, NH, http://frank.wordpress.com/

don’t slow down now ,Dan – you are truly on the way to great things. I am impressed with what you are accomplishing and look forward to finished projects

Al

-- cronk, oregon

Outstanding!!! Doing that kind of work at the level you are doing it is a true art.

Keep up the good work.

-- JT - "It only costs a nickle more to go first class!"

I am absolutely speechless. You are accomplishing something very few people will have an opportunity to do. Way to go!!!

-- Making sawdust is what I do best

This is, ... more than words can say, I am looking at this and in amazement I know that things like this are possible but to see it being undertakin is awsume. My father always wanted to do something like this, he needs to see this for himself. Great job, keep working hard and looking forward to see more soon.

-- Jeff B.

Great job! Speachless.

-- Bud, NY, http://tpww.libsyn.com/

Great job!

-- jeanmarc manosque france