# Sovereignty Module: Raise the Frame

## Complete Timber Framing: From Standing Tree to Standing Structure

Timber framing creates buildings that last centuries using only wood and joinery — no nails, no steel. This campaign covers tree selection, layout, joinery, raising, and structural principles.

### Chapter 1: Timber Selection and Preparation

| Species | Strength | Weight | Rot Resistance | Workability | Availability | Best Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White oak | Very high | Heavy | Excellent | Moderate | Eastern forests | Sills, posts, major beams |
| Douglas fir | Very high | Medium | Moderate | Good | Western forests | All structural |
| Eastern white pine | Moderate | Light | Poor | Excellent | Eastern forests | Rafters, purlins, boards |
| Hemlock | Moderate | Medium | Poor | Good | Eastern forests | General framing |
| Cedar (red) | Low-moderate | Light | Excellent | Excellent | Various | Sills, shingles, siding |
| Larch/tamarack | High | Medium-heavy | Good | Moderate | Northern forests | Sills, ground contact |
| Chestnut | High | Medium | Excellent | Good | (Rare now) | All structural |

Timber preparation: 1) Fell in winter (less sap, fewer insects, ground frozen for skidding). 2) Hew or saw to square section (broadaxe for hewing, pit saw or sawmill for sawing). 3) Size timbers to plan (standard: posts 8×8, beams 8×10 or 8×12, rafters 6×8). 4) Air dry minimum 6 months per inch of thickness (green timber shrinks and checks). 5) Alternatively: frame green and allow to dry in place (traditional method — joints tighten as wood shrinks). 6) Mark each timber with layout marks (Roman numerals or scribe marks for assembly).

### Chapter 2: Layout and Design

| Component | Typical Size | Span Capacity | Function | Joinery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sill beam | 8×8 to 8×10 | Foundation perimeter | Base of frame, sits on foundation | Mortise and tenon at corners |
| Posts (corner) | 8×8 | N/A (vertical) | Carry roof load to foundation | Tenon into sill, receive beam |
| Posts (intermediate) | 6×6 to 8×8 | N/A (vertical) | Support between corners | Tenon into sill and plate |
| Girts (wall beams) | 6×8 to 8×8 | 8-16 ft | Connect posts, support floor | Tenon into posts |
| Summer beam | 8×10 to 10×12 | 12-20 ft | Main floor support | Tenon into girts |
| Plate (top wall) | 6×8 to 8×8 | Wall length | Top of wall, receives rafters | Tenon into post tops |
| Tie beam | 8×8 to 8×10 | Building width | Prevents walls from spreading | Tenon into plates |
| Rafters | 6×6 to 6×8 | Roof span | Support roof covering | Birdsmouth at plate, peak joint |
| Purlins | 4×6 to 6×8 | Rafter spacing | Support roof boards between rafters | Tenon into rafters |
| Braces | 4×6 to 6×6 | 3-5 ft | Triangulate frame (prevent racking) | Tenon into post and beam |
| King post | 8×8 | N/A | Center of truss, supports ridge | Tenon into tie beam |

### Chapter 3: Timber Frame Joinery

| Joint | Use | Strength | Difficulty | Tools | Pegged? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mortise and tenon | Universal connection | Very high | Moderate-high | Chisel, mallet, auger | Yes |
| Housed joint | Beam into post (partial) | High | Moderate | Chisel, saw | Sometimes |
| Scarf joint | Extend timber length | Moderate-high | High | Chisel, saw | Yes |
| Lap joint | Crossing timbers | Moderate | Low-moderate | Chisel, saw | Sometimes |
| Birdsmouth | Rafter on plate | High | Moderate | Saw, chisel | No (gravity) |
| Dovetail | Resist pulling out | Very high | High | Chisel, saw | Sometimes |
| Tusk tenon | Through-tenon with wedge | Very high | High | Chisel, saw, wedge | Wedged |

Mortise and tenon (timber scale): 1) Tenon: typically 1/3 width of timber, 2/3 depth. 2) Mark tenon with framing square and marking gauge. 3) Cut tenon cheeks with handsaw (tenon saw or frame saw). 4) Cut shoulders cleanly (defines visible joint line). 5) Mortise: mark from tenon (transfer dimensions exactly). 6) Bore out waste with auger (series of overlapping holes). 7) Chop to lines with framing chisel (wide, heavy chisel). 8) Pare walls smooth and square. 9) Test fit (should require mallet to seat — snug, not forced). 10) Drill for peg: offset peg hole in tenon slightly toward shoulder (drawbore — pulls joint tight when pegged).

### Chapter 4: Raising the Frame

| Phase | Crew Size | Equipment | Time | Safety | Sequence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Layout (on ground) | 2-4 | Tape, square, chalk line | 1-2 days | Low risk | First |
| Cut joinery | 2-4 | Chisels, saws, augers | 1-4 weeks | Moderate | Second |
| Pre-assemble bents | 4-8 | Mallets, pegs | 1-2 days | Low risk | Third |
| Raise bents | 10-20+ | Pike poles, ropes, gin pole | 1-2 days | HIGH risk | Fourth |
| Connect bents | 4-8 | Mallets, pegs, ladders | 1-2 days | High risk | Fifth |
| Add braces | 2-4 | Mallets, pegs | 1 day | Moderate | Sixth |
| Roof structure | 4-8 | Ropes, ladders | 1-2 days | High risk | Seventh |

Raising procedure: 1) Assemble bent (cross-section of frame) flat on ground. 2) Peg all joints in bent. 3) Position bent at foundation edge (bottom will pivot on sill). 4) Attach ropes to top of bent. 5) Crew pushes with pike poles (long poles with metal tips). 6) Other crew pulls ropes from opposite side. 7) Guide bent vertical — do NOT let it go past vertical. 8) Brace immediately with temporary diagonal braces. 9) Repeat for each bent. 10) Connect bents with girts, plates, and tie beams. 11) Add permanent braces. 12) Traditional: entire community helps raise — "barn raising."

### Chapter 5: Enclosure and Finishing

| System | Insulation | Difficulty | Cost | Appearance | Lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Board and batten | None (add separately) | Low | Low | Rustic | 30-50 years |
| Clapboard siding | None (add separately) | Moderate | Moderate | Traditional | 40-60 years |
| Straw bale infill | R-30 (excellent) | Low-moderate | Low | Plastered (smooth) | 50-100 years |
| SIP panels | R-20-40 | Moderate | High | Modern | 50+ years |
| Wattle and daub | R-3-5 (low) | Low | Very low | Rustic/plastered | 20-40 years |
| Brick infill | R-4-8 | Moderate-high | Moderate-high | Classic | 100+ years |

### Reference Card

1. Braces make it rigid (without diagonal braces, a frame racks and collapses — triangulation is structural). 2. Drawbore pulls tight (offset peg hole in tenon pulls joint together — no clamps needed). 3. Layout is everything (measure twice, cut once applies tenfold — a miscut timber is wasted). 4. Green framing is traditional (frame with green wood, joints tighten as wood shrinks around pegs). 5. Sill on stone (wood touching ground rots — always elevate sill beams on stone or concrete foundation). 6. Raise with community (a bent raising requires 10-20 people — this is a community event by necessity). 7. Oak for strength, pine for ease (oak is strongest but hardest to work; pine is easy but weaker — choose wisely). 8. Pegs not nails (wooden pegs flex with the frame; metal fasteners corrode and work loose over centuries).