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Crafting a Summer Beam Crafting a Summer Beam From "Trade School" episode DTRS-113

Figure A

In this episode, we follow the education of student Gideon Lambert as he learns to craft timber-frame homes. Made up of large interconnecting wooden members, a timber-frame home is essentially a large piece of structural furniture that just happens to hold up a house. Unlike a modern conventional home, where the frame is hidden behind drywall or panels, a timber-frame remains exposed inside, creating a warm, elegant home interior (figure A).

In this segment, we follow Gideon as he measures and forms a massive summer beam at the shop. The summer beam is one of the major horizontal timbers that connect the vertical posts. Due to the enormity of these timbers, some weighing as much as 800 pounds, he uses a variety of specialized tools to get the job done.

Basic Tools:

Tape measure
Speed square
Combination square
Circular saw
Disc sander
Chainsaw mortiser
Framing chisels
Belt sander
Chainsaw
16" beam saw
Band saw
Ratchet straps
Reciprocating saw
Hole hog

Figure B

• Gideon's first priority is to select a decent piece of lumber for the summer beam (figure B). After a thorough quality inspection, he places the large timber on two sawhorses to stabilize his work.

• With some guidance from big brother Ezra (figure C), Gideon begins work on the large beam. He checks the overall length of the timber to make sure he has a little extra on the ends in case of a mistake or flaw in the wood (figure D).

Figure C

Figure D

• Using a speed square and a combination square, he measures and marks the large shoulder tenons and knee-brace mortises on both ends of the beam (figures E and F). Timber-frame construction primarily depends on joining lumber with large mortise-and-tenon joints. A mortise is a pocket and a tenon fits precisely within the pocket. This type of joint harnesses the inherent strength of the wood and creates an extremely strong frame.

Figure E

Figure F

• Gideon uses a worm-driven circular saw to cut out the shoulder tenons. He makes two vertical passes with the saw (figure G), and then flips the timber to one side. He makes two more passes with the saw to rough out the tenon (figure H).

Figure G

Figure H

• Next, Gideon refines the tenons with a disc sander and 30 to 40-grit paper (figure I). He checks intermittently for a perfect shape with a pre-made wood scribe that mimics the mortise this tenon fits into (figure J).

Figure I

Figure J

• With the tenons complete, Gideon creates the large knee-brace mortises he marked earlier. A knee-brace is a smaller timber framed diagonally between a post and beam. Using the circular saw, he cuts into the timber following the marked outline of the mortise (figure K). Then he secures a customized tool called a chainsaw mortiser to the timber (figure L). Fitted with a small chainsaw blade, this tool plunges in like a dagger to a 4-inch depth, removing wood from the center of the mortise.

Figure K

Figure L

• Finally, Gideon drills out a 1-inch deep housing along the sides of this mortise (figure M). Then, he test-fits the knee-brace, carefully refining the mortise with a series of chisels until achieving the right shape (figure N).

Figure M

Figure N

Figure O

• To finish the beam, Gideon sands it smooth using a hand-held belt sander (figure O).

In the next segment, follow Gideon's education as he measures and cuts a complex king post ....