Quality Oak Timer Frames

The builder of Quality , Bespoke timber frames now has a blog.
This site will keep you upto date with all the new projects that I am Creating.
Based in Devon but will build anywhere

Wednesday 18 December 2013

PISSING DOWN

It's days like this that a normal person would long to be back in a big, dry workshop. 
The novelty hasn't warn off of me yet. What helps is being plugged in to Simon an Garfunkle . 
With a back drop of El Condor Passo, it's sunny in my head. 

Wednesday 11 December 2013

Sunroom

Did some snagging on the sunroom that I built in the summer. It's great to go back and see a job that's finished and being lived in. 



Tuesday 3 December 2013

Why build with wood?

Why should you pay me to build you a timber frame house?
Apart from the fact that i am brilliantly talented, Artistically gifted, very experienced, terrible at spelling and unbelievably modest.
The other reason is that wood is brilliant.
Wood does grow on trees and whilst trees are worth money, trees will continue to be planted and farmed. 
Most of the oak we timber framers use is only about 50 years old. Woodlands benefit from being regularly cut and thinned out. 
Many people think of oak trees as being the big, knarly, old timers, standing alone in a field. Bit when they grow in a woodland surrounded by trees they grow nice and strait. Most of the oak we use is only about 50 yrs old.
 If you don't work a woodland it chokes itself. Woods really benefit from being regularly thinned out. 
 In a world where most things are mass produced , waste-full and environmentally unsound. The building of traditional timber frames is prodominatly the opposite.  
I can't speak for all the framers but I know a lot of the British companys and a couple of the American ones and we defiantly have the same ethos when it comes to producing quality work that is clean and environmentily sound. It's defiantly better than concrete.
 The methods I use are pretty much the same as some dood in a floppy hat and tights would have used in the medeval times, the only difference is that my saw and drill are electric and my hat is a little less floppy. 
Employing a traditional framer like me, you put money and work in the hands of some very cool, local craftsmen. From the foresters to the sawers then to me and then hopefully to some other builders ( builders are craftsmen, they are seriously undervalued, extremely skilled hard workers. It's a shame everyone assumes that they spend all their time drinking strong tea, jeans showing their ass crack, whistling at woman.)
Not only is that reson enough but living in a heavy wooden house is lovely. 
What are you waiting for?

Friday 29 November 2013

ARCH BRACE

Today I finished fitting the ARCH BRACE TRUSS together. It nearly fit like a glove first time, it just needed a little tickle here and there. Of coarse it looked lovely ( I've been doing it long enough, if there's anything I'm good at it should be good at then framing is it.)
Once it all fits lovely then it's time to bring the chainsaw out and create a beautiful curve. There is a lot of wast but at least the wast will keep them warm on the fire. In fact there's enough wast to build something cool.

Now just need to Finnish meet ending it up them build another one. 

Wednesday 27 November 2013

Rock houses


At first i thought this house had a very deep thatch, it was only after reading the text that i realised it was all rock.
if you interested read more HERE

Spiders from Lustliegh

A friend Found a bloody cool spider in a roof today. 
Its a marbled orb weaver. And it's about the size of a cows head. 

Tuesday 26 November 2013

ANOTHER DAY WORKING ON THE ARCH BRACE

The day started icy and fresh
The timber was coverd in a layer of frost, which made standing on it to chainsaw it very interesting.



That's a very long tennon
Which is nice because it's got to stop the house falling down.

Monday 25 November 2013

ASS END OF NOWHERE THEN TAKE A LEFT

Today I journeyed to the arse end of nowhere, deep in the moor. I left instructions with veriouse folks that "if I wasn't seen by tea time they better send out a rescue party". 
Mr Coaker is a cattle farmer and a sawer of English oak.
 
The reason that I went there was to sort through the never ending stacks of timber to find some dry oak blades for the arch brace truss I'm building. 

M
I actually really enjoin hanging around up there. It's a place that is well hidden from the health and safety baffoons and when the sun is shining and the dogs are warming them selves in the autum sun it's a pretty bloody cool spot to spend a morning.
After driving my overloaded trailer back to the site it was time to start making the slabs fit .
More of that tomoro. 

Friday 22 November 2013

Oak fire surround

I made a big oak fire surround / mantle piece 
6" x 6" that's 150x150mm if your not old school. 
I had to put on my back support to lift that fecker, it weighed a ton . 

Wednesday 20 November 2013

PASTY LOVE

There I was scurrying around in the dark. It was cold and absolutely pissing down. I was feeling really enthusiastic about spending the day outside, but when I got into my car , what should greet my rain soaked eye balls ?
A CHICKEN MADRAS pasty that I had had the unusual foresight to buy the previous evening.
You cannot imagine how happy that paper wrapped pastry made me feel. It's gunna be a good day after all .

Tuesday 19 November 2013

FIRST ICE OF THE WINTER

I love this time of year. The air is so crisp you can all most bite it . 
When it's not raining the leaves on the trees are real brite . 
What's even better is that all the grockles have ran off home and left us in pease 
   The  bloke with the chainsaw didn't whant to leave me in pease though .

ARCH BRACE TRUSS BUILD

Working on an outstanding extension in lustleigh in Devon . 
This will be an extension comprising of 2 arch-brace trusses .
 Arch brace trusses are a way to build a big open space, without the interruption of a tie beam. 
" what's a tie beam ?" More of that when I'm less tired.
As you will see an arch brace is a very impressive yet traditional statement.