We are a non-profit educational membership association dedicated to the craft of timber framing. We serve as a center of timber frame information and design for the professional and the general public. Learn more.
We offer learning and fellowship through workshops, publications and conferences. There are also opportunities for adventure, education and camaraderie through community service building projects in many lands.
Join us.
Timber Framing as a fully searchable archive packaged on two DVDs. Buy yours today!
The Timber Framers Guild is a registered provider with the American Institute of Architects Continuing Education System (AIA/CES). Continuing Education Units for architects and engineers are available for many TFG conferences and events.
Holiday Shopping
Save the Date!
The Guild's 23rd Western Conference will include a strong Asian carpentry theme as two preeminent craftsman from previous Conferences join us in Sunriver, Oregon from March 26-29, 2009. Details here.
Free Poster
Sign up for our e-newsletter. If you include your mailing address, we will send you a FREE 11" x 21" poster great for display in your shop of the Malabar Farm (Ohio) barn raising, depicting pike poles, hand-raising a bent and a cast of thousands. You will also receive occasional updates on special Guild events, such as conferences, projects and rendezvous. Rest assured: We won't give out your mailing address to anyone else. Just sign up here.
Holiday Sale on Books Ends January 31
Two popular books -- Fourteen Small Timber Frames and Historic American Roof Trusses -- are on sale. Normally $30 each, you may buy them for only $20 each. Buy both and save $5.00 (use the coupon SAVEFIVE). Buy them here, only until the end of this month.
New Membership Discounts Available for 2009
We are offering some attractive new member, group and student discounts for 2009. Check them out here.
New Manual on Google SketchUp
Sketchup is a 3D drawing program available free from Google. It's a great tool for modeling timber frame designs in 3D. Now Clark Bremer offers a 15-page manual that documents the procedures he has demonstrated at recent Guild conferences to customize SketchUp for timber framing. All proceeds from the sale of this manual are generously donated to the Guild by Clark Bremer and Northern Lights Timber Framing. Buy it here.
Board Elections
Election Results
Members elected for new terms on the Board of Directors include Chris Gunn, Adrian Jones, and John Miller. Thanks to all those who participated in the first-ever online elections. In these difficult financial times, any savings is a big plus.
Watch Videos of the Gindler Barn Workshop July 7-19
We recently completed a project to repair and re-assemble the historic 36' x 85' Gindler Barn at a TFG workshop at Willoughby Farm, Collinsville, Illinois. Daily Video Reports.
Upcoming Projects
We have open leadership positions for project managers, instructors and rookie instructors for 2009 events. We also need volunteers to participate. If interested, please click here for details.
Blacksmith Annex Project, Brasstown, NC, May 29-June 15, 2009
The Blacksmith Annex Project for next spring gets the green light! We are excited to announce our partnership with the John C. Campbell Folk School to build a 50' x 50' timber frame addition to the existing blacksmith shop. Preliminary details are here.
Publications & Invaluable Resources
Fourteen Small Timber Frames: A collection of 14 timber frame plans with designs ranging from simple garden sheds and pergolas to barns.
Timber Frame Joinery and Design, Vol. 2: More than 50 articles on design, engineering, layout and joinery, enclosures and vernacular timber framing. A must-have for everyone's library.
Timber Truss Book: A compilation of six articles that originally appeared in Timber Framing, plus new material. Another invaluable reference.
Historic Steeples Series: Articles discussing the form, function and joinery of historic American timber-framed steeples.
Historic Trusses Series: Articles discussing the form, function and joinery of American timber-framed roof trusses of the past with examples.
Tedd Benson, dean of the timber framing industry, gave this year's commencement address at Maine's Unity College. His topic: "Tedd's Rules," which include "Be happy. Buck convention. Save your world." Read his address here.
PBS's "This Old House" will partner with Tedd's timber framing company, Bensonwood, to build a new timberframe home that will reflect old New England barns built centuries ago. Thisoldhouse.com will feature progress of the Weston project 24/7 through four Webcams powered by EarthCam. Read more.
Read Jim DeStefano's article in Structure magazine; Jim is a founder of the Timber Frame Engineering Council (TFEC) The Standard for Design of Timber Frame Structures is free to download.
Sustainable Forestry in Cameroon: A 60-minute DVD by Mbah Salle. Now in the store.
Radio Interview with Joel McCarty on NH Public Radio: "The Revival of Timber Framing."
Tedd Benson, dean of the timber framing industry, gave this year's commencement address at Maine's Unity College. His topic: "Tedd's Rules," which include "Be happy. Buck convention. Save your world." Read his address here.
PBS's "This Old House" will partner with Tedd's timber framing company, Bensonwood, to build a new timberframe home that will reflect old New England barns built centuries ago. Thisoldhouse.com will feature progress of the Weston project 24/7 through four Webcams powered by EarthCam. Read more.
