Pacific Rim Timberworks

Course III: Scribing Joinery in Natural Timber

The timbers that make the most compelling structures are rarely straight. This course is about working with that reality.

Building on the skills introduced in Course II, Course III focuses on constructing timber frame bents using a combination of milled, live edge, and hand-hewn materials. You will learn to understand the logic of bents as a structural system, select and design with irregular material, and combine square rule, centerline, and scribe layout methods to achieve clean joinery in imperfect timber. Topics include cutting scribed joinery, fitting bents with natural forms, and the material and forestry considerations that have always shaped traditional timber framing.

This course is appropriate for beginners through advanced timber framers. The joinery you cut here goes into the structure. The structure goes into the forest.

Particants that complete this course are welcome to assist as a volunteer in the beam raising of this timberframe on Monday, October 5th at Glide Education Forest. You can learn more about this frame at the link below:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1257V0vY_EmWzYUItoI3NZQGmNd9SKe3p5wwn6l4eDPE/edit?usp=sharing

Participant Amenities

Camping

• Riverfront camping is available at no cost on the South Umpqua River for registered participants from Thursday night through Sunday night.
• Please note that fires are not permitted anywhere on the property.
• An indoor toilet, shower and composting toilet will be available for participant use.

Other Lodging

• There are a few local Airbnb's available in Days Creek. More options are available for lodging including 7 feathers Casino & Resort, the Creekside Inn in Canyonville, which is 10 miles west of Days Creek

Meals

• A breakfast, lunch and dinner will be provided on Monday - Friday.
• Breakfast served from 7:00 - 7:45 am.
• Lunch 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
• Dinner 6:00 - 7:00 p.m
• Participants are responsible for their own additonal snacks. A refrigerator will be available for use.

What to Bring

• Participants planning to camp on-site should bring:
• Tent
• Sleeping bag and bedding
• Swimsuit & Towel
• Appropriate clothing and personal items for outdoor camping and woodworking activities

Class Materials & Tool List

• Personal PPE Required: Ear protection, eye protection, sturdy shoes.
• Optional: Hard hat (required if attending for beam raising).

Layout Tools

• Pencil
• 24-inch framing square or sashigane
• Combination square
• Razor knife or marking knife
• String line

• 1.5-inch framing chisel
• Mallet
• Hand saw (Japanese style preferred)
• Hand plane for tuning joinery
• Sharpening stones (will be also be available if needed).