ADVANCED TIMBER FRAMING Courses
We strive to offer classes for students at every level, from experienced builders wishing to deepen their understanding to those just starting in their pursuit of these skills. The courses below are intended to serve more experienced students, through skill building and professional development. The recommended previous experience level for each class is described in the course description.
Cruck Framing
Cruck frames use large curved timbers to transfer the weight of the roof directly down to the foot of the posts. In this workshop, we will build a small, three-bent cruck frame, from tree selection to layout to raising.
INSTRUCTORS
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english Scribe
The majority of historic timber framed structures in the United States built before 1800 were scribed using a system brought here from the British Isles. It did not involve the use of plumb bobs, piquage, or full-size drawings lofted on a shop floor.
In this seven-day workshop, we will scribe a small English barn. We’ll use both “tumbling” and the “double cut”, the two traditional scribing methods employed in the English scribe. We’ll learn about plumb and level marks, two-foot marks, and we’ll use traditional parts numbering systems. The workshop will culminate with the raising of the frame.
INSTRUCTORS
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SketchUp to Layout (Intermediate)
November 2024 (Online) - $390 FULL
$390
This class is for students who have a good command of the basics of SketchUp as described in the beginner class and are ready to learn additional skills. We'll start with a brief overview of components, scenes, and styles, and learn how to use tags to turn on and off features in different scenes.
INSTRUCTORS
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Fundamentals of Scribing
AUGUST 4 - 9, 2025
$1,350
Students in the scribe joinery course will learn to join round timbers to both square and other round pieces, and out-of-square timbers to other out-of-square faces on adjoining pieces, practicing various methods developed by a variety of cultures and adapted for modern use.
INSTRUCTORS
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Demystifying Roof Geometry - The Stereotomical Approach
Roof geometry is a challenge most framers must face eventually. These problems can be solved either mathematically or visually (drawing by hand). The skill of drawing complex shapes and practicing stereotomy has been taught for centuries by the French, German, and Japanese carpentry traditions; it enables the carpenter to directly measure working angles and scale dimensions rather than calculating them.
INSTRUCTORS
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Timber Frame Design & Joinery Decisions
This course is geared towards timber framers and covers the architectural and structural basics for designing timber frame structures that are both beautiful and functional.
INSTRUCTORS
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Timber Framing With Power Tools
April 27 - May 2, 2025
$1,350
In this course, we will fabricate and raise a timber frame, but with a modern twist, safely integrating power tools into the process.
INSTRUCTORS
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Raising & Rigging
This course teaches the few, but necessary, knots needed by timber framers to safely lift heavy loads and equipment. The rigging of blocks and use of tackle will be demonstrated. You will learn how to construct and adjust a gin pole (luffing) using various rope hitches and tackle. Time permitting, we will show you how to arrange, rig, and raise tripods and shear legs (A-frames) and maneuver a load with a jib-arm. More maneuverable and versatile than shear legs, the gin pole requires more rope and guying points (anchors).
Splicing synthetic and manila ropes for eyes and joining lengths will be practiced. Finding lift points, center of gravity (CoG), and how to secure pieces and bents for raising will also be covered, as well as crane signaling and the basics of crane setup and operations.
INSTRUCTORS
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Introduction to compound joinery
This class will explore a Japanese approach to the challenges of compound joinery that result from a splay-legged form. We will be utilizing both a numeric/trigonometric method as well as a developed drawing method to directly discover the layout geometry with a hand made, full-size drawing. Students will create their own stool to take home at the end of the week, cut using hand tools. This is an intermediate-advanced class and prior experience with hand tools, mortise-and-tenon joinery, and basic trigonometry is encouraged.
INSTRUCTORS
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Holidays Observed:
The Heartwood School office will be closed on the following holidays:
New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.
INTERESTED IN AN APPRENTICESHIP?
Get the details on our apprenticeship program!
Please review our policies on withdrawal/cancellation, discounts and taking pictures at the school. Prospective students should also review our Code of Conduct and Waiver and Release of Liability.
*If you think a discount applies to your order, please review the policy above and send us an email before, or at the time of registration. We do not see comments and additional information attached to orders in a timely manner and require an additional email in order to process discounts.
