After some minor tweaks and changes, the clients approved a cabin design. At this point I started detailed drawings of the frame.
I design in a software environment called "vectorworks architect", which I believe to be the wave of the future for designers and architects. I
nstead of making 2D multiview drawings, as I would on paper or on autocad, I build a 3D digital model of the building and building site.
I then extract views of that model for plans, elevations, sections, and 3D renderings. This is a more intuitive process than 2D drawing
and I believe accesses creative design solutions that other methods would not tend to encouage.


After designing the frame in detail, I developed a "cutting list" of timber and called my local lumber supplier to cut my timbers.
These were hemlock 5x6's, 5x5's, 4x5's, 3x4's.... The biggest pieces were 5x6x18' top plates - which weighed in excess of 200 lbs. apiece in their wet state.
This frame has about the biggest timbers in it which I can handle by myself. The lumber was ready 2 days later and I headed off to pick it up.
It was 3 trips of about 3 hours apiece and in retrospect it would have made sense to have them deliver it.



With the timber here, framing design complete, and level spot to erect the frame as I cut the pieces, I was ready to start laying out the frame.
I started with the deck and I planned to erect each section as I cut the pieces - so as to ensure the final fit of the joints. With buildings with larger timbers, I don't usually have this luxury.



After laying out the deck timbers (sills, summer beam, and joists), I started cutting the mortices, tenons, and dovetails.
The layout and the cutting needs to be very accurate (within 1/32), as the frame will be not only structural, but also asthetic.



After cutting all of the deck timbers, I start to assemble - fine tuning joints where necessary. Eventually I assemble the entire deck.
Rough times that I have into the frame up to now are: meet with clients and talk back and forth - 3 hours, schematic drawings - 3 hours, final design
12 hours, get timbers 9 hours, set up building site 3 hours, layout deck 6 hours, cut deck 16 hours, assemble deck 2 hours. total - 54 hours






I should mention that since this frame will be dis-assembled once it's completed, to be delivered to the client's house, all joints are clearly labeled.
There are 172 joints in this frame, so labeling is pretty important. After fitting deck together, I go through layout, cutting, and assembly of the posts,
diagonal braces, and tie beams - basically completing everthing below the top plates.