HIP ROOF FRAMING WITH STEREOTOMY

Available dates appear at the bottom of the page

Overview:

In this class, students will use an ancient hand-drafting technique called stereotomy to lay out and then cut a timber frame featuring a complex hip roof with flared jack rafters.

Stereotomy is a method that computes sophisticated 3-D geometry using only basic drafting tools in a 2-D handmade drawing. Without the use of numeric calculation, all of the angles and lengths required to lay out this timber frame will be developed in a 1:5 scale drawing. The layout is then transferred physically from the page and onto the timbers, without the use of measuring tapes, framing squares, angular measurement, or other numeric layout systems. For the cutting phase of this class we will be using a mix of power tools and hand tools.

On day 1, students will begin by each creating a simplified stereotomy drawing for a small model with four hip rafters and a king post, to learn the basics of the drawing technique and practice laying out and cutting with small parts. Then we will spend the remainder of this 6-day class with each student creating their own scaled drawing for the class project, which we will cut as a group and raise together on the final day. Therefore, students will leave with their own simple hip roof model & drawing, plus their own drawing for the class project.

This timber frame is unusually complex with its tapered/jowled posts and flared jack rafters, representing an opportunity to explore some exciting framing techniques that don’t show up every day in a timber framer’s typical workflow. Accordingly, this is an intermediate/advanced class and some prior experience with compound hip or valley framing is encouraged. At minimum, students should have some prior exposure to timber framing and be familiar with concepts from common rafter framing like pitch, rise, and run. (This can include experience with stick framed rafters.)

Instructor:

Ariel Schecter (see INSTRUCTORS page to view instructor bios).