Allegory of Deduction

http://www.charpentiers.culture.fr/node/545

Cette allégorie de la Déduction (3e quart XVe s.), rarement présente dans les documents, est figurée par un personnage féminin entouré des attributs du charpentier : fil à plomb, hache, planches de bois… et aussi deux livres. On aperçoit un chantier de construction d’une charpente et d’une maison de bois, à l’extérieur.
Texte accompagnant l’enluminure (transcription de Lionel Dumarche) :
"Sans doute j'arrive tard et je suis lente à parler pour avoir droit à une place importante dans cette haute assemblée. Mais je suis pertinente, je fonctionne et suis bien utile pour achever toute belle œuvre. Celle-ci assemblée, il faut lui donner un titre, car plus une œuvre est excellentes de riches matériaux et de bel aspect, plus j'y mets une main prudente pour lui apporter gloire et titre, qui la structure et lui donne ses règles par des moyens si clairs et évidents qu'il n'y reste ni trou ni fente par lesquels elle pourrait être détruite"

Bibliothèque nationale de France, Département des manuscrits,
Français 1174, fol. 31v.

A useful glossary of French Scribe techniques

Here is a usefull glossary of terms of the French Scribed timberframed buildings.
http://www.traditionaltimberframe.com/V1_0/index.php?mod=glossary&ac=glossary


The majority of European traditionally timberframed buildings were constructed using a full sized plan lofted on a level surface, whereas in North America, after the 19th century, most buildings were constructed using a square or mill rule technique. Today, in shops using CNC machines, timbers are identically sized and joined because they are for the most part consistent in dimension. This was not the case in earlier times where inconsistently sized timbers were joined together to fit each other individually.

In many instances in a square rule system of layout, individual pieces such as knee braces are interchangeable whereas in the French Scribe system, each component is individually fitted to it's mating piece.

The Building Tree - Building Products

I had the opportunity to drop and meet the foks at The Building Tree which has a wide variety of very cool home  building supplies. Not a Big Orange Retail Giant type of place.

I really liked the solid surface (post form countertop replacement) made out of the garbage left over from sawmilling operations. It is nice to have a supplier for Land Ark finishes too, and one that I can even walk to at that.

The Building Tree in Nelson BC

A great link on traditional timberframing.

 This is a fine site with video examples of tradional timberframing techniques in France and the rest of Europe. There are well written articles and video and picture galleries too.

http://www.en.charpentiers.culture.fr/

Another frame goes up in Cranbrook