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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
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    Nth Est Victoria, Australia
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    Default carpenter's marks

    I'm trying to find a list of carpenter's marks (alphabet), including a description, used in traditional timber framing. I've found a small list in Will Beamer's book " learn to timber frame". I'm not sure how complete it is and it's in French, unfortunately all I speak is Australian and gobbledegook (depending on how many glasses of red I've had)
    Any help would be appreciated.
    ps I'm not talking about AA Help.
    Cheers.

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
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    Sydney Upper North Shore
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    Default

    Apparently this book has a section on historic builder marks.

    "Discovering timber framed buildings" by Richard Harris

  4. #3
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    Default

    Thanks Lappa, I'll check out Amazon/booktopia

  5. #4
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    Default

    I'd probably check with a local library in case it's only a short piece but the guy has a good reputation on old structures.

  6. #5
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    Nth Est Victoria, Australia
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    Default

    Thanks Lappa, you're right amazon wasn't much chop. Library it is

  7. #6
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    Default

    Nope ordered it from Bloomsbury, hope it gives a description about how and why they were used as well as a list.

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    McBride BC Canada
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    Default

    I lived in Melbourne for nearly 4 years as one of the early PhD graduate students at LaTrobe. Melbourne has a very rich inventory of very old
    libraries with massive holdings. Interlibrary loans came to my rescue as LaTrobe University library didn't have much for holdings in that day and time.
    Try a loan first. It's the kind of digging that librarians like to do.
    eg: I needed an article published in an obscure european botany journal, back in 1904. 2 DAYS! and I had a photocopy in my hand.

  9. #8
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    Cheers Robson, I'll put some of my mates at uni to work, or at least their slaves. I'll let you know how I get on. If anything comes of it I'll post the results here for future reference.

  10. #9
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    McBride BC Canada
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    Default

    There were some more technically oriented institutions like RMIT, Swinburne and others, I can't recall.
    What you're after might be sitting on a shelf, right there.

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Sydney
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    Default

    When I worked at Sydney Uni I chased up 'Hardwoods of Australia' by Baker just for interest.
    Fisher had it in stack and I'm pretty sure you couldn't borrow only get pages copied.
    Different story in the smaller departmental libraries.
    Architecture had it on the shelf.
    Education had it on the shelf.
    These smaller libraries have now been closed and rolling into larger campus ones.
    I used to spend a lot of time in our Engineering library, they had some amazing stuff.
    I think a librarians job like a lot of others has become less interesting lately.
    Especially with the introduction of the automated borrow and return stuff.
    A lot of retirees probably go to our local library for some social interaction.
    Lucky if the staff even say G'day.
    H.
    Jimcracks for the rich and/or wealthy. (aka GKB '88)

  12. #11
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    Jan 2008
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    Nth Est Victoria, Australia
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    Well, not much joy so far. Fortunately I'm milling my own timber, so I'll be building my shed following the square rule method of construction not the scribe rule method.
    I'll be building it myself, which means that I know where each timber goes. In other words I don't have mark the timbers for co-workers benefit.
    The short of it is that I was curious as to how and where the marks were used and what the translations were in English.
    My sister in law who speaks French says the French descriptions under the marks were either very old French or not very good French, as long as the old French carpenters knew what they meant was the important thing.

  13. #12
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
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    McBride BC Canada
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    Default

    I wonder if we discuss the marking scheme which is used also for log homes?

    Let's suppose that you contract Pioneer Log Homes in Williams Lake, BC to build your home.
    Doesn't matter where in the world you live. They build your entire house on their property.
    Then everything is marked, disassembled, packed, shipped and reassembled at your place.
    The complexity of the designs, both inside and out, tells me that they have a fool-proof
    marking system.

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