galen pettigrew

Thanks Jay
It will probably be a few weeks before I get the chance to put everything into action and post some pretty pictures.

The frame could only be described as japanese inspired aesthetic with most of the joinery sharing far more in common with european/american timber framing. The primary inspiration for the design came from David Yasenchack's gazebo featured on the cover of Timber Framing 99. Seeing as I am completely self taught and that Australia has virtually no timber framing history; having been colonised around the time of the advent of stud framing, my use of terminology is pretty loose. The 'bent' I was refering to is simply two post with a bendy natural edged tie beam joining them together.
The frame was all laid out using centreline layout, although I have removed these lines while finishing and oiling the frame I should be easily able to pick them up again if needed from joinery position and from the crosshairs still remaining on the bottom of the posts. Length of all timbers calculated and cut using centreline square rule approach.

Anyhow I should probably go and make some real sawdust now instead of staring at this screen. I look forward to picking your brain more about Asian style timber framing in future.
Cheers

Thanks.
I think that I have got what I need from pictures. I will only learn more by actually giving it a go. My plan at this stage was to take levels of the highest points on all the stones where the post would sit. Then I would cut all the posts something like 3" overlength (whatever is enough to compensate for variation of the funkiest stone) but making sure that each post is exactly the same amount over length. I would then stand the posts (well bents actually) on top of the stones where they are to rest, plumb and level them. Set the divider the same width the posts are over length and scribe away. Pull it all down, get to work with chainsaw and gouge and then stand it all back up again. Step back, admire my handiwork or swear loudly. Either way I should learn plenty and be able to do it better next time.
Any major faults in my train of thought?
Cheers

Hello
I have recently cut a small Japanese inspired gazebo frame that I would like to scribe onto stone foundations. The stones are already set in the ground and are too large to move. Unfortunately I have made my life difficult by not scribing the posts before cutting the joinery.
Can anyone think of a way of scribing the posts to the stone whilst still maintaining a constant reference height throughout the frame??