Upcoming Workshop in Anaheim, CA

As some readers may have noticed, I've put up a note at the side of the page indicating that a workshop has been arranged for late June in Anaheim California, where I am to teach a 6-day class in Japanese hip roof framing. The host will be William Ng's School of Fine Woodworking. Although the course isn't cast in stone at this early juncture, I imagine the odds are pretty good the course will fill, and it is limited to 12 participants. I thought I'd post up a few pictures of the roof model we will be laying out and cutting.

This is a hip corner, regular slope, regular plan, with flat eaves, and we will study and make the decorative lower half of the roof:

This model incorporates various refinements in the joinery of the framing which I have come to prefer in recent years. The straight hip corner is termed bo-zumi yane in Japanese. Each student will build a half-scale model, which allows for normal Japanese timber frame joinery in all its wonderful complexity and intrigue.

Here's the plan view:

I'm just penciling in the rafter blocking and covering boards, which is why those sticks on the drawing are still in white. I will be adding some under-eave boards upon lath (komai) as well.

A plan view from below:

Elevation view:

Elevation view:

Elevation view:

 Another elevation view:

It is definitely a challenge to complete a model like this one in 6 days. The focus of the study really is the wall plate cross-over joint, the layout of the hip rafter and its join to the wall plate crossing, and the layout of a jack rafter. I'm certain we will accomplish the lay out and cutting of those core elements during the course, and depending upon how fast the group can move along, we may well get quite a bit more done. I will likely bring a model with the structural roof also completed, along with a couple of other refinements, so participants can get a good idea how the structural system works and what next steps look like.

It should be a lot of fun, and I am really looking forward to it. I'm also contemplating an identical class out here on the East Coast sometime in July. If any readers are interested in the West Coast workshop, contact the William Ng School of Fine Woodworking. If anyone is interested in the East Coast class, contact me directly.

Thanks for coming by the Carpentry Way.