Purely Post & Beam

Join us for an incredible week of fine woodworking on the beautiful rocky coast of Maine in the Purely Post & Beam Class. We start with raw lumber and in five days cut and raise a 24x24-foot timber frame by hand.

In the Purely Post & Beam Class you will have the opportunity to:

• Create scaled structural drawings of a 24x24 timberframe
• Perfect tool maintenance and sharpening techniques
• Lay out mortise, thru-tenon, shelf-tenon, dovetail, and lap joints
• Cut a variety of joints using hand tools and power tools
• Learn the engineering that will allow you to modify the structural plans you receive in the class or create new structural plans based on your design (per the latest National Design Specifications referenced by the International Residential Code)
• Tour local timber frame structures
• Assemble and raise a structure using a variety of techniques from man power, to block and tackle as well as a crane

After this class, you'll be skilled at wood craft on a grand scale.

Throughout the class, we will discuss techniques for enclosing and insulating timber frame structures, foundation styles, siding, roofing and general weatherizing materials, wood selection, and how best to finish the timbers.

This course is accredited through the University of Southern Maine and Ameri-Corp Training and has been used as job training for private construction and engineering firms. The VA recognizes and provides tuition reimbursement on a case by case basis. Contact us or your VA official if you are interested in pursuing VA reimbursement.

The $300 non-refundable registration fee holds a place for one person in the class (even if you are using the discounted couple's rate, you need to put down a total deposit of $600 for two people). The remaining balance of tuition is due the first day of class. Once you register, we send you our housing and tool lists so you can make appropriate arrangements for your stay.

Preview the tool list so you can identify what items you already own and which ones you may need to purchase. We carry a great selection of timber framing tools in our store and offer our students a 10% discount. Our online store has pricing and product information to get you started, but we encourage you to wait to purchase any necessary tools during the class because we have a very thorough tool tutorial on the first evening of the class.

The non-refundable registration deposit is $400, which is added to your cart online. The tuition balance is due the first day of class. This registration fee can be transferred once at no charge. A second request for transfer will incur a $100 transfer fee and a third request for transfer will result in the loss of deposit. All deposits on tuition and tuition payments are non-refundable. If you cancel within three weeks of the start of any class you will forfeit your complete deposit.

It is strongly suggested that you register at least 5 weeks before the class begins. Shelter reserves the right to cancel this class if it does not meet the minimum enrollment of 16 people. If you are registering 2 or more people, please include their names, phone numbers, e-mail & mailing addresses (if different from yours) in the Notes section as you checkout.