An Introduction to Timber Hewing

$ 25.00

*(After your order is complete, you will be emailed an invitation to begin viewing the course. This typically takes a few minutes. Thanks for understanding.)

“An Introduction to Timber Hewing” with Nevan Carling

Where can one go to learn the process of hand hewing for timber frames? What reliable resources are there that faithfully convey what it takes to drop a standing tree with an axe and hew it to a beautifully finished timber, ready for joinery?

You might sign up for one of those week-long hewing classes at a timber-framing school or travel to France to begin an apprenticeship with a historic timber framing company, but with everything available on the internet, you’d think there would be some trustworthy resource to get started on your own. After all, isn’t the whole make-timbers-with-nothing-but-an-axe thing about doing much with little? Isn’t there an accessible way for a handy woodworker to start without a personal instructor? Well, that’s been the problem for a long time.

Over the past few years, Mike and I have gotten more inquiries for resources about timber framing than most anything else, and until now we’ve not had much to offer them for hewing instruction. There are no complete online courses on this subject available – only a cluster of YouTube videos of… dubious quality, shall we say.

But now, for the first time ever, the world has a solid online resource to learn traditional hand hewing. And it’s one we’re stinking proud of. When Mike and I began talking about producing an online course to teach hand hewing, Nevan Carling was our go-to man. Nevan is an accomplished and passionate timber framer based in Connecticut, while pursuing his master’s in building Conservation in England. He has taught hewing and presented about timber framing in all sorts of contexts – Nevan absolutely lives and breathes this stuff – he’s one of the most deeply immersed (read: obsessed) timber framers we know.

In this online course, with axe in hand, Nevan drops a tree in the woods and hews it into a beautiful 6"x6" timber. He works through each step as he teaches with an approachability and expertise that will encourage any viewer to pick up an axe to try it for themselves. Despite all the debates and divisive shibboleths in this ancient trade, Nevan demonstrates that there’s no mystery to the craft. A solid understanding of the process; an open mind; and practice, practice, practice are the essential ingredients to success. Because of his hard-earned skill, Nevan makes hewing look easy, but never in an unapproachable way. His straightforward presentation comes across more like an invitation – an opportunity held out to anyone willing to try. That is the power of a good teacher.

So, we are absolutely delighted to be offering this course. It’s our hope that many more timber-frame buildings will emerge as a result of Nevan’s instruction here. If you’re a woodworker, you’ve really got to try hand hewing for yourself. Once you do, you’ll never look at a tree the same way again.

Run time:

Introduction 12:24
Felling 16:35
Sharpening 9:17
Tools 5:30
Lining Out 11:39
Hewing the First Face 17:04
Joggling, Scoring, & Hewing the Second Face 13:47
Bucking to Length & Hewing the Third Face 10:34
Hewing the Final Face 9:30
Conclusion 4:41

110 total minutes