Bill Clouser wrote:
>
> Snip of very complete description of tree nails from Nick:
>
> > Trenails, or pins,  are most easily made from very dry stock,
> > ripped in long lengths,  and planed from the square to a
> > slightly oversized octagon shape.
>
> > The idea is to get the corners to bite into the wood of the
> > timbers, and then have them swell as they wick moisture from
> > the less-dry timbers.
>
> > The stock for these cannot be too dry.
>
> Reading this makes me wonder if the combination of very dry
> pegs and wetter surrounding timber will be susceptible to the
> same effects as the mortise and tenon joints in Windsor chairs.
>
> In his early stages, Mike Dunbar used to recommend that the
> tenon material be very dry so that it would swell to lock the
> joint together.  But later, he said that was a mistake, because
> he realized that, as it swelled, the super-dry tenon would
> compress the wood fibers around the mortise which would lead
> to a looser joint during subsequent wet/dry cycles where the
> tenon and mortise might shrink away from each other.  I
> believe this is his current thinking anyway.
>
> - Bill

I don't know doodly squat about timber framing, but our
woodworking club took a look at the church where we hold ou
meetings. It's a brick covered, timber frame building from the
early 1800's. I seem to recall someone saying that the pegs (tree
nails?) were supposed to be left protruding and hammered back it
as the structure loosened up. The attic was made from massive oak
timbers held together with wicked looking wooden  12" spikes.

Bill Millios (wmillios@a...), who hasn't had time for the list
lately, partly because he's planning on building a timber frame
house and shop, would know more about this.

Carl