Can’t find perfect timbers? Don’t fret. The Square Rule layout system is a technique for laying out and cutting accurate joinery on imperfect timbers. Before America's independence from England, all timbers in a frame were scribed to one another. The revolutionary Square Rule technique allowed the layout of accurate joinery on each timber independently from the other timbers in the frame. Timbers at that time were generally hand-hewn: roughly square and relatively uniformly dimensioned. Today, if you are buying rough sawn you will likely get the same. In this course, the group will do the layout, cutting, and raising of a timber framed building using rough sawn timbers. The square rule technique will provide the precise layout needed for accurate cutting. Joinery will be cut primarily with traditional timber framing hand tools. Power tools, both standard and specialized, will be available for demonstration and use.