Alright, so I’ve been messing around with some timber framing lately, and let me tell you, it’s been a wild ride. I decided to try this “batten dancing” thing I saw, and it’s basically using battens to help with the layout and spacing of timber frames. Sounds simple enough, right? Wrong! Well, not wrong, but definitely a learning experience.

Getting Started

First, I gathered my materials. I had a pile of timber I’d been itching to use, and I grabbed a bunch of battens – basically just thin strips of wood. I also made sure I had my trusty measuring tape, a pencil, a saw, and some clamps. You know, the usual suspects.

The Process

The idea is to use the battens as a sort of temporary framework. I started by laying out the battens on the floor, mimicking the shape of the timber frame I wanted to build. This is where the “dancing” part comes in – you kind of have to move the battens around, adjusting them until you get the spacing and angles just right. It’s a bit like a puzzle, really.

• Measure, measure, measure. Seriously, I can’t stress this enough. Get those measurements right, or your frame will be all wonky.
• Clamp it down. Once I had the battens in place, I clamped them together to keep them from shifting around.
• Mark it up. I used a pencil to mark the positions of the timbers on the battens. This gave me a clear guide for where to cut and join the actual timbers.

Then came the fun part – cutting the timber! I followed the marks on the battens, carefully sawing each piece to the correct size and angle. It’s important to take your time here and be precise. One wrong cut, and you might have to start all over again.

After sawing all timber pieces, I placed them on the ground one by one, with the help of battens.

Once all the pieces were cut, I started assembling the frame. I used the battens as a guide, making sure everything lined up perfectly. It was slow going, but it was incredibly satisfying to see the frame taking shape.

The Result

Finally, after a lot of sweat and a few splinters, I had my timber frame! It wasn’t perfect, but it was pretty darn good for a first attempt. And the best part? I learned a ton in the process. I’m already planning my next project, and I’m confident that with a little more practice, I’ll be able to “dance” with those battens like a pro!