star hill timberworks practices manual

digital download • designed for 11″ × 17″ printout • $199

a step-by-step timber framing manual built around a timber frame layout kit

this is not a coffee-table book. it’s a working practices manual designed to teach how to use a timber frame layout kit — specifically the star hill timber frame kit consisting of the ezl, ezb, and ezt.

drawn directly from the in-person curriculum at Star Hill Timberworks, this manual teaches the same layout, joinery, and sequencing used in real classes, organized so you can learn one operation at a time.

if you own — or plan to purchase — a timber frame layout kit (ezl, ezb, ezt), this manual shows how those tools work together to control layout, accuracy, and repeatability from the first reference line to the final peg.

what we mean by “timber frame kit”

throughout this manual, timber frame kit refers specifically to a layout kit, not a pre-cut building package.

the star hill timber frame kit includes:
• ezl — layout and reference control
• ezb — mortise and tenon layout
• ezt — brace and angled layout

the manual shows the star hill timber frame kit in action, step by step, so you can see how the system works as a whole.

the same layout operations can also be performed using a framing square, combination square, and speed square. the process is the same — it will simply take more time and require additional setup and checking compared to using the layout kit as a system.

why this manual works with a timber frame layout kit

• demonstrates how ezl, ezb, and ezt function together in real layout scenarios
• explains correct sequencing so joints fit cleanly the first time
• emphasizes reference faces, control lines, and consistency
• helps prevent common layout errors that lead to cumulative mistakes

while the examples use the star hill timber frame layout kit, the principles apply universally to traditional square-rule timber framing.

what’s inside

• how a timber frame layout kit fits into the overall framing workflow
• the star hill layout system — ezl, ezb, and ezt
• framer’s road map for orientation and reference control
• tool selection, chisel technique, and safe boring methods
• timber frame foundations: anatomy, timber lists, storage, inspection, shrinkage, staging, drawing conventions
• joinery in sequence:
squaring, layout considerations, square rule, center line, mortise, tenon, knee brace, dovetail, scarf joints, test fitting, rafters
• buildable projects that reinforce layout fundamentals:
– timber frame ponies
– traditional sawhorses
– mailbox frame
– wedding arch / sign holder
– outhouse frame

format

• digital download only
• optimized for 11″ × 17″ shop printing
• clear diagrams and animations support each operation
• immediate access after purchase

who this is for

• builders learning to use a timber frame layout kit
• sawmill owners laying out their own frames
• woodworkers transitioning into timber framing
• anyone who wants a clear, repeatable layout system before cutting joinery

who this is not for

• buyers looking for pre-cut building kits
• theory-only or historic reference readers
• engineered construction drawings

built to teach layout first — because layout controls everything.
build · remember · repeat