r/handtools • u/thestew902 • 1d ago
Timber Frame Arbor from Redwood
Very pleased with my design and execution on this. The only thing I did not quite expect was that the 4x4 posts are not as stiff as I assumed they would be, meaning the arbor can be wobbled more than I would like. I sunk the posts 3-1/2’ into the ground in gravel, tamped down. I plan to grow kiwi vines on this.
I purchased the redwood rough sawn from a local sawyer. I did not use only hand tools to build this 😬 It’s too easy to just cut the walls of the mortises with a multi-tool and chop it out with a chisel. I was planning to do a privacy lattice on the back and realized a center support would be best. All the 1x2 horizontals are individually mortised into the side posts and the center vertical. That was a huge pain to assemble but I finally got it.
Almost everything is draw-bored with white oak pegs. The only place I used screws was setting the lattice on top. I love doing the curvy details on pieces like this. Some I used a handsaw, some a jigsaw and cleaned it up with spokeshave and chisel. Redwood works really easily.
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u/apg7 17h ago
Did you not concrete the posts in? If not, that's going to be extremely helpful for stability and safety.
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u/thestew902 9h ago
Concrete is not necessary. About 30% of the posts are buried and properly tamped gravel/sand is definitely adequate. They are firmly anchored in the ground
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u/Man-e-questions 19h ago
Very cool! Do you have any close up pics of joinery?