1. Post to Beam Option One
Using Barrel Bolts is a great way to take the tension out of a joint as well as being popular in Post and Beam Construction.
- It is easy to install and drilling holes in the timbers is all that is necessary.
- One possible down side is that you will occasionally see the nut and washer, but adding a decorative washer and a square nut will dress it up.
- You will need the barrel bolt, all thread, washer, nut and a plug to hide the hole for the barrel bolt.
Click Images for Slideshow and Larger Images
2. Post to Beam Option 2
While this does hide all the steel from view it does have its limitations in regards to raising and assembly. Without cutting a through hole in the post (not shown) you will need to slide the beam along the all thread in order to assemble the joint.
Click Images for Slideshow and Larger Images
3 - Beam to Post
Click Images for Slideshow and Larger Images
4 - Rafter to Tie Beam - 2 Ways
With the ability to take sustained tension, using barrel bolts in the roof joinery is a natural employment of these connectors. Here we show using both a single and a double barrel bolt connection.
Where can the barrel bolts be purchased? Standard sizes?
Bob, check out our product listing here: https://timberframehq.com/shop/simplex-barrel-bolt-connection/
Seems like a good solution, but the need for highly accurate drilling scares me away.
There is a little play/forgiveness that you can give the holes by up sizing your bits by a size or two. That and a little practice and I know you can achieve good results with them.
Wish I would have discovered this before, it would have saved a ton $ vs. the bracketry and tools required to do it the way many of us have. This is so simple it’s stupid.
Thanks Brice!
Sorry we where late getting this option out there. Thanks for the comment.
If highly accurate drilling is a concern, stay away from the Timberlinx system, which is the ‘Gold Standard” in hidden connector/tensioner products. This barrel-bolt connection is exactly what I have done for over 30 years by drilling and tapping a piece of round stock. Since it was only used for repairs, drilling and tapping a couple of pieces and beveling the receiver side (and sharpening the seeking end of the all-thread) was no big deal. This production system seems to be perfect for it’s intended purpose and drilling oversize holes will not affect it’s performance at all. This looks as easy as pie.
Thanks for chiming in John.
Could one use this as the connectors on your timber frame plans or would modifications to the plans be needed? Also it looks like in the details that there is still some cutting of joinery shown, smaller tenons, mortises, shoulders, etc. Is that true?
Yes, we offer some post and beam plans and some post and beam conversion plans for other plans. If you have a plan in particular that we don’t have converted then we can do that for you. We have added a stub tenon as a locator to help out on raising day.