Reply To: Drawing Rods
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I guess the ultimate version of the joiners (or carpenters) rod is in the French Scribe timber framing tradition where they literally draw a full 1:1 scale drawing of the structure (eg a roof truss, or gable wall for a building) on the floor, and use it to position the beams for marking out the joints. If they need say 5 trusses, they simply use the same drawing 5 times. Another fascinating feature of that type of joinery is that it works with timber that is wany, bowed, twisted, or rough hewn with an axe etc. Despite those defects, the joints still come out solid, with tight shoulders, and the beams end up with a good flat face to the outside of the building.
http://www.traditionaltimberframe.com/V1_0/index.php?mod=galerie&action=img&id_gal=41&id_img=783