Woodhouse has long been known for its commitment to producing the highest quality timber framing packages in the industry. We work with the client to produce floor plans, elevation drawings and sketches until the client is 100% happy with the design. Once design drawings have been approved by all parties, our joinery shop team crafts the timber frame package through the combination of the use of a state-of-the-art CNC machine (CNC stands for Computer Numeric Control) and hand cutting the timbers.
The machine we have used since 1997 is known as a Hundegger K1. Founded in 1978 by Hans Hundegger, the machine became a breakthrough in the timber framing industry. Hundegger produced the first fully automated joinery machine in 1981, and a prototype was released to wood construction companies a few years later. Hundegger produced several models throughout the following decade, going from the original P8 in 1986 to the K2 in 1999. Hundegger now holds 90% of the market presence for automated wood joinery machines of its kind.
Custom Timber Frame Joinery
Hundegger has produced several different models of their CNC machine, but the model that Woodhouse uses to create our timber frame homes is the K1. With a five axis saw, slot cutter, horizontal and vertical drill bits, and a universal mill, the machine produces some of the finest joinery possible. Woodhouse has been lucky to have Jim Sweely and Bill Woodring as employees since long before the Hundegger K1 was purchased. Jim and Bill have both been with Woodhouse since the mid-1980s and were part of the joinery crew that used to cut our timber frames by hand. Now, they know just about everything there is to know about the machine and ensure that each and every timber comes out just as it is supposed to. With 20+ years of experience each in hand cutting, installing, and technical representation, their dedication to what they do comes through in each timber.
The Hundegger K1 CNC process begins by sizing the rough timber material. Feed rollers bring the timbers in to be cut. The timbers are graded and oriented for crown and appearance. The “positioning wagon” feeds the timber in and out of the milling process It continuously measures its position to ensure precision.
A circular saw is used to cut the timber to the appropriate length. Horizontal and vertical drills are used to produce peg or plug holes, and the slot cutter is used to slot mortise for hidden steel plates when necessary. The process is finished with a final planning using a machine-integral four-sided planer. When the timbers are finished being milled through the CNC machine, our joinery experts hand-finish them and pre-fit the timbers to ensure proper installation. This attention to detail is unmatched in the timber frame industry. A Hundegger machine is also used to pre-cut the SIPs (structural insulated panels) used for walls or roofs on our timber frame homes.
To learn more about the equipment used in our timber frame packages, contact us or stay at our guest suite on our campus and tour our joinery shop! We’d be happy to show you first-hand how the process works. Give us a call today at 800-227-4311.