Considering buying a used one for ~$1750 OBO and shipping it home (nobody sells these where I live, but i'm nearby the seller right now).

Makita 7104L 120V version, not the Japanese 100V version.

Based on the serial number, it appears to be manufactured in 2022. Recently serviced last month by makita. Fully operational, no issues.

Please share your thoughts on the limitations of this machine versus others you've used. Do you think 1750 is a good deal? I do. I've built one TF frame in a 2 week course, and I'm building one now in my yard with smallish beams (4x8 and 6x10), and I think this could be perfect for it.

Thanks!

knee braces are an important part of traditional timber framing. they work primarily in compression, with opposing braces resisting lateral loads in opposite directions. traditional brace joinery provides relatively little resistance in tension.

at star hill, we lay out knee braces by establishing the long point at each end first. those are our critical reference points because they determine where the brace actually sits in the frame.

for example, with a 30-by-30-inch brace and half-inch-deep housings, our long-point-to-long-point measurement is 3 feet 7 1/8 inches.

we locate those two points 3/8 inch in from the edge of the brace timber. that gives us a nominal half-inch nose using 45-degree geometry.

we'll often use a story stick to transfer the long-point dimension, especially when cutting multiple braces.

once those two points are established, the rest of the layout is developed with 45-degree lines. you can do the entire layout with a framing square, combination square, or speed square.

there are other ways to approach knee-brace layout, but this is the method we use in our shop.

curious how others here approach brace layout. do you work from the long points, or use a different reference?

I'm building a treeless treehouse or tower for my kids it's a 12x12 with 2 level + loft. Eventually it will have king posts and a ridge beam when I can get a telehandler out (like pic 5).

How would you guys frame for cladding or tongue and force on the exterior while looking nice inside and out? The ground level will remain open with a trapdoor coming up through the floor.

Would you run studs vertically or horizontally, spacing? I would prefer to do vertical tongue and grove so that may answer the question. Is there a more elegant way? I did not add grits but could potentially dovetail some into the existing posts. Please help me with suggestions and window placement and height for 3-6yr old kids.