The Workshop starts Sunday at 1 p.m. and continues through the following Friday. We lay out, cut, and trial assemble a frame, allowing students to participate in the entire process. The workshop project is a 10 ‘ x 12’ timber frame, with the workshop participants cutting and raising the frame so they can see how it all comes together after the weeks work. The project is for sale at the end of the workshop. On Friday, the frame is raised and later in the day there is a “graduation party”. The participants receive a Certificate of Achievement, a Goshen T-shirt and group photo. Come prepared for a busy and enjoyable week.

We do not cut any customer frames during workshop weeks. When a frame owner wants to participate in the cutting of their frame, arrangements can be made to make that happen.

APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS

The apprenticeship program is primarily for those who commit from one to three months. The longer you stay, the more extensive the range of training you will receive, from layout through cutting and trial assembly to timber frame raising and/or panel installation.

Basically, the apprenticeships are less structured than the workshops. The reason for this is the amount of time available during workshops. The workshops are conducted in a small space of time, strictly scheduled, and the information is covered rather quickly. The apprenticeships offer more attention to detail and practice. In other words, an apprentice has the opportunity to participate with the work "hands on" with personal instruction and guidance from one of our experienced joiners.

Our method of timber framing is traditional joinery with wooden pegs. We use some power tools, but finish off every joint with hand-chiseling. Most of the tools we use in our shop are those that are affordable to someone planning to build their own timber frame. We avoid using too many specialized timber framing tools, because our students are not going to have these tools when they return home. While we have a forklift in the shop, anyone wanting to do timber framing needs to understand that it is hard work. It is not just layout and fine chiseling; it also involves moving heavy timbers around. We are careful to use safe procedures for moving timbers, and we are more than willing to make allowances for someone who cannot be involved in that aspect of the work. (However, we would like to know this in advance.)

The people you will work with in the shop are David Pickartz,  Joel Scott, Don Pierce, Justin Tarbell, Ford Hall, Mark Lepetich, and Jeff Hays. David runs the shop and the rest are talented joiners. They enjoy their work and enjoy teaching the craft to others. Administrator Cathy Bryan will work with you to schedule your apprenticeship and to help make your time with Goshen not only productive, but enjoyable. Designer Mark Westhoven is available to answer any questions you might have regarding design/engineering. Bonnie Pickartz, who takes care of sales and customer service is in the office most days and is pleased to help in any way she can.

Please bring the following tools with you:

• 1˝-inch timber framing chisel, mallet, framing square
• 25' measuring tape
• carpenter's pencil and a good eraser
• In addition, it would be helpful (but not necessary) if you have calipers and/or a carpenter's framing square.
• In the interest of safety, we encourage you to bring a pair of eye guards. They are usually plastic and are easily found in most hardware stores. You may also want to bring along a pair of ear plugs.

If you like, you can purchase your chisel and/or mallet from us when you get here. We carry the Barr Chisel, which is the best and sells for $105. If you would like to purchase a mallet, they sell for $25.

Our shop hours are Monday through Thursday 7 am to 5 pm. We enjoy our three day weekends and hope that you will take advantage of the time off to explore the area. Franklin is a beautiful place, centrally located between Smoky Mountain National Park and Asheville, North Carolina. There are many great hiking areas, spectacular falls, white water rivers, craft shops and historic sites. If you are on the internet, you can visit the Franklin Chamber of Commerce website at www.franklin-chamber.com for information about tourist attractions and other lodging options.

After the first month, we provide a stipend of $300 per month to help apprentices cover living expenses. Lodging is free for the entire period. You will be in two cabins that we own in the beautiful Cowee Valley, about 20 minutes from town. One is the sleeping cabin, with 2 bedrooms and 2 baths. Usually there will be no more than 4 apprentices, and you'll sleep two to a room. The other cabin has the kitchen, dining and living room areas, with computer, TV and VCR. The kitchen is fully stocked with pots and pans and dishes. There is also a washing machine.

If you are interested in an apprenticeship, you can email us at cathyb@goshenframes.com or call 828-524-8662. Please talk with us as early as possible, as we tend to get filled up at least 3-6 months in advance. We are interested to know about the kinds of experience you've had in the past and what your goals are for your apprenticeship with Goshen. We hope to create a positive situation for all.

"I enjoyed this workshop. You have great people to be with and they seem to enjoy what they do. I learned what it takes to build a timber frame. The team work and camaraderie were great. I came for hands-on experience - I got it."
                                - Kim Rauch, Holsopple, PA