Here are some very beneficial publications from the American Wood Council/American Forest& Paper Association regarding wood frame construction techniques:
Conventional Wood Frame Residential Construction:
http://www.awc.org/pdf/WCD1-300.pdf
Heavy Timber Construction:
http://www.awc.org/pdf/WCD5.pdf
Plank and Beam Framing for Residential Buildings:
http://www.awc.org/pdf/WCD4.pdf
Post Frame Buildings:
http://www.awc.org/Publications/dca/DCA5/dca5.htm
These are good publications, Manhattan- I think we have some of this in other places but it is good to have them here all grouped together. The conventional framing manual is good for owner builders to print out for reference - about 54 pages as I remember.
I will add a few links to Manhattens list (these from the Southern Pine Council (http://www.southernpine.com/))
Header and beam tables:
http://newstore.southernpine.com/cgi-bin/newsopine/product?;5;
Joist and rafter spans
http://newstore.southernpine.com/cgi-bin/newsopine/product?;4;
Pressure Treated wood foundations and basements:
http://newstore.southernpine.com/cgi-bin/newsopine/product?;32;
Publication Index (many are free PDF downloads)
http://newstore.southernpine.com/cgi-bin/newsopine
I've been a lurker here for several months, and finally decided to make a forum post that I hope will provide some substance. Below is a link to links; it is a Technical Design Literature web library that contains all of the above mentioned documents, but other seemingly valuable documents, such as wood I-beam connection details that I have not seen posted in this forum, but which I was most excited to discover. Hopefully this link may provide information that others will deem useful as well.
http://www.mcvicker.com/twd/gwdi05/page000.htm
Thanks for the great forum! [cool]
w* and thanks for the great information.