Mud Pond Hewing and Framing

Workshops

Tree to Frame Workshop

October 13-18, 2008: Tree to Frame Workshop. (Limit 5 People)

Overview – We will start with Pine logs, hew out the timbers. We will also create our own oak or ash trunnels. We will layout and cut the joinery for the frame and on the last day raise the frame.
Instructor: Michael Beaudry

Tuition: $600

Schedule:
Monday – Hand hewing with Broad Axe.
Tuesday – Hand hewing and Trunnel shaving.
Wednesday – Layout and cutting of Sill & Post Joinery.
Thursday – Finish Posts, Layout and cut Plate and Tie Beam Joinery.
Friday - Layout and cut Roof system joinery.
Saturday – Raise Frame.

Evening Discusions and Tours:
Monday – The Broadaxe: history, design, maintenance, use and sources for axes.
Tuesday – Overview of Timber Framing, layout and joinery.
Wednesday – Tour a Cruck Frame.
Thursday – Tour house with King Post Truss system.
Friday – Cookout.

Traditional Norwegian Log Building.

October 27 – November 7, 2008: Traditional Norwegian Scribe Fit Log Building using Round Logs. (Limit 8 People)

Instructor: George Fuller, Log Building Instructor, Norsk Lafteskole, Lillehammer, Norway.
In addition to being a log builder and instructor in Norway, George has been a log construction consultant to the growing log building industries in Estonia, Russia, and Latvia. He has also been instrumental in the resurgence of log building in France. George teaches traditional, double scribe, cope log joinery with settling allowances built into door, window and roof assemblies. It is an honor to have such a skilled traditional builder come to the States.

Tuition: $1350, included in price is a Norwegian Lafting axe.

Overview: This is a full two week program. Instruction runs every day with the exception of Sunday. Most evenings have discussions, slide shows, etc. All aspects of log construction are covered: Sills, Norwegian corner notching, scribing and cutting the cope, window and door frame assembly, key-ways and key-pieces.

Tentative Schedule: Monday: Short introductory presentation.
Site and tool inspection.
Corner Notching: scribing and cutting.
Log selection and handling.
Horizontal channel.

Tuesday: Corner notch: scribing and cutting.
Horizontal channel.
Dowels.
Wall openings.
Tool maintenance.

Wednesday: Corner Notch: scribing and cutting.
Horizontal Channel.
Dowels
Blind Notch.

Thursday: Corner Notch: scribing and cutting.
Horizontal channel
Dowels
Upper Plate Logs.

Friday: Repetition.
Insulation of channels.
Key-ways and key-pieces.
Kerfing.

Saturday: Temporary foundations.
Lower Plate logs

Sunday: Possible trips to Liberty Tool and Woodbutchers tools.

Monday: Gable Logs and purlin sizing.
Roof Pitch, snow loads, etc.
Gable layout, templates, etc.

Tuesday: Cutting gable and purling notches.
Setting gable and purlin logs.

Wednesday: Repetition – Gable and purlins

Thursday: Cutting Gable logs to proper pitch.
Cutting slot for roof planking.
Shaping purlins to match roof slope.
Friday: Finishing up.

In addition to the daily schedule, most evenings will consist of discussions on topics such as the concept of Zero Point in Norwegian Log Building, Chain saw lecture, Lumber characteristic, Preserving log structures, Sod roofs, and other topics deemed relevant to Norwegian Log Building.

George Fuller's Log work.

Demonstrations

Penobscot Marine Museum, Searsport, Maine: Thursday, July 24 and August 23, 2008 from 10AM to 4PM. Hand Hewing, Mortise and Tenon Joinery, Trunnel making. Drop by and give it a try.

Maine Organic Garderners and Farmers Association Common Ground Fair, Unity, Maine: September 19 – 21, 2008. Hand Hewing, Mortise and Tenon Joinery. I am usually joined by others. Drop by, it is a great fair.

Individual Lesson

Individual or small group lessons are offered on an as requested basis. Contact me for scheduling and pricing.

Accommodations

Accommodations are the responsible of the student. Primitive camping is permitted on the grounds. There is a campground one and a half-miles away. Rental cabins are sometimes available and Bed and Breakfast, hotels and motels are available in nearby Belfast.

Directions

Take route 3 East out of Augusta. Travel approximately 30 miles. One half mile after passing Lake St. George State Park take a left onto Route 220 North. Travel approximately one mile down Route 220, take left onto Peavey Town Road. Four hundred yards up road on left (base of hill) turn into driveway. (40 on Mailbox, log house, greenhouses.)