Fall 2013 Workshop Schedule

Here is the tentative schedule for our 2013 project:

August 5-10 hewing and site prep

August 12-17 hewing and foundation work

August 19 sill layout

August 20-24 wall layout

August 26-28 Roof layout

August 29-31, cut joinery sills, walls

September 2-7 cut joinery, walls

September 9-12 cut joinery, wallss, roof support

September 13-14 makeup days

September 16-18 raise roof

so to summarize, workshop time can be broken up as follows:

hewing: August 5-20

Scribe  layout: August 20-28

wall framing and joinery: August 29-September 7

Roof framing: September 9-12

Hewing

Come down and hew with us any time. We’re hand hewing certain key members of this frame, one’s that will be in prominent locations -these include corner posts, door posts, etc. Price will be $50 per day if you are learning. If you are experienced and bring your own tools, there is no cost. Either way, we will feed you. If you are experienced and want to use my tools, cost is $25 per day.

I’ve started the hewing process, trying to get the hang of things again. The finish on many of these timbers will be much nicer than previous projects.

Hewing

Check out the workshops page for the current hewing offerings.

 

Timber Framing Workshops

During the month of August, I plan to cut and raise a 30×30 foot frame. This frame will be for a barn that will house the milking operations on our small farm. It is to be built in the style of the Berner Mitteland, with distinct influences from the Emmental and Gürbetal styles.

 

This project is open for workshops. We will open the entire course of the project to any who wish to come and learn about this style of timber framing. A emphasis will be placed on the roof system, which is the characteristic feature of these buildings. This will have a Liegender Dachstuhl, a type of balanced truss system which allows for a totally open attic space.

 

Contact me if interested in learning more about this vernacular building style.

Construction of our building is well under way, and we are ready for the workshop on Monday. 

Blockbau Workshop Update 6/2/12

 Slowly but surely we have been progressing on preparing for our June Blockbau workshop. The hewn timbers are piling up, and the foundation is coming into shape. We are right on schedule to have all of the preliminary work done in good time.

In other news, we still have a few remaining spots. So if anyone out there is interested, there is still time to sign up.

 

 

There is Still Time!

There is still time to register for the June Blockbau workshop, but hurry! There are only 3 slots still open!

 

 

Time Is Running out!

We’ve got just a little over a month left before our workshop. If you have been considering participating in this unique opportunity, now’s the time.

We have a large stack of hand-hewn white pine, just waiting to be joined up into this structure.

During our workshop, we will cover the principles behind timber selection and orientation to the weather, axe-cut joinery, as well as the fundamentals of Blockbau construction. Participants will be cutting joints and laying up walls, we will be measuring and laying out the joints, with each joint cut specific to its situation.

The building building will be ornamented in the traditional style of the Berner Oberland, including an inscription detailing the construction. As an added bonus, all workshop participants will have their names included in this inscription for many to see for generations to come.

 

Currently, our plan for the inscription on the front gable, in the traditional style, written in Old Swiss Standard German, is:

Stet allzyt Fride ins Hus|Gott triebt die Sorgen us.
Er lässt uns glueke ein|und soll immer bey uns seyn.
David Bähler hat sich dyse Käserei gebauten.
Gebauen durch David Bähler und John Bähler im Jahren des Herrn 2012
Zimmermeister David Bähler|John Bähler Meisterknecht|Robert Bähler Wandknecht
John Doe Fred Smith Frank und Billy haben bei der Aufbau geholfen mit.

With the italicized names replaced with the names of the workshop participants.

Would you like to have your name prominantly inscribed on a building that may well stand for hundreds of years?

 

Hewing Update

We have changed our policy for our hewing instruction…

If any would like to come and learn how to hew, they may do so for free. But we would appreciate any donation amount you would feel like giving. All donations will go toward the funding of our Cheesery.

 

Hewing Workshops

We are currently offering hewing workshops to any who are interested in learning about traditional and historic hewing techniques.

We offer two different styles of hewing, using different tools and resulting in different finishes.

We can teach a typical American style of hewing, using commonly available tools and resulting in a finish suitable for replicating the appearance of historic American structures. This technique involves the use of common feling-type axes and the familiar Pennsylvania pattern broad axe.

We will also gladly teach a German/Central European method using specialized tools and resulting in a highly refined finish. This is our preferred method. This method makes use of specialized nothing axes, known as Bundaxt, a type of long-handled broad axe used for rough surfacing known as Plankaxt, and the German broad axe, known in English as Goosewing and in German as Breitbeil.

These are one day courses -you come and spend the day with us and we will teach you how to hew. The aim is to equip you with the knowledge you need to master hewing. We cannot teach you how to hew, that can only come from much experience. But we can give you the information you need to get started, or help you to refine what you already know.

The price for this is $50 for 1 day. We will be available most days Monday through Saturday (we do not work on Sunday), provided the weather is suitable.