Just back from Fort collins where the Timber Framers Guild raised frame for a local garden. It was a very fun week working friends and peers. Please see Joel McCarty's slide show from the week.

http://picasaweb.google.com/109129016758596070901/COSlideshow?authkey=Gv1sRgCLqbqL-w29C36QE#slideshow/5527650546404799842

Scott, Mike, and myself raised the posts and the ridge for the pavilion this morning. Short of having a migraine headache it well. Thank Denise for getting me the ice pack and the coffee. I've added a couple earlier photos as well. We will be working on the raising more on Wednesday and on up to the dedication Saturday the 25 th at noon. Come on out to see the this hand crafted pavilion that Whimpy Wolf Builders is dedicating to the fine folk of Lander. One of the highlights of this structure are the 12" x 26" posts that are salvage from the old Amico building that was deconstructed in Casper.

We finally cut into those big sticks we've been looking at in our yard. We should wrap up cutting on the two large posts today and start fitting the bents. That will make for a good time. Also Jeff Kimber from Precision Dirt Works is going to dig the footer holes for me next week, and Richard Bird dropped off the steel hold downs yesterday. So we are off and running on this shelter. Stay posted for a raising date. It would be great to do that around some sort of harvest party.

The long awaited WWB truck bike is here and in full form. We will be using it to run down to the lumber yard for smaller items, that we don not need a truck for. It was custom made by our very own Mike Lowham. He builds these on the side and I believe this was number 4. One of these years we ought to enter the 4th of July parade and ride the truck bikes.

Scott and I are using this week to move forward on the Pushroot Community Garden Pavilion. We are using a version of the plumb bob scribe method to layout the bents. This structure has two bents, each w/ only one post. We are using some really big sticks for the posts. The pavilion was designed to use these two 12 x 26 salvaged Doug Fir posts. They came out of a old Amaco building in Casper Wyoming. The purlins will be from the same building and the other timbers are from the yard and assorted origins. In the photo you can see the monster post on the bottom and the brace above Scott's head and the rafter in the back. Here Scott is transferring the brace info (shape and faces) to the post. This is mostly based on the French method. Check back to find out when we will be raising this.

The boys and I wrapped up the aspen ceiling of our addition today. I'm really pleased w/ the way it turned out. The dark grain of the aspen looks nice as a accent to the Doug Fir timbers. Floors next.

After a visit to the Shambhala Mountain Center w/ Sonjia, I came back inspired by some of the structures there. Timing would have it that a friend wanted to put up a fence and a nice gate. So we did a small Torri inspired gate. Projects like this that you can turn out in a couple of days are a lot of fun and really make spaces inviting. Looking forward to the steel courtyard wall/gate for Sonjia's and I's place Mike and I will be starting soon.

Well, I'm back after a long weekend away. Spent last weekend in Cour de Alene Id. at the Timber Framers Guild western conference. It was fun to catch up w/ old friends and meet some new ones, and always get inspired by all my peers doing such great work and sharing it through the Guild. This year we had Ma Bing-jian here from China talking about and showing how to lay out and cut Dou Gong bracket sets composing of 40 parts. See image below. Another high light for me was the joint busting- it's watching a crash at nascar for a timber framer. We had glu-lams, scarfed beams and how cool a keyed beam. The keyed beam had a point load of over 40,000 pounds before failure.

My buddy EJ of Med Hat design/fabricate up in Gallatin Gateway Montana is up to some cool stuff as well. I stopped by there and visited. They are working on a prefab project that will be trucked in three modules to the Ruby Valley in July.

I love what a craftsperson can do w/ a vision.

Stay posted for the updates on the Pushroot Community Garden Gazebo. My latest thinking is to truck it down the Lander 4th of July parade on it's way to it's next home.

While winter wants to hold on a bit longer, we are ready for warmer more stable weather. This last week I got the lions share of the remaining siding on house addition done. Lena, my daughter helped and that was a lot of fun.

Also in the works is the Pushroot Garden Gazebo. I am very excited about the look and style of the structure. I hope to get going on this in the coming weeks.

spring break

Spring break is here and it's snowing like crazy. The crew has taking the week off and I'm using this time to get caught up on my own house addition and some estimating. We will have about week to finish up Lowham's timber framed barn when we get back to it next week. Andy and I had a powwow this morning on some of the details for a recycled timber framed gazebo. WWB will donate the design and cutting of the frame. Once the frame is ready and there is date set we will raise it at the Pushroot Community Garden. Look for more details to be coming.