On Monday, the Pennell crew erected the ell by hand. They had a roustabout on-site, which is like a more portable, telescoping gin pole, but the bents were light enough to raise with a crew of four. The ell, a drop-tie frame built in the mid-1800s, was dismantled earlier this spring during the first phase of…
There exists in wood a quality so satisfying that the proper use of it in the structural features of a house produces an effect of completeness which does away with the need of elaborate furnishings or decoration. – Gustav Stickley, The Craftsman, July 1905 Every now and then, I encounter a windbag who wants…
Over this long spring, we’ve been so elbow deep at the Pennell project in Brunswick that I’ve been remiss in writing about it. The James Pennell House, on Pennellville rd., is a two-story Greek Revival house built in 1838. It is a high-style home, with the later addition of cupola and ell. The project…
Arbor Day is everyday down at iFarm this spring. Brian and Shawn have been building an arbor that will support fruiting vines, like arctic kiwi, on this permaculture farm. Serpentine in layout, the arbor is constructed from black locust saplings with simple half-lap joinery on full-round material. Black locust is a choice species for use…
With spring in sight, it’s easy now to look back with pride at the frigid months spent repairing the frame of the Todd Farm Barn. Shawn Perry, Jesse Turgeon, Reese Crotteau and Brian Cox worked diligently to repair posts, tie beams and undercarriage of this large transitional frame in Rowley, MA. When all contractors have…
The NH Old House and Barn Expo was a great success. To be honest, I expected what I’d seen at other “old home” trade shows: booths hawking fiberglass steeples and plastic decking. Instead, I was inspired by the level of craftsmanship and care on exhibit. Sometimes it can feel like we are alone in the wilderness,…
This weekend, we’ll be sharing a few choice parts and pieces of the Israel Demeritt-O’Kane house with visitors to the NHPA Expo. We’ll be at the Radisson in Manchester, NH soaking up good talks ranging from “Old Home/New Technology: Explore Solar Energy for your Home!” to “The Masonry Detective: Exploring Chimneys, Bake Ovens and Fireplaces” (there’s…
The Maine Steeples Project provides crucial support to the communities that are preserving Maine’s most iconic structures. A collaborative effort of Maine Preservation, the Maine Community Foundation, and a donor-advised fund, the foundation matches community-raised funds and provides professional guidance. From their newly-updated website: The Maine Steeples Project supports local efforts to assess and restore…
Maine Preservation writes: When Tony Grassi takes a crazy gamble to rehab an abandoned mill, he inspires both skepticism and hope that its revived bond with the river will breathe new life into the town of Freedom, Maine. With the help of a colorful team of builders, masons, engineers and architects, he sets out to…
Here’s one to please our 11-year-old selves, and the folks over at Low-Tech Magazine: we raised the Carpenter’s Shop using a gin pole. This is a simple and traditional method for raising a timber frame by hand, and straightforward solution to a site with little crane access. It’s constructed from a long, straight pole with a block…