Skip to main content
Dec 12
Love0

Straw Bale Building Workshop 2012: Build a Straw Bale House

By Straw Bale Building, Strawtron, Workshops

The Straw Bale Building Workshop at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage is now open to applicants! Come join us in July 2012 for a comprehensive 10 day straw bale construction course, where you will learn valuable skills you need to know to build your own straw bale house.

You’ll get hands-on experience stacking, securing, and pinning bales, and plastering the walls with local clay. Enjoy and learn from the incredible experience of helping to build an actual home in a well-known, inspiring ecovillage community.
Read More

Dec 08
Love0

Cabin Stove: Small Wood Burning Masonry Heater

By Heating

I’ve been in contact with Max of Firespeaking recently, and he pointed me to a very interesting masonry heater in response to my question about small masonry stove designs appropriate for small homes.

The Cabin Stove, built at Aprovehco Research Center, is a compact multi-functional wood burning masonry heater. A rather attractive one, I might say, that has cooking and water heating functions, in addition to slow-releasing radiant heat.

Read More

Nov 22
Love0

Timber Framing Workshop 2012: Build a Timber Frame Home

By Natural Building Workshops, Strawtron, Timber Framing

beth-slick

March 2013 Update: We are now offering a new Timber Frame Workshop for 2013 in August. Check out the details!

I am pleased to announce that folks can now read about and apply for the Timber Framing Workshop we are hosting at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, June 10-23, 2012. This is shaping up to be a unique and very exciting opportunity for folks looking to gain real building skills in an incredible setting!

2012 Timber Framing Workshop students will spend two full weeks at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage in Rutledge, Missouri learning the historic craft of timber framing using mortise and tenon joinery, as well as experiencing and learning some of the fundamental connections between natural building design and sustainable lifestyle alternatives.

Read More

Nov 19
Love0

2012 Natural Building Workshop Pages Under Construction

By Natural Building Workshops

You may have noticed the 2012 Natural Building Workshop page updated with new information, and that the Timber Framing Workshop and Straw Bale Building Workshop pages are password protected. That is because that are not yet ready for public viewing.

So do not fear, you have not missed your opportunity! Check back soon for more information and an application. The information unvieling is coming up quick, I promise.

Nov 03
Love0

Finding Used Timber Framing Hand Tools

By Hand Tools, Timber Framing
chisels

1 1/2" framing chisel & corner chisel found at flea market

I’ll admit, I do like shopping once in a while, although I dislike going to most stores. The kind of shopping that I don’t complain about, though, is the kind that happens once a month at our local flea markets.

These flea markets are brimming with tools, if you can manage picking through piles and piles of rust and assorted junk, but every once in a while you will walk away happy. I’ve spent the last year specifically looking for timber framing tools, and have had some success with procuring things on my want list. Read More