The genius of Japanese joinery is a sight to behold. This video is an incredible example of the precision and strength of Japanese joinery in action from the Kobayashi Kenkou carpentry group. It’s not everyday you get to see such incredible timber frame joints come together like this… and so seamlessly. Okay, enough gushing. Check this out!
Feeling inspired now?
I can hardly recall such a dynamic, diverse year as 2014. 2014 marked a transition year for April and I, and I’m happy to say that it was a smooth one. It was our first year living in the Berea, Kentucky area, having left Dancing Rabbit in the fall of 2013. This move was not an insignificant event, as I spent seven full and formative years in the northeast Missouri ecovillage.
I like to think back on the year past and try to remember all that has happened — maintaining this blog is actually an important way for me to be able to do that. It’s as much about documenting what we’re up to as it is a way for me to preserve some of life’s countless details. Here I’ll share some of the notable events and experiences of 2014, the year of our transition into a new life outside of Berea, Kentucky.
Well, this is awkward…
One of the most exciting projects in our timber frame/straw bale home of 2013 was building the wooden spiral staircase. It was a real head scratcher, and physically challenging to build as well. But the results were intensely exciting. The staircase is now an awesome focal point in the house.
We built the stairs in the days leading up to our move to Kentucky, and so we never had much of a chance to actually use them. We knew, too, that over time the risers and treads would shift a bit as the wood dried, and the whole thing would likely need adjustments later.
Well, since coming back to work on the house again, we’ve had an opportunity to see how things have changed and correct as necessary. As you can see above, it was at times a bit of a contortionist affair.
The pavilion gets the last of the countertops installed before its first debut
Our work on the timber frame pavilion at the Clear Creek Festival grounds has come to a happy ending. We have fulfilled our responsibilities and commitments, now that the frame is raised, the roof decked and metal roofing installed, and the countertops and sinks put in. I’ve gotta say, it’s so nice to be done…
Check out some of the latest photos here.
The first bent goes into position in our new timber frame pavilion
We did it… our new timber frame pavilion has been successfully raised. All worries were put to rest once we had our rigging ready and the first bent went up as smooth as butter. Cutting a frame with a whole bunch of hand tools is fun, but seeing your work raise high into the sky is hard to beat on the excitement scale. Yow!
Here’s one last round of photos of our 2014 Timber Frame Workshop that ended a couple short weeks ago. If you’re interested in getting a firsthand look at our finished pavilion, the building will be up and in use during the Clear Creek Festival from August 29-31. We’ll likely be making pizza during that same festival out of our new cob oven, too… so look out. Anyway, click ahead for the slideshow.
Photos of the completed structure should be up soon, too!
Our work comes together during the assembly process
On our final Timber Frame Workshop day, we saw the fruits of our labor come together, quite literally. Having cut all the pieces for at least one bent, we assembled the posts, beams, and braces to see just how well we did on our layout and cutting. Thankfully, we did a really good job and things came together quite well.
Pam works on her chisel skills on a tenon
Carpenter’s squares and tape measures are handy and all that, but they don’t carry nearly the same appeal as say, a sharpened chisel, an antique boring machine, or a Swedish axe. Marking and measuring, though arguably one of most important steps of timber framing, lacks the “cool” factor that comes with cutting joinery. People’s eyes tend to light up as soon as they see the ol’ Millers Falls boring machine come out, what with its fancy gears, the double handle, and the amazing wood chips it produces once set to motion.
Needless to say, enthusiasm ramped up on day two of our Timber Frame Workshop as people got a chance to saw and waste tenons, bore holes for mortises, and get busy with chisel and mallet.
Getting timber layout complete and ready for cutting
We packed in a lot of action during our four days of the 2014 Timber Frame Workshop last week. This was our first official course in our new home location in the Berea, Kentucky area, and I couldn’t be more pleased! The mountains, trees (and accompanying abundant shade), fresh spring water, and wildlife made an excellent backdrop to learning about timber frame layout, cutting, and assembly. It was great to meet new folks and reconnect with some ‘alumni’ from previous classes, too.
Our 2014 Timber Frame Workshop recently came to a successful end. What fun, and what a great group of folks we had join us this year. Here’s a bit of our work. I hope to find a few minutes soon to write up about the great experience! Thanks to all the awesome participants!
Hi there, I’m Ziggy. In 2008, I launched The Year of Mud while building my first natural home. This website is a collection of personal stories and experiences building with clay, straw, and wood over the past 15+ years. A few of the things that get me fired up are natural plasters, timber framing, & Japanese architecture. In 2012, we started offering Natural Building Workshops, so you can learn essential hands-on skills to build your own natural home.
