Will Jim be heading up any workshops in the near future?

Doc · February 28, 2005, 11:59:05 PM

I looked into Cowee, and others, but am up for a bit more than I think I am going to get out of a week of just cutting joints on stands. I wanna put the frame in the air too!

I know this is work, and I have no doubt it will be taxing, but it looks like fun too.

I am in this to learn so I can build my own home. The only way to do that is to have actually put one in the air.....

I had thought about buying the books and building some smaller scale projects (ie. a small shed and a forge with slip formed stone walls for me on the property would be nice). May go that route yet, but if I can get enough hands on to do one with someone who has done it for a living I woudl rather do that than make mistakes and waste time, energy, wood, and possibly risk my neck!

So is there a possibility that Mr. Rodgers will be holding another workshop in the near future?

Doc

Jim_Rogers · March 01, 2005, 06:32:21 PM

Doc:
Where are you located?
I hold workshops every other Saturday, every month. But they are only one day workshops and we don't have a frame ready to raise yet.
If you'd like to do a week long workshop, and raise a frame, maybe I can help you find one that going to do that soon.
Jim Rogers

Doc · March 01, 2005, 06:49:06 PM

I am in Huntsville Alabama. I know of no one down here that has even contemplated the idea of doing what I have in mind, but there may be some.....who knows. I am willing to drive a fair distance to a workshop if it means I will get to do more than stand in a shop and hollow out mortises for a week. I might even be talked into staying a couple if I can help with the raising of the frame, and see how all that works.

Let me get my ducks in a row, and it may be my place where a workshop gets offered. I am looking for acreage, and timber.

Doc

JoeyLowe · March 02, 2005, 09:55:48 AM

;D Hi Doc:

I'm located in Gilmer, Texas which is 26 miles north of I-20 and about 60 miles west of Shreveport, La. (About an hour inside our state line.) We hosted a seminar here back in Sept. at which Jim Rogers was the instructor. A great time was had by all who attended.

My particular frame is a 6 bent frame using interupted plates and two types of trusses. (knig post and queen post w/collar tie). We have cut and stood up the lower half of all six bents. (posts, braces and tie beams.) We are preparing to cut and raise the principal rafters and trusses in the coming weeks, weather permitting.

If you are interested in joining in on fun and getting some wonderful experience, come on out. I will provide room and board in exchange for your labor. Let me know if you are interested.

Regards.

Joey Lowe

submarinesailor · March 03, 2005, 06:29:06 AM

Doc,

The Timber Framers Guild will be holding a raising in Fredericksburg, VA. during the last week of March and the first week of April. It is being held on the Ferry Farm, formerly known as Kenmore, George Washington's boyhood home. Trying to clear the work schedule so I can attend the first week.

According to my MS Street and Trips, it is about 675 miles from Huntsville to Fredericksburg. Most of the drive is interstate, I75 and I81 – don't know about I75 but I81 is good road and a nice drive.

Link for more info: http://www.tfguild.org/rendezvous/ferryfarm/index.html

subsailor

Doc · March 03, 2005, 07:45:51 AM

I used to live in Manassas (sp?). Fredericksburg is a nice place to be.

I will see what I can do.

We gotta see about getting more southern folk building this way.

Doc

submarinesailor · March 03, 2005, 05:51:45 PM

NNNNNooooo not Manassas!!! I grew up there - spent twenty years in the Navy and now I'm back. :-[ :D :-[ :D :-[ :D

Doc · March 04, 2005, 10:10:25 AM

Years ago I lived in Gainesville beside the post office (worked for my uncle at Jim's Tire Services changing tractor trailer tires).

Used to go to Manassas, DC, and all over N Va all the time. Pretty country, but the winters up there beat the hell out of me. I hate snow, and cold. It is all I can do to take the winters here.

Doc

submarinesailor · March 04, 2005, 10:37:56 AM

You wouldn't recognize Gainesville now. I remember when there wasn't a single stop light. Now, US 29 South has 5 stoplights between I66 and the US 15 intersection. One of the largest Lowes in the state of Virginia is located where the old Atlas Iron and Streel building was. What a difference!!

subsailor

Doc · March 04, 2005, 11:03:22 AM

I heard after my uncle closed up shop that things were supposed to change dramatically up there, but I had no idea it would take off like that. I haven't been up there in years. I may have to make the trip just to take a look.

It surely was pretty up there in the spring and summer. Hot and humid, but very pretty. I enjoyed the fall too, but the cold was bitter! Fishing was good, and having a crab house a couple of mile down the road was a real treat on a saturday after closing. We woudl get a couple of bushel of steamed crab and a couple of cases of beer and sit outside and feast! That was the good life.

It is funny how things change. Now I work in the tech industry. I am always in a rush. I always have to be getting something done, running till I drop. I want to get back to a simpler way of life. I think that is something that is certainly missing in this country is a simpler way of doing things. I think we are all in too big of a *DanG hurry, and have to get done right now.

I have spent the last few years learning how to do alot of things that I have always loved the old way. I am planning to build the house of my dreams the old way. A way that created structures that were unique unto themselves, and lasted for centuries. I want to create things in steel, and make things grow. I want to get a crew of you guys down to help me raise this sucker and put 10 lbs on you by cooking while you are here (*DanG I love to cook). I would have to roast a pig in the ground for the final day, and make up some potato salad and barbeque beans and cornbread for the last day, and make up some homebrew beer for the final evening. I gotta say thanks somehow.

I know I will always have a job in the tech industry till I don't have to work anymore (which may be always at the rate I am going), but to have something to come home to that I had a hand in building that people look at and go "WOW....how did he do that?" and "Isn't that amazing!" woudl be a real treat for me.

Enough ranting.....sorry....

Doc

Hokiemill · March 07, 2005, 10:14:32 AM

Small world guys. Doc, I'm in Lynchburg, VA. Grew up in Richmond, but just after graduating college at Va Tech (where submarinesailor has a daughter attending) I moved to Scottsboro for Three years working on the Bellafonte plant. Met my wife in Huntsville at the Tip-Top cafe (now closed). Dragged her back to Lynchburg. After our daughter was born, my in-laws retired and moved up here too. My wife still has many friends in Huntsville so we go back a few times a year - last trip was in January.

Now for even more small-world connections - the TF guild puts on an event every year in conjunction with VMI (so if you miss this one, there will be another next year). The primary contact at VMI is Grigg Mullen and I met him once through a friend at Grigg's TF house on top of a mountain. The guy that sits next to me at work went to VMI, took one year off of college to do nothing but TF. He is still quite involved with the VMI TFing events and last year he drew up the plans for the canon base.

Scary. ;D

Doc · March 07, 2005, 11:58:49 AM

Hokie,

Send me a pm with your email in it. The next time you are down here we will have to meet up for a beer or dinner or something.

I miss the tip top too! I don't drink enough any more to amount to anything (maybe a 6 pack a year), but I do miss the music. That place had more good bands through than anywhere around here for some distance.

I am wanting to get into this fairly deep, but am taking my time, and planning things out. I have another side business to start that will give me good reason to go forward with my plans for home and property.

Doc

bodark55 · March 28, 2005, 12:29:03 AM

I'm very interested in building timber frame myself and see now that I'm not alone . I been reading up for several years now and been to one workshop at goshen just did not get to stay for whole week but I really enjoyed the couple of days actually cutting a couple of joints myself and plan on going for more . I'm stlll very new at this posting thang but have really enjoyed reading all the info just can not believe how great this forum is , I finally died an went to timber heaven ! Really want to thank all you guys for the info and epscially Jim Rogers for all the info I see on here and the time he puts in ! I guess I need to ask one question at a time an shut up, if jim has another workshop or if joey needs any help I would sure like to help out and learn whatever I can . I'm pretty good basic carpenter , strong back , weak minded just tell me how high, and I'll try my best . I don't think I'm very far from you Joey, maybe we can get together and talk timber! Thanks again you all! Bodark!

Thehardway · April 06, 2005, 07:28:28 AM

Hokiemill,

Small world indeed. I live in Big Island VA and work every day in Lynchburg. Would love to talk w/you. Like Doc I am in the process of planning and building my dreamhouse and work in the tech industry. I too would like to get back to the slower life and have an appreciation for low tech, hard work. Do you have a mill?

Hokiemill · April 21, 2005, 05:01:47 PM

Hey Hardway, sorry for the late response. I don't hang out here too much - I spend most of my time in the sawmill/drying/general forums. Tech industry in Lynchburg? Let's see, not too many choices there. Yes, I have a mill, but it's a small one (6" Lucas swing mill). Unfortunately, this silly job has me working 50 and 60 hour weeks right now and the mill is dormant. Send me a pm if you have questions or want to chat it up.