Working Holiday in Costa Rica?

[KristopherCR]

Dear fellow framers,

My wife and I are currently building our hybrid timber frame home in Monteverde, Costa Rica, and are open to the possibility of a work exchange through until end of April (the best month to be in Monteverde) or possibly more. The frame is a one story structure build on a cement pad with a hip roof. Our walls will be waddle + daub which will be a new under taking for us, we hope we can start sometime in May, once the frame is raised and the roof is on! (Hopefully before the rainy season!)

The exterior + interior beams are completed, and we are currently laying out the main posts. 

Our friend who was helping us has had to leave and so our rustic cabin in the forest (shed converted into studio apartment, think Walden's Pond) is available to someone who likes the idea of helping on a frame until raise day. 

We would be able to offer accommodation (equipped with kitchen, laundry, shower) & lunch on work days in exchange for a half day (Mon-Sat, 7am - 12pm) of help on the project. 

We are seeking someone who has experience cutting joinery and who values precision. The ideal framer would be able to stay until the frame is raised, scheduled for end of April. Some general prep work may be asked such as sanding and handling, with main focus on cutting joinery.

We are open to hear of any feedback as to how this work exchange could be more rewarding to an interested person. 

The property is alcohol & drug free, we ask that anyone interested can refrain from substances while on the property.

Saludos de Costa Rica,

Kris & Marie



 

 

 

 

 

 

[DonW]

Beside the request for live-in help ( hopefully that works out for you ) and since you write that the in-fill of wattle and daub is new for you, I recommend you make your provision for inserting staves on the top of the bottom rails before assembling the frame - holes on the under-side top rails can be made afterwords. It is important the staves are well fit and in general after weaving the whithies that this support for your clay mix is stable enough to withstand the force of compressing the plaster mix which ideally is as stiff as possible. 

[KristopherCR]

Thanks for the tip Don, we will make sure of it. For whitties we have 1x stock that we will cut into strips with the table saw. For the staves we have 1 1/4 in x 2 in diamond shaped stock which we will weave around. 

We hope to be finished the main joinery by Friday, and with some luck we will have a roof over us before the rainy season. Squaring up out of square hip rafters is no small feat. 

[KristopherCR]

Beside the request for live-in help ( hopefully that works out for you ) and since you write that the in-fill of wattle and daub is new for you, I recommend you make your provision for inserting staves on the top of the bottom rails before assembling the frame - holes on the under-side top rails can be made afterwords. It is important the staves are well fit and in general after weaving the whithies that this support for your clay mix is stable enough to withstand the force of compressing the plaster mix which ideally is as stiff as possible.

Thanks for the tip DonW,
Time moves fast, but our timber frame not! Although we have a roof which we are greatful for this rainy season...
I am begining to make my provisions for my staves in the bottom rails, what would be the recommended dimensions so that the stave can be bent into the provisional hole? My staves are 1" * 2 1/4" and I am wondering what standard hole depths should be, as well as the recess dimensions to allow for easy installation , many thanks !