The Forestry Forum

Some months ago, a couple of local timber framers came to see me about getting some tools for working on a community project.

Near my home town is another town where most of the settlement of our area began in 1634, and that town is Ipswich, MA. The town was planning a 375th celebration and a group of craftsmen wanted to show what a 21st century house and a 17th century house would look like standing side by side. So they created a community of craftsmen and started working on this project.

Well, this past Saturday was the celebration and they completed the settlement house right on time.

This 12'x16' cabin was made from hand hew timbers by craftsmen who never used a broad axe before. Some had never done timber framing before.

The project was a great success and my hat is off to these men, women and kids who helped out during their off hours, nights and weekends over the last 5 months.

Here is a shot of most of the crew at the end of the raising:

(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/219/1634_Group.jpg)

Although some of the studs and floor boards were purchased lumber, made by a local sawmill, the rest of the timbers were hew on site, by volunteers and skillfully cut to fit together to make this fine timber frame settlement building.

To read more about this project you can check out the info at this site:

http://ipswichcbc.wordpress.com/

There are lots of photos and some videos there as well.

Again a great job done by many...

Jim Rogers

Nice. 

Do you have any specific "how to" type information on hand hewing?  I have a broad axe, but no clue.

I'll send you a pm as I have some info I can share with you.