Cabinet shop at Fox Maple School

[Jim_Rogers]

Several years ago, some students cut a frame for a cabinet shop for the school. Or should I say for Steve. His plan was that this would be HIS shop, and that no one but him would have a key. So that his tools would be there nice and sharp when he wanted them.

Here is the end view of the shop:



This is a hammer beam truss.

Here is a shot of just one side:



And the top:



Notice the line of the braces.....



This shot is of the center hammer beam truss.
Notice that this hammer beam is longer and the hammer beam post is cut shorter and is on top of the hammer beam. This is different then the gable bent.

Here is the third bent or other gable bent:



This is a queen post bent.

Here is a shot of the wall system:



It is a wood chip/clay infill system.

Here is a shot of the post and foundation:




As you can see this is a work in progress.

Jim Rogers

[Stephen1]

Very nice! How long has this been a work in progress?

[Jim_Rogers]

A couple of years, at least.

In order to teach wood chip clay infill systems you need to have a place where you can do it. So that's why it takes such a long time to enclose a frame such as this....

Jim Rogers

[Mtnjack]

Jim could you please expand a little on the chp infill system, as i sure have a good supply is it like insulation made of sawdust?  Mtn Jack

[Jim_Rogers]

Well, Jack, I've never taken the workshop, but I think I understand the process but I don't actually know the formula for the slurry that is created. But you form the walls with the lath as shown and then mix the wood chips in a standard concrete mixer with some clay and water. The mix should be wet enough to cover all sizes of each chip and then this is poured and tamped down into the forms (the area between the laths).

And when it drys out it is like solid infill wall system.

I'm sure that there is lots of info out there on the web or maybe some links at Fox Maple School's site where you can find out more.
It is cheap to do as the clay usually you can get close to the site, if not at the site from the backfill from digging the foundation (if you have heavy clay soil), or from some gravel washing plant where they sell it. In my area it was known as dead sand (60% clay 40% sand). And wood chips.

It is however very labor intensive. You have to mix the clay and chips and the usually bucket it up into the forms, and tamp it down.

Then after it drys you can use a clay plaster to make the walls smooth.

I have some more photos of the types of wall infill systems that they have used at the Fox Maple School to do the walls of the dinning hall, but I can't upload them today.
I will sometime soon.


Jim Rogers