Wittenham Clumps Timber Framing Event
An international team of 70 timber framers and local volunteers are on The Clumps between 8-24 July 2005 to build a douglas fir timber frame for our new offices.
Timber Framers Guild Executive Joel McCarty joins up with Henry Russell to run the Clumps Event. Joel has a wealth of experience in running what are known as "rendezvous" in the US and will be on site from the 5th July. Henry Russell of "What The Romans Did For Us" fame and Joel will mastermind the 16 day event turning a culturally diverse group with varying experience into a slick team of framers.
Joel seen here in his "site office" at the recent Salem rendezvous.
The frame for the Northmoor Trust's new offices is being designed by Cameron Scott at Timber Design. Try the 3D Movie on their web site.
A view up through the central tower(on a sunny day in July 2005?)
The Holder Brothers will be joining us from Monroe Georgia, the UK framers will all be members of the Carpenters Fellowship (CF) and those joining us from North America will be members of the Timber Framers Guild (TFG).
The next participants are two white bearded veterans of the Abingdon Boathouse. Darryl Weiser, a versatile and experienced framer and log home builder, is from the hillbilly state of West Virginia where clearly his exceptional skill is partly as a result of being blessed with two thumbs on his right hand.
Pete Hemsley, proprietor of The Tool Post will be leaving his lathe behind this time and concentrating on framing.
Pete is based two miles away from the Clumps at Didcot and will carry some stock with him for those framers who find they have left their favourite 1 1/2" chisel at home.
Pete has kindly offered to loan us a Tormek for those who need to drop their chisel angle down to 25 deg for the douglas fir and put some sort of edge on it.
In November of 2004 Clare Walter (CF) started a double garage timber frame course for beginners at Hill Farm. The frame was designed by Pat Corish (CF)and was raised on Easter week end and will now be clad in western red cedar and tiled. The douglas fir for the frame came from Bix near Henley on Thames and was supplied by Mackrory & Son and cut by Andrew Woodcock, Calum Ogilivie, Dominic Lamb, Tony Williams, Roland Traynor, Brian Brinkley,Geoff Jones, Jon Terris,Helen Carpenter,David Rees, John Sargent and Barbara Czoch.
During the two week event there will be organised trips to venues such as the 13C barn at Great Coxwell, nr Faringdon. Tithe Barn (click to view)
HELP...
70 timber framers and volunteers are now on the site and living in the field next to Hill Farm in tents or campers.
Work is now well under way on assembling sections of the frame. A cold start encouraged everybody to work hard but the recent weather has made for some hot, tiring days. The atmosphere is terrific and everyone is enjoying the work and the social calendar.
The field kitchen came hot-foot from Glastonbury to supply all meals, which are going down very well with the participants. They are always on the lookout for fresh local ingredients, so if you are a source of locally grown produce or have some garden vegetables you would be happy to donate, then again please contact us.
Square Rule Training Course
The system for laying out the joinery on this event will be Square Rule. This a system developed in the US and is particulary suitable to the type of modern frame we are going to cut.
Higgs Murphy, Lecturer in Timber Framing and Log Building at the College of the Rocky Mountain will be teaching this layout method to 40 participants on the 7th & 8th July prior to the start of the main framing event.
Saturday 16th July
The 16th July will be an open day for the Northmoor Trust Nature Reserve. As a result we will be "open house" on the cutting site on the Saturday lunch time (12.00 - 2.00), our field kitchen will be supplying lunch to visitors (who must book before 11.00 on the day) as well as us and there will be "hands-on" opportunities to try traditional framing tools, demonstrations of woodcraft and an opportunity to discuss timber framing with visitors. The designer and architect will be on site with the CAD images and will be happy to discuss aspects of the design.
CF members who are unable to attend the whole event can sign up for just the middle week end, starting the Friday night, for some serious socialising.
Visits
Various excursions are planned for the two week event but we are especially looking forward to going back to the Abingdon School Boathouse for a look at a finished building! and some refreshments care of the Friends of the Abingdon School Boat Club. To see the picture diary of this event click here.
We are also pleased that following the demise of Brakespears Brewery in Henley on Thames the head brewer of 24 years joined local micro brewery Loddon Valley who will be providing refreshments for the framers during the period of the event.
For more thirst quenching information check out their web site.
