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Re: historic hewing questionnaire [Re: D Wagstaff] #29862 11/30/12 02:35 AM
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northern hewer Offline OP
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Hello everyone tonight

Thanks Don for your prompt reply, and measurements, that sure gives me a good starting point, a good example, even colour, which seems to me to be another conversation piece

I lean towards the historic rusty\ red colour, but everyone is different

Thanks again for the info

NH

Re: historic hewing questionnaire [Re: D Wagstaff] #29863 11/30/12 02:46 AM
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northern hewer Offline OP
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Hello everyone tonight

Thanks Don for your prompt reply, and measurements, that sure gives me a good starting point, a good example, even colour, which seems to me to be another conversation piece

I lean towards the historic rusty\ red colour, but everyone is different

Thanks again for the info

NH

Re: historic hewing questionnaire [Re: northern hewer] #29864 11/30/12 07:56 AM
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D Wagstaff Offline
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Hello,

Looks like you hit the enter button two times there Richard. The only signs of a finish on the original wood, much of which is still present, was motor oil. I can't say if the wheelbarrow ever was painted but because other implements here are painted they became my starting point. Ultramarine blue was a very common pigment for use in and around the houses here. My original examples at first appeared to also be painted with this color but I realize, now that I can make a comparison, my conclusion was based on the assumption that the paint had at least in part an aesthetic aspect. In fact I am now thinking that the paint was strictly functional to provide protection to the wood and that the paint used was the common primer which was a simple oil binder with lime and enough black pigment to make a grey coloring which would then give a uniform base under the top coat and at the same time act to deepen whatever color was used there. So the paint I thought was faded blue is actually grey, and if anything, were I aiming at a strict restoration, the wheelbarrow should be that color. Well, I'm not living in a museum and the choice I made is also a reflection of another set of values.
It's funny how the practice of fixing or renewing an old piece can give or reveal insights into the possible thought processes of our predecessors.

Greetings,

Don Wagstaff

Re: historic hewing questionnaire [Re: D Wagstaff] #29865 12/01/12 01:45 AM
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northern hewer Offline OP
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Hello everyone tonight

Thanks for coming back with your insight and observations concerning colours--It is an area that I was involved in during my working career

We had 3 excellent historic restoration painters at UCV starting about 1958 right up to a few years ago--our first painter Ogle Workman was from England, he worked with and in conjunction with the team put together to put the finishing touches on the exterior and interior surfaces that required painting--he would mix from scratch using combination of various pigments and white lead to come up with the colours uncovered from the walls and other surfaces as they were meticulously removed layer by layer

Some attention though had to be noted to allow for fading of the original layers, through the 100 or more years that they lay buried under as many as 20 other layers applied overtop though the years.

He also was an adept paint grainer and could apply that type of finish when needed.

Colour is a fscinating topic even to the dyeing process, one that my mother was very adept at, she could come up with lovely colours from various plants, barks, nuts, and the reds especially which in this part of the world was produced from chenille, which was imported in, I believe from south America.

You are welcome to come in with any input that you feel might be interesting--you seem to be a very deep and responsible thinker

Hope you all enjoy

NH

Re: historic hewing questionnaire [Re: northern hewer] #29867 12/01/12 07:37 PM
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Hello everyone tonight

Yes-- I agree about the thought process of those craftsmen of the years gone by, one thing that I learned over the years was not to second guess their line of thought, or their reasoning because it usually turned out to be the best avenue of attack on any problem or technique.

Getting right down and examining their structures that have survived many generations, will and does provide answers to questions that come and go from time to time--

just one aspect--the number of wood pins in any joint, their size and type of wood, their placement, drawbore, shape and length, and if they have withstood the forces that they were designed to withstand

I have ran across examples of poor craftsmanship where the builders have not used good judgment in their construction tedhniques, one was a driveshed that hadspred in the centre because ofthe strain and weight of the roof and snow loading had overtaxed the cross stays and their associated connections

As we leave tonight, are there any other wheelbarrow examples out there, if so I am truly interested in seeing them

enjoy

NH

Last edited by northern hewer; 12/01/12 07:44 PM.
Re: historic hewing questionnaire [Re: northern hewer] #29868 12/02/12 10:55 AM
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D Wagstaff Offline
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Hello,

What about foundations Richard? Can you make a generalized description of maybe not more than couple of categories of how these would have been handled in the time period you were working with. And could you point out advantages and some disadvantages of the way you saw things?

Greetings,

Don Wagstaff

Re: historic hewing questionnaire [Re: D Wagstaff] #29870 12/03/12 02:59 AM
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northern hewer Offline OP
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hello everyone tonight

Hi Don and others looking in-----

I guess you could place foundations in 3 or 4 categories depending on one's knowledge, heritage, status, and or area of settlement

each category would influence one's choices of building materials with which to create a foundation

generally speaking barns and outbuildings such as drivesheds, and storage buildings would probably be placed on large flat stones at all load bearing points

I hope this begins this line of thought

join in everyone

NH

Re: historic hewing questionnaire [Re: northern hewer] #29871 12/04/12 01:23 AM
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hello everyone tonight

to continue----foundations---hmmmm

Well I've seen many orignal ones in my day, but lets be sure to mention that my area of esxpertise is upper canada, which stretches along the St. Lawrence, from the Quebec border in the east--to Kingston in the west--and north to the Ottawa river, an area settled by United Empire Loyalists that emigrated here in 1784 from the Schoharie Valley area of New York State

These settlers brought building techniques that had their roots in Germany, England, Scotland, Ireland and France

This mix of peoples and ideas quickly mixed as the population mixed (boys and girls), and out of this mix barns and drivesheds,churches, homes, mills, shops, soon began to appear and of course they needed foundations to sit on

In this area the newly cleared land gave up its cover of stones that were mostly of glacial till origin--smoothed and rounded, and buildings such as small wood frame sheds, barns and other out buildings sat on the larger ones, strategically placed under load bearing points

Homes required a cellar and the walls were laid up using smaller stones held in place using lime mortar

there is more to this story

must go now

enjoy

NH

Re: historic hewing questionnaire [Re: northern hewer] #29877 12/05/12 08:14 AM
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Hi Richard,

This geography you describe sounds to me very much like what I know of Sweden where they build storage cellars separate from the houses, sometimes in the side of a hill or sometimes more or less back filled.
The lime mortar would be an important component in these foundations I guess along with structural and finish materials that were not all to stiff or brittle. What about advantages and disadvantages the way you see it?

Greetings,

Don Wagstaff

Re: historic hewing questionnaire [Re: D Wagstaff] #29880 12/05/12 07:43 PM
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Hi Richard,

Here is a drawing from around 1840 and something which I have cropped down to bring the part in focus that might interest you there in the background. you might be struck by the arch of the bow of the wheel barrow, very practical.

Greetings,

Don Wagstaff

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