I worked on a red oak frame with brick nogging locally. The siding was removed and the low fired salmon bricks were exposed, they were never intended to be. The frame was totally rotted out in the next 10 years, it did have other problems that contributed. I do like the style and hope to see more details and explanations

For the clock, does anyone live near New Glarus WI? I think I remember several examples of that style in that area.

Dave,

if I remember correctly they were white oak. We usually also stained them which helps shed most of the water instead of the wood soaking it up. The stain was similar to the Penofin deck stain which penetrades the wood but does not seal it so it can breath.


Thanks for the link. Bob Spoerl send me one, also. Now I have to choose which one to use. Hey this rhymes .

Enrico

That's not what New Glarus is famous for, these days. Spotted Cows or Fat Squirrels, anyone? CB.

EH - That's great! I love learning these types of tricks of the trade....and I've always wondered about this one. (But not really taken the time to think it trough, apparently...) It's right up there with when I learned about chinking a log home by utilizing bent nails to hold the chink to the logs. Cool stuff. Thanks!

Timber Goddess,

the other benefit of doing this is that since the mortar does not adhere and stick to the frame forever it still keeps it airtight. Sort of like weatherstripping. The wind cannot blow straight through the "gap", since there is the v-groove filled with mortar that works like a baffel.

David F.,

just checking in to see if you have gotten anywhere with your cuckoo clock house. Would be nice to see somebody else doing something out of the ordinary.
Or have you indeed gone cuckoo?

New Glarus was a swiss settlement, that is now famous for a microbrewery with some excellent beer,(uff da, totally naked,among others already mentioned) available only locally. The Fachwerk frames I am familiar with are more on the eastern side of Wisconsin , specifically some early settlements in Dodge county. A few buildings have been restored and exist at old world wisconsin in eagle. http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/oww/
For those of you interested and local I will be leading a work shop May 26 on basic timberframing there.

E.H. ,

The cuckoo clock home quest has cooled off. They are in the process of selling their current home but until that happens the cuckoo bird will fly south.

David

That is to sad. Let's hope it does not fly to far.......