hello everyone tonight

Well to continue,

the reconstruction of many of the buildings necessitated the incorporation of, in many cases mud sills and other structural members, that during their 100 years of pre seaway life had sucummed to rot or fracturing from demolition on their original sites

It actually worked quite well because as a replacement timber was required one could usually select one from the timber repository in one of 2 locations

problems did develop though for the framer and his team because the perfect substitute usually had curves and bows that needed to be dealt with before they could be used.

counter hewing was the name of the game, as william E Bell in his 1858 volume CARPENTRY MADE EASY put it, but he was referring to counter hewing new timber that had for one reason or another succumed to internal stresses, or curing ills

I know from experience hewing new timber that the sun would quickly dish a timber as it was being hewn especially if left unattended over a warm weekend, we resorted to covering the exposed upper sides with one inch lumber, and when the timber was finally completed to store on level bed pieces in a sheltered but airy spot

It was surprising and very difficult to frame a barn frame over a couple of months because even the nice straight stored timber would then bow as you worked from day to day, and throw chalk lines out

We were continually fighting the sun`s intensity as we try tested the framed bents and their many braces, for square and trueness

Long timbers say 45 feet even though looking true at first glance would always show a discrepancy as you drew a chalk line from end to end to decide on the many complicated seatings and positions of posts, braces seatings

Sometimes we had to resort to WILLIAM E. BELL`S counter hewing just to obtain a level playing field

I hope that you are following me as I ramble on, but these were just some of the problems we had to deal with as reconstruction moved ahead

Now I say reconstruction, my father dealt with reconstruction using old reclaimed timber, I rather dealt with reconstruction of old disappearing examples of historical buildings using new hewn material, and I say new because to hew enough timber for a 30 by 45 foot barn was quite an undertaking, and required approx 1 season of hard work for 3 men

Just to give you some indication of what we were up against, first of all everything was advertised a year or two in advance giving you and your team strict guidelines, in that regard all timber in advance of hewing had to be selected and purchased, harvested and transported to the site not a small feat because most bush harvesters could care less about old knots, external defects, tears or rips

I personally had to select standing trees, for instance that would square a 12 by 12 at 45 feet, no wane edge, but we did get through it and did end up with some pretty nice timber

Those timber described above ended up 40 inches on the butt, and seemed quite formidable to the hewing team

well so far so good

hope you enjoy

Richard
NH