Posted on

Framing Rough Cut Lumber

Matt helped with our house several times, and so it was a great honor to help him with a house he’s building. It’s framed freely and fluidly and in this way, it reflect his personality perfectly. I love how houses in Vermont which are self built are a perfect reflection of the people within them.

It’s the first time I work with rough cut lumber, and well it’s no more capricious than kiln dried stuff from the lumber yard. The dimensions are a little loose and that’s much less of an issue than the usual warps, twists & knots wood always has.

With several years of building under my belt, I was for the first time ever, the more experienced builder. It was cool to show Matt all the techniques I picked up over the years, and to summon the eclectic characters I learned them from. 1001 ways to impose your will on recalcitrant wood, that’s pretty much what this all boils down to.

Free & proud

Posted on

Made some Paths, Dropped a Rotted Birch

I was working in a spot that was naturally flat. Instead of moving the logs to the closest trail as was the original plan, I made a new trail.

And it’s quaint

This tree gave me a lot of grief, it’s in a slope, it leans, it’s completely rotted, and it hung in a nearby maple so I had to walk it down. It was raining branches for a while. Thankfully there’s some good wood in it, but mostly I went through the trouble of bringing it all the way down because I can’t leave a dangerous tree anywhere near us. So I was committed on the first cut, when middle of the tree felt oddly soft to the saw…

I also took a small ash, that one was much easier.

Still likes to come pick up logs with me :).

Posted on

Fermenting Cider

Hidden in a corner of the house, 11 gallons of apple cider are turning into hard cider. Hopefully this 3rd attempt tastes even yummier than the previous 2.

On this fast-forwarded gif, you can see the different rates of fermentation. Fruit flies are attracted to CO2 (the byproduct of fermentation coming out of the air lock). That’s why I attach an extra piece of paper towel to make sure they don’t find their way into the lock through the tiny holes.