Hertzler Barn Project
George Rogers Clark Historic Park, Springfield, Ohio
July 7-21, 2007


Reports from the field by Joel McCarty

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Hertzler Barn Project

Day 1 Report

Day 2 Report

Day 3 Report

Day 4 Report

Day 5 Report

Day 6 Report

Day 7 Report

Day 8 Report

Day 9 Report

Day 10 Report

Day 11 Report

Day 12 Report

Day 13 Report

Day 14 Report

Day 15 Report

Local News Coverage

Day 16 Report

Day 17 Report

Day 18 Report

Day 19 Report

Final Report

Final Frame

Barn Photos

May 2008 Barn Photos

Local News Coverage: Raising Day

Day 18 Report


Another long day of sorting parts and moving rigging. Ray and Kim Susong turned up yesterday, and were immediately pressed into service. Ray has been doing some hewing with Dane, and Kim is dashing about making pegs and getting red end seal all over her clothes.

The 80% chance of severe thunderstorms that NOAA promised happily proved to be a severe exaggeration, though we were driven from the site a couple of times and it stayed threatening and muddy most of the day. This slowed us down a bit, but not in the bigger picture.

The morning's lesson was hewing for appearance (a controversial topic, with moral overtones, for some). Rather than stage the debate, Chris Gunn, Dane Gustafson, Brian Beals and Tom Cundiff demonstrated the broad array of techniques, and then Tom Sawyer had several apprentices and civilians invest a good protion of their Friday in this activity. The result: when the bright color fades on our new work, the finish will appear uniform throughout, to the un-trained eye.


Photos by J. McCarty
Roll over any small photo for a larger view

Captions:

  1. Talking and hewing. Brian Beals with the only cranked-handled adze any of us had ever seen. Pretty cool tool.
  2. Talking and hewing. Chris Gunn demonstrates his favorite Gransfors tool; Dane looks on.
  3. Bad axe? We have a fairly complete sharpening shop on site (and an experienced edge-man in Gene Moore) and a full time shaving horse operation, serviced by a variety of local hardwoods. Folks are making new handles and putting new edges on old tools recently acquired.
  4. TFG Board Member Chris Gunn talks his way through reeving the old Guelph 4-ton blocks. Navy Vet (Viet Nam era) Jim Campbell looks on. Fortunately we discovered that Isaac has sailed extensively on tall ships (including the Armistead); we've got our lines under control now.
  5. A fraction of the quality rigging the TFG has acquired over the years with your support.
  6. Every day is an opportunity for fashion; Apprentice Shawn and volunteer Laura strutting their stuff before heading up in the person-basket to set rig.
  7. Stormy weather.
  8. Dane Gustafson, hewing machine.
  9. Tom Cundiff, hewing machine, powered category.
  10. Mast restraint in the basement, thanks to Tom Haanen and his magical red tool box.
  11. We used this rig for a while.