Past Projects

There is a small regional airport owned by the town of Whitefield in Northern New Hampshire that is in need of a new terminal building. Luckily, the airport commissioners have realized that any structure other than a timber frame would be unthinkable. The airport, seated in a beautiful valley looking up at Mt. Washington, serves nine small towns but has yet to be discovered by Southwest Airlines or any of the others. Although the budget is modest, the community support is heartwarming. ... TFG to the rescue.

For August 7-12, the crew at Garland Mill, which is ten miles north of the airport, has agreed to clear its shop of other projects and to organize the cutting of this frame. Garland Mill, a bit of a curiosity itself, was built in 1856 and is still water powered. The timbers used in this project have already been sawn in the mill. The new terminal will be a single-story 25 x 30 building with one small bump-out.

The general plan is to meet at the Garland Mill Sunday evening, August 6, build the frame from the 7th to the 11th, then have a hand raising on Saturday, August 12. The following week will involve installing stresskin panels, for which people are welcome to stay, but it is not part of the rendezvous.

The layout and notching will be led by Garland Mill's own Reed Leberman along with Garland Mill owners Tom and Harry Southworth. Volunteers are needed to help out. Lunches and suppers will be provided. Do-it-yourself breakfast makings will be on hand. Accommodations for the hardy souls will include plenty of field and forest space for primitive camping around the sawmill and timberframe shop. The site has a sauna and a nice mill pond in which to swim and paddle around in canoes or kayaks or fish for brook trout. There will also be an opportunity to see and use the 140-year-old sawmill on site.

More luxurious accommodations can be found in two nearby B&Bs in Jefferson, NH:

• Applebrook (603-586-7713)
• Jefferson Inn (603-586-7998)
• Lantern Motor Inn and Campground (603-586-7151)

All participants should have basic layout and cutting tools, including tape measures, pencils, framing square, combination square, handsaws, timber framing chisel and mallet. Other specialized tools which you can bring would be appreciated and will be used by other participants only with your permission and supervision.

If you are interested in lending a hand for any or all of this week, call Tom Southworth at (603) 788 2619.