Build Week 2, 11th Feb 2019
Build Week 2 underway.
The size of the task before us begins to dawn on us. Having had several days last time stripping bark, we have had more timbers delivered and they have added considerably to the “awaiting bark stripping” pile. Not only that, we have discovered that our first efforts were not nearly good enough and so we have to revisit all of those finished logs and finish them off as well.
The other main task for this week is to amend the Post Holes. Whilst they are all in the places intended, due to the discoveries about the ground conditions the structural engineer as advised that they need to be made much deeper than they currently are. As the project is now underway, this will have to be undertaken using hand tools only.
Day 6, view of the site.
Putting a Bronze Adze to hard work stripping bark from an Oak Log.
When the post hole is narrow but deep, access to make it deeper can become a challenge.
Each week and each day begins with a focus on health and safety. Everybody is required, and is happy, to take part. It is serious stuff!
If you have ever visited Beeston Castle then you will know that the Parkland is one very big hill. Given the Roundhouse is situated about 2/3rds of the way up the hill, the journey back and forth is going to help get us all much fitter. But as daily commutes go, it is novel, interesting and very pretty.
A look at our daily commute.
The lunch room ain’t bad either. What a view!
We’re still practicing our log splitting. Some seem to be aiming for a kind of art installation; creating a sculpture resembling a Stegasaurus.
But when the job is done, you can’t help but feel some pride. As demonstrated here by Gordon.
The Core Build Team is about 14 or so people who have committed to working on all 14 Build Weeks. There is a second wave of volunteers who have made a commitment to regularly come and help build, maybe 2 or so days each build week. We have called these the Occaisional Builders. Then there are even more who don’t want to work on the build but do want to work “fron of house” with the visitors to Beeston Castle ofering assistance and interpretation of what is happening. We have called these guys the Explainers. All in all, that is some 50 or 60 further team members. This is no small undertaking.
Today was the Induction Day for the Occaisional Builders and for the first batch of Explainers.
Some of the additional volunteers came up to see us at work after their induction today.
Towards the end of this week and to add a bit of variety to the work being undertaken and the skills being developed, we began to practice some of the joinery that we would need to perform on the build for real in coming weeks. Our first practice pieces were to make Peg Tenons on the end of scrap logs. Eventually, we will be making Peg Tenons on some of the Roof and Wall Posts. But there are still acres of bark to be stripped.
A Peg Tenon, created as a practice piece and a hint at work to come.
Last modified on 2019-02-17