Build Week 7, 29th April 2019
After a short break for Easter etc., we are back with Build Week 7.
Not strictly Roundhouse news, but who cares. Peregrine Falcons have been found to be nesting once again high up and inaccessible on Beeston Crag. We are all very excited to be vicarious parents.
The Peregrine Falcons’ nest spotted on Beeston Crag.
The main focus for this week is the roof. We are adding Roof Beams (or rafters?) to our house. This means those 28 8m Ash Poles we prepared over the previous Build Weeks can now find their proper home and purpose.
The first Roof Beam being man-handled into position.
This also means a further batch of (larger) Oak Pegs are required. Whilst we are putting a small bird’s mouth into the Ash Poles where they connect with the Wall and Roof Plates, we have decided that the further addition of a tapered peg is in order. Our mini industrial peg manufacturing set-up from our last build week is therefore needed again this week.
Along with the Peg, a bit of Square Lashing with Sisal Cord completes the fixing. I knew that RYA Coastal Skipper qualification would come in useful one day.
A Peg about to be hammered home to help secure the Roof Beam. More beams added and it is looking a bit like a fairground ride now.
Edwin Wood has also started a side project of his own. He has (rightly) decided that the entrance to our Roundhouse site needs to be much improved. So he has designed a Gateway and Arch fit for a Bronze Age Chieftan. And it is now well under way.
Edwin’s design for his gateway also called for a little bit of stone carving. Here is the bottom hinge for the swinging gate.
Very disappointingly our Team Cabin has been broken into during the course of this week. The three misunderstood individuals who perpetrated the crime wrote off one of the walls and the door to the cabin in order to obtain:
- a pair of push to talk radios
- the Project’s Tablet PC, which contained all of our Project’s records - fortunately backed up to the iCloud
- 3.5 litres of semi-skimmed milk
- and all my Bourbon Biscuits!
Fortunately, our tools and bronze castings were not in the cabin.
A second crime occurred before the end of the week as a jolly lad helped themsleves to a large sculpture of an Owl from outside of the Beeston Castle Visitor Centre. They were seen on CCTV wheelbarrowing the chain sawn sculpture off down the lane.
On a happier note, we also managed to get all of the Roof Beams up and into position.
All of the Roof Beams are now up. I’m betting this is going to be a favourite vantage point to view the completed Roundhouse.
Here’s a quick video cataloguing site activity for Build Week 7. It gives a flavour of all that has been going on.
Let’s finish with a bit more of Dave Trevor’s photography…
Looking up from the centre of the building.
Last modified on 2019-05-05