After cutting and fitting hundreds of mortise and tenon joints, lapped dovetail joints, and checking our rafters and collar ties for perfect fit and alignment, it came time to transport our parts and pieces to their final location for assembly.
The existing stone foundation for the building was repointed and reinforced to accommodate our reworked addition to the original 1850's Cape home. To move the large timbers roughly 100 yards into place, we utilized timber dollies specifically constructed for the task at hand.
Throughout the process of cutting the joinery for the frame, we were careful to mark and label each piece noting it's orientation on the building. The joinery was then stacked so that the pieces used in the construction of the lower parts of the frame were on the top of the pile. This small bit of organization allowed us to logically assemble the frame from top to bottom, starting with the sills and working our way up to the rafters.
Having pre-fit all of the joinery, the building was assembled quickly with very little issues or obstacles.
At the pinned joints, we utilized a traditional technique called draw boring where holes are slightly offset. As the solid oak pins are driven into the holes, the joinery is pulled snugly into place.
With the frame up, it was time to extend the roofline of the addition to the existing house and add sheathing.
Sheathing complete, we added a rubber roof tarp to protect the building from the elements for the winter. Work will resume in the spring as carpenters from the Department of Conservation and Recreation insulate the building and continue with roofing, siding, and finish work. For now, our work here is done.
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