Restoring The Barn; A Gentle Push
- September 07, 2010
- Category: Farm Style
- (22) Comments
I know I’ve told you our barn is sinking a zillion times but because it is sinking, it is also starting to pull apart. The antique Vermont barns were built using post and beam timber framed construction and back then, the method of connecting the timbers together was through mortise and tenon joints with wooden pegs to hold it all together.
Sound confusing? It was to me so I’ll try to illustrate it with some pictures.
Here’s Mountain Man pointing to a wooden peg at the mortise and tenon joint.
Mountain Man needed to place another Big Foot and Sonotube but the barn at this section had pulled out about 3″. Here’s a picture of the mortise and tenon joint where it had separated from the wall. The wooden pegs are gone.
Mountain Man decided to take the excavator and gently push the wall to see if he could move it back into place. Here’s the photos.
Another view. The wood you see on the bottom floor (where Mountain Man has ripped most of it away) is not an original part of the barn. It was added at a later date and the bottom floor originally was open.
This was a slow process. Just a little nudge, then Mountain Man would wait and check the interior.
The interior was moving and the barn was fine so he applied more pressure in increments. This entire process took place over several hours to ensure the barn didn’t collapse.
In the end, he managed to move the barn back in place by about an inch. This picture is after the push.
He’s done pushing for the moment and working more on shoring up the supports and he’s confident he can get the barn back into place.
For those of you interested in history, our barn has all the original timbers, all hand hewed before the time of sawmills. It’s hard for us to comprehend with all the modern conveniences at our disposal. More reason not to let history disappear.
Karen and Heather asked how Mountain Man acquired his skills. From the time he was a kid, he was interested in woodworking. He built his first piece of furniture at the age of ten and just kept going.
I’m not the best technical expert and Mountain Man is not standing over my shoulder as I type so if there are any specific questions for him, ask and I’ll get the answer for you.
Thanks one and all for visiting.
I wish I had a mountain man that loved woodwork. My hubs isn’t too good with these kinds of things but he does try. I so agree about keeping our history intact. That wonderful barn has much life left!! So happy for you all.
Amy
Date: September 07, 2010
A man after my own heart, I love seeing old things restored (Wont Heaven be great) and I also love equipment, seeing what we can do with equipment and how our forefathers did the same things without is amazing. Keep up the good work!
Tim
Date: September 07, 2010
Mountain Man is obviously talented…but where does he get all his energy. My age (around the same as you and Mountain Man) is catching up with me. I am envious !
Date: September 07, 2010
The barn is beautiful!!!! What a treasure!!
Date: September 07, 2010
Definite God-given talent there! :O)
Date: September 07, 2010
What a beautiful old barn. I’m really glad Mountain Man KNOWS how to fix it and that it CAN be fixed.
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
Date: September 07, 2010
That actually made me nervous reading through. I am glad the barn moved a bit and it will be saved. Mt. Man has some mad crazy skills!!! (ps. that’s really good…in kid talk)
Date: September 07, 2010
Yikes! That would scare me to push it like that–even if it was a gentle shove. I’d be afraid it would go over in the other direction. Speaks volumes for the craftsmen back in the day.
Oh, I finally posted the thank you for the book you sent me! I’m sorry I’m so late on that. There is no excuse–I am late and it is rude. Thanks for sending me Karen’s book, pally.
Date: September 07, 2010
I agree, kinda scary giving the gentle nudges to that very old barn.
Date: September 07, 2010
Mountain man’s skills never cease to amaze me! Sad to say there are very few men like him left in this world!
Date: September 08, 2010
Hello Sara it has been awhile.
Mountain man could be the spitting image of my dad. Between looks and especially knowledge. I tried to learn as much as I could while my dad was with me.
Sad to say I didn’t get a chance to learn everything.
It all is looking great, tell him for me NICE JOB!.
Whitetail Woods Blog / Blackpowder Shooting
Date: September 08, 2010
reminds me of us’ns when we first landed here in montana… found out early in the game… tractors are so a guy thing… devise a chore even and hop in
gp
Date: September 08, 2010
he and my hubby would get along really well.
Date: September 08, 2010
I’m glad that things are going well for the barn restoration. Straightening buildings can be a scary thing at times, especially when creaking and cracking is going on. I do admire Mountain Man’s skills and his fearlessness to do what other men only dream about doing. It is amazing to think about how our ancestors built things without big machines and the patience that it took to accomplish them. Few buildings today are built to last like the buildings in the past. Not only was the structure solid but the craftsmanship was a thing of beauty.
Have a great restoration day.
Date: September 08, 2010
How lucky are you to have such a woodworking man! My husband has made a few tables and did a really good job! He has the talent but unfortunately no interest! Oh well.
Date: September 08, 2010
Wow! Who would have thought you could do that??!! Not me! Your pictures and editorial are great! I’m really enjoying following along and I’m so, so happy that you and Mountain Man feel it’s important to maintain this wonderful piece of history. Hats off to both of you!
Date: September 09, 2010
What a delicate maneuver for such a very old barn. I’m sure I would have been holding my breath throughout the procedure and perhaps even shutting my eyes with each nudge of that heavy CAT machinery. Yes history should be preserved and it is always so sad to see an ancient structure either demolished or left to decay.
Date: September 09, 2010
I have to admit that I would not have had the patience to wait several hours. Knowing me, I would have tried to do it in one shot and most likely, you would have ended up taking a picture of a pile of wood.
At the age of 10?? WOW!!! The only thing I had built by that age was a Pinewood Derby car for cub scouts…and my dad had to help me
Date: September 10, 2010
I am glad to see you have the resources and desire to fix it. Too many barns are in decay. I too am the proud owner of an old post and beam barn. I’ve had to do a lot to stabilize it, but luckily for me the framing is very sound. I look forward to future posts on its repair.
Date: September 12, 2010
What a wonderful thing you are doing!
Date: September 18, 2010
I love the work you all are doing! Old barns such as yours are a thing of the past, and the craftsmanship that went into them is incredible; nothing like today.
After looking at your photos, an idea popped into my head that may help to pull that bottom board all the way if you have not already attached it.
Drill the board at several places along it’s length, these will be angled for leverage and strength; block on the opposite side of the framing that you would be pulling the board towards. Now, take your come-along / fence puller and attach between the pins and the blocking, then start pulling the board into place. You should probably use it in conjunction with your excavator as you show in the pictures due to the force it will take to bring them together.
Good luck and I wish you great success in restoring your barn.
Date: September 18, 2010
Wow, you two are a force to be reconed with! Time be damned, you’ll fix up the old and tell everyone about it, I am so amazed and happy for you two. Thank you for preserving such an important pice of history
Date: September 20, 2010