In Search of Stone

I just got back from delivering some pieces to a customer in the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina. What a beautiful place. We stopped by Cades Cove on the way back. I wanted to check out the foundations of all the old cabins. I was shocked to see how most foundations were crudely stacked stones to make piers. 

 After looking at many structures I decided I liked the dry stacked stones on this cabin which is what I will do for the timber frame tool shed. My son Logan and I harvested many stones last summer in the local creeks but I realize I will need a lot more. Here in middle Tennessee there are as many rocks as there are republicans. I should have no problem finishing the foundation.

 I could not resist taking some waterfall shots during our trip. I really miss the mountains. It was 20 years ago this month that my wife and I were trapped in Pigeon Forge during the blizzard of 1993. It was called the storm of the century and Mt. LaConte got 5 feet of snow. We had reservations for Kephart trail shelter and never made it. They had to use military helicopters to rescue hikers out of the mountains.

 Sorry, I'm getting off topic. Here is Logan from our trip with a rock from the Little Pigeon river in the national park. He wanted to have one for the garden shed in the foundation. Logan is very sentimental and I find that a good trait in such a young man. I hope to have the foundation to the tool shed done soon. I have had lots of people interested in helping with the joinery of the timber frame so I'll post when I am ready to get started on the frame.

 Speaking of timber frames, Ziggy from the Dancing Rabbit is conducting a timber frame workshop this summer. If you want to learn the ins and outs of constructing a timber frame structure I can't think of a better place to go. You can sign up here.Timber Frame Workshop. Ziggy and April spent some time here at my shop building chairs and other projects last winter. They live unique lives without electricity in a cool cob structure they built in Missouri. You can learn a lot from them and I highly recommend the workshop.