The first two weeks of the Build are short ones (four days) with the Summer Session beginning on a Tuesday for the first week and the second week including the Memorial Day Holiday. The Schedule is posted on the Nelson House Cellar Door, the entrance the “DB Office”, and is reviewed constantly to see if we are on track.
The first day was spent learning about the various tools, e.g. table saw, chop saw, track saw, skill saw, jig saw, routers, drills, impact drivers, nail guns and various hand tools along with the necessary safety protocols needed to operate them,, —completely new experiences for some of the cadre.
However, it was not just learning about operating the tools, the team constructed Assembly Mockups — Roof, Wall, and two Window mockups. This exercise in real geometry was the culmination of what had been drawn in Studio.
Day two was time to set cribbing, learning to use a laser level and how to shim to level. This also became the moment when we learned that level was accompanied by three other mandates: plumb, square, and straight. A challenge to incorporate all four!
Days three and four were devoted to the Floor Diaphragm: Batter Board setup, to establish perimeter LVLs, layout and installation for main triple LVL beams and 2 x 12 floor joists, and finally installing Advantech decking. That wrapped up the week — on schedule!
Week 2 was Wall to Wall. First the two 40′ long exterior walls of the Double 2 x 4 Wall Assembly and then the two end walls. The effort was to frame them, sheath them, cut out the window and door openings, and tape the sheathing — all while on the Floor Platform and then stand them up a twelve person lift for the two long walls.
The first long wall (south) went up well, being some what lighter than the the North long wall as it has a significant void to accommodate the Straw Bale Assembly (see below) to be added later. Discretion was the better part of valor for the North long wall, so we will wait until Wall Jacks are available next week to stand that one up.
Needing to adapt — required some rearrangement of walls in order to use the Floor Platform for wall construction the end wall and shear wall construction.
Simultaneous to the Wall Framing, a team of three started building the Straw Bale Press that will be used to construct the Compressed Straw Bale Assembly that will be used on the bed wall of the Bedroom. More pictures will come along as this effort to include this innovative Agricultural Byproduct Assembly Type into the 8th Sister becomes a reality. It is of note that Wood Fiber Batt insulation will be used in our Roof Assembly voids, Wall Assembly, and Floor Assembly. A low carbon option donated by TIMBERHP of Maine.
Although a bit of a shuffle, Week 2 goals have been met.!