More Oakum and lime mortar and other hot things.

Today's installation. 2.4 x 1.9m window in Accoya. 28mm argon-filled DGUs. It's not listed, but it is a traditionally built barn, with lime mortar masonry, converted to a house. When it was converted, the window that was put here, was sealed with expanding foam and portland cement, causing the window to rot and damp problems inside. This new window has been sealed with Oakum and lime mortar, which should help with the damp issues. Wet hessian outside curtains, to protect the mortar while it cures.

Draining beads to give the window it's best chances against the weather. Osmo + to protect the dark oak stain.

In the main worksshop this week, with the window in production, and a few other jobs on the bench.

My new(old) Multico morticer. If you need to use a machine, use an accurate machine...

....do it once..........and free yourself up for handtool work!

If you use old machines, you need accurate hand tools to maintain them. I love this adjustable spanner, all the way from Buffalo, NY. It stays where you set it!

Talking of tools, making some is getting closer. The forge is now up and running, and what a forge it is! Gas with the possibility of using coal, and with the lid on, a kiln.

And with a few adjustments.

This chest is being designed as I go. The panels to each side  need something else to the carving. It's only now, with the trial assembly, that I realise what it is.

Not a huge adjustment; the leaves in the top part, needed more definition, and detail. And of course, having raking light, with the chest front in it's intended, vertical orientation, helps a lot.

And just another gratuitous photo of the central panel.

I now have to decide the design for the stiles. Enough foliage; I am thinking something with birds.

I want to be clear, that the design of this chest, is not copied from any single piece. It is, rather, a collection of different motifs, from various East Devon style chests of the 17th century, my favourites, if you like, and obviously, influenced by my hand and eye.

Bottom rail. In the flow.

On with the bottom rail. Chalked out first, with charcoal to show where the joints will be.

In with v-gouge.

Giving us this.

And grounded.

A few adjustments to make, but you get the idea.

Getting into the groove.

With the carving mostly done on the top rail and muntins, time to get the plough plane out, and cut the grooves into which the panels will fit.

Chopping out the mortices.

Tenon sawing the shoulders.

And a trial fit of the parts so far. I would normally have all the parts carved before assembling, but as I don't know exactly how the bottom rail will look, I want to see how the existing parts look.

I am pleased with it so far.

Chest progress

Been very busy of late, but managed to find time at the weekend, to do some carving of chest parts. The top rail roughed out in chalk, inspiration and sketch ideas.

Starting to line out with v-gouge and details.

Grounded with panels.

Then on to muntins. Scratchstock moulding.

Muntin carved and grounded.

I was having a clearout and found this carving the other day. By co-incidence Peter Follansbee posted a box for sale with this motif  a day later. I must have carved this when Peter was here in the UK, because it has his cross stamp on it, and that was the only time I ever had chance to use Peter's stamp. TBH it's a bit rough, and I have no memory whatsoever, of carving it.

"Thankyou for taking so much care"

I love taking care of old buildings. This one has been standing for 500 years and contributing to it remaining so, makes me a happy man. Water ingress and retention is one of the main causes of decay in traditional buildings, so keeping on top of leaks is of vital importance, and having breathable coverings allows them to dry out, if they do spring a leak.

Enter quicklime. Mortar made from sand slaking quicklime, is the best thing for rendering traditional stone built buildings. What we are doing here is moving in that direction, for this building; as the sliding sashes are renovated, they are being re-sealed with oakum and slaked quicklime.

Slaking the quicklime.

Soaking oakum in the still-slaking quicklime (after the reaction has cooled some; much heat is given off when slaking quicklime).

Sealing around frame with mortar made from sharp sand and the hot lime putty. This is not sand slaking (which is addition of quicklime to damp sand, a dryish process, where more water is added later to beat up a workable mortar). I have done it this way because I wanted three products from the same mix; oakum/quicklime 'filler', hot lime putty mortar to point the oakum, and thick limewash to coat.

Quicklime mortar (and the oakum filler) will give a much more breathable seal around the windows. The wood will last longer and the masonry which was built with clay/lime mortar, will be able to dry out if it does get wet. The cast iron gutter, hopper and downpipe have been re-jigged, so they all meet up, and dispatch rainwater away from the building (instead of into the wall, which was happening).

The new massive sweet chestnut sill, from Zav at Dart Valley Sawmills, will be shedding rainwater off this window, for many years to come.

The implication of using quicklime, is that it takes a long time to set. It is not hydraulic, i.e. it does not set by the addition of water. It sets by 'carbonation', the re-absorption of the carbon dioxide, that it released in it's making. It is effectively re-becoming the limestone, from whence it came.It needs to be protected with dampened hessian while this process takes place, so that it does not dry out too quickly. It's worth noting that modern portland cement, does not do this 'carbonation', it does not re-absorb the C02 that it releases, which means it is responsible for 8% of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere, it releases CO2, but never re-absorbs, because it sets HARD. It's not breathable and causes moisture from leaks etc to stay in the building fabric. It's a no-brainer. Using quicklime (air lime) and caring for old buildings in this way, is caring for the planet. It's exciting, why do anything else?

The chemical explanation of this.

The practical side of this; covering with damp hessian, and keeping the oakum/mortar/limewash misted for at least a few weeks afterwards.

The bottoms of the boxes and cheeks have been repaired, with new timber spliced in. The sashes have been to the window hospital, and have been re-installed also. The above box sash, and the below horizontal sliding sash, with another piece of the lovely reclaimed greenheart, for replacement sill.

Putty all tidied and paintwork re-freshed.

"Thankyou for taking so much care".

Repair works on 16th century 2* house

Renovation of box sash (and horizontal sliding sash in 16th century 2* house. Cast iron not despatching rainwater effectively, allowing water into the wall, where a valerian has taken hold, feeding the water into the wall, rotting the sill and is damaging the lime plaster inside. Time for some tlc to this beautiful building, once again within a stone's throw of St. Mary's, Totnes.

Sashes out for repair and tidying. Overhaul of cast iron gutters and downpipes, so they meet up, and take the water away from the wall. Removal of valerian plant which has rooted into the wall. New sill, repair to fascias. Repair of render and internal lime plaster.