With great pleasure, I am handing this blog over to Whistlewood volunteers. If you would like to contribute, you can write your own piece as Chris has or send me notes using the contact page or via Whistlewood.
By Chris Gregson – 9th July to 11th July.
We had a short week this week, the guy’s wanted some time off so we only worked until mid-afternoon on Wednesday. Even with the short week we managed to complete the rafters and get the ‘felt’ on making the roof reasonably watertight.
With the completion of the rafters (the long timbers going from the top wall plate to the ring beam) we were able to insert the ‘noggins’ (cross timbers in between the rafters) where required. The picture on the left shows noggins in place for one of the three roof lights which will help with light and ventilation.
The installation of the ‘felt’, which is in fact a waterproof breathable membrane that works in the same way as a Gor-Tex fabric, keeping water out but allowing the building to breathe. The light blue lines are the first of the laths which, along with a few more, will hold the cedar shingles in place on the roof.
Meanwhile I had the un-enviable task of sanding the ring beam and applying the first of many (at least 3) coats of Danish oil which will bring out and preserve the good looks of the wood well into the future.
On Wednesday we put up the first of the structural roundwood poles which will be seen around the eternal walkway. We also put the tarpaulins back up just in case it rains!
Chris Gregson.
Volunteering opportunities
Please email Whistlewood if you can attend or for more details.
Wine bottle floor – mass volunteer event – 4 and 5 August (weekend)
You’ve drunk the wine, now come and lay the bottles. Bring your friends, family and everyone you can. Suitable for families too.
This will be Whistlewood’s biggest volunteer event of the year – we need to lay 9000 wine bottles as insulation in the roundhouse floor.
The whole 9000 must be laid in one weekend as the builders will be arriving on the Monday morning to pour the limecrete floor. There is no Plan B for this!
We need you for as much time as you can spare on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th August 10 am – 5pm
Please bring items to share for a shared lunch.
Jobs include:
- barrowing the bottles (bring a barrow if you have one)
- laying the bottles in the sand in the floor
- serving refreshments to keep the workers happy!
providing cakes
Finishing the shelter roof Saturday 21st July
Local carpenter, Mark Tatlow has finished the structure and replaced some rotten boards, and we now need to make the shelter watertight.
Can you help?
We particularly need people confident with hand tools to fix the membrane and attach the guttering.
Saturday 21 July 1 – 4pm
On the same day there will be the normal volunteering-type activities too.
Michelle Spaul 