It looks like it it’s going to be tomorrow before I can get to posting a photo of the finished project and writing out the story of why these silos were built with eleven sides. Thank you all so much for your support and kind words. It’s a real pleasure to share with you all the unique projects I’ve built over the years!
Originally posted 2015-01-30 17:00:29.
Not your typical office job. 🙂
Building something different than the standard norm is to be highly commended. I encourage everyone to apply as much artistic influence in their work as they can. And when they are not working, choose to support those do something out of the ordinary.
Originally posted 2015-01-30 16:35:18.
The stone “undecagon” served as a base that we would re-erect an eleven sided silo upon.
The silo was made out of 2by4 chestnut laid flat, one upon another, and then nailed down. Notice the ring of hundreds of pieces ringing around the site waiting to go up. This baby is going to be tall!
We anchored the first few courses down by bolting them to the stone base. Each course had five large nails driven into each board and before nailing we would apply a layer of construction adhesive and silicon caulk to strengthen and to stop water infiltration. Each board was a slightly different size in length, width, and thickness thus it required a great deal of sorting and measuring throughout the construction to keep things tight, plumb, and level.
So, we built an eleven sided stone base to accommodate an eleven sided silo… but, why did the silo have eleven sides?
Originally posted 2015-01-30 16:02:48.
One of the stone arched window openings in the “undecagon”. In my eyes, it’s as good as it gets… elegant, wonderfully made, with a great deal of physical effort, and it will be there for all to enjoy… for centuries, if not millennia to come.
I encourage everyone to leave behind a legacy when they work or build, whether that is a quilt, a table, or a home.
Originally posted 2015-01-30 15:32:53.
It’s an “Undecagon”… an eleven sided object. Built of solid stone, near the top of a mountain, and under construction in this photo. Notice the arched doorway, and there are two arched windows. I think the most impressive detail are all the cornerstones, each cut by hand and chisel to create a 127 degree angle corner (inside and out).
Originally posted 2015-01-29 15:40:38.
Most small vintage log cabins were built with short “knee walls”, generally there were only two courses of logs above the second story flooring, in other words… about two feet tall. I like to add a couple more courses of logs when I rebuild these antique cabins giving the homeowner four foot knee walls. This allows furniture to be put along the outer walls and creates a much more practical and spacious room. It also creates a taller, more attractive, profile for the exterior of the cabin. Notice also the painted paneling we used on the ceiling (so much better than drywall).
What do you think of this guest bedroom?
Originally posted 2015-01-28 19:20:41.
This little cabin belonged to one of the richest men in the world (he was in the top ten when he passed away a few years ago).
One day as we were building this cabin he stepped out of his huge brick mansion which was nearby and he came over to pay us a visit. This would be his office and retreat once we finished it. He told me that he would love to live in this cabin but that his wife’s tastes ran the opposite direction.
I’ll always remember that encounter as I realized there is something about a well built cabin that satisfies the soul of rich and poor alike.
Originally posted 2015-01-27 16:05:49.
A little cabin in the woods… and, I mean little… four feet by six feet… but, she is made out of 1700’s vintage timbers and has a copper roof… and, is located on a pretty sweet spot of land!
One of the benefits of working with antique wood, and there are so many, is that there is always left-over material.
An old house was in ruins and it was salvaged, the vintage material was used to build a new home, the left-over material was used to build this little cabin. Then the left-over material from that project was used to build a piece of furniture. And once again, the left over material from that was used to build a toolbox.
Originally posted 2015-01-25 15:56:05.
I built this home to have a place to raise my children.
It worked wonderfully… including the little play log cabin.
I post this photo as an encouragement to all my readers that you too can build your own home. I strapped on a toolbelt and spent a year of my life building this home. I drafted the design on graph paper. I went seeking the land. I laid the stone with a good bit of help. I drove most of the nails that hold it together. This house was a major leap in a standard of living for me, all done with determination, sweat, support from my wife, and the blessings of God.
Originally posted 2015-01-24 20:47:04.
One of the biggest differences between a new house and a house that has been on the land for many years is the existence of outbuildings. A new home often stands alone., but with time, outbuildings tend to pop up like mushrooms. They are extremely important, not only for their function of providing us a place to work or store our things, but to visually improve our properties and our lives. Give careful thought to the design and material selections. Build so that these structures accent your home, not clash. DO NOT give into the temptation of buying a pre-made outbuilding and have it dropped off in your yard. If your budget allows consider building one or two outbuildings while building your home… perhaps even before building the home.
Originally posted 2015-01-23 15:07:41.
