Posts Tagged with hand hewn timbers

Georgia based timber framers make "historic" television debut

Posted on April 11, 2008 by Ansley Holder

WHERE do two timber framers from Georgia make their television debut discussing a hand tool commonly used to build historic reproduction timber frames and repair historic timber frames? You guessed it--on the History Channel. ("Historic timber frames" was a pretty good hint--I made it really easy for ya'll!) An upcoming episode of the wildly popular television program Modern Marvels will feature Holder Bros. Timber Frames co-owners Whit and Gabel Holder demonstrating the axes and hand-hewing techniques they use in their timber framing work.

WHO attracted the attention of the Modern Marvels producers? Gabel Holder wrote a timber frame blog about one of his favorite tools, the axe, and the producers found Gabel's blog post on the Holder Bros. Timber Frames web site while doing research for the upcoming episode.

WHAT will the timber framers demonstrate or talk about on the Modern Marvels program? Whit and Gabel will demonstrate converting a round log into a hand-hewn beam for a timber frame using only axes. They will show their collection of axes and describe the various different uses for each one.

WHY is the axe important to hand hewing and building timber frames? The axe has been crucial to humans for building shelter for thousands of years. Before sawmills, square timbers to build with were hand-hewn from round logs using a felling axe and a broad axe. The axe and its proper use allow Holder Bros. to create accurate reproductions of historic timber frames and repair historic timber frames. Using the proper techniques and tools to create hand-hewn timbers makes a night and day difference from the faux hand-hewn effect accomplished with electric machines. If you want something to look hand-hewn, it should really be hewn by hand.

WHEN will the episode air? The episode featuring timber framers Whit and Gabel Holder is scheduled to air on the History Channel on May 7th.

Tagged: timber frame, timber framing, historic timber framing, modern marvels, hand hewn timber frame, traditional timber framing, hand hewn timbers, timber frame georgia, timber frame restoration  |  0 comments

One Year Later--Charles Towne Landing timber frame

Posted on January 11, 2008 by Ansley Holder

Whit and I recently took a trip to Charleston for a few days around Christmas. While we were there, we visited the Charles Towne Landing State Park where Holder Bros. built a timber frame a year ago for the historic architecture exhibit at the park. It was a gorgeous, warm day for December and we walked from the Visitor's Center to the exhibit. (When you go, be sure to spend some time in the Visitor's Center. It has interesting, interactive exhibits about the settlement that was on the site of this state park. It's really great for kids.)

We completed this historic replica timber frame in December 2006 and visited the state park while in Charleston in March 2007 demonstrating timber framing at the Masters of the Building Arts Festival. So this was our second visit to see the timber frame in 2007. The exhibit is complete now; the timber frame has been furnished with furniture and housewares that would have been used there in the late 1600s. This timber frame was meant to show park visitors what sort of structure workers in the colony lived in while at the original settlement of Charles Towne. The building was built using the traditional methods and materials of timber framing that the colonists would have used to build a dwelling.

The timber frame sits off of the walking path, on a little point of land that juts into the river. When you are standing at the back of the timber frame building looking at the trees, marsh, and water and you can't hear any cars or other modern "city" noises, you can easily imagine that this is indeed what it looked like over 300 years ago.

While Whit was inside taking pictures, I was watching people stare in awe at the timber frame and what sort of building that people were able to construct during that time period. It is very rewarding to know that we played a part in educating people about timber framing. We created something for people to see and experience, to show them what life was like during that crucial period in American history. That appreciation of what came before us is what drives our passion for building historic timber frames and working on restoration and preservation of timber frame structures.

Tagged: timber frame restoration, hand hewn timber frame, hand hewn timbers, timber frame preservation, historic timber frame, timber frame south carolina, timber framing  |  0 comments