Progress Update - October

At the beginning of the weekend

We have ventured back to Hopewell one more time. This time we will be handing the project over to the church, hopefully complete. The weather was gorgeous, spirits high, and productivity in the air, we even recruited some extra help in our friends Chris, Josh and Katie. We started Saturday taking some time to take apart the working deck we put together so many months ago, it took about 20 minutes to tear the whole thing apart. After that we divided into working groups; Sam, Chris and Josh on the roof, Katie, Sahar and Anthony on the cladding, and Sarah, brad, Terri and Don on the concrete wall cap. We also worked on grading the soil that was generously donated by the road crew, we are happy for the soil, not so happy about it ending up in one huge pile.

The deck in a pile of scrap

Special thanks to our friends who pitched in to help.

Josh and Chris on the roof trimming the sheet metal.

 

 Saturday went well, the remaining sheet metal went on the roof and was trimmed at the edges (sparks flying!), most of the cladding got up, and the concrete, well the concrete was started. We knew pouring the whole cap was going to be the “critical path” in our progress because it takes 4 hours to set up enough to remove the forms so they can be moved and re-poured. Saturday we had made 4 forms and poured 2, pretty good progress but not quite as much as we wanted. The cladding also posed a special challenge, after taking stock of all the salvaged wood we had left it seemed the covering all the walls was going to be a challenge. Katie, Sahar and Anthony came up with some very precise calculations and creative work around for the supply shortage. Remember way back when we had piles and piles of cladding? What on earth happened to it all?  For the roof, Sam and Chris had to get creative putting up the last piece of sheet metal with only one harness, luckily Chris knew how to make a rope harness and they got through it without incident.

The forms for the wall cap in action.

It was pretty chilly starting out on Saturday.

Everyone in action.

On Sunday with the roof done we concentrated on concrete, cladding, and grading. It was also a day of using all the resources we had. We created a sort of French drain system along the bottom of the foundation walls by placing leftover bricks in a trench. We also had to change the oil in the generator because it was a thick as molasses either from over-use or because it was frozen. So not to waste it we used the old oil to grease up the concrete forms so they came off very nicely. Besides the one tractor accident (it hit one of the wet forms) the day came and sent without incident. By the end of the day the cladding was 2/3 done with only the side walls left open and the concrete cap about ¾ done with 2 or 3 more pours left. It’s slightly unsatisfying to leave the project so close to completion, but we feel really proud of the work we have done, we know the Zeigler family (Terri, Don, Dwayne, Dorothy, and Jessica) will see the project through. A lot of time, a lot of care, and a whole lot of love has gone into this project and the space really reflects it.

The very creative design solution for the west wall makes a beautiful pattern.

At the end of the weekend. It's actually a little strange how much this looks like the original log cabin.

 

Progress Update - September

Interior of the chapel without the roof

You thought we gave up? Absolutely not! We have had two very intense long working weekends, one at the end of August (before classes started) and one the second weekend of September. Each day is so precious we work into the night, hammering by headlamp as the sun sets over the trees. So many people from around Rayland are helping, even when us students can’t be there. Everyone is pitching in to get this project done. A big thank you to Brad’s friend from Pittsburg who designed, cut, and installed the cross at the back of the church, it looks great.

The roof framed out at the end of weekend 1

The weather was just perfect

Since we are no longer staying at Meadowbrook Jenifer and Gary have been nice enough to let us pitch tents in their “backyard,” it’s really more of a meadow and boy, that sunrise over the hill is just spectacular. The first weekend we started with basically just the upright column corners, we framed each wall on the deck and raised it up into place, a real barn raising! We then tied the walls to the columns and collar tied the whole thing together temporarily with ropes until we get the roof framed out. That took most of two days. Then we stared framing out the roof over the contemplation space (the little room in front) and started putting up cladding. As we stared working up in the rafters it became apparent that you just can’t ever have enough ladders, at one point there were about 12 on the site. We’ve also had a bit of excitement with massive bee stings and scrapes, everyone is a little worse for wear but still determined.

Spectacular sunrise at Jenifer and Gary's house

The second weekend it was all roof and cladding. We decided to go with a red roof because it reflects the color of the old building. Remember way back when there was a totally different church on this site? We are getting close enough to finishing that other folks are starting to think of landscaping. We removed all the wood not being used so the site looks much cleaner, almost presentable. Also, a local boy scout undertook re-building the cemetery sign as his Eagle project, the sign looks great and we hear that the scouts have taken over cutting the grass. Everything is looking Ship-shape.

Roof framing before cladding

Under the eave

New sign for the cemetery done by a local Eagle Scout

End of weekend 2, almost there!

Progress Update - July & August

This post has been a long time coming. It's been a long summer. To update on the happenings in Rayland Ohio; Brad, Chris, Ariel, Anthony and Marc worked on the site for several more weeks from June and into July. Everyone had to take a break around the 4th so Brad could go teach another building reclamation class. During the remaining weeks the rest of the columns went up under the floor, the floor was framed out, gabions put in place of the windows and doors, and the decking put on. There was additional help from our favorite family the Zeigler/gGott's. Terry, her husband, and brothers all came out the help on the weekends.

All the materials except the decking are the reclaimed materials from the old building. We couldn't use reclaimed materials for the decking because it will be exposed to the elements and we needed durable pressure treated wood. The gabion filling in the door came out especially nice with the cross detail.

Floor framing was mostly reclaimed material

Close up of window gabion

Gabions added to former windows in the foundation wall

Corner posts up and framed out for stability

Progress Update - Week 7

This week marks the end of our official class session. Sam, Sahar, and Sarah have to leave to return to real life while Brad, Chris, Ariel, Marc and Anthony trudge on. The looming deadline made us all work double-time despite the 90+ heat. The beginning of the week was dedicated to finishing the footings and piers. While others worked on squaring out the footing holes and adding formwork, Ariel and Sarah got to hone their “rod busting” skills. To tie the rebar together you use a special curved hook tool, Sarah says “It’s kind of like crocheting wire”. After the horizontal and verticals were set up they were placed in the footing holes and tied together. The vertical rebar was adjusted as needed to get it in the right column location, the Sono-Tubes have to fit around the rebar and the whole thing has to be about right, only 1” of wiggle room. That all was Monday, we quit at 2:00 because it was climbing into the mid 90s.

Ariel putting together the horizontal rebar

The special hook used to tie rebar together with wire

Chris adding the wood spacer to the vertical rebar

Setting form-work into the footing hole. When Brad dug them out with the backhoe the holes got sloppy, but is saved us so much time.

Horizontal rebar in the footing hole, they sit on plastic "chairs" to keep them off the ground.

On Tuesday the cement truck arrived, for the entire morning it was pure ciaos. All 9 of us were involved, Sam directing the shoot, Marc, Chris, and Anthony pulling the concrete down the shoot, Sarah and Ariel tamping, and Sarah floating. Brad, Paul, and the driver Rich worked out a hand single system after the first few pours. It took about 1.5 hours to fill all 16 footings. After that we covered the whole site and went home after a very satisfying day. 

Poured footing with vertical rebar

All 16 footings poured in one morning!

Wednesday and Thursday we worked on the piers, setting the Sono Tubes, mixing concrete, pouring, and then setting the bolts for the post brackets. Again we worked as one big team, each person with their job. We affectionately call this “blob-ing,” when we all work on one task at the same time, like a blob that engulfs and destroys, then we finish the task in no time.

We mixed the pier concrete ourselves since there wasn't enough for a truck.

Our solution to the water source problem, dont drink it though, Ariel says it's spicy

Pier with post bolt, none of them were in the center, but at least close enough

 On Friday we worked on loose ends, we did some design detail work for the window openings and the foundation wall cap, we finished processing the sub floor material, and set up one column on our newly make piers. There was a brief rain storm in the morning, we all refused to leave our work stations will it really got bad, then we huddled under our shade tarp until it became apparent that the storm was not going the let up. Eventually we were able to get back to work.

Gabion detail

Gabion prototype

Brick foundation wall detail for the corner

Rained out Friday morning

Sahar chiseling out the column so it fits in the post bracket.

It fits!

One column up!

It’s been difficult to accept the fact that more of this project can’t be completes while we are all here, but knowing that there are so many people are committed to its completion is comforting.

revised model to remind us of the future.

Field Trip - Palace of Gold

Over the weekend we took a field trip to a local curiosity the Palace of Gold. It is the crowning achievement of the West Virginia New Vrindaben International Society for Krishna Consciousness (commonly called the Hare Krishna movement) community. New Vrindaben in located near Moundsville, WV The palace was built by dedicated devotees as a residence for Srila Prabhupada. The community was established in 1968, in 1973 his disciples decided to build Prabhupada a residence where he could work on his translation work. The entire building and grounds were built be people who learned as they went. The undertaking tool 7 years to complete. Truly, the building and surrounding grounds are magnificent. The care and devotion of the devotees is apparent in every detail. The whole visit left us awestruck and humbled. If you want to learn more visit the website http://palaceofgold.com.

Anthony, Sarah, Sam and our local friend Cindy went on the trip.

Eave detail.

The Hare Karishna chant

overall view

Rose garden.

View of fountain and rose garden.

Wall detail.

Window detail for exterior wall.

They have three live peacocks that live at the site, they have been there for multiple generations.