News & Stories From The Heartwood School

Heartwood on the Road: Recap from South Carolina

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 14:35:00 GMT

Back by popular demand, heartwood school returns to More Sun Timber Frames

By popular demand, Heartwood School brought its timber framing program back to South Carolina for 2026, teaching a full class at the shop of More Sun Timber Frames . This partnership created an opportunity to deliver our hands-on curriculum in a working timber frame shop, where students could learn directly from our instructors in an active shop setting.

Our traveling program is designed to bring our one-week timber framing course to timber framing shops across the country, making it possible for student's to learn timber framing closer to home. At More Sun Timber Frames, the Class of 2026 worked together to cut and assemble a 24 x 24 carport designed by Neil Godden, Heartwood's Executive Director.

Learning in a Working Shop

Over the course of the one-week class, students moved through each phase of the build. Instructors George Morrison, Kyle Murphy, and Emily Barkei taught the students how to layout and cut joinery using the traditional square rule method, which was developed in the 1800s. Lessons included the proper use of hand tools and power tools, how to preform tool maintenance, and shop safety were included.

Hosting our classes at shop's like More Sun Timber Frames adds another layer to the experience. Students are able to work within a professional shop environment, seeing how traditional methods translate into modern practice.

Seeing The Results: The Raising

As with all Heartwood timber framing courses, the class culminated in a full frame raising. This moment brings everything together: the accuracy of the layout, the quality of the joinery, and the coordination of the group.

While Heartwood's raisings often happen at our schoolhouse, this class offered students the unique opportunity to raise the frame on the site of it's final location! A slab had already been poured, and students learned how a crane is safely incorporated into the job to lift pieces into place for joining.

BrinGing Timber Framing to New Spaces

Taking our programs on the road allows us to expand learning opportunities into new spaces and communities, while staying rooted in the same goal: teaching durable, time-tested building skills through direct, hands-on experience. Interested in joining Heartwood on the Road for our next class? Join our waitlist to be notified when new dates are announced!

Restoration of a Millers Falls Boring Machine - Part 3

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 15:43:21 GMT

The finished project

Figure 9 shows the finished boring machine. Its use in an immediate project will validate whether it’s suitable for use, although a few test holes indicate that it is in good working order. At some point soon, the author foresees that he will disassemble the boring machine and apply fresh paint to so that all surfaces are protected from rust. In the process, all existing rust will be removed with EVAPO-RUST. An online video in the podcast series, Hand Tool Rescue, recommends these products for a fresh paint job:¹

Rust-Oleum Filler Primer
Krylon Farm and Machinery Low Gloss Enamel

The author has also had good outcomes with Rust-Oleum Self-Etching Primer, which might be used prior to the filler primer.

Exceptions to the Process

The horizontal drive shaft could not be disassembled in a timely manner due to the crank arms being rusted onto the shaft. This assembly needed to be cleaned as an assembly as a result. The author did not want to use Simple Green to degrease this assembly because it requires a water rinse. While heat guns could have been used to dry the assembly to avoid rusting, an alternative cleaner was used that evaporated and did not promote rust, namely Valvoline Carb & Throttle Body Cleaner. This product may not be paint safe, but that was the cost of avoiding rust.

The drill bit had no painted surfaces and so preserving the finish was not an issue. In this case, the author used EVAPO-RUST to remove the rust, followed by both brass and steel wire brushes as well as a wire wheel brush driven by a hand motor. EVAPO-RUST was used also on the screws and bolts that secure the boring mechanism to the base.

Other Repairs

The threads on the set screw for the drill bit were damaged as were the threads in the drill chuck. A 7/16”-14 tap was run through the chuck threads to clean them up and a new square head set screw was purchased at the hardware store. Four other square head set screws are used to secure the support rods: two 3/8”-16 set screws secure the diagonal support rods and two 5/16”-18 set screws secure the perpendicular rods. The threads in the holes that receive the 3/8” set screws were also chased with a tap and replacement set screws were procured.

Drill bits

Millers Falls boring machines use drill bits with a ½” shank. The author’s experience is that these can be difficult to find, either old or new. The machine came with a 1” bit but the author wanted a 1-1/2” bit for mortises of 1-1/2” and 2” mortises. The author found a supplier of 12” long, 1-1/2” diameter bits with ½” shanks, Jim Rogers ( jrsawmill@verizon.net ), who modifies standard Wood Owl Ultra Smooth bits by welding on a ½” shank. The author has such a bit, and it performed well on the few holes he has drilled with it. Timbertools.com is another source for bits ( https://www.timbertools.com/HolzMaster-Double-Cut-Auger-Bits/ ) and they are the preferred supplier of the Heartwood School. These come from the factory with a shank that fits Millers Falls boring machines.

Tools & Materials

Tools

Adjustable (Crescent) Wrenches
Auger Bit File (not pictured)
Cotton applicators (long)
Punch (3/16”)
Putty Knife
Screwdrivers
Steel Wool
Wire Brush (Brass)
Wire Brush (Steel)
Wire Wheel

Cotton applicators are effective on holes for absorbing moisture, cleaning them, and applying lubricants. Multiple adjustable wrenches are shown in Figure 10 , the medium and smaller wrenches being for the numerous square head machine screws. Although it was not that effective, the larger wrench was used on the approximately 1-5/16” diameter nut that secures the gear at the top of the boring shaft. The nut is recessed, which makes it difficult for this type of wrench to supply acceptable torque when the nut is being tightened. A socket would be perfect here, but the author did not procure one, in part because the size of the nut was uncertain, perhaps due to paint on its surface.

Materials

EVAPO-RUST
Freeze Off
Loctite 466863 Paste Anti-Seize Lubricant
Lubriplate No. 130-AA Calcium Grease
Murphy’s Oil Soap
PB Blaster
Simple Green (Degreaser and Cleaner)
Valvoline Heavy Duty Carb & Throttle Body Cleaner
Wood Finish (equal parts Turpentine, Boiled Linseed Oil, and Spar Varnish)

Antique Beam Drill [Restoration], https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ia_U4dKsZK0 , see video starting at 10:37.

If you have any inquiries or comments, you can contact the author at jrbrad314159@gmail.com

If you are interested in using historic tools, come learn to use a boring machine and more with us! Our Timber Framing courses focus on traditional methods using high quality historic and modern tools.

Restoration of a Millers Falls Boring Machine - Part 2

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 15:43:20 GMT

The restoration process

Three videos posted on the Internet show the restoration of boring machines where either rust remover or wire-brush wheels on a grinder were used to remove grease and paint/japanning¹,²,³. The author at some point will restore the boring machine in this manner but, for the moment, will pursue a less aggressive cleanup because he has a timber framing project that needs to be done. Rather than delaying the project to take the time to paint the parts, the cleanup described here was done in a manner to preserve the remaining paint or japanning until that more aggressive approach is taken. The main goals include cleaning up old grease and dirt that had accumulated on the machine and replacing old lubrication in the moving parts with fresh lubricant to make its operation easier and to reduce wear. The restoration includes what might be considered two separate projects: (1) the wood base, and (2) the boring mechanism.

Wood Base Restoration

The bases of most boring machines are made of wood and, in the case of Millers Falls machines, the four support rods are screwed or bolted to the base, with two fasteners per rod. (Some later Millers Falls boring machines such as the No. 146 in the 1915 catalog had steel bases, although these seem to be rare.) The base and support rods, together, provide a stable drilling angle, while the adjustment of the support rods in reference to the base determines the angle of the bit relative to the base and the timber. A user’s weight on the base holds the base fast to a timber. The Millers Falls wooden base is constructed of five pieces, as shown in Figure 5 . Two longer pieces receive the rod brackets, while two shorter pieces meet with those longer pieces at 90°. These four pieces frame the fifth, floating panel. All pieces are joined with mortise and tenon and are held in place via tension that is supplied by two threaded rods between the longer pieces, rather than being secured by glue.

For a boring machine to do its job properly, it ideally must have a flat bottom and be solid to avoid the possibility that it would move in use, thus altering either the drill position or its angle. The term “solid” connotes the integrity of each base piece individually, their stability as an assembly, and the capability of the wood to hold screws or bolts securely. If one calibrates the drilling angle by setting the angle of the drill in reference to the top of the base, then one would also want the base’s top surface to be parallel with the bottom surface. A base must satisfy these attributes to the degree that a user is satisfied with the accuracy and repeatability of the drilling position and angle.

The base of the boring machine purchased by the author had been mostly stripped of its original varnish and covered with mud, and the rear short piece was slightly loose. Murphy’s Oil Soap quickly removed the mud, after which it was obvious that the wood was very dry and, well, old. Figure 5 shows the base at this stage of restoration. The author wanted to tighten the threaded rods to resolve the loose piece, but repeated application of PB Blaster and Freeze Off over most of a week did not loosen the rust between the nuts and the threaded rods. Although it was tempting to replace the current threaded rods with new ones to tighten the frame, the base seemed sufficiently solid to be used as-is.

Moreover, the author had decided that he would make a new base in the future and avoid the immediate delay caused by replacing the threaded rods now, which would be wasted effort once the new base was constructed. For now, the base was sanded, and a finish was applied for aesthetics and, more importantly, to give the wood more integrity. The homemade finish consisted of equal parts of Turpentine, Boiled Linseed Oil, and Spar Varnish. The finished based is shown in Figure 6 .

Making a new base is straightforward when you have an existing base that serves as a template. If you do not have a base, designs are posted on the Internet⁴,⁵.

Boring Mechanism Restoration

Most of the boring mechanism steel parts had little rust. Some exceptions were toward the base, specifically around the mounting brackets for the angled support rods and where the crank arms attached to the horizontal drive shaft. The machine also was caked with years of dried grease that had flowed out from between the surfaces that moved against each other. The steps below were followed to clean and disassemble the machine and are explained subsequently.

Initial removal of caked, dried grease.
Apply rust penetrant to free rusted fasteners.
Disassemble.
Degrease and clean parts.
Lubricate and reassemble.

1. Initial Removal of Dirt and Grease

The author used carburetor cleaner with a brass wire brush and sometimes a putty knife to remove as much of the dried grease and dirt as possible. Besides the overall removal of grease, cleaning in this stage was focused in the proximity of fasteners to permit rust penetrant to be applied directly to machine screws and bolts to free them for disassembly. The author has used carburetor cleaner successfully in similar cleanups, such as freeing the ratchet mechanism of a bit brace that had not been used in at least 70 years. Multiple applications were required to loosen the thick layer of dried, caked grease. Care should be taken when using a putty knife because it is difficult to discern between the removal of caked grease and japanning. Figure 7 shows some of the remaining grease build-up after the initial removal.

2. Freeing Rusted Fasteners

PB Blaster and Freeze Off were used because the author has had success with on automotive projects with these products. Most screws were free after one application of solvent (and might have been free without any penetrant). Some fasteners required almost a week of repeated applications, so beware that patience is required here. It is best to budget multiple days or a week for such a project to recognize the possible waiting time for fasteners to be freed. Being patient is, in the author’s opinion, a worthwhile investment to preserve original fasteners and avoid the search for hard-to-find parts when fasteners are damaged or destroyed as they are removed.

3. Disassembly

Most parts are disassembled by loosening machine screws, while some parts, such as crank arms and some gears, are attached to shafts with (taper) pins that were removed with a 3/16” punch. These pins were removed easily, although careful observation of the pins is required to determine with end has a small diameter and which has a larger diameter because the pins will come out in only one direction.

4. Degreasing

Consistent with the goal of retaining as much of the paint as was possible, the author used Simple Green to remove the remaining grease and dirt on the disassembled parts, which is advertised to be paint safe. Parts were soaked in Simple Green for as long as necessary and brushed, most often, with a brass wire brush and sometimes a toothbrush. Multiple soakings with intervening brushing were sometimes required. Simple Green requires a water rinse after its application, so parts were thoroughly dried, and a light oil was applied (3-in-One Oil) to bare metal surfaces to inhibit rust prior to reassembly. Any light oil (e.g., Jojoba, Camelia) should also serve this purpose. A more aggressive approach to machine renovation might use alternative degreasers that may not be paint-safe, such as Purple Power or Degreaser/Cleaner by POR 15 and a powered steel wire brush wheel.

The disassembled and cleaned parts are shown in Figure 8 prior to reassembly. Note that disassembly of some parts was not successful, including removal of the crank arms from the driven horizontal shaft and the screw that holds the rack gear for the extraction function onto the top horizontal frame piece. These parts defied disassembly even after soaking in PB Blaster and Freeze Off for nearly a week. In an effort to put the machine to work sooner rather than later, these areas of the machine were cleaned without disassembling them. In the case of the horizontal driven shaft, this necessitated a different cleaning approach as described later. These stubborn parts will be dealt with in the subsequent restoration.

5. Reassembly

Fasteners were reinstalled using Loctite 466863 Paste Anti-Seize Lubricant. Although the author intends to disassemble the machine soon for a more exhaustive restoration, the anti-seize paste still might ease the coming disassembly of the machine.

Two lubricants were used at reassembly: Lubriplate No. 130-AA and 3-in-One Oil. Lubriplate No. 130-AA was used as a lubricant on gears and between the bushing blocks and shafts. Lubriplate seemed well suited for these locations based on the manufacturer’s description of it as having “extremely good water repellency” and as being appropriate for “plain bearings, cams, guides, open gears, slides and chassis lubrication and where temperatures do not exceed 170°F.” Many greases might work well in these locations, but the author had good success with Lubriplate on automotive applications. A light oil like 3-in-One would likely work in these locations but the more viscous Lubriplate might better tend to remain within the moving surfaces, thus reducing the chance of the lubricant dripping from the machine onto its user and the timbers.

3-in-Oil was used on the slides and bushings of the boring carriage as well as on the roller bearing for the extraction mechanism rack gear. A light coat of 3-in-One Oil on the slides might be less messy than exposed grease. Time will reveal the effectiveness of this lubrication scheme.

Antique Beam Drill [Restoration], https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ia_U4dKsZK0 .
Great Plains Craftsman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wfei1vpl8I, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2teDgvy11lc .
Land to Sea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TK2hApmlDQw .
The Year of Mud: https://theyearofmud.com/2013/02/19/antique-millers-falls-boring-machine/ .
Forestry Forum, https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=62980.0 .

If you have any inquiries or comments, you can contact the author at jrbrad314159@gmail.com

Restoration of a Millers Falls Boring Machine - Part 1

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 15:43:18 GMT

The Machine

Timber framers who prefer hand methods often use a manual boring machine for clearing the bulk of material from a mortise before refining its walls with a chisel or a slick. Figure 1 shows the author using a Millers Falls boring machine for this purpose in a Heartwood School timber framing course. This article describes the author’s experience in restoring a similar machine, which is shown in its eBay listing in Figure 2 .

A Brief History of Boring Machines in Timber Framing

These machines bore holes perpendicular to a timber’s surface, while some machines can bore at other angles as well. Some machines, such as those made by Millers Falls, have a rack and pinion mechanism to extract the drill bit. It is not known when the boring machine (a.k.a. beam drill, beam auger) was invented, although the first patent is by J. Beckwith in 1830. Boring machines were made by Millers Falls, the James Swan Co., the Buckeye Manufacturing Company, and Lambert Brothers among perhaps others. By 1886, Millers Falls claimed they had perfected the machine in the Scientific American¹, and the machines appeared in Millers Falls catalogs starting in 1887 and continuing through 1929² although people with considerable experience in rebuilding these machines have claimed in online posts that Millers Falls manufactured boring machines into the 1930s and possibly the 1940s. The Millers Falls No.145 boring machine with a wood base was listed at a price of $9.25 (without augers) in the 1915 catalog (see Figure 3 ), which is equivalent with approximately $288 in 2024 dollars according to a Federal Reserve inflation calculator. It is interesting that the demand for these vintage machines is such that any machine in good or salvageable condition sells for considerably more than the original price adjusted for inflation.

Of the timber framers who have expressed a preference for boring machines to the author, all prefer Millers Falls machines. Many in online forums also express a preference for Millers Falls machines, whereas the author has never seen a preference expressed for another make. Among the advantages of Millers Falls machines, besides the bit extraction mechanism, is that the boring frame is supported by four steel rods rather than a wooden frame that other machines rely on either entirely or in part. The Millers Falls name was cast into machines that they manufactured although some boring machines, such as the one purchased by the author, are identical to Millers Falls machines but have no markings, neither the Millers Falls name nor any other maker’s mark.

It is still possible, however, and even likely that unmarked boring machines like the author’s machine were made by Millers Falls given that the trademarks do not always indicate which company made the tool. Tool manufacturers have for a long time made tools to be sold under other companies’ tradenames, such as Sears’ Craftsman tools and Montgomery Wards’ Master Quality tools . It seems that none of the Craftsman and Master Quality tools were made by Sears and Montgomery Wards, respectively. For example, Craftsman planes are known to have been manufactured by Millers Falls, Sargent, and Stanley³,⁴,⁵,⁶,⁷,⁸,⁹. Even Stanley subcontracted the manufacture of planes to Sargent in Stanley’s early years of selling planes¹⁰. Sears and Montgomery Wards also had brand names for lesser quality tool lines; Fulton, Dunlap, and Merit for Sears and Lakeside for Montgomery Wards, which were also made by other companies.

Eggbeater drill collectors have similarly noted in online discussions that they have identical drills that are branded differently, which might indicate that a single manufacturer produced the same drill design for multiple brands. Additionally, a person associated with the Museum of Our Industrial Heritage indicated that companies did make tools for other companies in the era in which boring machines were produced, as is also the case today¹¹.

Conversely, the lack of a brand name in a tool casting doesn’t necessarily indicate that a tool was not made by a well-known toolmaker. Tools made to be wholesaled to many distributors or retailers might have been unbranded or branded in a less durable manner than within a casting: producing tools in this manner obviates the investment for dedicated casting molds or other tooling for each particular brand so that distribution could be more profitable even when a customer purchased a small number of units. For example, some planes made by Millers Falls and sold by Sears were marked with an ink stamp . Ink stamps and decals, even if they were applied to the tools, would likely succumb to hard use over many years. It is possible, under this scenario, that Millers Falls would produce a boring machine that, today, bears no evidence of its maker. Some also suggest that earlier Millers Falls boring machines may not have been marked with the Millers Falls’ name.

Although counterarguments are possible for the unmarked boring machines being produced by a company other than Millers Falls, as would be the case if another company made a “knock off” version, the author presumes that their machine was indeed made by Millers Falls.

Boring machine designs vary among makers, and even Millers Falls’ design varied over the years with updates to the retraction mechanism and the journal bushings for the boring shaft. For example, both sides of the journal bushing were part of an integral cast in 1904 but, by 1915, one side of the bushing housing was removable, as shown in Figure 4 . Nonetheless, the restoration methods described in subsequent postings would still apply to any machine. That said, the author does not claim that the restoration approach described here is best, but the description of methods, materials, and tools used will hopefully be helpful to those pursuing similar projects.

Scientific American (Architects and Building Edition), The Millers Falls Boring Machine , Volume 1, Issue 5, March 1886, p. 143.
Communications with the curator, Al Shane, of the Museum of Our Industrial Heritage, Greenfield, MA on December 14, 2024.
https://www.timetestedtools.net/2016/02/09/known-examples-of-planes-made-by-millers-falls-for-other-companies/
https://industrialhistory.org/files/Fitzgerald_-_Millers_Falls_Planes-07092022.pdf
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=650788678869540&set=a.391410194807391
https://www.timetestedtools.net/2016/02/26/craftsman-hand-plane-model-number-comparison/#google_vignette
https://www.justtheplanefacts.com/
https://www.justtheplanefacts.com/assorted-rebrand-planes#:~:text=An%20ink%20stamp%20was%20applied,sell%20a%20jack%20plane%20version .
https://aplanelife.us/plane-galleries#:~:text=Produced%20by%20Millers%20Falls%20under,a%20factory%20could%20profitably%20produce .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxEBuZNlWeM
Communications with Marc Fournier via email, December 15, 2024.

If you have any inquiries or comments, you can contact the author at jrbrad314159@gmail.com

Meet our 2024 Timber Framing Apprentices

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 16:36:10 GMT

Our 2024 apprentices have been a wonderful bunch. We’re proud to highlight a few of them here, and hope that those of you who have not met them yet will get the chance to work with them in the future. They come from a variety of backgrounds, and have brought their own experiences, perspectives, and expertise to Heartwood. We’re glad to see them join the timber framing community and excited to see where they take the craft.

Become a Heartwood Apprentice !

 Applications to join us as an apprentice for our 2025 season will be open until December 31st, 2024.

Frame to Finish

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 15:43:37 GMT

Frame to Finish

We purchased the 12’x16’ dutch cabin in the fall of 2023. Originally planned to be a garden shed / storage space, it has expanded into more of a “garden house” with an upstairs playroom for our 1-year old. Once we erected the structure on site we soon realized we had to do it justice with the finishing details and make the space as light filled and beautiful as possible.

While I have never taken a class at the Heartwood School, I have friends who have and put me in touch with the crew at Heartwood when one of the frames came up for sale. It seemed natural to put up a structure like this when we live in an 1800s farmhouse built with the same practices. I find it very fun to learn how they built the old New England Farmhouses like ours back in the 1800’s, and thinking about how they erected such large structures with hand hewn beams is mind boggling compared to modern day practices. We got a little taste for this when we used techniques to lift the top plates with a small crew and some ropes. Surprisingly easy!

We are not the type of people to have every detail planned out for

a project, so once we had the frame erected we could step back and figure out what we wanted it to look like. Taking some advice from Neil at Heartwood and watching lots of videos we decided to build an external wall to be able to insulate and keep the garden house cool in the summer so it will act as a flower studio for my wife’s flower business and it will also stay warm in order for her to start her

seeds indoors without taking up a lot of space in our house. Building the external wall also helps with running electricity through the building, so on cold winter days we can give our kid a fun place to play and stay warm and get out of our house for a bit.

The project is far from finished, and we are still trying to plan our countertop workspace, ladder system upstairs so our child can climb up to his playroom safely and also a sink and extra storage space. We have a long way to go on the finishing details but it’s one of those projects that comes together over time and allows us to find fun materials to work with. Speaking of which, our massive black windows came from a school in upstate New York that built the wrong size emergency exit windows. So I jumped on the opportunity when I saw this deal come up and just took the “Emergency Exit” pieces off the windows and they look great and add a ton of light into the structure showcasing the beautiful big beams.

All in all we are extremely happy with this student built structure. It gives us a greater

appreciation for how our house is constructed and helps us see the small details in the frame that are hand built by the students. We were also lucky enough to have two of Heartwood's apprentices come and help us erect the frame which made things go a lot smoother. I am hoping to take a 'Timber Framing' course from the school at some point in the next couple years to learn even more about the whole process and refine my skills as a very amateur builder.

Jeremy

Westhampton MA

Click below to l earn more about purchasing a student-build Heartwood School Timber Frame and to find out which frames are currently available !

Heartwood on the Road: South Carolina!

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 15:09:07 GMT

Heartwood on the Road: South Carolina!

This February, students raised the first Heartwood School frame of 2024, marking the end of the inaugural course in our Heartwood On the Road program. Hosted in collaboration with MoreSun Timber Frames, we took our one-week timber framing course from chilly New Hampshire to sunny South Carolina.

Students from all over the United States, including as far away as Alaska and Hawaii spent the week learning to cut traditional wooden joinery with hand tools. Their hard work concluded in a hand raising of a 12’ x 16’ dutch-style frame at the Foothills Farmstead in Oconee County. The Foothills Farmstead is dedicated to historic preservation and will host a living living history farm and museum, with a variety

of historic buildings and events that sustain the cultural heritage of the area. The frame will serve as the Farmstead’s future restrooms.

The class offered hands-on experience in traditional methods. Students completed a curriculum that included laying out joinery using the ‘square rule’ method developed in the early 1800s, comprehensive experience cutting mortise and tenon joinery with hand tools, and a variety of hand-raising techniques. Participants left with invaluable insights and both the knowledge and confidence needed to begin cutting their own timber-framed structures.

Beyond developing timber framing skills, evening talks from industry experts provided inspiration for everyone in attendance. Those that shared advice and insights included George Morrison, a skilled timber framer; Dennis Marcom, President of the Heartwood School board; Neil Godden, Executive Director of the Heartwood School; and Stephen Morrison, owner of Moresun Timber Frames. The week concluded with a bonfire and dinner from a local BBQ restaurant, and a lasting sense of community that we hope will continue to be a fundamental part of all of our ‘On the Road’ courses.

The success of our first Heartwood on the Road course was made possible through the generous hospitality of Stephen Morrison and MoreSun Timber Frames , as well as our instructors Neil Godden and George Morrison, and all of our support staff.

Looking ahead, we are excited to announce plans for future ‘On the Road’ classes, extending the opportunity to attend Heartwood classes to students across the United States. While no more traveling classes are on the schedule for this season, keep an eye out for another South Carolina course in early 2025, and classes on the west coast next year!

Click below to l earn more about purchasing a student-build Heartwood School Timber Frame and to find out which frames are currently available !

Small Frame - Huge Possibilities

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 18:45:55 GMT

Small Frame - Huge Possibilities

As a home-based graphic designer, I really wanted to build my own studio. I wanted it to be beautiful, cost-effective, and something that was relatively quick to construct. After conferring with my friend, Neil Godden (Executive Director of the Heartwood School), he suggested I attend a 5-day timber framing workshop. I was able to purchase the student-built 12’ X 14’ frame, providing a quick and relatively inexpensive start to my project.

I made a down-payment on the frame in April and began preparing for the September workshop. In order to raise the structure on my property in the fall, I needed to prepare a solid foundation. I prepared the site by clearing small trees and brush, followed by excavation of the top soil layer/earth. The space was filled with crushed stone and compacted to further stabilize the building site. I chose to construct the project on granite plinths, pouring 10 cement piers, one each for the 10 posts of my timber frame. The preparations were completed by laying 2” X 12” pressure-treated boards to receive the timber frame sills.

The September workshop was a thrilling experience! I learned a great deal, had a lot of fun, and met a community of like-minded, truly talented friendly people. Shortly after, the frame arrived, and I had the raising in October. With the assistance of some hired help, we managed to work through the winter. We closed it in, insulated it, wired it, and added the finishing touches by mid-summer. Although it took a little longer than expected, I now spend every day in my studio, a space I absolutely love!

Mike Grinley

Click below to l earn more about purchasing a student-build Heartwood School Timber Frame and to find out which frames are currently available !

Student Spotlight: Brian Dolloff

Tue, 30 Jan 2024 17:10:31 GMT

CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM

I love history. I love working with my hands. I love building things. I love being independent of modern conveniences. Timber framing speaks to all of these elements. To see a 200-year-old barn or house still standing strong after all that time and opportunity for destruction is just amazing. When I happened to speak to a Timber Framers Guild member at a local fair, I recognized the opportunity to fulfill a dream. I had wanted to learn more about timber framing for years but hadn’t found the right opportunity. The Heartwood School just felt right.

I attended the basic Timber Framing class later that fall and fell in love. With all of it. The instructors, my classmates, the building, the history, and the opportunity to use this knowledge for future endeavors. That class led to the Cruck Framing class with Jack Sobon. Where else could you meet such an accomplished timber framer, architect and author? To say I was excited to meet and learn from one of my favorite authors may be an understatement. My desire to work independently led me to the Raising and Rigging class taught by Grigg Mullen Jr. and Grigg Mullen, III. I tend to work alone on most projects so understanding how to use a gin pole and an ‘A’ frame was very beneficial. The practical knowledge that I learned in that class has helped in many aspects of my daily life.

My day-to-day workload is mostly general carpentry and remodeling. That’s what pays the bills at this point. My recent fourteen-month project, which utilized stick and timber framing, greatly benefited from the insights gained in my Heartwood classes.

Another opportunity came along when I met a neighbor of the Heartwood School and a timber framer, Kevin Bittenbender, at one of the Thursday evening socials at the school. He found out that I was from Maine and asked if I would help with a friend’s nearby barn raising. I jumped at the chance. I was one of many volunteers, ranging from no experience to 30 years’ experience, who worked on that project. The knowledge and experience gained at Heartwood, proved invaluable to the owner on raising day. I was even asked to return as a paid contractor to help finish with roof sheathing.

I also had the opportunity to meet the owner of the Heartwood School building and surrounding land, Tedd Benson. I noticed an older band saw mill with weeds growing up through the carriage and inquired if it may be for sale. Needless to say, Tedd was happy to sell it to me and I was very happy to buy it. With my 30-acre woodlot, I hope to mill out the needed timbers for future projects myself.

My future goals include building and selling small timber frame structures; sheds, cabins, gazebos, pergolas, and barns. My wife says I can practice on the structures she wants me to build for her... I hope to connect with other timber framers in my local area and work with them to gain more knowledge and experience. This year will see me back at Heartwood for four more classes: Business Practices for Timber Framers, Intro to SketchUp, Demystifying Roof Geometry: the Stereotomical Approach, and Converting Trees to Timber.

I can’t say enough how fortunate I was to bump into that Timber Framers Guild member at the local fair. Fate intervened and sent me along a wonderful path. The new acquaintances, the knowledge, and the opportunities have all been such a wonderful gift.

Brian Dolloff

Timber Framing at Heartwood: A Look Inside

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 16:47:46 GMT

In June of 2022, student Ted Efremoff attended the Heartwood School for a one-week Timber Framing class taught by instructors Neil Godden and Kyle Murphy. Ted set to work timber framing and filming over the course of the week and put together this wonderful peek into the Heartwood experience. It was filmed at our previous location in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, and the 16'x20' frame that is featured in the video was raised nearby at the end of the week.

We are grateful to be able to share this snapshot of Heartwood magic with you. Ted says, “I was very inspired by the course I took with Heartwood and want the school to live long and prosper!” Ted is planning on building his own small frame in the future using the knowledge and confidence he gained during his time at the Heartwood School. Check out Ted’s video!

2023: Year in Review

Fri, 05 Jan 2024 16:24:26 GMT

I am pleased to announce that we had a very successful year at the Heartwood School. The Heartwood School has settled into the new schoolhouse at 299 Pratt Road in Alstead NH. It is a wonderful space with a heated 35’ x 100’ indoor shop with an adjacent classroom and outdoor yard. We are very happy to be there.

Over 300 Students

This past year we had over 300 students, as well 4 apprentices and 4 instructors that are new Heartwood. We offered a total of 25 classes, of which 3 were new offerings. One of the new classes that I would like to highlight is the Scribe Joinery 2- French Scribe class. This class is one class of a 3-part series of scribing classes . We also offered an Advanced Stereotomy for Timber Framers course. This class was attended by mostly long practicing timber framers wanting to advance their knowledge and develop new skill sets.

2024 Course Schedule

We recently launched our new website, complete with our 2024 Course Schedule. Our upcoming schedule has a few new and exciting offerings. We are offering: our first ‘On the Road’ Timber Framing class in South Carolina, an ‘ English Scribe ’ class that is part of the 3-course series on Scribing; as well as a Carpentry for Women+ class. Based on many requests, we will be offering two SketchUp for Timber Framing Courses virtually in 2024. In addition, we will be offering two new woodworking classes: a ‘Make and Take’ Workbench class and a ‘Make and Take’ Japanese Stool course.

Instructors & Apprentices

I would like to thank all of the hard working, talented instructors that have taught classes this past year at the Heartwood School. We could not do it without you! I enjoy working with all of you. Thank you to Hank Silver for lending us his telehandler while he has been over in France working on the Notre Dame Cathedral. It is greatly appreciated. I would also like to thank the Bensonwood Team. You have been gracious hosts inviting the Heartwood School into your community. We appreciate all the help you have offered over the past year. It is nice to move into a new home and be surrounded by such a supportive group. Thank you to our donors - your contributions have been vital to our programming and have allowed us the ability to share our knowledge with those who may not have been able to participate otherwise.

Every year, Heartwood has several apprentices. I would like to send a big thank you to our Heartwood’s 2023 apprentices; Emily Barkei, Joseph Landry, Ryan Moritz, and José Saldarriaga Gómez. You have all helped out tremendously and we could not have had such a successful year without the four of you.

Boards

I would also like to thank the Heartwood School and TFG Boards for their support during this transition and for helping the Heartwood School grow. I am grateful for your volunteer service and support as we are transitioning to a longer schedule, developing new programming, and building new local relationships.

I would like to send a big thank you to our many new and returning students! We’ve enjoyed having the opportunity to share knowledge, inspiration and community with you. We hope to have you back again soon. Please come take a class and join us in 2024!

Neil Godden

Executive Director, Heartwood School