Claude,
As always your work is the best. I look foward to all of your updates. Glade all the shows went well. I hope the damage you had wasn't that hard to fix. Have a Merry Christmas. Looking foward to when you get a chance to do your next book.
Tom

Merci Romain, schéi Feierdeeg och un dech (that was a bit of luxembourgish)

Thanks to you Thomas, glad you still like it.

Season Greetings to you and everyone!

Looking past my PC Screen i am seeing outside and look at falling snow, so winter is definitely here also.

I am going to visit a rural museum this afternoon (instead of Christmas shopping frenzy). I need inspiration and references for the next house, the old farmer's house with barn attached.

Claude

Yo Claude,

It's been a while since I looked here....not much time lately because of a move to a new house and bigger model room.

You still going hard I see with very nice update on the way.

Nice work on the tree that hit the water, nice color on the rocks on the waterside.

Keep up!

Greetz Nico

Claude,
Are you going to do anymore updates on this site?
Tom

Hi Tom,

Yes, i normally intend to do so.

For the last two months i worked in snail pace speed, making unsatisfactory progress and think i have not much to show of any worth to the board, but then, i must admit, i also did not realize that i did not yet show anything at all to the board from the latest house i am working on.

I will update as soon as i can (this evening), but meantime the latest progress is viewable on my Blog.

Thanks for reminding me Tom

Claude

I await every update with interest Claude, big or small, it´s pleasure to see it

cheers
Carlos

So, let's see how i can put you somewhat up to date.

Let me start you by showing a picture of the bike shop, side walls included, (i even forgot to show that one)

The roof is also already covered, but i have not yet take a picture of it.


So, the next building on the list is this one, a farmer's house with a timber frame side part.


Had i know that the owner of this house, destroyed immediately after the war, lived until 3 years ago, i would have talked to him. But until recently i did not yet know that i would build it.

Now i have a few problems.
I only have limited space available on this corner of the dio, right at the end of the river. I already added some surface until near the river to gain some ground


I have no idea about the inner layout of the house, apart the obvious barn area behind the timber frame wall, the rest is up to my imagination.

Finally i will do a kitchen on the right, a small room for the farm servant and all the rest will be storage area for whatever belongs into a farm house.

Basically i am building by improvisation, form part to part.
A major difficulty is the fact that everything is visible from both sides, so every hinge and lock from doors and windows has to be modelled.
This all does not contribute to a nice working flow. Add to that a few health problems during the last months, you can understand my lack of updating.

The main wall is made the usual way, my stone mould (slate) glued both sides on some matt board

and openings taken out with the Dremel.

Here i am trying some set-up. I'm still not convinced today.

The timber frame part is more interesting.
Because it is visible on both sides, i choose to use some plastic card as support and mirror the wood and the stonework on both sides. The wood is firework stick cut in half length wise.

Stones painted and the whole thing covered with a plaster/wood dust mix (to make it look a bit rougher)


Just imagine the same thing on the other side.

Because my improvisation style i made some errors and instead of building a few parts together i made a few and needed to glue them together later.

In this picture the corner part is still unfixed and need to stay so because of the work i will have now to make the doors. It's easier to do them with full handling capabilities of the walls.



I made most of the windows and doors with plastic as usual, painted all and ..... discarded them because i wanted another look this time.
So i remade them all with wood, real wood made from firework sticks cut lengthwise with the Proxxon table saw.

I am able to make 0.4 mm planks, thinner then any Balsa and stronger. (all other modelling wood is impossible to get in Luxembourg)



Unfortunately, i burned the motor of the table saw during this operation. I'm still waiting for new parts to fix it.

This is how this looks now. The corner part is nearly finished

from the inside


The rest of the wall was also finished

until yesterday when i ripped out the window near the door to replace it again. I was at a museum last weekend and got an idea i need to put in here.
(You notice the openings for the inner walls)

IN and out and not real pleasure because the end view is still not clear to me, that explains a lot of my laziness to post.
Hopefully i will get back to normal speed soon.

What do you think?

Claude

Excellent stuff !!

Claude,
As always your work is the best. So glade that you gave us an update. Keep up thr great work and as always look foward to your update.
Tom

Lovely work CLaude, I'm looking forward to another update

The wooden doors and windows look great- I hope you get your saw repaired soon Claude

Hi Claude
Fantastic update, i cannot believe how you have built the doors and windows, the detail is amazing, looking forward to seeing more.
Tom

As always Claude your workmanship is exquisite!

Have a great week!

Dave

It's hard to convey my reaction in words!! In following your journey, it's been incredible. I wish you nothing more then the ultimate success in this endeavor and support from all those around you. I was truly happy for you that this incredible piece of work will have a home in a museum one day. Brilliant!!

I look through your first book on a regular basis for inspiration and to help push me to finish my tiny projects in comparison. If/when the second book is ready, consider one copy sold to me for sure. Thank you and hello from Canada!!!


Tom

I always look forward to seeing your updates as they are a source of much pleasure to me. I love the new buildings and specially the fachwerkhaus. Very convincing job there. I do make a suggestion as to the construction of the timber frame though. On the side wall,the middle horizontal piece of timber is incorrect and should be divided by the upright piece. Your original pic of the side wall is blurry at that point but trust me,I have seen hundreds of fachwerkhauser and never was there one constructed with your method as it is not structurally sound.
Also,are you sure the walls were in-filled with stonework? The usual method was woven twigs covered in mud/plaster?
I only mention this because I know what a fanatic you are for detail and accuracy.
Most impressive as usual mon ami.
J

Damn Jerry, i have already difficulties to progress with this build and now that! The modification of the timbers (indeed, the original picture has them as you say) will cost me not only time but certainly damage on other parts!!
The whole construction is very fragile because of the still missing other sidewall and the lack of roof. I already have a crack between the two parts.
But as you say, i will change it, thanks for telling of course.

Hopefully the timbers (glued on plasticcard) will come off without to much problem.

Thank you all for the comments(an preordering so to say Book 2 :-))

Claude

Sorry buddy,but I was sure that you would want to know. Sooner is batter than later because what if you had found out when you were almost done with the building?.
This dio is one of the top 10 best dios of all time,I think it is safe to say.
J

Thanks again Jerry, it's done already, less problems then feared. Photos on that later.

Today i decided to go ahead and start to assemble some parts.

That's what the former horse stable will look like,only some gaps to hide here and there. The floating support beam in the middle is fixed in the final positioning.
This was only for the photo session.



Ok, you can't see it :-), but some walls are whitewashed, others are made with plaster covering, so the effect is the same.
Notice the through on the back.
I will add some usual stable stuff later, same for straw or/and hay on the upper level.

Of course i acknowledge that this is all way to small.

I simply don't have more space left in this dio! I wanted to put a plough in there , but it does not fit!

Any specialist out there you can give some recommendations regarding positioning of straw and hay, how much of each (it's mid- December), look, whatever , is welcome to give his input. The whole left side of the house will feature two more levels of storage space.

Have a nice Sunday

Claude

Hi Claude , Jerry , ........ actually your [ Claude ] horiz. timber should be one piece not three sections divided by the horiz. timbers , your 45 degree timber should just be reversed , going from the outer wall in .

The stone work covered by plaster/mud etc. is ok , not all structures were reed woven then plaster covered , that was very early construction .

Note upper right gabel support going about 45 degrees from the outer wall in .
Note also the stone work covered in plaster/mud whatever .
Whatever materials were on hand for these old timber frame houses were used , there are no hard set fast rules , excepet for structural framing , load bearing weights etc.


Hi Claude , I've still got my eye on you , .......... beautiful work as always !!!
The stone covered in plaster is just fine .
Jerry does have a point on the bearing wall frame though .

Hi Glenn,

Good your still watching! Hope you are well.



I think you meant the vertical timber is one piece instead of three (as i had it).
OK, i did what Jerry told me (i probably made the timberframework only looking at aesthetics, not structural thinking and missed to look at my reference again) and have one piece now going up, until the last horiz, timber.
That would be wrong and go all the way up,ok?

Let's take another look at my reference picture,(it's all i have).

Don't you think that there isn't a last vert. frame at all. So i have that one wrong also, but it would be easier to fix. Take that one away and not take away the last horiz. frame as that one is sandwiched between a lot of others near the front of the house.
I just blocked the easiest way to correct all that by gluing together the stable!
I see no difference regarding the 45 degree timber.

ok, i just took a pic of how it looks now


If i take away the crossed one, i should be good?
But thinking structure, what is the difference in leaving it and taking it away? None I suppose?
The next real important vertical support is out of the frame!



I agree, on the back of this picture, that is my building, there are hints of stonework between the timbers.


So guys, give me another sign, should i take away that last timber or not? I need to work on other parts of the house from now on and access to this part will be the same (bad) for the next weeks probably as I certainly will cover the stable annexe at the end.

Glad you watched Glenn!

Greets
Claude

Hi Claude , I've never stopped watching your work .
I think you will be just fine with what you have now .
Traditionally in timber frame houses your vertical timbers should be one piece , most always these are load bearing pieces .
Traditionally your 45 degree bits should come from the outside wall in , this ensures the integrity of the ouside wall or weight of the roof .
I've built many enough timber frame houses with my brother in Vermont . Still no expert , that was my brother .

Then again as you and I know Claude there are always examples outside the rules lol.
Look closely and you'll see some reverse 45 degree pieces of timber .
The first pic. even has a wall with sticks between the timbers to be plastered over and the bricks on the other wall .


Look at the house at the very end of the street reversed 45's .

Upper left hand corner , a very non structural look with reversed timbers .

More stuff .







Another reversed 45 structural timber .



Like I said , what you have is beautiful and visually works .
It could also if need be , covered by Ivy but I don't really see a need for it .

Love ya man , Glenn

Thanks Glenn ! Superb pictures you have.

I obviously did no special research before building that and such houses are a rarity in Luxembourg.
Had the one reference picture and finally didn't pay to much attention to it when i started to build.
So all is well now.

I did just build the chimney who runs in one piece from bottom to roof, visible everywhere.

I am off work around Easter for two weeks, i think i may be able to finish the house then.
The more complicate part is done, a lot of wood and roof work now on the menu plus a few pieces of furniture to scratch, routine already, isn't it

Claude

Hey Claude, as usual, looks good to go. Looking at the picture you have to go by it is tough for me to see the timbers you were talking about or maybe I missed it. Anyway, if you are happy with it, I'm sure no-one else would have noticed it. I look at your post and am dumbfounded. You plod on and mine just sits most of the time with me staring at it wondering if I bit off more than I can chew, and it's only two large buildings. Maybe I should look up ambition in the dictionary, lol or you could send some. I guess when your health is not the best some things take a back seat while we battle through the days. But really, your work is an inspiration to see this through. Nice to see your updates as you build along. A virtual city growing before my eyes from history past by a master builder and storyteller. Makes my day.

I think that you have solved the most important problem and the little piece can either stay or go.
Those pictures of the fachwerk buildings are just spectaculat,specially the shed in back of the flak gun. That thing must be from mittlalterzeit! Fabulous.
As always,I just make comments because I know how badly you want to get everything just right!
Your work is superb and the stable is lookin good!
J

That's good, i appreciate, as i usually do not get enough critics.

Bob, thanks, how about changing your initial plan and leave one building out. (Can't remember your actual project).
Simply look for another dio to make. Find something more inspiring. Don't know, it must not be WW2,don't you have something local , civil war perhaps, something you get the motivation in doing a piece of local history.

That's where i take the motivation from right now.

Claude