BodyText5
Step two was to scribe where the log would join with the next log beneath it. To start, we moved the log from the sawhorse and sat it atop the log we would be connecting. Then, we used a log dog, which looked like a very large and sharp staple, to hold the two logs in position. Then we calibrated a protractor and drew a semicircle where material from the top log should be removed, creating a saddle notch, so that it sits snuggly on top of the bottom log perpendicularly and forms the corner of the building.
After scribing we got to work on removing material to make a saddle notch. We used axes to initially remove material in bulk before we refined the edges and tuned the notch to fit perfectly with a chisel. It took many tried to get the perfect fit, but we got there! After finishing we stamped our names int the log using a metal stamp and hammer. Maybe one day I will go back to White Grass Dude Ranch and find my name on a building. During the workshop, four new storage buildings were started in total by all the groups.
It was such a pleasure getting to learn alongside so many passionate people. When not learning, I had the opportunity to go for hikes to waterfalls, lake overlooks, and even stand where Ansel Adams took his iconic 1942 photograph The Tetons and The Snake River. Ultimately, I walked away from this experience not only having learned many things about wood and logs and their preservation, but I also left with new connections.
— Morrigan Kelley (Conservation Assistant, Winterthur/Hagley/UD, UD Class of 2022)