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Today we made the difficult transition from traditional to CAD layout. We spent the morning in the woodshop with Filippo Campagna, our Zimmermeister for the week, while he put us through the paces of skewed barge rafters and other compound esoterica. What a lot of stuff to learn.

After lunch we trooped down to the computer lab to test drive Dietrich’s CAD software. Dietrich’s is a generous underwriter of this event. After most of the initial bugs, and language issues, and miscomprehensions were worked out, everyone in class had the test model fully drawn in under three hours.

This particular model we are working on is the last one that the Zimmer candidates have to complete to graduate from their three-year program, and the first one the Meister candidates have to complete when they begin their program. It’s a tough one, with canted barge rafters on one side, skewed on the other, two hips (one equal pitch) and one valley (of unequal pitches).

Following dinner, we made a trip to the German equivalent of Home Depot, and then went to a reception given by the local Mafell rep, who generously provided us with refreshment, companionship, and tools to buy ­ both modern and traditional.-- Joel McCarty.

Photos by Joel McCarty and others
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