Timber Framers Guild: Nova/WGBH Trebuchet Project

The Highland Fling
October 16-November 2, 1998 Urquhart Castle, Inverness, Scotland

Sept 29, 1998

TO: Highland Fling Participants
FROM: Grigg Mullen
SUBJECT: General Tool Requirements

Scope of Project:
We are going to build two machines, one similar to the Lexington machine, and one of fixed counterweight design. Generally the timber sizes are 8"x8", with certain members up to 10"x18". The larger of the two main arms will be in the 36’ long range, with a butt diameter of 28" to 30". The wood of choice is English oak, with pine or Douglas fir as a substitute if oak is unavailable. There are approximately 30 TFG members going, to be joined by about 7 European framers. People will be split into two teams based primarily on the basis of the skills necessary to complete each machine.

Layout:
There will be no individual stick drawings available at the start of construction. Wayne Neel (VMI Mechanical Engineering) has made scale models of both machines. The general geometry is set, but the details of the joinery will be left up to each team. Plan on some combination of square rule layout and scribe work.

Timber Production:
The desire is to do as much of the work with hand tools as possible, reserving power tools for the last-minute panic. There are two reasons for this. First, hand tools are appropriate to the time period we are reconstructing. Second, power tool usage would have to stop whenever filming was under way to allow sound recording. Besides, we all seem to get some enjoyment out of using our favorite hand tools without the pressure of making a profit. There is a fair amount of round work in the two machines, with several axles and windlasses. The fixed machine will be wheel mounted. Plan on bringing your usual complement of chisels, planes, handsaws, and layout tools. Also give some thought to the appropriate tools for producing the many axles and bearings. Large in-cannel gouges and curved bottom spokeshaves come to mind.

The arms will most likely be shaped with some combination of chainsaw work and hewing. If you have a good ax, adz, or broad ax, consider including them. Also, if we get behind schedule, chainsaws will probably be used for rough (Mike Goldberg "rough") trimming, with finish dimensions reached with chisel and plane.

Metal Working:
Like the Lexington machine, there is a fair amount of ironwork involved in these machines. The fixed counterweight machine will require the pouring of about 7 tons of lead for the counterweight. Wil Wilkins (406-363-6872) has spoken to Doug Wilson (the blacksmith of record in the UK) and has an idea of the tools available. Rick Brown (781-826-7314) is covering the pouring of the lead. If you have particular expertise in these areas, please contact Wil or Rick to coordinate tools.

Crew Tools:
Because of space and weight limitations, we can’t bring all of our usual tools. Jim Kricker (914-246-5845) and Marcus Brandt (610-867-8638 mhbrandt@aol.com) have produced a well-reasoned list of tools needed beyond individual hand tools. The list will be posted soon. The idea is to collect a sufficient number of boring machines, two-man saws, rigging equipment, etc. to do the job without overburdening the shipping arrangements. Please check the list below and fill in what tools you can supply.

Power supply at the construction site will be 110V at 50 cycles. The US plug on any tool will have to be removed and replaced with a UK plug. The UK Health and Safety folks (OSHA) won’t allow an adapter. UK plugs will be available on site if needed.

Sharpening:
Paul Cooper (281-324-2818) is bringing his Tormek sharpener. Mike Goldberg (770-928-3342) has offered to bring his chainsaw sharpening equipment. I will be bringing my 12" diamond stones in grades from black to green, and a leather strop with compound. Also in my kit will be a saw sharpening vise, saw set, and an assortment of both saw and flat files. Adjust your personal sharpening equipment as you see fit.

Shipment of Personal Tools:
Each of us is allowed two checked bags at 70 lb. each for a total of 140 lb. Plan on using one of the 70 lb. bags for your personal hand tools and the other for clothes. You should prepare a typed inventory of the tool bag contents. Marti Louw recommends that the list be on some sort of official looking letterhead. If you don’t have one of your own, e-mail me the list and I’ll be glad to put it on VMI letterhead. As an added precaution, I would also suggest that you engrave your name in the tools, or otherwise permanently mark them as yours. As further insurance, photograph your tools, get double prints, carry one set with you and leave the other at home. Seems reminiscent of summer camp as a kid, but with more expensive consequences for not marking things as yours.

Shipment of Crew Tools:
Details of crew tool shipment are not fully settled as I write this. The latest information is that they will be accompanying us on the USAir flight from Philly to Gatwick. However, this is subject to change. Please keep checking the Guild Web site for details.

In any case, Wes Quinlan (301-862-5234 wes.quinlan@erols.com) and Marcus Brandt have agreed to serve as marshaling points for the crew tools. Plan on having your crew tools available for collection by Tuesday, October 13. As details of collection are set, we will let you know.

Final note:
Thank you all for your willingness to participate in this project. Once we get on the banks of Loch Ness with wood at hand, and tools in hand, I expect we’re going to have a rollicking good time. Cindy, Grigg, Andrew, and I look forward to working, playing, and being with you soon. If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact me at the following:

Grigg Mullen, (540) 464-7331 (W)
(540) 464-6578 (H)

October 2 3:30 p.m. EST

Here's the latest update on tools:
It appears that we have settled on the basic scheme for shipment of tools to Scotland. Each framer will check through 70 lb of hand tools as part of his/her baggage. Marcus and Jim have then pared the list of crew tools down to the essentials that we can't obtain in Scotland. Each of you should be getting the list by fax sometime today. These additional tools will be shipped either as excess baggage, or as air freight. In either case, they need to be packed securely as if they were going as baggage.

To get the word out and to also find who can supply what crew tool, Jim and I have split the attendees list up into quarters. Each of us is to call our quarter, spread the word, and record what tools are available. I have set up a conference call for 9:30 Sunday night for us to reconvene and decide who brings what. Then next week we'll let folks know what to bring besides their own hand tools.

If the tools are going as excess baggage, each person will bring his or her own. If the tools are to be shipped as air cargo, we will arrange collection and transportation of the tools to one central point. Cadet Andy Smith may be delegated to make the collection run. Hopefully, tools could be concentrated at several central locations (framers homes) and Andy can make a big loop to get them. In either case, the tools should be packed by their owners for safe transport.

General timeline:

Call folks by sometime Sunday, Oct. 4. Ask people to determine a value and weight of their tools for later reference.

Conference call with results
09:30 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 4
1-800-700-7792 call id number 98227

By Wednesday, Oct. 7: Call those who will be bringing crew tools and let them know.

Tuesday, Oct. 13 Have tools packed and ready for pick-up. (We need to settle on final shipping method in the meantime.)

For protection of their tools, people should:

prepare a writtten inventory of what they are bringing, including approximate cost.
mark each tool as theirs.
take photos of the tools, get double prints.
carry one set of photos and inventory, leave one set at home.

Jim Kricker

Thanks, Folks. Talk with you Sunday night.

Grigg

Accommodations
Participants will be staying at the Fort Augustus Abbey at the southernmost end of Loch Ness. Urquhart Castle, which dates to the 13th century, stands on a promontory overlooking Loch Ness. It is 1.5 miles southeast of the village of Drumnadrochit. Sitings of Nessie, the Loch Ness monster, are most often reported from this site. For photos and a description of the castle, visit here.

The fort at Fort Augustus was built by General Wade in 1730, and in 1867 became a Benedictine school. An obviously old building, the Abbey does have central heating in the rooms at the Abbey, with a backup electric heater in all but the smallest rooms, according to Kate, our contact at the Abbey.

Weather

October ave. temp 49 ave. high temp 53 ave. low temp 44

November ave. temp 43

Items to Bring
The temperatures noted above indicate that warm clothes are in order. There is a washing machine (no dryer) at the Abbey, and Kate is investigating alternative laundry options.

Pack insect repellant, as the midges are as pesky as black flies and truly annoying. Back to Home



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