Bainbridge Island Japanese American Memorial: Part 1

Day 3 of the Bainbridge Island Workshop and Project dawned with light rain ending and all the workshop participants gathering at the American Legion Hall for breakfast and the morning meeting. Local volunteers (Linda and her legions) continue to provide us with healthy, freshly prepared breakfasts. Today’s was a large platter of freshly cut fruit, a sliced ham and warm broccoli and chicken quiche. It was quickly consumed along with coffee and rolls (proof that real timber framers do eat quiche).

The meeting started on an upbeat note with James, our lead instructor, reminding us of our aim to work with skill and speed. Sadly, it quickly went downhill as he warned us of dire consequences should we continue to endlessly sharpen our tools and avoid the real work at hand. We swore we would do better, and that seemed to placate him.

He passed around a Hida Tool catalog and the room was soon lit by our smiles. Caravaning to the jobsite takes only about 5 minutes and we were quickly setting up work stations and settling in for another great day at a Guild workshop.

No sooner did we set to work than we are visited by Documentarians (Workshop organizer John Buday believes they are better organized than Presbyterians, but not as friendly). They did their work and we did ours. They left satisfied and promised to return when we had made some progress. Today's work focused on the posts (“Hashira” and “Sasae Bashira,” in Japanese) the plates (“Moya”), and the barge rafters (“Hafu”) for the two gates we are building.

Well, before the day was done and the pizza eaten back at the American Legion, we had made some progress. John, James, and Mike (our workshop leaders) compared notes and concluded that today’s production had exceeded expectations of quantity and quality of work by a comfortable margin. The day was deemed a passable success.

That didn’t keep James from inviting anybody who was interested to join him at Salisbury Woodworks for an after dinner sharpening clinic. Some went, but most were too tired and called it a day, including this reporter. Here are some pictures from today (note the serious attitudes). Tomorrow we tackle the “Udegi” and “"Nuki.”

Tim Brennan (Nevada City, CA) and Allan Peoples (San Francisco, CA) confer about how to get wedge angles right on a “Hashira” (post).

Look at all the busy timber framers. Blake Wilson would prefer the cameraman would go away so he can finish his cut.

Allan Peoples is busy (and possibly over dressed) for the balmy Puget Sound afternoon.

Arm Coleman (Rolling Bay, WA) finishes up a dovetail on a “Moya” (plate).

Bainbridge Island Japanese American Memorial

Links

Workshop Report: Part 3