TFG Events & Workshops

New England Rendezvous I

Come to New England in July for a long weekend at Preservation Timber Framing, which will host the first New England Rendezvous at their timber framing shop in Nottingham, New Hampshire (235 Stage Road). Join us for three days of camping, investigation, assessment, drawing, and repairing of two historic timber frames.

Arron Sturgis and a seasoned crew will explore the Spaulding House, an 18th-century Cape frame that is only partially saved, undocumented, and in need of serious structural repair and in-kind replacement of its components. This frame hosts gunstocked posts, top plates, girts, braces, and rafters - all hand-hewn. We will work with participants to understand this frame, hew new components, and repair this New Hampshire artifact.

We will also re-invent the Badger Island House. This building began its life as a Piscataqua river warehouse, complete with massive 4'x8'x8' braces to withstand the severe weather off the Atlantic. This building was originally located in Kittery, Maine, just across the river from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The work here will be documentation, structural repairs, and assembly of bents and walls.

Depending on turnout, we may be able to raise one of the structures at our shop. The goal for this Rendezvous is to understand and compare two very different 18th-century structures. We will learn how they were built and how to repair them.

Camping sites and a swimming hole are close by. You will enjoy lunches provided by the famous Liar's Paradise country store. Dinners will be a collaborative effort among participants using locally grown vegetables and grass-fed meat. Breakfasts each day will be cooked by Preservation Timber Framing staff. Simple food, hard work, and too much to learn and do in three days will keep you engaged, enthralled, and tired. You will sleep well!

Participants are expected to bring the tools they love. We have everything else. Bring your camping supplies, campers are fine, or you can find lodging in the vicinity. Fresh drinking water and portable toilets are provided. Showers - go for a swim!

New England Rendezvous I Schedule
(tentative)

Thursday, July 24

4 p.m. - Arrive, register, and peruse frame parts

5:30 p.m. - Dinner is pizza as everyone arrives (in TTRAG tradition). After dinner, we'll gather around the campfire, so bring your instruments!

Friday, July 25

7 a.m. - Breakfast

8 a.m. - Let's get to work! Two teams begin to arrange frames on bunks for inspection

9:30 a.m. - Coffee break

10 a.m. - SketchUp and tagging workshop

12 p.m. - Lunch from Liar's

1 p.m. - Assessment workshop: parts list, components evaluation, make a repair plan

3 p.m. - Break

3:30 p.m. - Let's look at our tool cache and timber pile, and set up the horses and repair teams

5 p.m. - Go swimming

6 p.m.  - Cookout and nerdy tool talk and repair methods discussion with music

Saturday, July 26

7 a.m. - Breakfast

8 a.m. - Let's begin in earnest: repair existing timbers, create in-kind timbers

9:30 a.m. - Coffee break

10 a.m. - Continue repairs, hewing, layout of new timber, layout of old timber with repair solutions

12 p.m. - Lunch from Liar's

1 p.m. - Continue repairs: each and every person will have a timber in the frames

4 p.m. - Stop repairs, discuss assembly of walls and roof systems

5 p.m. - More swimming!

6 p.m. - Collaborative cooking experience

7:30 p.m. - Storytelling: tell us about who you are and what you want to do. What brings you here with us?

9 p.m. - Look for shooting stars and play some music

Sunday, July 27

7 a.m. - Breakfast

8 a.m. - Let's assemble: rigging, pinning, group raising

12 p.m. - Lunch from Liar's one last time

1 p.m. - Clean up and say our goodbyes

Thank you for coming, and for supporting the Timber Framers Guild!

Become a Rendezvous sponsor! Learn more HERE.

Registration has concluded on Jul 23, 2025.