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The
following courses are currently scheduled -
courses are
listed alphabetically by title.
Dovetail Log Cabin - Builders Workshop
Lonnie Dupre
Session Options:
. .
. 6/25/2009 - 6/29/2009
- Full, Call for Wait List
. .
. 8/28/2009 - 8/31/2009
Traditional dovetail log homes, also known as
American heritage and Appalachian log homes in the
United States, began to emerge in the 1700s as a sturdy
abode of our forefathers. The walls were traditionally
made of logs hand-hewn into square timbers with
approximately 6" x 12" profiles and joined at the
corners with a weather-resistant half-dovetail notch.
This authentic design allows the weight of the building
to pull the timbers tightly together for stout, tight
joinery. The spaces between the timbers back then were
filled with an array of clay, mortar, moss or oakum.
Today's construction includes a varied thicknesses of
foam backing rod and flexible latex chinking. Easy to
maintain, and energy- efficient, dovetail cabins make a
wonderful shelter option for the home-builder. Because
of their mass, the timbers retain the cabin’s heat in
the winter and keep it cool inside during summer.
This course provides the opportunity for students to
learn and construct an 8'x8' cabin with a 4' porch from
foundation to roof, including window and door placement
and framing. This course will begin with discussions on
building strategies and foundations, a number of site
visits to finished dovetail cabins in Cook County,
hands-on application of dovetailing and milling timbers,
a how-to-chink session and techniques for cutting in and
framing doors and windows. Whether you’re a potential
do-it-yourself home or cabin builder, or an experienced
contractor looking to expand your skill set, this
workshop covers all the techniques to get you started.
Course Details:
. . . Length in Days: 4
. . . Hours: 9am-5pm
. . . Tuition: $350
. . . Materials Fee: Included
. . . Intergenerational Age: 16+
. . . Level: Beginner to Advanced
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
All Stacked Up - Straw Bale Construction
Mark
Morgan
Session Options:
. .
. 9/18/2009 - 9/20/2009
Straw bale shelters have gained widespread
recognition for their focus on efficient,
environmentally-friendly and aesthetically-appealing
construction techniques. This course goes beyond the
basics of theory and technique as participants gain
hands-on experience enclosing a timbered structure -
creating a weather break for a wood-fired brick oven on
campus. From stacking bales to mixing mortars to
plastering walls, the steps required to learn strawbale
construction will be thoroughy covered. Interspersed
classroom discussions explore the fundamentals of straw
bale design: what’s different about a straw bale
building (compared to conventional or other alternative
building strategies) and what building codes and
architectural requirements are applicable. This course
will prepare you to tackle your next sustainable
building project.
Course Details:
. . . Length in Days: 3
. . . Hours: 9am-5pm
. . . Tuition: $255
. . . Materials Fee: $15
. . . Intergenerational Age: n/a
. . . Level: All Levels
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Art of Cob:
- Building, Sculpting, and Making Art with Earth
Kiko
Denzer
Session Options:
. .
. 7/8/2009 - 7/9/2009
Turn the mud under your feet into a sculpture that
you can live in! This is a hand-on (and barefoot!)
introduction to the Art of Cob (also known as adobe) and
earthen plasters for homeowners, builders, and artists
of all kinds. Jump right in! We’ll search the site for
good local building material (clay-soil), and then mix
it up with sand and straw to make various kinds of
structural, sculptural, and decorative mud. We will work
on individual and joint projects, talk about how design
works (or not), and address ways to use the material in
new construction, renovation (especially heating and
cooling), and all kinds of creative variations
(participants will be invited to help develop this part
of the agenda). There will also be slide and/or video
presentations to help put the work into global and
historical context. This is an intensive introduction to
the material, as well as an exploration of natural,
3-dimensional design. It is designed for participants
at all levels of experience and knowledge. Note that
this is the first of two offering featuring Kiko Denzer.
The second is a three day course on building and
sculpting earthen wood-fired ovens.
Learn to:
• identify good building materials,
• adapt those materials for everything from new
construction, mass walls, and fireproof insulation, to
practical and decorative retro-fits on sheetrock or just
about anything else, as well as large-scale sculpture,
garden walls, murals, or tiny sculpted bird houses.)
• raise a 50 ton building by yourself, with minimal
sweat!
• use native design tools
• build natural order and beauty into your own home
Learn more about Kiko his projects on his web site:
** kikodenzer.blogspot.com
** handprintpress.com
Course Details:
. . . Length in Days: 2
. . . Hours: 9am-5pm
. . . Tuition: $170
. . . Materials Fee: $35
. . . Intergenerational Age: 10+
. . . Level: Beginner to Advanced
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Build Thoreau's Cabin
Randy Schnobrich
Session Options:
. . . 8/26/2009 - 8/30/2009
This course is designed for the person with little
or no building experience who wants to build a small
cabin. The techniques for building a small frame
building are not only for the skilled carpenter; nearly
anyone can come away from this course with the skills
needed for building virtually any small structure. You
will learn the use of basic hand and power tools, and
develop a knowledge of the materials and techniques used
in frame or "stick" construction. Together, the class
will construct a 10' x 14' cabin based on Henry David
Thoreau's "Walden" cabin with an added sleeping loft.
In addition to hands-on experience focused on framing
and roofing, discussion on foundation options, siding,
and window and door installation will be integrated into
each day.
Course Details:
. . . Length in Days: 5
. . . Hours: 9am-5pm
. . . Tuition: $375
. . . Materials Fee: Included
. . . Intergenerational Age: na
. . . Level: Beginner
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Building With Stone
- The Basics & Beyond
David/Lise Abazs
Session Options:
. .
. 8/8/2009 - 8/9/2009
- Full, Call for Wait List
. .
. 8/15/2009 - 8/16/2009
Immerse yourself in a stone building workshop at the
Round River Farm (40 miles SE of Grand Marais, MN). The
farm is an operating organic Community Supported
Agriculture (CSA) farm that works toward balancing its
needs with what the land can provide. It's the perfect
setting for this building with stone class. Students
learn the theory and know-how of building with stone
using both the slip-form method and hand-building
techniques. Learn which rock to use and avoid, which
cement mix to use depending on the building technique
and explore interior non-structural stone building
applications. You will work and learn at different
stone building 'stations,' encountering varied building
techniques and strategies.
Orientate yourself to North House Folk School's
educational partner, the Round River Farm and learn more
about the class setting and the Round River Farm by
visiting www.round-river.com
Course Details:
. . . Length in Days: 2
. . . Hours: 9am-5pm
. . . Tuition: $170
. . . Materials Fee: Included
. . . Intergenerational Age: 16+
. . . Level: Beginner to Advanced
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Fundamentals of Yurt Construction
Mark
Hansen/Matthew Brown
Session Options:
. .
. 9/17/2009 - 9/22/2009
Discover centuries-old yurt construction techniques
and pursue your own 'building in the round' shelter
project. This course offers you the chance to design
and construct a portable yurt to suit your needs,
exploring the basic principles and techniques of yurt
construction. Whether you want to expand the comfort
zone of your winter camping trips or you are interested
in a lifestyle that includes living in a circular space
with the wilderness outside your door, this course will
provide the skills to pursue your own yurt construction
project. Evening sessions will include films and a
variety of discussion topics on the history and craft of
yurt construction. At the conclusion of this course, a
complete set of drawings and materials list to construct
your own yurt will be available.
Other topics covered include spatial arrangements,
ventilation, lighting, insulation, and foundations and
platforms. The course begins by constructing the wooden
lattice framework, explores the use of modern fabrics
for weatherproofing and provides hands-on sewing
experience required to finish the dwelling.
Course Details:
. . . Length in Days: 6
. . . Hours: 9am-4pm
. . . Tuition: $410
. . . Materials Fee: Included
. . . Intergenerational Age: na
. . . Level: Beginner to Advanced
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Nomadic Pursuits – Building Your Own Portable Yurt
Mark
Hansen/Matthew Brown
Session Options:
. .
. 9/17/2009 - 9/22/2009
Create yourself a comfortable living space for your
next winter expedition, summer canoe trip, the back 40
or your base camp in just six productive days. The
10-foot yurt (approx 60-100 lbs) is an excellent
portable shelter option that provides comfortable living
arrangements for all four seasons. As a starting point
you will explore the most basic design function of the
yurt, a collapsible wooden frame covered by a
weather-proof fabric to create a shelter that’s both
comfortable and highly mobile. The course begins by
constructing the wooden lattice framework, explores the
use of modern fabrics for weatherproofing and provides
hands-on sewing experience required to finish the
dwelling. Students will have the option of sewing a
simple zipper entryway or constructing a set of durable,
wooden French doors to aid in access and lighting.
The instructor will consult with each student six weeks
prior to start of the course to assess materials for the
intended yurt to be built in this course. Material
costs may vary given market prices and style. For the
zipper entryway, all the materials including the wooden
latticework and fabric covering range from $760-$800.
For the French door option, an additional $350-$400 will
be added on to those materials costs. Each student will
be expected to reimburse their materials fees as
determined in consultation with the instructor at the
onset of the course.
Evening sessions will include films and a variety of
discussion topics on the history and craft of yurt
construction.
Other discussion points covered in this course include
covers and rain fly options, heating sources,
yurt-furniture, lighting and insulation as well as
flooring and decking - applicable to any yurt
construction project of varying sizes. Once completed,
your yurt includes: collapsible wooden framework, canvas
walls/roof, skylight, thimble for stovepipe and carrying
bags and plexiglass skylight.
Course Details:
. . . Length in Days: 6
. . . Hours: 9am-5pm
. . . Tuition: $1485 per project
. . . Materials Fee: Varies ($760-$1,100)
. . . Intergenerational Age: 12+
. . . Level: Beginner to Advanced
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Cordwood Construction
-
Methods and Practice
Kent
Jones/Nick Vavrichek
Session Options:
. .
. to be scheduled
Planning to build your own shed, sauna, cabin or
home on land with plenty of trees or with an available
wood source? Consider cordwood or "stack wall"
construction. This course introduces participants to
the particulars of cordwood masonry construction
including: obtaining, peeling and preparing wood, mixing
mortar, using insulation, laying up walls and setting
windows. Design options and the finer details of
getting the job done are also covered during a tour of a
nearby cordwood home, where the students will also
participate in a hands-on session preparing and peeling
logs suitable for cordwood construction. The majority
of the course will provide students the opportunity for
hands-on building as the class builds a cordwood wall.
Cordwood masonry construction consists of walls of short
logs laid width-wise in a matrix of mortar, with a
hollowed area for insulation between the outerwall
mortar and the innerwall mortar. Properly designed and
built, a cordwood building is energy-efficient, easy and
fun to build, aesthetically pleasing and inexpensive.
Nearly anyone can build with cordwood with a little
common sense and some basic instruction. This class
gives you all the basic instruction and hands-on
experience needed to go and build your own project.
Course Details:
. . . Length in Days: 2
. . . Hours: 9am-5pm
. . . Tuition: $170
. . . Materials Fee: $15
. . . Intergenerational Age: 16+
. . . Level: Beginner to Advanced
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Log
Home Building - An Introduction
Jon
Strom
Session Options:
. .
.to be scheduled
Are you thinking of building the classic, round log
home - the warm, highly insulated approach to building
with logs in their natural round shape and tightly
scribed? Learn about the log building process, from
site preparation to shaping logs to discussions on home
design. This course provides an in-depth, hands-on
experience through which you'll learn what techniques
are needed to build a log structure that is durable,
warm and efficient. Working as a group, participants
use green logs to learn notching techniques used for
floor joists and rafters. Logs will be used in their
original round shape with several different types of
notches to build chinkless walls. The development of
basic round-corner notching into tighter fitting
techniques such as the butterfly notch will be explained
and used. Students will also discover how log buildings
can be taken apart and reassembled at any location using
the techniques taught in this class. Other topics
covered include site preparation; basic saw maintenance
including sharpening techniques; peeling bark with
drawknives; shovels and spuds; preparing for and
installing doors, roof systems; and log lifting systems.
Course Details:
. . . Length in Days: 5
. . . Hours: 9am-5pm
. . . Tuition: $375
. . . Materials Fee: $35
. . . Intergenerational Age: 14+
. . . Level: Beginner
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