Shelter Institute Blog

Chainsaw Maintenance

noreply@blogger.com (Shelter Institute Staff) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 12:12:00 +0000

Saturday June 27, 2009
9:30-1:30
Chainsaws are one of our favorite tools because they free you! With a chainsaw you can selectively clear your woods of invasive species, you can mill your own lumber to build a house and then you can cut your own firewood to heat the house! Well we know not everyone is into all of that BUT a chainsaw is a pretty handy tool; the only trick is that it needs some maintenance and like every small engine there are a few key things to maintaining it. Of course you can find lots of how-to manuals for using and maintaining a saw but wouldn't it be great if you could have a couple of hours with somone who REALLY know what he's talking about? Pat Hennin will be offering his chainsaw maintenance and milling workshop, a four hour how-to on getting the MOST out of your chainsaw. In the preparation of the workshop we came up with a few key tips to ensuring that your engine purrs smoothly every time you haul on that pull-cord. And in the meantime here are a few elementary tips.

mix your fuel carefully
clean that air filter
try to find ethonol free fuel (good luck) this alcohol destroys the fuel pump and fuel valves
always keep your gas tank full between uses otherwise water vapor will get in and clog the carborator
don'y buy a geen one because you'll never find it in the woods
buy a chainsaw with a short bar you're less likely to cut off your feet; an 18-in. blade will easily cut a 36 in log
bring your granberg saw sharpener into the woods with you it is the most pleasant place to sharpen your saw

Pat Hennin started using a chainsaw in earnest in about 1960 when he worked as a lumberjack in Idaho. He had a plot with selected trees for felling in the Targhee National Forest and spent three solid months working those woods. And has practiced tree surgery for 40 years using Mculloch, Homelites and Solo to the new Efco, Jonsered, Husquevarna, Stihl and more. Bring your saw to get very specific instruction.

FREE WORKSHOP: Masonry Heaters

noreply@blogger.com (Shelter Institute Staff) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:38:00 +0000

Saturday June 20, 2009 9:30-10:30
Perhaps because we are located in Maine, the thought of curling up next to wood heat is always inviting -- even in June. In fact this early, rainy morning I fired up my own Vermont Castings wood stove to take off the chill. Whether it is summer or winter, people are always asking about alternative heat sources from wood stoves to pellet heaters, gas space heaters, coal and wood fired furnaces in the basement . . . the list is endless. Well we thought we'd quell at least a few of those inquiries with a free workshop about Masonry Heaters.

Masonry heaters combine some of the best features of a wood heat source: the burn efficiency of a wood stove and the heat retention and beauty of a fireplace. When described that way, I wonder why we don't all have them. So, we invited Eric Schroeder, a local masonry heater builder to discuss design, integration with floor plan, construction materials, and even cost of construction and installation. Eric has traveled the world to learn about Masonry heaters and spent the last three years working as an apprentice for a number of different masonry heater builders. Join us for a free one hour session to learn more about whether a Masonry Heater is right for your home or business. Bring your own floor plan and questions and we'll be sure to get you headed in the right direction! And if the Masonry Heater is not the alternative heat source you are considering, what is? We'd like to know! info@shelterinstitute.com

SketchUp Class

noreply@blogger.com (Shelter Institute Staff) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 01:30:00 +0000

Saturday June 13, 2009
9:30-11:30
In this two hour session, learn the ins and outs of Sketchup, Google's free computer design program. We'll tour of the software and its capabilities, and do some hands-on guided modeling. Sketchup is a great tool for visualizing spaces. Professional builders are able to share ideas with clients and sub-contractors in perspective, plan and elevation view while only having to create one “drawing”. Sketchup even makes it possible to export your model to your site on “Google Earth”.

The instructor, Patrick Wright, is a self-taught Sketchup artist who has experience as a teacher, homeowner/builder, land use planner, and TimberFramer with the Henin Post and Beam Crew. In 2007, he led a group of novice volunteer modelers who created 45 buildings in Downtown Brunswick, ME. These models have been accepted in Google Earth's "3D Buildings" layer. Patrick's practical building experience helps to bring together the realities of home design and construction with the expertise of computer aided design.

Students should bring a laptop computer to gain the most from the workshop but it is not required. If possible, please download Sketchup ahead of time at: Google Sketchup If you have trouble installing the program, the instructor will help you at the beginning of class (please arrive early). Be sure to bring a mouse, as a touchpad is much more difficult to model with. Non-Refundable Registration: $45 (This Registration fee can be transferred once at no charge. A second request for transfer will result in the loss of deposit.)

Tool Belts: A Place for Everything and Everything in its Place

noreply@blogger.com (Shelter Institute Staff) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 16:18:00 +0000

Selecting the right tool belt takes time and experience. I've watched builder's young and old walk through our doors and try on a wide variety of belts swearing that their selection is the ONLY way to go. I remember when the options were slim to none and you had to choose between a cloth nail apron and a leather pouch with belt and hammer holster. Today's tool belt selection is as wide and varied as pick-up truck selection . . . . and they all let you carry nearly as much as your pickup truck.

Gaius was recently in need of a new tool belt and I had nearly as much fun watching him go through the selection process as I do our customers. He is thrilled with his new setup! In the end he decided on a product made by Occidental Leather; the Stronghold Suspendavest with his own favorite tool pouches and drill holster attached to them.

You know we're not short of opinion around here and of course Gaius came up with his own list of essential features. His first tip is to make a concise list of the tools you carry. His list consisted of:

hammer
tape (35-ft)
Speed Square
Cordless Drill
block plane
utility knife
Japanese Pry Bar
Japanese Nail Set
Pocket Boy Saw
fastener pouch
pocket for spare bits

In the end we came up with a few simple suggested requirements that can apply to anyone:

the tools need to all fit into your belt
you need to be able to reach all pockets easily without contorting your body
toolbelt needs to be light . . . your tools are heavy enough
Suspenders are a must . . . they help disperse the weight of your tools

Is there an essential tool that you keep in your tool belt that we didn't include? Let us know: info@shelterinstitute.com

Brunswick, Maine Real Estate

noreply@blogger.com (Shelter Institute Staff) — Sat, 30 May 2009 01:57:00 +0000

2000 Square Foot condo for Sale in Brunswick:
Built in 1984 this condo just had a face lift with two additional rooms and a half-bath added to the second floor. It Offers first floor living w/spare bedroom on 2nd floor, spacious dining and living with walkout to wooded lot. Washing Machine, dryer, Refrigerator, stove, dishwasher included. One car garage offers addition storage and protects your car from Maine winters! It is easy to heat with propane direct vent heater (last years heat bill amounted to under $1000) on city water and sewer. Association fees just $195 per month and annual taxes $1869. Great location with easy access to beaches, hiking, restaurants, movies, healthcare, shopping & more. Your right in the midst of it with this home but the setting is secluded and even offers a glimpse of the Maine woods! $179,900 Email for more information: info@shelterinstitute.com

The Financial Times' Learning Vacation

noreply@blogger.com (Shelter Institute Staff) — Thu, 28 May 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Shelter Institute was featured in The Financial Times Saturday May 23, 2009:
"A hands-on revolution" By Madeleine Johnson
"A few years ago Jon Biehler took a life-changing bicycle ride through the US state of Maine. He happened upon a school – the Shelter Institute – which would eventually transform him from a teacher into an architect and builder, the sort of man able to put a roof over his own head. . . . Biehler and many others have discovered, taking a self-building course not only improves your project’s bottom line. It can improve your life too."

See the full article on the Financial Times Website

Join us for the Design Build Class in July and Improve your life too!

Free Gransfors Axe with Purchase of Tormek T-7

noreply@blogger.com (Shelter Institute Staff) — Tue, 26 May 2009 12:00:00 +0000

As if any of us really need an incentive to purchase a Tormek T-7 Sharpening System! Tormek is now offering a free Gransfors Hand Axe (valued at $105) with the purchase of a T-7 between May 1, and July 31, 2009. This is a pretty spectacular combination of tools -- two of our favorites! We've got the Tormek T-7 in stock. you simply register your Tormek at http://www.tormek.com/ and type "Free Gransfors Axe" in the comments section and you will get a special form to complete and mail along with a copy of your receipt to the address indicated. Claims must be received by their office no later than August 15, 2009. Receipts must be dated between May 1 and July 31, 2009.

Masonry Heaters

noreply@blogger.com (Shelter Institute Staff) — Sat, 23 May 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Intro to Masonry Heaters
June 20, 2009 9:30 AM
In this ever-changing energy market those of us living in cooler climates are always exploring more efficient ways of heating a home. Join us for a one hour presentation on Masonry Heaters. When built well and integrated with the floorplan of a home, masonry heaters provide continuous and even heat with minimal poking, stoking and fussing. Masonry heaters store a large amount of heat in the mass of the heater. They combine the aesthetics of a masonry fireplace with the funtion and efficiency of a sealed combustion heater. This means that you can rapidly burn a large charge of wood without overheating your home. The heat is stored in the masonry thermal mass, and then slowly radiates into your house for the next 12 to 24 hours. The workshop will cover history and basic function of masonry stoves, different styles, and information regarding the effective integration of a heater into your home plans. Cooking and baking stoves as well as issues surrounding domestic hot water will also be discussed. Bring your floorplans along and our instructor will walk you through identifying the best location for a masonry heater.This is a FREE one hour workshop with a question and answer session at the end but you must register in advance as space is limited. Send an email with your name, address and phone number as well as the class subject and date to info@shelterinstitute.com or call 207-442-7938 to reserve your spot today.
The instructor, Eric Schroeder, spent three years working as an apprentice for different masonry heater builders in the United States and Canada. In 2007 he took a trip through Europe to attend the Austrian Kachelofenverband's annual trade show, and to visit with a stove builder in Friesland, northern Holland. He brings tales from the road and technical and practical information about heaters to this workshop.

Draw Your House with Your Computer

noreply@blogger.com (Shelter Institute Staff) — Wed, 20 May 2009 16:09:00 +0000

Saturday June 13, 2009 9:30-11:30 am
Now you can take a hands-on drafting-on-computer class. While we have always offered drafting with pencil and paper in our Design-Build Class, we know that many of you have stopped using pencils and paper and we don't want that to be an excuse for not creating a thorough design. Although Pat will always draw his projects by hand, many of you have asked about our favorite computer programs. Although there are a myriad of choices out there with a wide range of price tags attached to them, we thought we would start with a cost effective version.
Google has brought 3D modeling into the mainstream with their FREE distribution of a product called “Sketchup.” This software has a remarkably flat learning curve compared to most CAD programs. This 2-hour session covers a tour of the software and its capabilities, as well as hands-on guided modeling. This is a great tool for visualizing spaces. Professional builders are able to share ideas with clients and sub-contractors in perspective, plan and elevation view while only having to create one “drawing”. Sketchup even makes it possible to export your model to your site on “Google Earth”

The instructor, Patrick Wright, is a self-taught Sketchup artist who has experience as a teacher, homeowner/builder, land use planner, and Timber Framer with the Hennin Post and Beam Crew. In 2007, he led a group of novice volunteer modelers who created 45 buildings in Downtown Brunswick, ME. These models have been accepted in Google Earth's "3D Buildings" layer. Patrick's practical building experience helps to bring together the realities of home design and construction with the expertise of computer aided design.

Students should bring a laptop computer to gain the most from the workshop but it is not required. If possible, please download Sketchup ahead of time at: Google Sketchup If you have trouble installing the program, the instructor will help you at the beginning of class (please arrive early). Be sure to bring a mouse, as a touchpad is much more difficult to model with.
For more information, please visit this products webpage. Tuition for this class is for services rendered. The Shelter Institute makes no warranty, and holds no license for "Sketchup" software. The Shelter Institute and its instructors are not employed by or agents of Google, Inc. Non-Refundable Registration: $45 (This Registration fee can be transferred once at no charge. A second request for transfer will result in the loss of deposit.)

Composting Toilets

noreply@blogger.com (Shelter Institute Staff) — Thu, 14 May 2009 19:58:00 +0000

Saturday May 16, 2009 9:30 am

Composting Toilets 101

Join us for a FREE one hour discussion of composting toilets: we'll provide first hand experience with a variety of styles, information on how they relate to the building code and how best to use and maintain them. As always a question and answer session will follow in which we can provide information specific to your situation! 'Tis the season for composting with the opening of summer cottages and guest cabins come explore whether this is a good choice for you or not! Free coffee, tea and snacks provided!

Maine Public Broadcasting Auction

noreply@blogger.com (Shelter Institute Staff) — Fri, 01 May 2009 17:42:00 +0000

Shelter Institute supports Maine Public Broadcasting Networks annually by donating one course tuition to the MPBN Great TV Auction. This year you can bid for items online! Check out our class and make a bid and see the other great items up for auction!

This year we donated tuition for the One Week Small Housebuilding Class. Cabins, camps, sheds, guest houses, cottages, and tree-houses are all tiny houses. Learn to design and build a small structure to suit your own particular needs in this one-week hands-on seminar. We will design and build a small cabin to serve as a year-round guest house. The size of this particular house will be less than 200 square feet!We address such issues as design (how to make a small space feel big), basic structural engineering, heating and cooling as well as alternative plumbing solutions. Our structure will demonstrate low environmental impact on its surroundings and is designed for minimal maintenance through the years. Learn to use basic hand tools effectively in this class - upon registration, we will provide you with a list of suggested tools. Part of the class will be an introduction to the best tools for the most common tasks. And of course, any tools you do not already own, you can purchase here at Woodbutcher Tools during your stay. A key component of this seminar is our panelized construction technique which allows for efficient, fast construction that is strong and durable. You will learn the tips and tricks to make your own tiny house as permanent and useful as any larger structure.

Professional Sharpening

noreply@blogger.com (Shelter Institute Staff) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 12:13:00 +0000

Professional Sharpening

Saturday May 2, 2009 9:00-2:00

There is nothing better than a sharp chisel, gouge, axe, saw, drill bit, knife, drawknife --- any sharp tool! It can be very discouraging to try to work with dull tools. Come take our five hour sharpening workshop and learn how to get your tools so sharp you could shave with them -- and put the enjoyment back into your woodworking projects!

We cover chisels, planes, non-carbide circular saw blades, handsaws, chainsaws, and knives...if there is particular hand tool that you need to keep sharp let us know in advance and we'll be sure to cover it -- or bring it along and we will make suggestions! We'll discuss the pros and cons of using hand and electric sharpeners.Each student will receive a FREE honing guide ($17.60 value) - an essential sharpening tool as you will see. Non-Refundable Registration: $95 (This Registration fee can be transferred once at no charge. A second request for transfer will result in the loss of deposit.)

Wiring Workshop

noreply@blogger.com (Shelter Institute Staff) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 00:42:00 +0000

April 25, 2009 9:30-1:30
$95/person
50% discount for past-students taking a re-fresher

If you have ever wanted to replace a light, add a receptacle or modify your wiring you've had to look carefully at those wires coming out of your wall.

Learn to be confident about wiring through a complete understanding of ELECTRICITY! This workshop teaches how to wire or re-wire your home. We first describe what electricity is and how to control it in simple, non-technical language. Next we discuss the National Electrical Code, with focus on the major affects of the code on residential wiring, how to wire a house that conforms to the code and how to interpret the code. This is followed by a discussion of how electricity actually ends up in the house. Finally, we break into small groups to practice wiring sample panels, switches and lights.

Intro to Spoon Carving

noreply@blogger.com (Shelter Institute Staff) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 02:34:00 +0000

SATURDAY APRIL 18, 2009
9:30-5:00 pm (or until your spoon is done) $120/person
Learn the art of spoon carving in this one-day introductory hands-on workshop! This timeless craft provides a lifelong tool that can be used and appreciated daily. And a new skill that you can use and share.We will focus on getting familiar with the woodworking tools and materials that are ideal for spoon carving. Each student will make a scraping/spatular type of utensil that they can take home at the end of the day. All tools and materials are provided. Registrants will receive a discount on any tools purchased in the week before or the week after this class.

This class is taught by Maine's own Valdemar Skov, a woodcarver, furniture maker and engraver, specializing in ornamental carving of fine furniture, accessories, and architectural details, as well as engraving. A woodworker since 1986, and self-employed since 1990, Valdemar has been formally recognized for his work by the Maine State Legislature and has been featured in numerous articles, including a profile in This Old House magazine. Valdemar works out of his studio in Waldoboro, Maine and teaches carving for the Comprehensive. His combined skills and experience as a woodworker and an instructor will ensure that you walk away from this workshop with a greater understanding and competency.

Because of the sharp hand cutting tools used in this craft, enrollment is limited to ten students and safety is a focus of the presentation. There are four spaces still available call (207-442-7938) or email today for more information!

Intro to Geothermal: Friday April 10, 2009 9:30 am

noreply@blogger.com (Shelter Institute Staff) — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 18:33:00 +0000

What is Geothermal Anyway? Those of you who are graduates of the DESIGN BUILD CLASS remember Pat’s antics in Mass & Glass about the football players dispersed across the field and packing into the closet and the description of Bill Loosely’s heat pump, heating his home in Canada since 1950! We’ve been teaching the physics of geothermal as part of larger course for 35 years but in the last few months we’ve had so many inquiries as to what Geothermal is, that we’ve invited a special guest, Tom Myette, of MIDNIGHT OIL to offer an introductory presentation on Geothermal, how it is installed in new construction and existing homes, what are some common pitfalls and how to determine if it is right for your home. This is a FREE one hour workshop with a question and answer session at the end but you must register in advance as space is limited. Send an email with your name, address and phone number as well as the class subject and date to info@shelterinstitute.com or call 207-442-7938 to reserve your spot today.

Purely Post and Beam Class Spring 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Shelter Institute Staff) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 20:48:00 +0000

Twenty-Three people from far reaching places like Alna, Maine, New Mexico, Virginia, Hungary, California, Canada and everywhere in betweem just spent five days learning the craft and art of timber framing with hand tools. After four days of drafting, engineering, sharpening and cutting they spent our last morning together assembling and raising this 24x24 structure. Join us for our next timber framing class in September or learn the systems of a home and how all of the components work together in our two week design build class in July!

Building History, Building Knowledge, Building Essentials since 1974

Pythagorean Theorum Gets Used Every Day at the Shelter Institute

noreply@blogger.com (Shelter Institute Staff) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 21:17:00 +0000

Last Friday we hosted a dozen middle school students from the Riverview Foundation After School Program. Gaius Hennin, Professional Engineer, presented them with the Pythagorean Theorum and showed them how he uses it to determine the length of braces in timber frame structures. Then Gaius, Pat and Blueberry raised a 10x10 timber frame with them in our educational facility. Students had the chance to fit together the mortice and tenon joints, drive pegs and see how a structure holds itself up.

Learning really can be fun. And all of those math problems you did in geometry class in high school can be used to build great things! Students young and old come to learn skills they can use in the real world. If you have a group that is looking for a great learning experience that links the classroom with a tangible project, contact us and we can create a custom program for you.

Wooded Acreage in Maine

noreply@blogger.com (Shelter Institute Staff) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 20:05:00 +0000

LAND FOR SALE! This is a beautiful 7-acre parcel -- the last piece in a well built subdivision. It is at the end of the road with miles of hiking trails abutting it. This very peaceful location offers quick and easy access to Bath/Brunswick or Wiscasset and points north. A lovely northwest facing slope affords the perfect site for a walkout basement. The driveway has been roughed in and electricity and cable are on the property already. Call or email today to learn more about this special piece. Listing is represented by Blueberry Beeton of Midcoast Realty. blueberry@shelterinstitute.com

Intro to Wiring April 11, 2009 9:30-1:30

noreply@blogger.com (Shelter Institute Staff) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 02:19:00 +0000

Self Sufficiency

noreply@blogger.com (Shelter Institute Staff) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 22:11:00 +0000

by Pat Hennin
A recent Sunday NPR financing advice program mocked American attempts at self sufficiency during these financially demanding times. The two examples were the danger of a hunting family's possibly inadequately dressing the game meat, thereby endangering the lives of their family; and the danger of a woman's saving money cutting her own hair, resulting in possibly embarrassing bald spots. The program's conclusion was that Americans should always turn to professional help!

The history of our culture is actually quite different; by trial and error, by common sense, by carefully chosen education, our spirit has always been able, through the freedom afforded by our government model, to succeed at “doing-it” ourselves. We are the most advanced country in the world only because we have the freedom and spirit to “do it ourselves.” All our inventions, technologies and ideas came as a result of being free to do it ourselves.

Shelter Institute graduates who built their homes, either with their own hands or managed the construction are sitting safe today. They are not in debt, they are warm and functioning, they are capable and versatile contributors to their communities; always able to deal with daily demands. Inventing solutions to life’s daily challenges, learning and living the physics, math and aesthetics of building a home is the best spring board for life. Every day past students call to remind us of how the two or three weeks here changed their lives, created a mental strength from which they launched into a wide variety of careers. “Because of Shelter, no matter what happens, I’ll never want for a home or a job, and what fun we had!”

Join us this year, our thirty-fifth year of teaching and build the true, not commercial, green. Learn to design with nature, to plumb, wire, engineer, frame, insulate, erect, find water, site manage, move heavy objects, operate an excavator, crane, bulldozer or backhoe to preserve the integrity of your property, to finance, to broaden and transfer knowledge to new dimensions.

And, enjoy life with us on our campus and the Hennin Farm. We canoe, kayak, hay ride. We learn to cook lobster, we campfire long into the night, we snowshoe and cross country ski, we sail, make ice cream with a one lung John Deere; we learn to be competent and we make life-long friends.

Chainsaw Maintenance Class

noreply@blogger.com (Shelter Institute Staff) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 21:50:00 +0000

February 21, 2009 9:00 am
Owning and operating a chainsaw affords you the ability to make your own firewood, clear your property or just maintain your yard. Take this four hour workshop and become proficient at cleaning, maintaining and fixing this small engine. This course is taught by our in house veteran lumber jack, Pat Hennin. Pat has owned and maintained numerous saws for the last forty years. Learn the ins and outs of this incredible tool and leave with a lifetime of knowledge to save you time, money and energy. Participants will receive a discount card for the purchase of a new chainsaw at the Shelter Institute (we carry Efco) but if you already own your own chainsaw bring it in to ask specific questions during the workshop. Workshop runs from 9:00am to 1:00 pm and the price is $95 per person.

Learn the Art of Timber Frame Joinery

noreply@blogger.com (Shelter Institute Staff) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 19:35:00 +0000

The Purely Post & Beam Class is our most popular seminar -- truly outstanding. The heart of timberframing is exquisite joinery which is done in this class to perfection. Evoloved over thirty five years, this class offers enormous manual skill development, engineering judgement, best use of time, physical coordination, cooperation and comraderie: five joyful days packed with knowledge. Weather along the coast of Maine can be unpredictable but, don't worry, we build inside our 5,000 s.f. heated shop - we keep it at an optimal working temperature.

Students build an entire, full-size 24'x24' timber frame in one week. The frame is complete with notched braces, dovetailed tenons, and wedged mortice and tenon joints. We spend quite a bit of time on the use and care of your tools. In particular, you will learn to sharpen your chisels to a razorsharp edge! Classroom lectures include drafting, design, engineering and enclosure. Thursday evening before the raising, a special pot luck supper prepares us for the heavy lifting.

Graduates leave fully capable of designing, joinering, assembling and erecting a massive timber frame: an inspiring "can-do" class. The non-refundable registration fee holds a place (or two) in the class. The balance of tuition is due the first day of class. Once you register, we send you our housing and tool lists so you can make appropriate arrangements for your stay. Preview the tool list so you can identify what items you already own and which ones you may need to purchase. We carry a great selection of timber framing tools in our store and offer students a 10 percent discount. Our online store has pricing and product information to get you started but we encourage you to purchase any necessary tools during the class because we have a very thorough tool tutorial on the first evening of the class.

Non-Refundable Registration Deposit:$300 To be deducted from tuition - balance due the first day of class. This Registration fee can be transferred once at no charge. A second request for transfer will incur a $100 transfer fee and a third request for transfer will result in the loss of deposit.

Building a Small House

noreply@blogger.com (Shelter Institute Staff) — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 17:04:00 +0000

A house under 2000 square feet is considered small; it is the typical minimum house size in a subdivision development. But a small, energy efficient house is easy to heat, cool, clean and maintain.

It is not easy to squeeze a spare bedroom, over-sized master bedroom, extra bathrooms, washing machine, dishwasher, an HVAC system, a water heater and storage into a home under 2000 square feet. Consider what is really a necessity and how many well defined spaces you need to create. An open floor-plan helps a small space feel large but it can be difficult because it doesn't always offer the inhabitants enough privacy.

There are many energy and space efficient materials available like instant water heaters and boilers that take up a third of the space and a tenth of the energy of their predecessors. As with budgeting the cost of a home; budgeting the use of square footage requires planning. And it requires an understanding of the spaces you need. Identifying how many people occupy a home at various times of year, how the spaces in the home are used, and what is done at home will help in this planning process.

Featured here is a 24x36 timber frame with about 1700 square feet of space with two bedrooms, two office nooks and an open plan kitchen dining and living room and lots of storage. It takes approximately two months to gather and prepare all of the materials for the shell of a home this size. Our crew raises a 24x36 timber frame in one day, the panels are installed in another two days. Windows, doors and a metal roof are installed in one more day. We are typically on a house site for four or five days (depending on the weather), building a weather tight shell. A homeowner than has a comfortable, protected, and lock-able environment in which to finish his or her home.

In this uncertain economy with high heating costs a small energy efficient home is a joy to own, heat and maintain.

small often makes sense. We will be posting a series of articles and photos of small house building projects that we have designed, built or perhaps simply inspired. If you have a project that you would like us to share with the Shelter Institute Community, please email a description and any photos to info@shelterinstitute.com

Sharpening Efficiently and Effectively

noreply@blogger.com (Shelter Institute Staff) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 19:04:00 +0000

by Pat Hennin

A carpenter’s, cook’s, landscapers, artisan’s . . . well, EVERYBODY’S recurring frustration is a tool that fails to cut. For forty years I’ve sharpened on virtually everything, even a concrete sidewalk while trying to mow a lawn I had been dropped off to do with a dull blade! Over the years, a slowly growing income and faster growing knowledge have led to better alternatives: sandpaper pasted to glass, seemingly cheap – but it doesn’t last and it is not too portable since the glass breaks; oil stones from slimy gritty to awkwardly short slimy Arkansas (do you rub the stone on the tool or the tool on the stone?); Japanese wet stones with honing guides that either ride on the stone and ruin it or guides that ride off the stone and need to be readjusted; diamond stones clogging with invisible rust and costing . . . well, like diamonds. For awhile I tried the flat plate circular electrics – leaving all of my clothes soaked at waist-level and turning all of my tools into skew chisels! Lurking out there was this magical tool, the Tormek, which I refused to buy because it cost so much! When my son joined the business he insisted I grow up and buy the Tormek. It paid for itself in a month! While our crew used to spend hours sharpening their timber framing chisels and slicks, the job is now done in minutes, right on site with very little interruption of work. Combining a 220 grit vertical wheel spinning at just the right speed not to spray water, both the grinding and the conditioning is done in one step instead of two and in a minute instead of forty. The buffing wheel is extraordinary, it puts a razor edge on in seconds. The convenience, speed and accuracy of this tool make my former concentration on short-term savings foolish . . . penny-wise and pound foolish as they say. By spending a little more (a good set of wet stones and guide start at about $250). We have saved thousands in time and labor. The Tormek has also proven far more durable than stones. With a long list of accessory guides, virtually every shape can be sharpened on the Tormek. It turns with such a steady fortitude that I find I can usually sharpen things free hand and certainly easily touch up anything! Life is SHARP, life is GOOD!

Small House Building

noreply@blogger.com (Shelter Institute Staff) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 20:05:00 +0000

by Blueberry Beeton

The trend toward smaller houses continues to increase in scale and scope. It does not seem to matter whether it is a single family home, a second home or a camp. Homeowners, owner builders, designers and architects, are seeking smaller and more efficiently designed spaces.

One of our favorite techniques for helping students prepare for a project is to have them build a small structure on their property. This exercise provides two benefits: the experience and the end product! It offers you the opportunity to test your project planning and construction skills on a small and manageable scale; giving you the opportunity to identify which parts of the project you enjoy and are good at doing. You may fall in love with the simplicity of plumbing or enjoy running your own electricity or perhaps you will find that you hate trim detail or love it. In the end you are left with a great small structure that you can use to store tools and supplies as you are building or having the full-size structure built!

Many of the inquiries we have from clients and students are from people interested in downsizing in order to simplify their lives, reduce their carbon footprint and overall expenses. Whatever the reason, small often makes sense. We will be posting a series of articles and photos of small house building projects that we have designed, built or perhaps simply inspired. If you have a project that you would like us to share with the Shelter Institute Community, please email a description and any photos to info@shelterinstitute.com

Featured here are photos from our last Small Housebuilding Class in which students came from all over the country. They learned about design, construction planning, construction skills and techniques. And they had the opportunity to put there hands to use and to test and hone their skills. Visit http://www.shelterinstitute.com/ to learn more about the various classes, books and tools available to build your next project, large or small!