Of Celtic Crosses and circumferential calculations…
Peeling hazel
The clamps came off the wheel and calculations and careful marks were made….
Unclamping and marking out
….we gathered six foot hazel wands from our gardens and green lanes, selected to be as close to 13mm along the whole length and as straight as possible. We cut extras in case of snappages and Toby made a selection of the best twelve to get started on.
Gathering hazel
Then we found ourselves sat outside engaged in the next step of finishing the red tent. Cutting the spokes to length, stripping the hazel bark, and spoke shaving the narrow ends of the spokes to exactly 13mm was the first task.
Down to work
Then the thick end had to be reduced to the same circumference and the thicker half of the hazel spoke shaved down until a similar thickness was achieved along the whole length.
Drilling the wheel
It was hard work. Again. We all began to anticipate another challenge, another long day with a deadline to meet, aching muscles at the end… but as we entered into the rhythm of the work it all seemed a lot easier and quicker than we’d anticipated and the sun shone down on us as we chatted and worked. Toby and Ronnie drilled the slanting holes in the wheel.
Spoke-shaving the ends to 13mm
We tested the ends of the hazel for size on a 13mm hole in a small block of wood, which was christened the Portal (each piece of wood had to pass through it to be deemed ready to be part of the roof wheel). “Can you pass me the portal?” we asked. A squeaking noise of wood on wood and then we’d sigh and go back to the spoke shave to take a few more millimetres off. Finally Toby would test fit each spoke into the wheel itself, mainly sending us back to work some more on the ends…. “Rejected again, we’ll need therapy at the end of making this tent….”
The roof wheel's celtic cross
We were all tired. Summer is a busy time. There were fewer of us than before – just the five (Sue, Sam, Ronnie, Linda and Izzy) with Toby to lead the way and Martin offering a bit of power sanding for the wheel rim. Yet we had fun, we enjoyed the physical satisfaction of work done to a good standard and the wheel began to take shape in a pleasing way.
Snap - the sound you don't want to hear...
Only one severe breakage occurred. We had spares, but by the end of the day there was still one pole left to fit next week. The mood was energised and positive – we knew we were approaching the moment of completion for the frame at the end of months of planning, drawing, organisation and community craft days. We were still on schedule for our first booking for the Red Tent at Quest in July!
Bending carefully......
The Celtic Cross (a cross within a circle) also known in yurt circles as a Turkaman Cross, was forming and the roof wheel started to resemble the beautiful central sculpture of the tent which we will look up at in all its rustic, natural beauty and catch a glimpse of the stars or the sky through the dome.
Window to the sky
The usual feast for lunch and tea and cake kept us going. It was a short but satisfying day. One week to go until the big oiling and sanding when the poles come out of the former and are fitted in to holes burnt into the roof wheel…..we need all hands on deck for 17th – our most ambitious day yet, with 35 poles to shape, sand, oil and fit plus thirty two holes to be burned into the wheel to receive them and one spoke left to fit! 45 people should do it – hope to see you there and bring all your friends – we will raise the frame for the first time….
Ronnie, Sue, Sam and the wheel
Custard and Mr B like the look of this cat-sized tent....
The Roof Wheel