In the Frame
Springing out of the former
There have been a dozen or so days in my diary since February marked “Red Tent day”. Sunday 17th June was one of the last. Close to the fiery energy of Midsummer, a small team gathered, rather late and rather weary, aware that the task ahead was an epic one.
The poles emerge
This was the day the poles came out of the former after five weeks of bending. Each of the 35 poles had to be sharpened to an accurate point to slot into the roof wheel, then sanded.
Planing the point
Testing the taper
Meantime the roof wheel needed to have it’s corresponding tapering holes made – 32 of them. We started the day doubting that we could achieve this, but determined to get as far as we could.
Drilling at an angle
Jenny & Finn (both love power tools!)
Today was the moment of truth – when we’d discover the shape of the tent in practise rather than on paper and – with luck and time on our side – if it would stand up. So we laid the poles on the grass in a two-dimensional section of the tent and lay down on the grass to check head-height near the sides and in the middle.
Straight edges and curved...
The shape of things to come
The tent was 10 foot plus tall! We could stand at the edges! The sun was shining despite torrential rain the day before, so we celebrated by sunbathing for a little longer than was strictly necessary….
Sunbathing in the tent
We began to surf the Midsummer energies. Toby lashed the roof wheel roughly, but then redid it as time seemed to be back on our side.
At work on the roof wheel
Re-lashing the roof wheel
The finished result was as lovely as the offerings for the lunchtime feast – all on a red theme of course!
The apex of the tent
Red Tent salad
Red Tent fruit salad
Enjoying lunch
After lunch, we lit the pot-bellied stove and heated up the mortising brands. These were made up in Rattery out of railing heads and are the only way to achieve the correct taper for the poles to fit into.
Midsummer Fire
Firing the brands
Meantime the huge work of sharpening and sanding went on. From seeming an impossibly long task, it became an efficient production line and the end was in sight!
Planing and sanding
The curved wood echoed the huge smiles on our faces as the weather held and the moment of putting up the frame for the first time drew nearer….
Smile
Working with curves
Then came the astonishing process of burning the holes into the roof wheel where they have been drilled at an angles.
Pilot brand goes in
Mortising brand
The pilot brand goes in first and the whole roof wheel is covered in steam and smoke, with fire blazing from the hole. Afterwards the main brand goes in to make the hole exactly the right size.
Melt down
Testing for size
Each brand can do about three holes before it has to go back into fire to reheat. The silicon flashing on the stove pipe was good to 1200 degrees and yet we suddenly noticed it was melting and knocked the pipe to safely. Midsummer heat.
Fire branding
Filing
The forging of the holes was fast, furious, fiery and fumey! There were all the smells of the smithy. The wood resin blazed as each hole was sealed by fire and then filed down to remove the soot.
Finished result
So, unbelievably, we were ready to put up the frame for the first time….
Here we go
First pole
Levels of excitement rose as each stage went well and the the frame stood on its seemingly fragile, spider legs for the first time…..
Carefully does it
We have lift off...
We began to add all thirty two poles into the structure.
UFO?
Fitting the poles
Gradually the finished shape of the tent became clearer and we pulled the tension band around the base.
Nearly there
Fitting the tension band
Amazingly, not only had we achieved our objectives completely, but we were in time to ring Dee and Kay and ask them to measure for the canvas A WEEK EARLY! We had a celebratory cuppa and cake and they arrived with tape measures while Toby continued work on the lintel and threshold….
Measuring
Threshold
Our beautiful frame was complete. There are few things so aspirational and fully satisfying as building a dwelling….
Reaching for the sky...
A perfect frame