>> THE ART OF TIMBER FRAMING HAS BEEN MAKING A COMEBACK,
ESPECIALLY HERE IN THE NORTHEAST.
IN THE BERKSHIRE HILLS OF WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS, THE
HEARTWOOD SCHOOL FOR HOMEBUILDING CRAFTS AND
WASHINGTON MASSACHUSETTS HAS OFFERED TIMBER FRAMING CLASSES
FOR MORE THAN 35 YEARS.
USING MORTISE AND TENON PEGGED JOINERY, STUDENTS TACKLE A
PROJECT FROM THE GROUND UP UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE SCHOOL'S
DIRECTOR, WILL BEEMER.
PRODUCER DAVE FRASER AND VIDEOGRAPHER MARK LANGEVIN
VISITED THE SCHOOL AND WATCHED A POST AND BEAM PROJECT COME TO
LIFE.
>> READY?
LIFT AND SEPARATE.
>> YOU'RE BUILDING SOMETHING WITH YOUR HANDS THAT'S GOING TO
HAVE LONGEVITY, WHICH IS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF
SATISFACTION, NO MATTER WHAT YOU ARE DOING.
I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE REWARDS OF THE TRADES IN
GENERAL, THAT YOU ARE MAKING THINGS THAT HAVE A PERMANENCE
AND PHYSICAL REALITY THAT YOU CAN GRAB ONTO AND SAY, I CREATED
THIS.
>> 12 FEET RIGHT ON THE MONEY.
>> THE HEARTWOOD SCHOOL IS A SCHOOL THAT TEACHES WHAT WE CALL
HOMEBUILDING CRAFTS.
SO WE LIKE TO FEEL THAT WE ARE GIVING PEOPLE ONE OF THE BASIC
LIFE SKILLS HERE FOR NOT ONLY MANAGING THEIR BUILDING
PROJECTS, BUT JUST GIVING THEM SOMETHING THEY CAN RELY ON
THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THEIR LIVES FOR BEING A LITTLE BIT
MORE SELF-SUFFICIENT.
IN MY COLLEGE DAYS, I WAS STUDYING DESIGN AND THOUGHT I'D
WANT TO GET INTO ARCHITECTURE AND I BUILT HOUSES AS A JOB IN
COLLEGE.
MY WIFE MICHELLE AND I WERE GOING TO START OUR OWN SCHOOL.
WE LIVED OUT ON THE WEST COAST AND WE HEARD ABOUT SOME OF THE
SCHOOLS THAT WERE STARTING TO POP UP OUT HERE IN THE EAST.
SO WE CAME OUT HERE TO WORK AND WALKED INTO A 40% TIMBER FMING
CLASS AND FELL IN LOVE WITH NEW ENGLAND, FELL IN LOVE WITH
WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS AND ALL THE TREES THAT WERE NOW MATURING
AND THE ARCHITECTURE AND THE COMMUNITIES AND THE HISTORY.
SO WE DECIDED TO MOVE HERE PERMANENTLY AND BUILD OUR OWN
HOUSE AND EXPAND THE PROGRAM.
SO I'VE PROBABLY BEEN INTERESTED IN TIMBER FRAMING SINCE I WAS 18
YEARS OLD.
IT TOOK TO NOW TO GET TO A CLASS TO LEARN HOW TO DO TIMBER
STRUCTURE.
>> WE BUILT RETIREMENT PEOPLES COMING DOWN TO SOUTH TO THE GOLF
COURSE COMMUNITIES.
THIS TECHNIQUE IS NOT AS POPULAR DOWN THERE AS IT IS HERE.
BUT I THINK WE COULD INCORPORATE SOME OF THIS DOWN THERE.
>> QUITE A FEW PROJECTS DONE TOGETHER.
THIS IS NOTHING NEW FOR US.
THIS TIMBER FRAMING ASPECT IS VERY NEW.
IT'S A FUN CHALLENGE FOR BOTH OF US.
>> I REALLY ENJOY WOODWORKING AND I'M 56 YEARS OLD AND IT'S
FUN WHEN YOU WORK ON A PROJECT LIKE THIS THAT WILL LAST
POTENTIALLY HUNDREDS OF YEARS.
IT'S SATISFYING.
>> SOMEBODY GET ON THE BRACE HERE.
>> THE IDEA TODAY IS THAT WE ARE GOING TO PUT IT UP TOGETHER AS A
TEAM.
MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING FITS AND WORKS RIGHT.
THEN WE TAKE IT ALL APART AND IT GOING TO BE THE OLD LINCOLN LOGS
THAT I'M TAKING HOME WITH ME AND THEN NEXT SPRING, I WILL PUT THE
LINCOLN LOGS BACK TOGETHER AGAIN.
>> TIPPING IT OUT.
>> THERE YOU GO.
>> THIS IS OUR -- MY FAVORITE COURSE TO TEACH IS THE TIMBER
FRAMING COURSE.
THAT'S TRADITIONAL POST AND BEAM BUILDING.
WE HAVE BEEN OFFERING THIS COURSE FOR 30 YEARS.
IT'S THE TRADITIONAL WOODEN PE
PEGGED JOINERY.
IT'S USUALLY OUR LARGEST CLASS.
WE ARE BUILDING A SMALL CABIN FOR ONE OF THE STUDENTS HERE.
AND USUALLY WHOEVER BUYS THE PROJECT GETS TO TAKE THE CLASS
FOR FREE SO THEY CAN REMEMBER HOW TO PUT IT TOGETHER WHEN THEY
TAKE IT HOME.
>> IT'S REALLY FUN FOR ME BECAUSE THE WHOLE WEEK I HAVE
BEEN WORKING AND WORKING WITH 24 OTHER GUYS WHO ARE WORKING ON A
PRODUCT THAT WILL GO HOME WITH ME.
IT'S LIKE PART OF THEM IS IN IT.
I DIDN'T EXPECT THAT.
IT WAS AN UNEXPECTED BENEFIT.
IT'S COOL THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
IF YOU ASK ME, I HAVE ONE IDEA FOR IT.
MY WIFE THINKS IT'S GOING TO BE A YOGA STUDIO.
WE'LL SEE WHEN WE GET HOME.
>> WE'VE PROBABLY DONE 60 OR 70 OF THESE CLASSES AND PROJECTS.
I NEVER GET TIRED OF IT.
AND THE BUILDING HAS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF SATISFACTION FOR ME,
BUT I THINK IT'S THE GREATEST SATISFACTION FOR ME IS TURNING
THESE PEOPLE ON TO TIMBER FRAMING AND SEEING THEIR
ENTHUSIASM AND HAVING THE PROJECT COME OUT WELL AND SEEING
THEIR JOY AND WORKING WITH THE TOOLS AND CREATING THE FINISHED
PRODUCT THAT'S AS REWARDING AS ANY TEACHER COULD BE FOR SEEING
THEIR STUDENTS SO ENTHUSIASTIC AND REWARDED FOR THE WORK THAT
THEY HAVE DONE.