The columns are solid heart pine. At some point one column was cut off and the last two feet replaced with an inferior wood. The built in gutter problems were not addressed, so the replacement rotted. We will rebuild these components with heart pine salvaged from the deck framing of the porch.
Updates from last week on the porch restoration:
We're using heart pine to make the new column bases as well- luckily we have one original on which to base our design.
The masons have been working on mortar issues behind our new deck framing.
The column jigsaw puzzle.
The joined heartpine goes from square to round in a few hours, thanks to the hard work and (much appreciated) slightly obsessive attention of our latest apprentice, Chad.
Ben is using our limited tool resources to turn these antique pine disks into column bases. We will modify the profile just slightly for two reasons: future historians will be able to tell which are modern fabrications and which one is original, and to improve the bases' ability to shed rainwater.
We use an old draw knife found in the office to rough shape the dutchmen on the columns.
Very last, another antique tool hones the outer curve of the new wood to match the old: a Stanley bench plane.
The dutchmen are pinned in place with hardwood dowels and waterproof wood glue. We feel that these solid wooden columns deserve the Cadillac treatment because they're rare and they've stood the test of time.
Jerrett shapes the column bases with a wood rasp.
Chad makes our square dutchmen round on the columns.
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