Raising the Roof

The roof is a reciprocal frame “A reciprocal frame is a class of self-supporting structure made of three or more beams and which requires no center support to create roofs, bridges or similar structures” this is a complex structure to set up and each one ends up looking a little different and all the more beautiful for it. The individuality especially working with round timber means each one is a learning curve and this one only being my second reciprocal frame build meant a degree of re-learning and frustration both for me and the students some took it in their stride and other much less positively.

This stage of the build raised the roof in more senses than one it raised the roof on the house with a few difficulties and set backs and raised the roof for a look at the dynamics of the group of people building. We have a roof and its a beautiful solid roof but the process of raising it resulted in some of the group leaving the course, leaving a solid roof and a more convivial atmosphere among those still working on the building. So I will leave the pictures to tell the rest of the story.

Above you can see we have set up the first three rafters on the ground fitting them together with a cup cut in the underside of each rafter, this is best done on the ground first to save a great deal of lifting later in the process.

Then four.

Five

Seven

Until you have constructed all the roof, I wanted to fit sixteen rafters but once we had fitted thirteen it was obvious it would raise the angle of the roof to a pitch too steep for the living roof we have planed.

So then we took it all back down to start again and put it back in the intended place on top of the frame. We Built a tripod to support us and the Charlie post which temporarily supports the first rafter then it was time to start the reconstruction.