One truss of Notre Dame down...!

[El Barto]

A few weeks ago Charpentiers sans Frontieres hewed and raised one of the trusses for the restoration of Notre Dame in one week. As far as I’m aware this is the only truss that will be made like this, but what an amazing thing to be part of.

https://youtu.be/orEaNz8EVDI

 

[Fitzroy]

Fantastic! Economics and the market economy have enabled a phenomenal increase in living standards, but in my experience it is when economics are put to one side the most amazing accomplishments are achieved.

 

[Bm101]

Amazing and uplifting without being too modern or squeaky clean . Good to see they raised the bough at the end too. Good to see that's an old tradition not confined to these islands.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Nice holdfast at 2.50s.

 

[clogs]

i worked with some timber framers in France...Oak beams an all...they do cheat tho...usually have a telescopic handler for the lift and a portable chain mortiser...
these guys got there's from the States...hahaha......
Kids can go to collage to learn those skills even now...a friend lad did the course and training (3 years) ...got a couple of years on the job then went to
New Zealand.......runs his own firm now with 5 guy's......never looked back and a full order book......
wern't that long ago we rebuilt part or all the roof of Yorkminster....?

 

[AndyT]

Excellent, thanks for posting.

The same group went to the USA to build a workshop for the guys at Mortise and Tenon magazine.

There's a full length celebratory documentary, a book and a trailer here

https://vimeo.com/385238864

One aspect covered in the last issue of M&T is that as well as the fantastic hand skills, the group have learned a lot about how to work as a really effective team, respectful and supportive of each other. Worlds away from a working life sitting in a cubicle staring at a screen.

 

[thetyreman]

I'd love to be part of something like this, and why can't they make all the trusses using these methods? why only one?

 

[El Barto]

I'd love to be part of something like this, and why can't they make all the trusses using these methods? why only one?

I don’t think it’s a matter of can’t, I imagine there are a massive amount of voices each pushing for their own version of the rebuild. I don’t even think a design has been chosen yet. I’m with you though, doing all the trusses like this would be wonderful, and probably cheaper too.

Andy, the M&T documentary is brilliant. They did a great job of capturing the spirit of the build. The book is also nice but I feel the film is quite special.

Here’s another video of them making the roof for a blacksmith’s in Romania, very cool:

https://youtu.be/N7WdXfv-M7A

 

[AndyT]

I'd love to be part of something like this, and why can't they make all the trusses using these methods? why only one?

I don’t think it’s a matter of can’t, I imagine there are a massive amount of voices each pushing for their own version of the rebuild. I don’t even think a design has been chosen yet. I’m with you though, doing all the trusses like this would be wonderful, and probably cheaper too.

Andy, the M&T documentary is brilliant. They did a great job of capturing the spirit of the build. The book is also nice but I feel the film is quite special.

Here’s another video of them making the roof for a blacksmith’s in Romania, very cool:

https://youtu.be/N7WdXfv-M7A

That second video is marvellous. I'm about half way through. The carpenters' enthusiasm and pleasure in their work shines through. Many thanks for posting.

 

[Terry - Somerset]

The skills on show are remarkable in a world of the standardised and automated.

Industrialisation has changed our culture - we now expect that components are manufactured to fine tolerances to make assembly easier. If all trusses were made with hand tools, their installation and other components would also need fettling to make them fit.

There may be few structural engineers who find it easy to think as their forbears did 800 years ago. The cost penalty would be considerable and I am not clear whether a "faithful reconstruction" is about superficial appearance more than pure historic integrity.

 

[MikeG.]

The skills on show are remarkable in a world of the standardised and automated..........

The jointing is just standard stuff, and done all over Europe and Britain all the time by a whole lot of people. Preparing the logs manually, though, is unusual. However, I reckon that if someone gave you a log and an axe, and told you to square the wood up and straighten it, you'd develop the skills required within a few hours. There's no special knowledge required either. Mainly, this is just good old fashioned grunt work. You'd sleep well at night and your hands might have to toughen up a bit.

 

[Trevanion]

Preparing the logs manually, though, is unusual.

Yeah, bunch of neanderthals! We've come on a long way since then...