Between May 24th and June 4th, we raised this cottage frame on Manchip Island, on Parry Sound in the Georgian Bay, Ontario. The best part about this project (other than the beautiful setting and great food) was that we had to raise the entire structure by hand. Wanting everything to go as efficiently as possible we hired engineering professor and rigging expert Grigg Mullen from Virginia to come and teach us how to raise a timber frame using a 16 foot A-frame, a 30 foot gin-pole, five come-alongs and a bunch of rope.

The frame went up in 3 days, and was closed in about 5 days later. It all went incredibly well, thanks to great teamwork and Grigg's experience lifting even bigger and more complicated structures than this one.

The main species for the frame is hemlock, with curved red oak, white oak, cherry, birch and tamarack braces, and a beautiful curved 20 foot hickory collar with wedged dovetails in the open truss. Thanks to the Fryer's, the Anderson's and Heidi for taking such good care of us while on the island - we really miss our after work sauna!