Would love to see a long form video recorded inside the cabin during a rainstorm to get the sounds and see how it holds up. Maybe with a nice fire going in the fireplace.
If you like this, you should check out the Iron Age house build one by Smooth Gefixt. The just mostly finished, so you can binge watch the entire build. ua-cam.com/channels/cdX6Av36HZKSBB5ZnW92Ng.html
Riving shingles is a big job... but you have another big job to think about. You should consider raising your chimney 2-3' to keep your beautiful new shake roof more safe!
Read the comments in the post about the chimney. There's a DA over there that says fire is impossible... Ya'll Take Care and be safe, John PS, I did seal and get the smell out of my house from an old chimney fire...
My grandfather and grandmother were born in the late 1800s. They were in rural Va. Appalachia, so they were probably living about 50 years behind the rest of the country. My grandfather and his father cut down trees and rolled them down the hill to build a two-room cabin, with a freestanding kitchen away from the main house. I was able to go back and my mother and I got to walk through and see the cabin once again in 1995, there was still someone living there. The current resident had added electricity, but that was the only difference. Momma showed me the chinking between the logs, she used to get spanked cause she liked to pick the chinking lose on the front porch side of the house, lol. Momma also showed me where the huge washpot sat outside where her momma used to wash the clothes. The old well was still there and still in use. It was a wonderful trip into the past.
Back in the late 1960' s, my grandmother took us to where they homesteaded in a soddy in SOUTH DAKOTA there was still a pipe where the well had been, and she dropped it stone down into it. When we heard the" plunk" of the water, a joy came over her face like I've never seen. She told us about" Indian's" coming to visit and trade a little for food.. she had a picture of her family after her father came home from the Civil War. Before she died she witnessed the atomic bomb and moon landing. Over 100 when she died. And she was an artist,did many beautiful painting s.
@@danasmith3288 Appalachia, west virginia, which has been a poor part of the country for so long, i dont suggest going around appalachia without knowing someone from there lol
@@LazyLifeIFreak seen it happen. If you don't believe me read Little House on the Prarie. Just kidding. A chunk falls out, cinders hit the well dried wood, smoulders, then the draft causes a fire. That's why many fireplaces were made to be easily pulled away from the cabin.
@@LazyLifeIFreak Sure it will. This fireplace especially, because it’s not used all the times gets a lot of heat cycles (cold, hot, cold, hot…) which leads to much faster deterioration than a fireplace that would get constant heat (like back in the days, when people actually lived in these). All kinds of cracks form and leak gasses which have plenty of energy. “People have used wood fire long time” doesn’t make wood fire any safer. Fires are the reason why you don’t see chimneys build like this anymore or in most surviving older houses. You would have multiple layers of bricks, probably with fireproof insulation these days.
Had the pleasure of watching this through with my family on the TV. No complaints, and many questions. From watching previous vids my two youngest daughter's, 8 and 10 went to school today with home made wooden muskets and tricorn hats. They are mightily impressed with your channels presentation of history. Many thanks from Ireland 🇮🇪
I love how your team is down for everything. Like I know you're all historian/reenactors but like... thats HARD work to cut that wood and do all that work on the cabin. Even if you take modern "shortcuts" (like going out for lunch/taking several weeks etc) for the most part you're doing so much hard work together and I love that about all of you.
So Sven and Ole were putting a new roof on the barn. Sven comes up and sees a bunch of nails on the ground behind Ole and asks him why he is throwing all those nails away. Ole said: "Well, when I reach into the bucket to get a nail about half the time the darn thing is sharp on the wrong end!" Sven says "Don't throw them away. We'll use then on the other side of the barn!"
So cool to see some of the more mundane work of old skilled trades. I actually had heard a few times over the years of the monotonous and tiring nature of nail making but had never seen the process actually done. As a sidenote, most accounts I've seen indicated nail making was usually the most common busywork tasks for apprentices, both because it helped build up appropriate muscle strength and because it was one of the simplest in-demand items making it near idiot proof for an apprentice to make on their own.
I feel like I would get so much more satisfaction living this way and working these old trades rather than sitting at my desk all day. I don't think these old bones would fair too well though without a memory foam mattress.
@@jamesstubbs7222 I've seen a reference to a medieval blacksmith being expected to make 100 arrowheads per day, but that's a more complex process involving the cup part that fits over the arrow shaft, and presumably includes sharpening.
I've been waiting so long to see this! So exciting! Wish I could bring my boys to show them in person. My one son is quite partial to your cooking videos.
I don't think it's underappreciated. It's a quite popular channel and the videos get a good amount of views. The channel has a quite niche focus, which is very good because it shows in the content.
I have very little blacksmithing experience, so when I participated in a smithing workshop, I thought making a nail would be a good start because making them looks easy. I was so, so wrong.
At one point in my mothers life she and her 9 other siblings lived in a cabin like this in Needham AL. It was built in the 1800s I think, none of the original daub remained so they had to stuff newspapers in the holes and the outhouse was full of snakes and spiders. I don't think it still exists, it was just off of a unpaved logging road host to a lot of traffic. I don't doubt it was torn down at some point.
I never thought I would set an alarm for a historical lighting live stream, but I surely did. And good thing, too! It saved me from a week long power outage. You just never know what you'll learn, and use, from Townsends.
I've made plenty of cedar shakes by hand. As a kid I volunteered at a local living history village from the 1830s, every building has cedar shake siding and shingles. Since it was living history the carpenter shop ended up having the apprentices splitting and shaping the cedar shakes. Great video Jon, I've been enjoying the content for years. I do think it might be a good idea to do old recipes with a modern budget in mind, to give people ideas to work with. I'm personally leery of the way inflation is going.
Yeah its getting bad out there, this channel already has some great resources, so many of the recipes are simple and CAN be adapted to modern goods. Dried peas, raisins, flour, eggs, milk, etc are all still reasonably cheap in the amounts used in many baked goods here. At least cheaper and likely healthier than value added processed goods.
@@chonconnor6144 Agreed. I've seen recipes that use cheap ingredients that were expensive at the time. Another good source is old cookbook shows that feature depression era cooking.
Most of the recipes use cheap ingredients like vegetables flour raisins etc. Some things that were cheap in the 18th C are expensive or not available now, but usually you can find a substitute or just leave them out. Many things are cheaper today like sugar, spices, and chicken.
You guys do very important work with all your videos. People for years to come will see and learn about craftsmanship and skills that most of our ancestors used. Even in the most unlikely circumstances, it's nice to know these kinds of this if ever needing to be used. It's also nice to see the preservation of history. Great job gentlemen. Keep up the hard work
Mr Townsend and co. I have memories of England where my Grandfather taught me the the axe and Froe. Your videos make me feel like my families traditions have roots this side of the ocean too. All thanks to your video I feel at home , even thousands of miles away. Regards Mike Harnell
Those skills at building came over with the people who immigrated from Europe and quite possibly included some of your blood relatives. It very well could be that some of your family took those skills your grandfather taught you and brought them over here to the colonies.
Incredible camera work, really makes me miss how slow things used to be. So much less stress. There really is a pace to life we don't think about anymore.
@@carlericvonkleistiii2188 Haha true. And I think a lot of stress today is self-created - social media, getting fixated on climbing the corporate ladder, etc.
What a tremendous amount of work and overlapping skills it takes to build a quality shelter. Thank you for showing us this high quality series. Be well and at peace.
@@mattflynt5418 dude Ill take your $5 bucks. They only made the shingles for the first row on one side. They bought sawmill shingles for the rest without telling anyone...look at the differences in thickness/flatness/smoothness. Just look at 10:29 you can see the saw blade etchings.
You guys must have been so tired after all that work, but also immensely satisfied. I can't wait for updates about how the shingles are holding up during the winter!
Thanks so much for the excellent quality videos, including this one. I can imagine this is what my ancestors did, when they came to Canada, in the early 1900s. In fact, on my dad's farm in Alberta, I do remember spending a small part of my life in an old house, that had logs in its construction, and shingles like this, on the roof. It had a wood stove inside. There was a more modern house built on the farm. One of my older siblings remembers when power was hooked up to the house on the farm, in the 1960s. I have seen an old photo of my dad, from the 1950s, when he was in his 20s, and he was standing by the old house, before the power was hooked up. I've heard that people were living in dwellings like this, in North America, even in the 1950s. Cheers!
11:58 Been a roofer most of my adult life, even split and installed some shake roofs. I have yet to see hand split shakes with sawn faces. I believe oak would be a bugger to shake, but no need to mislead folks. A bit of "stolen valour" in my opinion. Fun project. I have enjoyed the channel.
I noticed that too. Pretty low to hype up how hard those shakes were going to be, do the first layer on one side, then sneak in sawmill shakes and not say anything about it... Do they really think people are that numbskulled?
I so enjoy watching you guys work together as a team. Not like other shows where it’s all sarcastic comments, put downs etc. You have good chemistry and nice attitudes. You remind me a lot of Time Team-a group of talented people who work well together to teach and entertain. Keep up the great work!
I'm not convinced that "turkey leg" is a great idea. Yes, you need some way of sealing the peak of the roof, but wouldn't you be better served by hollowing a log into a concave shape and laying that over the peak? In the event you do get a strong wind out of the east, it'll rip those shakes right off...
Not that long ago I inspected a home I wanted to buy. When I looked in the attic it still had timbers like that the new roof was sitting on. Bark and everything. I was surprised, I should have realized how old the home was by how the foundation was.
"In Hoosier life initiated: [He] erects a cabin in the woods, Wherein he stows his household goods. At first, round logs and clapboard roof, With puncheon floor, quite carpet proof, And paper windows, oiled and neat, His edifice is then complete. When four clay balls, in form of plummet, Adorn his wooden chimney's summit. Ensconced in this, let those who can Find out a truly happier man. The little youngsters rise around him, So numerous they quite astound him; Each with an ax or wheel in hand, And instinct to subdue the land." -Excerpt from the poem "The Hoosier's Nest" by John Finley (1797-1866)
You've all invested a tremendous amount of time & efforts into this wonderful cabin. That your fashioning your own nails for the roofing shakes, neato! This has been such an enjoyable project for me, thanks gentlemen...
Great job guys!! and thank you for solving a question I had on the roof. I live in downtown Huntsville AL and we have a Constitution Village a block from where I live so I see it on my daily walk. Each time I pass by the blacksmith's cabin I wonder when are they gonna finish that roof because the shingles on the top stick out! Now I know why! Its SO refreshing and fun to see you all doing what you do. Thanks a bunch.
Not to be nosey but are the Townsend kids homeschooled? They seem so sweet and what a wonderful experience that would be as a kid. To grow up surrounded by all that history and outdoors! And the business-running side is so educational.
Beautiful work, haven't seen anything shared for all of our enjoyment so impressive since Dick Proenneke's cabin and even he used polyethylene for the roofing. This is quite impressive!
Townsends 2013: We're cooking 18th century recipes Townsends 2021: We're building a roof dor our log cabin with shingles and nails that we made ourselves
There are many shingles and shake makers in Britain. It has been note we need more. Ben law is perhaps the most recognisable among tv watchers over here. British woods our best natural resource must be the same other the pond. The roof you made should last for 30 years or more especially if you have a three layer shingle. Definitely great to see this. I’ve seen many ways people have finished off a ridge. Even carvings a notch out of a tree lengthways. Copper or lead was a more upmarket option. As it lasted longer. The best example my way, I know of is cranbourne ancient technology centre. With the longhouse. I think the said the cut nearly 30,000 just for the roof. Good to see the old craft keep alive. I wasn’t counting how many yours cabins got but it must be close to 2000. No mean feat, well done! Keep it up!
If I haven't yet told you guys how much I appreciate what you do, I'm telling you now. That's a lot of hard work to do for us! I enjoyed every second of viewing. 👏🏻🔝💯
Something about watching you all, hard at work in the outdoors- you're channeling the spirit of the ancient settlers in the new world and showing them the respect that they're due. Love this channel.
So who got to pull all the splinters out for yall? I'm pretty sure there were leather gloves for that time period. Great video. You guys really seem to work well together and it's fun to watch
That shot at the end, playing card games in the evening after a hard days work. The infectious smile from some funny happenstance in the game. It made me grin and laugh with them. I know what it’s like to relax after finishing hard work inside a home you’ve built with your bare hands. It’s one of the most gratifying and comforting moments you’ll ever have in your life.
Very satisfying to watch, and I’m sure it’s more satisfying to be the ones who can say, WE did this, with our own two hands. Beautiful work, gentlemen!
I don’t recall ever seeing a ‘turkey wing’ roof. Of course, most of my knowledge of log cabins has come from what I’ve seen on television and movies. I am learning so much more about what it was ‘really’ like to be a settler and build a real cabin from scratch. Thanks to you all for bringing history to life and showing us just how hard our forefathers worked to build this country.
WE NEED MORE OF THIS COMUITY. it's just we see all theses people but no one else with a house or cabin. It would really cool to see more houses a day stuff
Great job on the roof and great job on the video. I learned shingle as a kid, our house was completely cedar shake on the outside. Our house was a 20' by 40' rectangle, plank on frame, built on 12" by 12" wood sill over a hand dug half basement, hand dug well out the back door outhouse down slope of the house. Never had electricity and running water was us boys coming from the well at a run, finally got gas lights in the 1970 's.
You did it as a kid. And these guys could only make the shingles for the first row on one side. They bought sawmill shingles for the rest without telling anyone...
Would love to see a long form video recorded inside the cabin during a rainstorm to get the sounds and see how it holds up. Maybe with a nice fire going in the fireplace.
Great idea!
It would make for a great ASMR sleeping/relaxing video!
@@townsends A video of the fire burning in the cabin for an hour or two on a loop would be a nice stream for Christmas day as well.
@@townsends I love all of your videos and the unique way you help us understand the time period better!🤩🤓🤩🤓🤩
a patch up job video showing that they had to maintain the roof afterward would be great
this log cabin series is one of my favorite parts of the channel.
We waited for it for so long and it's even better than I imagined.
If you like this, you should check out the Iron Age house build one by Smooth Gefixt. The just mostly finished, so you can binge watch the entire build.
ua-cam.com/channels/cdX6Av36HZKSBB5ZnW92Ng.html
The far out shots where everyone is just working on something to background music are SO relaxing
Of UA-cam you wanted to say, didn''t you?
Same
That shot 3 seconds in made me jump!
It is Halloween season. They needed just add just a little scare.
I thought there was a bear or something bursting out!
I LITTERALLY thought "that fell off at a convenient time as the drone was going over" 🤣🤣
I kno I was like wait no what is happening
Hey nice to see you watch this too, I enjoy your fruit reviews.
Intro shot of shovel bursting forth through old bark roof was straight out of a horror film. Scary good filming on this video.
Thank you so much!
Riving shingles is a big job... but you have another big job to think about. You should consider raising your chimney 2-3' to keep your beautiful new shake roof more safe!
I think they extended it in the last video. It was shorter.
Read the comments in the post about the chimney. There's a DA over there that says fire is impossible...
Ya'll Take Care and be safe, John
PS, I did seal and get the smell out of my house from an old chimney fire...
I could watch this all day! Beautiful camera work, terrific sound, and exceptionally hard work made to look easy and calming. I love this channel!
I listened to a good 3 + hours of their videos earlier while I was working
The most impressive part of the video was watching him walk on that roof wearing buckle-shoes.
My grandfather and grandmother were born in the late 1800s. They were in rural Va. Appalachia, so they were probably living about 50 years behind the rest of the country. My grandfather and his father cut down trees and rolled them down the hill to build a two-room cabin, with a freestanding kitchen away from the main house. I was able to go back and my mother and I got to walk through and see the cabin once again in 1995, there was still someone living there. The current resident had added electricity, but that was the only difference. Momma showed me the chinking between the logs, she used to get spanked cause she liked to pick the chinking lose on the front porch side of the house, lol. Momma also showed me where the huge washpot sat outside where her momma used to wash the clothes. The old well was still there and still in use. It was a wonderful trip into the past.
I am curious as to the exact area of Virginia?
how fortunate to have ties to the past that you were able to visit. That is so beautiful.
1
Back in the late 1960' s, my grandmother took us to where they homesteaded in a soddy in SOUTH DAKOTA there was still a pipe where the well had been, and she dropped it stone down into it. When we heard the" plunk" of the water, a joy came over her face like I've never seen. She told us about" Indian's" coming to visit and trade a little for food.. she had a picture of her family after her father came home from the Civil War. Before she died she witnessed the atomic bomb and moon landing. Over 100 when she died. And she was an artist,did many beautiful painting s.
@@danasmith3288 Appalachia, west virginia, which has been a poor part of the country for so long, i dont suggest going around appalachia without knowing someone from there lol
Don't forget to check the clay in the fireplace after all the cabin shaking. Don't want a chimney fire now!
Lol. Shaking. I see what you did there.
Eh, I don't think its that much of a fire hazard, you'll need a lot of energy to start a fire on those big flat surfaces.
@@LazyLifeIFreak seen it happen. If you don't believe me read Little House on the Prarie. Just kidding. A chunk falls out, cinders hit the well dried wood, smoulders, then the draft causes a fire. That's why many fireplaces were made to be easily pulled away from the cabin.
@@Bildgesmythe Its a pretty deep fireplace, these people have used wood fires for a long time, I doubt it will happen.
@@LazyLifeIFreak Sure it will. This fireplace especially, because it’s not used all the times gets a lot of heat cycles (cold, hot, cold, hot…) which leads to much faster deterioration than a fireplace that would get constant heat (like back in the days, when people actually lived in these). All kinds of cracks form and leak gasses which have plenty of energy. “People have used wood fire long time” doesn’t make wood fire any safer. Fires are the reason why you don’t see chimneys build like this anymore or in most surviving older houses. You would have multiple layers of bricks, probably with fireproof insulation these days.
Had the pleasure of watching this through with my family on the TV. No complaints, and many questions.
From watching previous vids my two youngest daughter's, 8 and 10 went to school today with home made wooden muskets and tricorn hats. They are mightily impressed with your channels presentation of history.
Many thanks from Ireland 🇮🇪
I always love to see updates to the homestead. Great video!
As a kid, 12-14 years old, my summer job was shaking roofs. I really enjoyed it, and appreciate the things I learned.
I love how your team is down for everything. Like I know you're all historian/reenactors but like... thats HARD work to cut that wood and do all that work on the cabin. Even if you take modern "shortcuts" (like going out for lunch/taking several weeks etc) for the most part you're doing so much hard work together and I love that about all of you.
So Sven and Ole were putting a new roof on the barn. Sven comes up and sees a bunch of nails on the ground behind Ole and asks him why he is throwing all those nails away. Ole said: "Well, when I reach into the bucket to get a nail about half the time the darn thing is sharp on the wrong end!"
Sven says "Don't throw them away. We'll use then on the other side of the barn!"
Abbott and Costello
You from Minnesota?
good dumb joke. i approve.
With a stressful day at work this video will either relax me or spur me to disappear into the woods. Either way, thanks.
So cool to see some of the more mundane work of old skilled trades. I actually had heard a few times over the years of the monotonous and tiring nature of nail making but had never seen the process actually done. As a sidenote, most accounts I've seen indicated nail making was usually the most common busywork tasks for apprentices, both because it helped build up appropriate muscle strength and because it was one of the simplest in-demand items making it near idiot proof for an apprentice to make on their own.
I feel like I would get so much more satisfaction living this way and working these old trades rather than sitting at my desk all day. I don't think these old bones would fair too well though without a memory foam mattress.
Nail making was for the apprentices to do. It was not uncommon for them to have to make anywhere from 300 to 1000 nails a day
@@jamesstubbs7222 I've seen a reference to a medieval blacksmith being expected to make 100 arrowheads per day, but that's a more complex process involving the cup part that fits over the arrow shaft, and presumably includes sharpening.
@@googiegress A bodkin tip is actually pretty easy with the forming of the arrow socket being the time-consuming part.
@@MrHaighahatta Yep that's the type I was thinking of.
I've been waiting so long to see this! So exciting! Wish I could bring my boys to show them in person. My one son is quite partial to your cooking videos.
This channel is massively underappreciated.
Truly. A channel that is a diamond in the rough. Glad to find this channel by accident.
Seriously - all the work that went into this one episode is amazing
Well said.
Hard to find stuff that's both this wholesome and interesting these days!
I don't think it's underappreciated. It's a quite popular channel and the videos get a good amount of views. The channel has a quite niche focus, which is very good because it shows in the content.
The TEAM got the roof done BEFORE winter. With so much going on, I had my doubts. Life inside should be so much better when cold, wet weather comes.
The cabin episodes make sure no matter where I am, for a few minutes I'm home.
I have very little blacksmithing experience, so when I participated in a smithing workshop, I thought making a nail would be a good start because making them looks easy.
I was so, so wrong.
At one point in my mothers life she and her 9 other siblings lived in a cabin like this in Needham AL. It was built in the 1800s I think, none of the original daub remained so they had to stuff newspapers in the holes and the outhouse was full of snakes and spiders. I don't think it still exists, it was just off of a unpaved logging road host to a lot of traffic. I don't doubt it was torn down at some point.
I have been looking forward to this video! Wow, I'm not sure I ever thought I would say I was looking forward to a roofing video.
I never thought I would set an alarm for a historical lighting live stream, but I surely did. And good thing, too! It saved me from a week long power outage. You just never know what you'll learn, and use, from Townsends.
RIGHT! The roof video gains significance when YOU are the one living under the roof.
Sweet! I knew you were going to have to replace that bark roof. Love your homestead videos!
I've made plenty of cedar shakes by hand. As a kid I volunteered at a local living history village from the 1830s, every building has cedar shake siding and shingles. Since it was living history the carpenter shop ended up having the apprentices splitting and shaping the cedar shakes.
Great video Jon, I've been enjoying the content for years. I do think it might be a good idea to do old recipes with a modern budget in mind, to give people ideas to work with. I'm personally leery of the way inflation is going.
Yeah its getting bad out there, this channel already has some great resources, so many of the recipes are simple and CAN be adapted to modern goods. Dried peas, raisins, flour, eggs, milk, etc are all still reasonably cheap in the amounts used in many baked goods here. At least cheaper and likely healthier than value added processed goods.
@@chonconnor6144 Agreed. I've seen recipes that use cheap ingredients that were expensive at the time. Another good source is old cookbook shows that feature depression era cooking.
This sounds like a great place to visit. Where is it located?
@@jamespotter936 New Jersey, Allaire state park.
Most of the recipes use cheap ingredients like vegetables flour raisins etc. Some things that were cheap in the 18th C are expensive or not available now, but usually you can find a substitute or just leave them out. Many things are cheaper today like sugar, spices, and chicken.
You guys do very important work with all your videos. People for years to come will see and learn about craftsmanship and skills that most of our ancestors used. Even in the most unlikely circumstances, it's nice to know these kinds of this if ever needing to be used. It's also nice to see the preservation of history.
Great job gentlemen. Keep up the hard work
This should be a two hour episode.
I'm down with that.
123 likes
I’ve always wanted to build my own log cabin, and seeing you build this one confirms it. It’s time to break ground and live like my fore fathers!
Amazing production quality once again
Right. They made a roofing video beautiful.
Kind of amazing that roof never came off during a storm considering how easily it peeled right off.
made that look easy and looks fantastic compared to the old bark
In Gangwon-do, South Korea, you can see houses covered with tree bark. Thank you for introducing the method using eco-friendly materials.
If I were a teacher, I give you an A for great production value. Since I am not a teacher, I'll give you an A+++
plus
What about the fact that they purchased the shingles to finish 95% of the job and not tell anybody?
Amazing work boys wow as a roofer this makes me happy
Mr Townsend and co. I have memories of England where my Grandfather taught me the the axe and Froe. Your videos make me feel like my families traditions have roots this side of the ocean too. All thanks to your video I feel at home , even thousands of miles away.
Regards
Mike Harnell
One of the neatest videos Ive ever seen on UA-cam was about a family business who still made oak shingles for buildings in England.
Those skills at building came over with the people who immigrated from Europe and quite possibly included some of your blood relatives. It very well could be that some of your family took those skills your grandfather taught you and brought them over here to the colonies.
I find these log cabin videos to be quite satisfying.
Incredible camera work, really makes me miss how slow things used to be. So much less stress. There really is a pace to life we don't think about anymore.
Probably wasnt as slow as this implies
@@jonc3519 true, they are learning as they go. People at this time learned it from their parents and were more efficient.
Except that the stress was...succeed or die slowly.. .
@@carlericvonkleistiii2188 Haha true. And I think a lot of stress today is self-created - social media, getting fixated on climbing the corporate ladder, etc.
Wonderful work. Can’t wait to see how it holds up when the winter snow sets in
Watching them stand back to admire the completed roof was such a good shot. Im going to watch the campfire rabbit video now. Byeeeeee lol
Wonderfully interesting craftsmanship , marvelous music and amazing photography.
Thank you for the restful respite from the modern world.
What a tremendous amount of work and overlapping skills it takes to build a quality shelter. Thank you for showing us this high quality series. Be well and at peace.
Absolutely superb!!! Content. Authenticity. Artistry. Thank you again fellas!!
I can imagine how it felt to do this on a cabin in the 1700s. Finally, we'll be warmer and drier!!
That looks great. Very nice job, gentlefolk.
If times ever go dark. People like this will help keep a lot of others alive with their knowledge.
...within 5 miles... ...because... ...its dark and all...
@@noneofyourbusiness3553 5 miles?? more like a mile. LOL
I would love to see a traditional thanksgiving dinner cooked at the cabin.
I think of myself as a larger person, even NFL sized, but Brian is a horse. And such a good cook. Great show and a great cast.
How many white oak logs did it take to produce the shakes for the roof? Great video!
They bought those from a mill, there's no way they split those perfectly flat and uniform thickness
@@josephzwickl1294 I'll bet you a friendly wager of 5 bucks that those shakes are not sawn. You should have had to split more firewood as a kid.
Actually, as a kid who had to split a lot of firewood, you definitely dodged a bullet. Disregard the last sentence...
I've never watched you work so I'll take your word on what you can do but I would take you up on that wager and raise you $1000 that they are sawn 🙂
@@mattflynt5418 dude Ill take your $5 bucks. They only made the shingles for the first row on one side. They bought sawmill shingles for the rest without telling anyone...look at the differences in thickness/flatness/smoothness. Just look at 10:29 you can see the saw blade etchings.
You guys must have been so tired after all that work, but also immensely satisfied. I can't wait for updates about how the shingles are holding up during the winter!
Thanks so much for the excellent quality videos, including this one. I can imagine this is what my ancestors did, when they came to Canada, in the early 1900s. In fact, on my dad's farm in Alberta, I do remember spending a small part of my life in an old house, that had logs in its construction, and shingles like this, on the roof. It had a wood stove inside. There was a more modern house built on the farm. One of my older siblings remembers when power was hooked up to the house on the farm, in the 1960s. I have seen an old photo of my dad, from the 1950s, when he was in his 20s, and he was standing by the old house, before the power was hooked up. I've heard that people were living in dwellings like this, in North America, even in the 1950s. Cheers!
Interesting roof removal! Looked fun. And replacing it with new roofing is fascinating!
11:58
Been a roofer most of my adult life, even split and installed some shake roofs. I have yet to see hand split shakes with sawn faces.
I believe oak would be a bugger to shake, but no need to mislead folks. A bit of "stolen valour" in my opinion.
Fun project.
I have enjoyed the channel.
I noticed that too. Pretty low to hype up how hard those shakes were going to be, do the first layer on one side, then sneak in sawmill shakes and not say anything about it... Do they really think people are that numbskulled?
@@jmackman 10:10 saw marks ;-)
Stolen valour/ is that like vamped velvet?
One of the best videos I've seen, keep it up. 😊
I so enjoy watching you guys work together as a team. Not like other shows where it’s all sarcastic comments, put downs etc. You have good chemistry and nice attitudes. You remind me a lot of Time Team-a group of talented people who work well together to teach and entertain. Keep up the great work!
God I want a cabin like that
Love this stuff. Everyone did a fantastic job. Wondering how many splinters you guys got. Ouch!
Very interesting how the ridge was finished, I was wondering the whole while what was going to go up there. Lovely video, thanks.
I'm not convinced that "turkey leg" is a great idea. Yes, you need some way of sealing the peak of the roof, but wouldn't you be better served by hollowing a log into a concave shape and laying that over the peak? In the event you do get a strong wind out of the east, it'll rip those shakes right off...
You could cap the ridge by laying the shakes horizontally across the peak, the same way modern shake roof ridges are.
Not that long ago I inspected a home I wanted to buy. When I looked in the attic it still had timbers like that the new roof was sitting on. Bark and everything. I was surprised, I should have realized how old the home was by how the foundation was.
Great job, hope it sheds water! I remember the old foxfire books that showed how to make shakes, good to see the whole process.
I thought I was the only one that remembered those books. Wish I still had my father's set, but it was damaged beyond salvage.
The homestead series is my favorite! I always look forward to seeing what's next for it.
"In Hoosier life initiated:
[He] erects a cabin in the woods,
Wherein he stows his household goods.
At first, round logs and clapboard roof,
With puncheon floor, quite carpet proof,
And paper windows, oiled and neat,
His edifice is then complete.
When four clay balls, in form of plummet,
Adorn his wooden chimney's summit.
Ensconced in this, let those who can
Find out a truly happier man.
The little youngsters rise around him,
So numerous they quite astound him;
Each with an ax or wheel in hand,
And instinct to subdue the land."
-Excerpt from the poem "The Hoosier's Nest" by John Finley (1797-1866)
That roof looks so much better.
I love the pacing of these videos. Camera work is also ever improving. Nicely done all involved!
I love to just listen to these videos, with the sound of you working. It is calming ^^
You've all invested a tremendous amount of time & efforts into this wonderful cabin.
That your fashioning your own nails for the roofing shakes, neato!
This has been such an enjoyable project for me, thanks gentlemen...
Now we want every story readings in the cabin. Especially during bad weather outside.
Ive never clicked faster on a new video
Great job guys!! and thank you for solving a question I had on the roof. I live in downtown Huntsville AL and we have a Constitution Village a block from where I live so I see it on my daily walk. Each time I pass by the blacksmith's cabin I wonder when are they gonna finish that roof because the shingles on the top stick out! Now I know why! Its SO refreshing and fun to see you all doing what you do. Thanks a bunch.
Tearing that old roof off had to be so satisfying
Not to be nosey but are the Townsend kids homeschooled? They seem so sweet and what a wonderful experience that would be as a kid. To grow up surrounded by all that history and outdoors! And the business-running side is so educational.
Beautiful work, haven't seen anything shared for all of our enjoyment so impressive since Dick Proenneke's cabin and even he used polyethylene for the roofing. This is quite impressive!
I always think that one fellow is in his PJs that would be me back in the day
Townsends 2013: We're cooking 18th century recipes
Townsends 2021: We're building a roof dor our log cabin with shingles and nails that we made ourselves
the channel just continues to grow beautifully, doesn't it?
They only made the shingles for the first row on one side. They bought sawmill shingles for the rest without telling anyone...
@@jmackman Lolz how would you know? You were there, I suppose? 🤣
@@rosemcguinn5301 uhh I watched the video. It’s clear to see the difference if you go back and watch it.
There are many shingles and shake makers in Britain. It has been note we need more. Ben law is perhaps the most recognisable among tv watchers over here. British woods our best natural resource must be the same other the pond. The roof you made should last for 30 years or more especially if you have a three layer shingle. Definitely great to see this. I’ve seen many ways people have finished off a ridge. Even carvings a notch out of a tree lengthways. Copper or lead was a more upmarket option. As it lasted longer. The best example my way, I know of is cranbourne ancient technology centre. With the longhouse. I think the said the cut nearly 30,000 just for the roof. Good to see the old craft keep alive. I wasn’t counting how many yours cabins got but it must be close to 2000. No mean feat, well done! Keep it up!
Ten nails is interesting.
One hundred nails is tiresome.
Two hundred nails is laborious.
A thousand nails? That's statistic.
When a family moved during Colonial times, it was common to burn the old house down just to take the nails with them.
Perhaps even Sadistic.
Great job on this project and great work on this cabin
If I haven't yet told you guys how much I appreciate what you do, I'm telling you now. That's a lot of hard work to do for us! I enjoyed every second of viewing. 👏🏻🔝💯
Your whole channel is amazing. thank you for showing us this
Something about watching you all, hard at work in the outdoors- you're channeling the spirit of the ancient settlers in the new world and showing them the respect that they're due.
Love this channel.
great video!!!! and fantastic camera work. The drone shots really displays it. I had no idea about the turkey feathering on the roofs back then.
So who got to pull all the splinters out for yall? I'm pretty sure there were leather gloves for that time period. Great video. You guys really seem to work well together and it's fun to watch
How many people in those days could afford fancy leather gloves?
Splinters aren't an issue when you buy premade shingles like they did...
Those hands must have spectacular callouses!
That shot at the end, playing card games in the evening after a hard days work. The infectious smile from some funny happenstance in the game. It made me grin and laugh with them.
I know what it’s like to relax after finishing hard work inside a home you’ve built with your bare hands. It’s one of the most gratifying and comforting moments you’ll ever have in your life.
I'm a retired Roofer and would of loved to help you make it WATERPROOF. Actually would have been fun !!!!!!
It's so refreshing to see people working to build something.
Fortuitous! That’s what we’re doing on my house, although it’s a bit more of a modern method.
Beautiful.
Don't take that the wrong way, I have really enjoyed the log cabin and homestead series.
Very satisfying to watch, and I’m sure it’s more satisfying to be the ones who can say, WE did this, with our own two hands. Beautiful work, gentlemen!
They only made the shingles for the first row on one side. They bought sawmill shingles for the rest...
All we need now is a good rain to test out the roof in.
I don’t recall ever seeing a ‘turkey wing’ roof. Of course, most of my knowledge of log cabins has come from what I’ve seen on television and movies. I am learning so much more about what it was ‘really’ like to be a settler and build a real cabin from scratch. Thanks to you all for bringing history to life and showing us just how hard our forefathers worked to build this country.
very well done. amazing work as always.
How many nails were used for this roof?
I estimate about 500 to 600.
Nice, very nice. I've been waiting for this one. Looks great!
WE NEED MORE OF THIS COMUITY. it's just we see all theses people but no one else with a house or cabin. It would really cool to see more houses a day stuff
And other things, sorry if this seems rude
Thanks for the likes
My gosh, that's so many nails to make by hand!
The more I see these things done, the more admiration I have for our ancestors.
at 12:16 looking at a job well done at the end of the day. That must have been so satisfying.
Great job on the roof and great job on the video. I learned shingle as a kid, our house was completely cedar shake on the outside. Our house was a 20' by 40' rectangle, plank on frame, built on 12" by 12" wood sill over a hand dug half basement, hand dug well out the back door outhouse down slope of the house. Never had electricity and running water was us boys coming from the well at a run, finally got gas lights in the 1970 's.
You did it as a kid. And these guys could only make the shingles for the first row on one side. They bought sawmill shingles for the rest without telling anyone...
So satisfying…