1209 - Stone Wall Construction and Covered Bridges October 29-November 4, 2001 | April 29-May 5, 2002 HI. I'M BOB VILA.
WELCOME HOME AGAIN TO OUR
VERMONT FARMHOUSE PROJECT.
TODAY WE'RE BUILDING SOME
DRY-LAID STONE WALLS UP ON THE
FRONT OF THE HOUSE.
IT'S REALLY A RETAINING WALL,
AND IT'S BUILT OUT OF CORINTHIAN
GRANITE.
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE TAKING A
TOUR OF SOME OF THE VERMONT
COVERED BRIDGES,
BEAUTIFUL 19th-CENTURY NOSTALGIC
FEATURES.
AND WE'RE BUILDING A STAIRCASE
IN THE FRONT HALL.
STICK AROUND. IT'S GOOD TO HAVE
YOU HOME AGAIN.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S GET STARTED
TODAY WITH A LITTLE BIT
OF LANDSCAPE/HARDSCAPE
CONSTRUCTION.
YOU CAN SEE THE CONDITIONS HERE.
WE ARE BUILDING ON A HILLSIDE.
AND LET'S SAY HI TO HECTOR
SANTOS,
WHO'S BUILDING A RETAINING WALL
FOR US.
PLEASED TO MEET YOU.
HI, HECTOR. IS THIS THE KIND OF
SOIL CONDITION
THAT YOU ENCOUNTER ALL OVER THE
PLACE UP HERE?
WE HAVE VARYING SOIL CONDITIONS.
SOME OF IT'S, UM, MIXED BAG OF
GRAVEL AND LARGE STONES.
BUT HERE, THERE'S A LOT OF CLAY
IN THIS, THOUGH.
YEAH, THIS IS CLAY, AND IT
DOESN'T MAKE FOR THE BEST
WALL-BUILDING CONDITIONS, SO
WE--
I WOULD THINK THAT IT'S SO
STICKY
THAT YOU WOULDN'T REALLY NEED A
RETAINING WALL,
BUT I GUESS YOU CAN'T REALLY
PLANT ON THIS.
NO. IT DOESN'T MAKE VERY GOOD
PLANTING.
SO, WHAT HAVE YOU PUT DOWN ON
THE BASE ALREADY?
WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS ABOUT A
FOOT TO 8 INCHES
OF 3/4-INCH LEDGE STONE.
AND THAT IS KIND OF THE BASE FOR
THE STONE WALL
THAT YOU'RE BUILDING ALONG HERE.
EXACTLY.
HECTOR, WHAT KIND OF STONE IS
THIS?
IT'S GOT THIS VERY NICE KIND OF
PURPLISH-GREEN TINGE GOING FOR
IT.
WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A STONE
FROM CHAMPLAIN STONE.
THEY'RE LOCATED IN UPSTATE NEW
YORK.
BUT IS IT GRANITE?
IT IS A GRANITE. IT'S THEIR
CORINTHIAN GRANITE.
IT'S COMPRISED OF 70% HUDSON
RIVER BLUE, AND AS YOU CAN SEE,
IT HAS LAYERS OF REALLY
BEAUTIFUL COLORS.
WE HAVE SOME PURPLES, SOME
GREENS, AND REDS.
YEAH, BEAUTIFUL BURGUNDY COLORS
AND GREENS.
LOOK AT THE GREENS ON THIS SIDE.
SO, THEY ALL KIND OF COME
IN MORE OR LESS A SQUARISH
CONFIGURATION?
YEAH. IT MAKES A NICE RANDOM
COURSE PATTERN,
WHICH IS WHAT I'M WORKING ON
NOW.
EXCELLENT. NOW, HOW DO YOU LAY
OUT A WALL LIKE THIS?
HOW DO YOU FIGURE OUT THE
CONSTRUCTION OF IT?
A RULE OF THUMB THAT I LIKE TO
USE IS I LIKE TO MAKE
THE BASE OF THE WALL AS WIDE AS
IT IS HIGH.
SO, FOR INSTANCE, THIS WALL IS
GOING TO BE 3 FOOT HIGH.
SO WHAT I LIKE TO DO IS HAVE A
3-FOOT
OR EVEN A LITTLE BIT WIDER WALL
AT THE BASE.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, IT SLIGHTLY
TAPERS UP IN THE BACK.
SO THAT BY THE TIME YOU FINISH
UP HERE,
ALL WE'LL REALLY SEE IS THIS
MUCH?
YES.
AND THE SOIL WILL COME RIGHT
BACK UP TO HERE, INCLUDING THE
SOD.
EXACTLY. GOT YOU.
AND THEN, WHY IS IT ANGLED DOWN
THE FRONT?
WELL, WHAT I DO WITH THAT IS, AS
YOU CAN SEE,
SOME OF THESE STONES ALSO PITCH
BACK.
THE THEORY BEHIND THAT IS IF YOU
ANGLE A WALL BACK,
WHEN THE GROUND HEAVES, IT'LL
PUSH IT FORWARD, AND THEN IT'LL
SETTLE BACK,
WHERE IF YOU MADE IT PLUMB AND
IT HEAVED FORWARD,
IN TIME IT WOULD JUST EVENTUALLY
CREEP AND FALL OVER.
CREEP AND FALL OVER-- WE DON'T
WANT THAT TO HAPPEN.
IT LOOKS SO BEAUTIFUL.
AND IT'S SUCH A HARD THING TO
SELECT THE STONES
AS YOU'RE GOING ALONG TO GET
THEM TO LOOK LIKE THAT.
NOW, HECTOR, WHAT ARE YOU GOING
TO PUT THERE NEXT?
WELL, I HAVE THIS PIECE HERE
WHICH HAS A REALLY NICE FACE.
AND IT WILL HOPEFULLY JUST
FIT RIGHT INTO PLACE.
SO THE MAIN CONSIDERATION AT
THIS POINT IS THE FACE
THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING
AT.
YES.
YOU DON'T WORRY ABOUT HOW IT'S
GOING TO FIT IN BEHIND THE FACE,
LIKE THAT VOID BACK HERE?
WHAT I WILL DO IS I WILL FIND A
PIECE THAT WILL FIT INTO HERE
AND TIE BACK INTO THESE STONES
IN THE BACK.
SO, THIS ONE, WHAT I'LL DO IS
I'LL LAY IT UP FIRST,
AND BECAUSE THIS IS A CURVED
WALL,
I DON'T HAVE ANY PLACE TO PUT
STRINGS.
YES.
SO A LOT OF THIS IS ALL DONE BY
EYE.
SO WHAT I'LL DO IS
I'LL BASICALLY STAND DOWN THE
FACE OF THE WALL,
AND I'LL LOOK TO MAKE SURE THAT
IT RUNS
IN LINE WITH THE REST OF THE
STONES.
NOW, IT ISN'T GOING TO BE
EXACTLY PERFECT,
BUT NEITHER IS STONE.
SO IF THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF
VARIATION,
IT'S GOING TO BE OK. SURE.
SO THE NEXT STONE THAT I'LL
CHOOSE WILL GO TO THIS HEIGHT.
BECAUSE IF IT SITS UP HIGHER--
WHAT YOU DON'T WANT TO DO IS YOU
DON'T WANT TO RUN
YOUR COURSES SO THAT THEY'RE
STACKING ON TOP OF EACH OTHER.
SO IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE FOR
THE NEXT STONE,
I'VE CHOSEN THIS ONE, WHICH WILL
PROBABLY FIT RIGHT INTO HERE.
WHICH WILL EVEN UP THE LEVEL
BETWEEN THIS ONE AND THIS ONE.
SO YOUR NEXT STONE WILL RUN
RIGHT OVER TO THE NEXT ONE.
AND AGAIN, YOU WANT THAT FACE
TO... YEAH.
AND ANOTHER THING YOU NEED TO
KEEP IN MIND
IS THAT THE STONES SHOULDN'T
WOBBLE.
YOU SET A STONE, YOU STICK SHIMS
UNDERNEATH IT
IF IT DOES WOBBLE.
BY THE END OF THE DAY, YOU
SHOULD THEORETICALLY BE ABLE TO
WALK
RIGHT DOWN THE STONES THAT
YOU'VE LAID
AND NOT HAVE THEM WOBBLE
UNDERNEATH YOUR FEET.
SO, THE NEXT STONE WILL FIT
RIGHT ON TOP OF HERE.
AND LET'S SEE IF WE CAN FIND ONE
FOR THAT SPOT.
HOW ABOUT THAT ONE YOU'RE JUST
STEPPING ON?
OK. ACTUALLY, I THINK THIS ONE
MIGHT MAKE A NICE CAP.
WHEN YOU'RE DOING CAPS, YOU WANT
TO HAVE THEM BE
AS FLAT AS THEY POSSIBLY CAN BE.
SO THAT WAY, WHEN YOU STAND BACK
AND LOOK AT YOUR WALL,
THEY'RE RUNNING IN AN EVEN LINE,
AND THEY AREN'T RUNNING IN A
WAVY PATTERN.
YEAH. ONE EVEN LINE, AND OF
COURSE,
THE SOD WILL COME RIGHT UP TO
THIS EDGE.
YES, IT WILL. AND, UH,
ANOTHER IMPORTANT THING WHEN
BUILDING A WALL IS
YOU'LL FIND STONES THAT WILL
HAVE
WHAT LOOK LIKE A NICE FACE.
THIS STONE HERE HAS A BEAUTIFUL
FACE,
AND WHY NOT USE IT IN THE FRONT?
I'LL TELL YOU WHY.
BECAUSE WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS
A STONE LIKE THIS WILL PROBABLY
FALL OVER.
WHAT YOU'D RATHER DO WITH A
STONE OF THIS TYPE
IS TURN IT THIS WAY SO IT TIES
BACK INTO THE WALL.
Vila: IN ANY DRY-LAID WALL LIKE
THIS,
YOU'RE GOING TO REALLY DEPEND
ON SHIMS
TO KEEP THINGS TIGHT, RIGHT?
YES, YOU ARE. ONE OF THE THINGS
WITH SHIMMING IS
NOT EVERY STONE IS PERFECT.
RIGHT. THEY'RE NOT ALL PERFECTLY
FLAT.
NOW, YOU CAN'T USE YOUR STRING
AS A GUIDE
FOR THE FACE OF THIS WALL
BECAUSE IT'S CURVED,
BUT YOU ARE USING A STRING AS A
GUIDE FOR WHAT, FOR THE TOP?
YES. WHAT I'M DOING IS I'M USING
THE STRING AS A GUIDE TO KEEP
THE TOPS
ALL ON ONE EVEN PLANE SO WHEN
YOU STAND BACK AND LOOK AT IT,
THEY'RE ALL NICE AND EVEN.
AND WHAT I DID IS I WENT AROUND
AND I MARKED VARIOUS SPOTS
AROUND THE STONE WALL WITH MY
TRANSIT.
AND WHAT I'M DOING IS I'M
LEVELING FROM HERE TO HERE
AND RUNNING A STRING FROM THIS
POINT TO A FINISH POINT--
SO YOU CAN KEEP TRANSFERRING
OVER TO A LINE AS YOU STACK THEM
UP.
YES, I DO. GREAT.
WELL, HECTOR, WE'LL LET YOU KEEP
ON WORKING ON THIS
AND CHECK BACK WITH YOU A BIT
LATER IN THE SHOW. THANKS.
Vila: COMING UP NEXT, WE'LL TAKE
AN ARCHITECTURAL TOUR
OF SOME OF VERMONT'S HISTORIC
COVERED BRIDGES.
THE UBIQUITOUS COVERED BRIDGE.
BEHIND ME, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE
MIDDLE BRIDGE
HERE IN THE HEART OF WOODSTOCK,
VERMONT.
THEY'RE ONE OF THE MOST
NOSTALGIC FEATURES OF THE STATE
OF VERMONT,
AND IN THEIR HEYDAY, THERE WERE
MANY, MANY OF THEM
ALL OVER THE STATE AND ALL OVER
NEW ENGLAND.
THEY WERE VERY POPULAR BETWEEN
ABOUT 1820 AND THE EARLY 1900s.
NOW, OF COURSE, THE MAIN REASON
THAT THEY WERE BUILT OUT OF WOOD
IS THAT WOOD WAS SO PLENTIFUL.
THERE WAS NO STEEL IN THAT ERA.
AND AROUND HERE, YOU COULD FELL
TREES,
HEMLOCKS AND SPRUCE THAT WERE
PROBABLY CLOSE TO 100 FEET LONG.
SO THE BOTTOM CHORDS AND THE TOP
CHORDS OF THE BRIDGES ARE MADE
OUT OF THESE ORIGINAL TIMBERS.
NOW, TIMOTHY PALMER, ONE OF THE
EARLY 1800s BRIDGE BUILDERS,
DECIDED THAT IT WOULD BE A GOOD
IDEA TO PUT A ROOF OVER THESE
BRIDGES
TO PROTECT THESE TIMBERS.
AND THAT'S THE ORIGIN OF THIS
TYPE OF A BRIDGE.
THIS EXAMPLE HERE IS A TOWN
LATTICE BRIDGE.
AND THAT REFERS TO THE ACTUAL
SUPPORTING SYSTEM.
A FELLOW NAMED ITHIEL TOWN
DESIGNED THIS PARTICULAR TYPE OF
SUPPORT.
AND IT BASICALLY IS LIKE A
TRELLIS THAT RUNS ACROSS THE
WHOLE WIDTH OF IT.
AND IT IS GOING FROM THE TOP
CHORD TO THE BOTTOM CHORD
SO THAT THE MEMBERS THAT ARE AT
AN ANGLE
HEADING BACK TOWARDS THE BANKS
ARE IN TENSION.
NOW, THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT
MR. TOWN WAS THAT HE NEVER
REALLY BUILT A BRIDGE,
BUT HE PATENTED THIS PARTICULAR
DESIGN SO THAT ANYONE WHO WANTED
TO BUILD A BRIDGE LIKE THIS
HAD TO PAY HIM A DOLLAR A FOOT
ROYALTY.
HE'S ONE OF THE PIONEERS OF
LICENSING.
WOODSTOCK'S MIDDLE BRIDGE IS
ACTUALLY A PERFECT REPRODUCTION
OF THE TOWN LATTICE STYLE,
BUT IT ONLY DATES TO 1969.
AND OF COURSE, IT'S A GREAT
TOURIST ATTRACTION.
HERE, YOU CAN SEE WHAT WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT.
THE PLANKS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING
AT FORMING THESE Xs ARE THE
TRELLIS.
AND THEY GO FROM A DOUBLE ROW OF
CHORDS ON THE TOP
TO A DOUBLE ROW OF CHORDS ON THE
BOTTOM.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE MEMBERS
THAT GO TOWARDS THE RIVER BANK,
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE IN
TENSION.
THE OTHERS ARE IN COMPRESSION.
BUT THE REAL FINE POINT IS THE
WAY EVERYTHING IS ATTACHED WITH
THESE TRUNNELS
THAT GO THROUGH THE WHOLE 6 OR 8
INCHES OF WOOD HERE
TO KEEP THEM FROM MOVING EITHER
WAY.
AND OF COURSE, THEN YOU'VE GOT
THE BEAMS THEMSELVES
THAT GO ACROSS THE SPAN HERE TO
CARRY THE ROAD BED.
THE TOWN LATTICE TRUSS SEEMS TO
BE ONE OF THE FAVORITE METHODS
OF BRIDGE BUILDING IN THIS
COUNTY.
YOU CAN SEE THE TOWN LATTICE
TRUSS OVER IN HARTLAND
AT THE MARTINSVILLE BRIDGE FROM
1881,
IN SPRINGFIELD'S BALTIMORE
BRIDGE FROM 1870,
AND THE DOWNERS BRIDGE, 1840, IN
WEATHERSFIELD.
AND IT WAS ALSO USED NOT FAR
FROM HERE IN THE LONGEST WOODEN
BRIDGE IN THE UNITED STATES--
THE LONGEST 2-SPAN IN THE WORLD,
STRETCHING 465 FEET ACROSS THE
CONNECTICUT RIVER BETWEEN
VERMONT AND NEW HAMPSHIRE--
THE WINDSOR-CORNISH BRIDGE, FROM
1866.
IT'S SO POPULAR, THEY'RE EVEN
BUILDING A NEW BRIDGE USING THIS
SYSTEM OVER IN HARTLAND.
THE NEXT MOST POPULAR METHODS OF
BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION
WOULD INVOLVE EITHER THE KING
POST OR THE QUEEN POST
STRUCTURE.
AND HERE, AT THE TAFTSVILLE
BRIDGE,
YOU'VE GOT AN UNUSUAL MONGREL,
PRACTICALLY,
A COMBINATION OF BOTH OF THOSE.
YOU SEE THE KING POST OVER HERE,
WHERE THE DIAGONALS MEET,
AND THEN IN OTHER AREAS WHERE
YOU HAVE THE HORIZONTAL TIMBER
ACROSS--
THAT MAKES IT A QUEEN POST.
THIS BRIDGE ALSO HAS THESE
LAMINATED ARCHES THAT WERE ADDED
AFTER IT WAS BUILT.
THIS ONE DATES TO 1836, SO IT'S
THE FOURTH OLDEST COVERED BRIDGE
IN VERMONT.
THE LINCOLN BRIDGE IS THE LAST
REMAINING EXAMPLE OF THE PRATT
ARCH.
THIS PARTICULAR TYPE OF TRUSS,
INVENTED BY A MAN NAMED PRATT
BACK IN THE MID-19th CENTURY,
RELIES ON A LAMINATED ARCH THAT
SPANS THE WHOLE RIVER
AND HAS WOODEN VERTICAL MEMBERS
AND CROSSED IRON RODS
CARRYING THE LOWER CHORD THAT
THE ROAD BED IS BUILT ON.
IF IT LOOKS SOMEWHAT FAMILIAR
AND MODERN,
IT'S BECAUSE THIS IS THE DESIGN
THAT HAS INSPIRED
COUNTLESS IRON BRIDGES ALL OVER
THE COUNTRY.
WELL, WHATEVER THEIR STYLE OF
CONSTRUCTION MIGHT BE,
THE COVERED BRIDGES OF VERMONT
HAVE GAINED THEIR SPECIAL
SIGNIFICANCE
BECAUSE OF THEIR GRACE, THEIR
BEAUTY, THEIR ROOTS IN YANKEE
PRACTICALITY.
IT'S NICE TO SEE THAT THE
REMAINING ONES ARE BEING
LOVINGLY PRESERVED.
NEXT, WE'LL BUILD A STAIRCASE IN
THE FRONT HALL
AT OUR VERMONT FARMHOUSE. STICK
AROUND.
NEXT TIME ON BOB VILA'S HOME
AGAIN,
WE'LL BE USING GRANITE TO BUILD
A DRY-LAID STONE WALL
AT OUR QUECHEE, VERMONT,
FARMHOUSE PROJECT.
WE'LL SEE HOW THE STONE MASON
BREAKS UP LARGE ROCKS INTO MORE
MANAGEABLE PIECES.
ALSO, WE'LL BE BUILDING A
STAIRCASE IN THE FRONT FOYER.
WE'LL SHOW YOU HOW TO PREVENT
SQUEAKY STAIRS,
AND WE'LL TAKE AN ARCHITECTURAL
TOUR OF SOME OF VERMONT'S
HISTORIC COVERED BRIDGES.
THESE ARE REAL ENGINEERING
MARVELS FROM THE 19th CENTURY.
SO DON'T MISS IT. THAT'S NEXT
TIME ON HOME AGAIN.
NEXT TIME ON BOB VILA'S HOME
AGAIN,
WE'LL BUILD A STONE WALL AND A
STAIRCASE.
ALSO, WE'LL TOUR VERMONT'S
FAMOUS COVERED BRIDGES.
DON'T MISS IT.
STAIRCASE CONSTRUCTION IN AN OLD
VERMONT FARM-STYLE HOUSE SHOULD
LOOK PRETTY TRADITIONAL,
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE
TO BUILD IT IN AN OLD-FASHIONED,
19th-CENTURY WAY.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE ARE 4
STRINGERS, USUALLY CUT OUT OF
SPRUCE.
AND THE STRINGERS ARE REALLY THE
BACKBONE OF THE STAIRCASE.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE HOLDING THE
TREADS AND THE RISERS
AND OBVIOUSLY THE WEIGHT OF
EVERYBODY THAT'S GOING UP AND
DOWN THE STAIRS.
NOW, OUR STAIRCASE BUILDER, MARK
FORTUNATI,
HAS ALREADY TAKEN CARE OF
CUTTING AND ROUGHING IN THE
STAIRCASE,
AND ALL THE OTHER TRADES HAVE
COME THROUGH THE HOUSE.
NOW HE'S BACK IN THE HOUSE IN
ORDER TO PUT THE FINISHING
TOUCHES IN.
AND WHAT HE ALREADY HAS
ACCOMPLISHED IS CUTTING AND
FITTING THE SKIRT BOARDS.
THE SKIRT BOARDS GO BASICALLY AS
A CONTINUATION OF THE BASEBOARD
ALONG THE FLOOR
UP THE SIDE OF THE STAIRS ALL
THE WAY TO THE TOP.
AND THESE HAVE TO BE CAREFULLY
FITTED AND CUT,
AND THAT INCLUDES PUTTING IN A
DADO ON THE BACK OF EACH RISE
AND ON THE BACK
OF EACH RISER SO THAT THE 2 ARE
FITTED TOGETHER AS IN A
TRADITIONAL JOINT.
NOW, OVER HERE, YOU'LL NOTICE
THAT HE'S ALREADY PUT IN PLACE
ONE OF THE TURNED NEWEL POSTS,
WHICH COME DIRECT FROM THE
FACTORY.
Vila: NOW, SHOW ME EXACTLY HOW
THESE FIT TOGETHER, MARK.
WELL, THIS UH,
THIS RISER FITS RIGHT INTO THE
SKIRT LIKE THIS.
JUST LIKE THAT. AND--
THAT'S THE BACK SIDE OF THE
WORKS,
BUT IF YOU WERE WALKING UP THE
STAIRS,
YOU'D START SEEING THAT FIT LIKE
THAT.
YEAH. JUST LIKE THAT.
OK. SHALL WE GLUE THEM UP?
YEAH. I SAY WE JUST GLUE THEM
UP.
JUST LIKE THIS.
RIGHT IN THE BACK SO THE GLUE
WON'T MAKE A MESS.
JUST LIKE THAT. JUST KIND OF GET
IT ON THERE. ALL RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT. SO WE'LL PUT THEM ALL
IN PLACE FOR YOU.
IS THAT THE RIGHT ORIENTATION?
YUP.
OK.
AND THEN WE'VE GOT THAT LAST ONE
THAT GOES RIGHT UP THERE.
OK.
SO NAILING FROM THE BACK ASSURES
THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE ANY
KIND OF NAILHEADS.
ALL RIGHT. NOW WE CAN PUSH IT
BACK INTO PLACE. WILL IT FIT
THERE?
YUP. EXCELLENT.
ALL RIGHT. NOW WE'RE SHOOTING 2
1/2-INCH NAILS
RIGHT INTO THE FACE OF THE FIRST
RISER.
AND ARE YOU READY TO TRY TO FIT
THE FIRST TREAD?
YUP. WE'LL SEE HOW THIS... DRY
FIT A LITTLE BIT BEFORE WE GLUE
IT.
LET'S PUT IT DOWN. LOOKS LIKE...
OH, YEAH, THAT LOOKS LIKE IT'S
GOING TO GO IN NICE.
IT'S FIT PERFECT RIGHT THERE.
IT FITS FINE ON THE CORNER. YUP.
ALL RIGHT. SO HOW ABOUT SOME
PANEL ADHESIVE?
SURE.
THIS WILL PREVENT SOME SERIOUS
SQUEAKING.
YEAH. THAT'S ONE OF THE KEYS IN
TERMS
OF GOOD PRODUCTS THAT ARE
AVAILABLE NOW.
A GOOD ADHESIVE LIKE THIS WILL
NOT ONLY HELP IT STAY TOGETHER,
BUT IT'LL PREVENT ANY NOISE IN
THE FUTURE.
WELL, THAT'S A NICE FIT.
EXCELLENT.
THIS IS THE OUTSIDE SKIRT, WHICH
IS CUT A LITTLE BIT SIMPLER.
THERE'S NO RABBETING, BUT WE DO
HAVE A MITER CUT ON EACH OF THE
RISERS
SO THAT WHEN IT FITS IN...
YOU SHOULD HAVE A TIGHT FIT,
JUST LIKE THAT.
NOW, ALL THE PIECES OF THE
STAIRCASE ARE CAREFULLY FITTED,
BUT MANY OF THEM DO NOT GET
GLUED TOGETHER.
ALL THE BALUSTERS ARE JUST
REALLY IN THE LITTLE HOLES
THAT RECEIVE THEM,
BUT HERE, WHERE THE HANDRAIL
WILL GO RIGHT ON TOP OF THE
NEWEL POST,
YOU DO WANT TO PUT A LITTLE BIT
OF ADHESIVE.
AND, MARK, YOU READY WITH THAT?
SURE AM.
BRING IT ON UP.
HE, OF COURSE, HAS DRY FITTED
THIS ONCE.
AND THEN ONCE HE SETS IT DOWN
THERE,
THE SPINDLES, OR BALUSTERS,
GO INTO THE BOTTOM OF THE
RAILING ONE BY ONE.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT NOT TO HAVE
THEM GLUED OR NAILED
BECAUSE YOU WANT THEM TO FLOAT
AND MOVE IF THEY NEED TO
WITH EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION.
IT'S GOING TO BE A BEAUTIFUL
STAIRCASE, THOUGH.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, ALL THE REST
OF THE TREADS AND THE RISERS ARE
ALREADY IN PLACE.
HOW'S THAT?
AND THEN, THIS ONE IS JUST
SCRIBED INTO PLACE,
SO THAT ONE WILL NEED A
FASTENER, RIGHT? YUP.
AND THEN UP HERE, WE HAVE
ANOTHER TRANSITION
THAT HE'LL GET TO.
HERE YOU GO. I'LL PUT THE GLUE
IN FOR YOU.
THANK YOU.
AND ONE NEAT THING TO LOOK AT--
THIS ISN'T ON YET--
THESE LITTLE JIGS ARE SUPPORTS
THAT ARE TEMPORARY HERE
WHICH ARE VERY IMPORTANT WHEN
YOU'RE TRYING
TO WORK ON ONE OF THESE ALL BY
YOURSELF.
AND HE'S DONE A GREAT JOB.
WHEN WE COME BACK, WE'LL CHECK
ON THE PROGRESS OF OUR STONE
WALL.
DON'T GO AWAY.
NOW, SOME OF THESE PIECES OF
GRANITE THAT HECTOR'S USING ON
THE BASE OF THE WALL ARE
REALLY QUITE LARGE AND HEAVY,
AND SOME OF THEM ARE TOO BIG TO
LIFT, RIGHT?
YOU'VE GOT TO CUT THEM IN HALF?
YES. IN ORDER TO MAKE THEM A
LITTLE BIT MORE MANAGEABLE,
WHAT I'M DOING IS I'M DRILLING
HOLES.
AND WHAT I'LL DO IN THIS
PARTICULAR STONE IS TO DRILL A
SERIES
OF 4 HOLES ABOUT 2 1/2 TO 3
INCHES DEEP.
AND I'LL TAKE THESE WHAT ARE
CALLED "FEATHERS AND WEDGES,"
AND I'LL STICK THEM IN THE HOLE
AND LINE THEM UP IN THE
DIRECTION I WANT THE SPLIT TO
OCCUR.
SO I'LL PUT THIS ONE HERE--
AND MAKE ANOTHER DRILL WITH THE
HAMMER DRILL.
YEAH.
NOW, WE SET THAT IN, AND ALL WE
HAVE TO DO IS
HIT IT WITH A STRIKING HAMMER,
RIGHT?
YEAH. IN A SERIES OF CONSECUTIVE
BLOWS
SO YOU WANT-- WHOOPS, EXCUSE
ME--
TO HIT EACH STONE THE SAME
AMOUNT OF TIMES,
SO THAT WAY IT WILL APPLY EVEN
PRESSURE
ON THE STONE AS IT GOES.
KIND OF LIKE TIGHTENING THE LUG
NUTS ON A CAR.
THEN YOU'LL HEAR IT START TO
CRACK AND POP.
THERE IT GOES!
THAT'S ALL THERE IS TO THAT.
AND NOW WE JUST HAVE TO LIFT IT
UP WITH YOUR LITTLE TRACTOR.
YEAH. AND SET IT RIGHT INTO
PLACE. OK.
OK, AND ONE STEP CLOSER TO
FINISHING UP OUR WALL.
WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME. COME
HOME AGAIN NEXT WEEK.
WE'LL BE INSTALLING GARAGE DOORS
AND TAKING A LOOK AT A
VERNACULAR VERMONT FARMHOUSE.
TILL THEN, I'M BOB VILA. IT'S
GOOD TO HAVE YOU HOME AGAIN.
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