Barnwood Builders Season 2 Episode 9 The Pipestem Project

In season 2, episode 9 of Barnwood Builders, entitled "The Pipestem Project," we follow the team as they embark on their latest challenge. The episode begins with the team arriving at the Pipestem Resort State Park in West Virginia. The park has a rich history, with many of the buildings dating back to the 1930s. However, many of these structures are in dire need of repair, and the team has been called in to help.

The main focus of this episode is the restoration of a large picnic shelter in the park. The shelter is one of the oldest structures in the park, dating back to the 1930s. Over the years, it has fallen into disrepair and is no longer safe for public use. The team's challenge is to restore the shelter to its former glory while maintaining its historic character.

The project begins with the team carefully dismantling the shelter piece by piece, salvaging as much of the original material as possible. As they work, they discover that the shelter was originally built using a unique construction technique known as "half-dovetail notching." This technique involves cutting a notch in the center of the log and then fitting it over the top of the log below, creating a strong and secure joint.

While the team is impressed with the craftsmanship of the original builders, they quickly realize that recreating this technique will be a challenge. Most of the logs used in the original construction were custom milled, and finding replacement logs of the same size and shape will be difficult. To solve this problem, the team decides to use a combination of modern and traditional techniques. They will use a portable sawmill to mill new logs from local trees and use the half-dovetail notching technique to join them to the original logs.

As the team works on the shelter, they also take on several smaller projects in the park. They restore a historic waterwheel that once powered a gristmill and rebuild a wooden bridge that spans a creek in the park. These projects not only give the team a chance to showcase their skills but also help to restore other historic structures in the park.

Throughout the episode, we get a glimpse into the team's daily life as they work on the project. We see them camping out on site, cooking their meals over an open fire, and enjoying the natural beauty of the park. We also see their camaraderie and teamwork as they work long hours to get the project done.

By the end of the episode, the team has successfully restored the picnic shelter to its former glory. The half-dovetail notching technique was a success, and the new logs blend seamlessly with the old. The shelter is now safe for public use and will continue to be a cherished piece of history in the Pipestem Resort State Park.

Overall, "The Pipestem Project" is a compelling episode of Barnwood Builders that showcases the team's skill, ingenuity, and determination in restoring historic structures. It's a testament to the importance of preserving our past and a celebration of the beauty and craftsmanship of traditional log building techniques.