Elevations for the Karawoods Dwelling, facing South and North

Toward a residence in Willard, WI, affectionately titled, “The Karawoods Dwelling”, we’ve selected rafters, beams, and even the white oak for the custom kitchen counter tops.

The "Hag Tree" standing in the woods, 150 years old.

To our left, an aging white oak, perhaps 150 years old.  Our managed forest plan suggested we remove it, as it falls into the description of a “Hag Tree”– Useless for milling.  Instead, we call it a Great Mother Tree, and will honor it in three different projects this Spring– custom fascia, slabs for custom counter tops, and perhaps a branching column or two.

Ben Hansen, of Hansen Diversified, works with us to respectfully remove trees from the forest.

We have a wonderful colleague and friend in Ben Hansen, who skillfully removes larger trees, and works with us when we mill, plane, and customize certain pieces.

I am sorry to say that no one ever yells, "TIMBER!" Sometimes I do just for fun.

Turns out, the wood is even more beautiful inside than we had hoped.

In addition to this Mother Tree, we’ve pulled out beams and rafters for the Kara Woods Dwelling, and are now washing and preparing to urethane.

Peeling a Rafter in oddly warm March weather.

Next on our agenda, selecting the structure’s columns and beams, and beginning to pre-fab the joinery for the timber frame.  When we pour the foundation in mid-late April, we’ll then deliver the timber frame ready for immediate erection.

Rafters for Karawoods. Aspen and Bass Wood.

A rendering of the Albertson Cottage, prior to the addition of a loft.

We have been pulling inventory and pre-fabbing structural bents for a 1000 square foot home in Potosi.  The beams, rafters and columns, as well as much of the trim work, will come from our forest.  The exterior siding was sustainably harvested near Ontario.  This week, our crew is fashioning parts of the stunning staircase that leads to the loft area (see below).

This home was scheduled for erection this winter, but we sadly missed the chance to pour the foundation by about 36 hours– when we received the first DUMP of snow (8″) that stalled us until Spring.

Sexy Carport Column, the first thing to see as one drives in.

Joinery work on a black locust carport column.

The exterior columns in the carport are all of black locust, a rot resistant invasive that we’d rather not have in our forest.

Derek describes, through interpretive dance, the way in which a car will enter the "eyelash" of this curved exterior.

Rafters prepped with Timbor and Urethane, await their next incarnation.

Rafters, primarily aspen, elm and some basswood.

The stairway will be flanked by a gnarly-turn niche box elder.

The stairway's box elder "stringer" (supporting side beams of the stair).

The stairway's stringer from another angle. Again, an invasive species put to a better use.

The central interior bent has a dramatic curved, black locust beam and American elm columns.

The central beam and columns in the Potosi Home, to be erected on site come Spring.