level no more

[15_the_circle]

the configuration of many Grove cottages can pose a severe challenge to conventional notions of building standards.  on this job for over a year now the terms "Grove level", "Grove plumb" and "Grove square" have become shorthand for the localised adjustments to reality needed to make things work here (I have long been telling the Excellent Trim Carpenter that our objective is to set him free from conventional structural thinking). 

today it finally happened: further deshingling has revealed the full extent of the adjustments that had been made to the window frames on the E end of the S wall.  shims and wedges are what makes carpentry work, but in this case it would be closer to shimming with planks, or, better yet, with logs. 

(click through these thumbnails for higher resolution images)

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all in all it was just too much for this tool, which never had much use around here anyway.  it was given a decent burial out on the (sloped) front porch within the field of view of the cat cam and next to a fitting floral tribute.  I don't think we're going to miss it. 

Comments

[karenleigh.livejournal.com]

Ha! I love the level's grave!

The last house I lived in was built in 1927 and the same unplumb character. I so miss that house.

[karenleigh.livejournal.com]

Please insert "had" in there somewhere. Wherever you'd like.

[15-the-circle.livejournal.com]

the Excellent Trim Carpenter completely cracks me up.  he entombed the level in front of the cat cam (http://www.pacerfarm.org/cam.htm) knowing that at some point I would look at it from the office.  sure enough, a little while later I did, and immediately called him on his mobile 'phone.  the conversation went like this: 

[karenleigh.livejournal.com]

A carpenter with an imagination! Sounds perfect. :)

[collpepper.livejournal.com]

This cracks me up....we too have come to realize, in our many renovations, that the word "level" and "old house" are a contradiction in terms...

I like your carpenters sense of humor.