“The object isn’t to make art, it’s to be in that wonderful state which makes art inevitable.”
Join us in Colorado for a unique, off-grid experience melding Japanese style Timber Frame building with mindful permaculture based living at New Sky Ranch, a creative nature retreat and education center in Colorado’s mystical San Luis Valley. Students will participate in a rigorous program of woodworking training while enjoying group meditations, creative enrichment activities, local natural wonders, and nourishing, healthy meals.
The first two days of the workshop will focus on the fundamentals of Japanese carpentry: sharpening, chisel set-up, and sawing. During the remaining days we will put all these skills to work cutting and assembling a small timber-frame structure for use as a restorative wood fired sauna. Our training will focus in equal parts on both the technical skills required to build in the Japanese tradition as well how this craft can lead to a natural harmony between the material and the building site. Through our work we will seek to embody New Sky’s principles of connection, education, creativity, and existence among a wild and inspiring natural environment.
About the Timber Frame Project
For this timber frame project, we have partnered with New Sky Ranch to add a new restorative space to their existing wild and rustic landscape. The structure we will build is the framework for a wood fired sauna that future guests and artist residents can enjoy as they retreat on the land. Students will learn skills fundamental to the art of timber framing that apply to both western and eastern traditions. These include: understanding layout, cutting mortise and tenon joinery, and preparing the timbers for assembly.
Learn to cut a three way sill corner joint, which will be used to assemble the sill beams of the sauna frame.
Our roof support beams will be joined with a lap joint and stacked mortise and tenon.
We’ll then assemble the frame, incorporating interior cedar wall boards during assembly, and finishing with installation of roof rafters. Finally we’ll align and square the frame and peg the assembly together. With luck, we will install the roof system and help with a test run of a wood stove sauna heater. We’ll have certainly earned some relaxation.
About New Sky Ranch
New Sky’s bones are those of an old settler’s homestead that dates back to the early 1900’s. Nestled up against the Rio Grande National Forest, it is a high mountain desert oasis that holds the original dance hall of the county and a whole lot of history. Since 2021, each structure has been thoughtfully resurrected or built using natural building techniques, reclaimed materials, artfully intentional practices and many, many caring community hands. New Sky continues to blossom as an eco-experiential retreat as well as a space for like minded artists to take refuge and create magic on the land. The hope is that visitors walk away with the reminder that there are infinite possibilities when creating both art and your life.
About Your Stay
Included in the workshop tuition are nutritious meals served family style for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Students my chose to camp at the ranch or upgrade their experience and sleep in one of New Sky’s cozy glamping tents. During the retreat, students may experience the raw and tranquil surroundings of New Sky Ranch, relax in one of the nearby hot springs, explore the Great Sand Dunes, or have connection filled hangouts in the historic rehabilitated Dance Hall.
Nestled in the San Luis Valley at the foothills of the Rio Grand National Forest, the Ranch is situated approximately 3 hours south west of Colorado Springs, and 4 hours south of Boulder and Denver. We encourage students to carpool and arrive the afternoon of May 10th. Alternatively, we will be providing a shuttle from Boulder, CO to the Ranch, leaving on the morning of May 10th, and returning on Sunday the 18th.
Topics Covered
Setting up and a Japanese chisel.
Water stone freehand sharpening techniques.
Understanding timber frame center-line layout marking and the principles of cutting joinery.
Basic handsaw instruction
Cutting several types of mortise and tenon joints including blind, through, pegged, and wedged.
Use of the handsaw, power saw, drill and chisel to chop a mortise and cut a tenon.
Joinery time trials.
Timber frame assembly and finishing practices.
Included with Tuition
Practice Materials - Students will be provided with all the practice materials they will need for the workshop.
Meals - Dinner is provided on the first day, breakfast on the last day, and three meals per day in between.
Camping - Students may camp on the Ranch or purchase a spot in the New Sky glamping tents. (Glamping tents are shared occupancy, but everyone has their own bed.)
Prerequisites
None, come as you are!
Required Tools
The following tools are required to get the most out of your experience. A loner may be available but not guaranteed. During checkout you’ll have the option to purchase tools for this workshop, additionally, your confirmation will have a link to purchase them before the workshop, subject to a cutoff date.
1000 Grit Water Stone
6000 Grit Water Stone
Diamond Flattening Plate
240-270mm Ryoba Saw (Japanese Pull Saw)
18-24mm Japanese Chisel (Brand new, unused, Tataki/Timber or Oire/Bench preferred)
Japanese Hammer (350-500g)
150 or 300mm Sashigane / Square
Optional Tools
Please don’t feel any need to purchase these tools however they may be helpful to bring both to contribute to the project and deepen your training.
48-64mm Japanese hand plane (kanna)
Timber slick (tsuki-nomi)
Impact driver with quality spur tipped auger bits (1/2”-3/4”) or (15-18mm)
Small combination square
Quality circular saw with sharp blade (square and can cut a line in half)
Schedule
May 10 - 10:00AM - Shuttle Van leaves from Mojo Woodworks, Boulder, CO
May 10 - 3:00PM - Student Arrival, Orientation and Settling In
May 11- 12- Skill building, sharpening, tool set up, joinery drills.
May 14 - Day of rejuvenation.
May 13- 16 - Sauna timber frame cutting and finishing.
May 17- Raising day and celebration.
May 18- 9:00AM - Closing and farewell
Register Below
Begin your registration process below. You’ll have the option to purchase required and optional tools for pickup at the workshop, as well as optionally upgrade your lodging. Your confirmation email will also provide a link to purchase these tools before the workshop.
Reminder that this workshop will be held in Colorado, not at our location in Maine.
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