Handmade House TV # 3 "Carpentry and Stone Masonry"

handmadehouses.com/ In this episode of the series Noah Bradley shares about the importance of homeowner involvement in the creation of a handmade house and how the more involved in the process the more likely we will be pleased with the finished home and, the more money we will save in the building process. Noah goes through a few of the construction trades that a novice can with a primary focus on carpentry and stone masonry.
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[@gomertube]

Noah, how do stone masons, and really anyone else in the the building profession, take care of their bodies so that they don't fall apart by age 45? There's a lot of heavy lifting involved in much of this work. Any tips on self care? Thanks.

[@HandmadeHouseswithNoahBradley]

That, is a great question. The construction field is tough on the body... for sure. And none have a more strenuous job than that of a stone mason... the fact is that most have to stop around 45. At that time they will hire a couple of helpers who will do most of the work and they will then will supervise the team and operate the business under the reputation that was well earned over the course of several decades. But not all. My good friend, Dan Smith, who laid much of the stone work that you will see in my videos, worked into his early 60's, until he died of cancer. Dan's secret to a long career? Likely it was his focus on being the absolute best stone mason he could be... which meant that his work was better, but slower... which meant he had a pace about his work that was more of a marathon runners, than a sprinters. He might not have left as much work behind as other masons his age... but he outlasted them all... and his work is much more appreciated and treasured.

[@gomertube]

Here are my two main concerns I have about building my own handmade home: 1. Can I do this without debt? and 2. Can I do this without too much physical pain? In a way these two things are mutually exclusive: the less pain I have then the more work I can do and thus the less debt I'll have. Conversely, more pain more debt (all else being equal). I'm 51 years of age and in otherwise excellent health, but these trade-offs seem pretty severe. I guess there's really no telling until I just get started and try, eh?

[@HandmadeHouseswithNoahBradley]

Great questions! and good thinking. There is no doubt about it at the end of most days I feel tired and worn out from the physical effort involved in building a home... but it's a good kind of soreness... it's healthy, and oh so rewarding. It's great to have no debt in a home... it's an admirable goal and worthy of going after. But... there is nothing wrong with having a lower debt... and that's something that everyone can achieve... A five or ten year loan sure beats a 20-30 year one.

[@loujoszai1219]

@gomertube I don't know about the US but in the UK there's a course called Manual Handling and it's basically about how not to hurt yourself by lifting tons every week. It teaches you the correct way of lifting to avoid injuries and to protect your joints. This is a brief guide I've found on the topic: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg143.pdf But I'm pretty sure the basics can be found anywhere, even on KZbin. I find it very useful myself. Also... The first and most important thing is safety, everyone knows that rule but some people don't pay much attention to it. In the past I luckily got away from a horrible accident because I didn't follow the safety procedures. I've learnt the lesson the hard way.... So that is the most crucial. Whenever you can, especially when you work on your own, always break the tasks down into small steps. You don't want to do too much at once. I had a Chinese master once, he often said "Slow is the fast way" Cannot argue with that. XD Look around before you need to move something and just visualize what you're going to do and how. Plan ahead before you take actions. It's better than putting things down and lifting up again just because you didn't see a closed door. Einstein once said: “If I had an hour to solve a problem I'd spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and 5 minutes thinking about solutions.” It works for me. Always warm up just like in the gym before workouts. It prevents unnecessary stress and fatigue being placed on your muscles and heart. If you are not sure whether an object you need to move is too heavy for you, try lifting up one side of it first and then just listen to your body. If you have a feeling that you cannot do it, then don't do it, this is where injuries come from. Find another way. Ask someone to help you or use a pulley, put it on a trolley etc. Just like in yoga, you need to stretch a lot. Especially your back. And at last but not least: Get enough sleep. A construction worker usually needs more rest than an accountant. (no offence XD) These are just some general advice but they helped me a lot. Have a great day :)

[@HandmadeHouseswithNoahBradley]

Thanks for sharing!

[@johnhilton7048]

I am so happy that I found your channel! I am 20 years old, and my life goal is to live on a parcel of land and build my own log home. I think my generation has forgotten the homestead lifestyle. I plan to be one of the few to continue this way of life. Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom! Cheers!

[@HandmadeHouseswithNoahBradley]

Hi John! Thank you for your kind words! I built my first home at the age of 20 and I did a pretty good job of it with little experience and money. I can't wait to see some photos of your future home!

[@annasophia7977]

john hilton I agree! Us millennials weren't taught the value of simplicity, but a lot of us are waking up. I'm 24 and that's my goal too.

[@KambizNazir]

33 here, I agree and I would go as far as saying our generation has lost it altogether

[@andychauhan6544]

john hilton how's your plan working out?

[@brannondaniel582]

I just love it me and my wife have a three to four-year plan to build my own small home

[@HandmadeHouseswithNoahBradley]

Awesome! No matter which path you take in life you will have struggles...but when it comes to building one's home and doing the best job and building the best house possible...the victory is oh so sweet.

[@bobpeterson4930]

Awesome episode...great detail in explaining the chimney stone masonry work and tip on hiring a pro to complete the interior workings of the fireplace. Great job, Noah! Keep a good thought! Bob

[@Giganfan2k1]

You should think about putting these part episodes in a playlist. Comment, liked, subbed.

[@ryanclark2017]

Amazing channel! Positive attitude, intelligent approach, and tons of great info!! Thank you and keep it up sir!

[@deezynar]

Oops, did I say concrete? I meant cement. Oops, did I write cement? I meant to write mortar. ; )

[@smprfly]

Another good segment.

[@wildhorseoutdoors7659]

Mr. Bradley, thank you very much for what you are doing with these videos including the tool videos. I am currently in the military going on 7 years here in April my dream and goal in life is to build my own wood home and these videos are greatly increasing my general knowledge and confidence in my abilities. I plan to retire from the military and retiring to western Montana where I can build my home and continue building custom firearms along with my blacksmithing. I have signed up for the news letter and once I get some money saved up would enjoy joining the academy also. thank you for all your help and the effort and passion in which you place in every video.

[@HandmadeHouseswithNoahBradley]

You made my day... heck, you probably made my week! That is my true goal... is to just help as many people as I can build their own home... get that special place... get it right the first time... have a great time doing it, and then live the good life that comes with having it! Thank you. :)

[@douglasbolton3154]

Sound advise I'm learning a little more on the projection of my wishes for the new place

[@luisenriquesalazardelarosa6929]

bonito trabajo, me fuera gustado ver todo el trabajo, muy bonito saludos...

[@fivestring4653]

Thank you Noah

[@joehelsley8321]

Fabulous, Noah.

[@HandmadeHouseswithNoahBradley]

Thank you Joe! I appreciate your support!

[@michelelavender1967]

thankyou from athens greece,lovely man

[@michaellovesbuffalo]

noah you have a warm genuine competent that represents the kind of teacher you feel safe to try things with. michael life pod guy sc hobbyist

[@HandmadeHouseswithNoahBradley]

Thank you Michael!

[@douglasbolton3154]

That's a big 10-4 I would enjoy tackling a project of modest proportion of course post and mainbeam stone work to

[@julius1998XD]

you inspire me

[@michaeledwards8051]

Noah, is this a crazy idea: I live in Kentucky and within an hour any direction from my home there are many roadside stones the size of a football, basketball, some bigger some smaller. I'm not planning to build the home for 3 or 4 years. I'm wondering that as long as it's not beside the highway and unsafe; if on a early Sunday morning I take a country drive in my pickup truck and just make it a easy relaxing gathering of stone. I'm not talking about on private property and I'm thinking 6:30 or 7:00 Sunday morning casual drive as I have so much time before building. Otherwise, I'm just watching for some new construction where they're clearing the land. I'm thinking because a contractor has to get rid of them anyway. - Thoughts?

[@hannahmartin9056]

Hey Noah, I was just wondering if you've ever built a home/building/load bearing wall with dry stone masonry? I think I've seen some gate posts you did that way, and homes that did have cement mortar, like what you were just showing, but have you ever done it without mortar? It's something I'm considering undertaking, since I'm guessing stone buildings without mortar might last longer, at least if all the stones fit perfectly together to begin with, but I've not found tons of info on the do's and don'ts of it yet. Thanks!

[@col2959]

I've got most the tools from second hand shops dirt cheap.

[@mikewideman5747]

Does your program show techniques about laying Stone

[@HandmadeHouseswithNoahBradley]

Yes. Shaping and laying stone is the core of the academy.

[@Euphoriasmotion2011]

Stonework average cost €85 per sqm, labor only What does this mean? Can anyone help? How much for a full house? I don't speak builder.

[@bernadettevandal5273]

For people like myself that came here to hear about stone masonry, you can skip this video until 9:30 and save that extra 10 minutes to get back to your stone work, beside I was hoping on some more info about how to make mortar but did not find much about it here ;)

[@jesusabascalgomez1319]

Courses and more courses , Money , money , money .

[@vincentconti3633]

Painting....never if you can help it...cedar and other woods will weather beautifully and last for a century or more!

[@GhostofCTC]

Actually you shouldn’t have said concrete or cement you should be using lime mortar with stone

[@lindahodgkins4197]

Where would someone begin teaching themselves to be a stone mason?

[@HandmadeHouseswithNoahBradley]

I am currently creating an online video class to teach how to build with stone. I think that anyone can do it... and do it well. I'd make sure and get on my email list if you are interested at handmadehouses.com Here's the countdown clock and more info about the course... noahbradley.lpages.co/stonemason-academy-countdown-page/

[@richardshomestead849]

You talk alot about fireplaces. Why do they have to be in a log cabin? Wood stoves would knock off alot of cost. And why electric when you do solar and wind?

[@HandmadeHouseswithNoahBradley]

I'm going to do a follow up video on woodstoves... I'm getting a lot of questions about them. I'm a big fan of woodstoves... by far the best way to heat a home when independence is considered, or emergency heat is needed. When I build a home for myself... I have both a woodstove and a fireplace. A woodstove heats the home, a fireplace warms the soul. I'm also a big fan of solar power (wind is not practical in my area) but there is an order to do things. The home comes first, once complete and paid for then attention can be brought to solar power, gardening, etc.

[@richardshomestead849]

Thanks for the response and headup.