Shop Notes & Rambles
The Rambles are the stories lived and learned over decades — the moments, the lessons, and the shop life that shaped the craft. They accumulate here, sorted by publish date. If you want the curated version, explore the Workshop Library.
Early Balloon Frame Housing in Manitoba
Early balloon‑frame houses in Manitoba were built with true 2×4 lumber, mixed species, and whatever the frontier could supply. This Ramble explores the 1872–1885 transitional era — rough mills, rail‑shipped long boards, fieldstone foundations, and the improvised framing that defined Manitoba’s earliest light‑frame homes.