Making a oak shingle roof with hand tools

[overclocker_kris]

Hi everyone, this was my first go at making oak shingles for a small building i have been working on. i think it turned out well. it was alot of work, there is about 200 shingles but i should last quite a long time.

Enjoy

 

[Toddy]

That was an interesting watch
Good to see how you're getting on with things too.

cheers,
M

 

[Macaroon]

Very good, I can't remember the last time I saw Oak shingles being done. You used to see them now and again on small outbuildings around here, and especially on the numerous wooodsman's huts but there are none of those left now.

Rumour has it that a gang of local men had done some roofing in Sussex using Sweet Chestnut whilst on national service and refused to do it with Oak after that, the difference was so great; unfortunately we don't have enough of it here for it to be a realistic proposition.

 

[overclocker_kris]

Very good, I can't remember the last time I saw Oak shingles being done. You used to see them now and again on small outbuildings around here, and especially on the numerous wooodsman's huts but there are none of those left now.

Rumour has it that a gang of local men had done some roofing in Sussex using Sweet Chestnut whilst on national service and refused to do it with Oak after that, the difference was so great; unfortunately we don't have enough of it here for it to be a realistic proposition.

sweet chestnut would be so much easier to split. if i was able to get and locally i would have used that. but like you say its not that common in wales. it is more commonly found in south England tree

 

[rich outdoors]

The result looks really good, a fascinating watch. There is something about watching someone working wood with hand tools that I absolutely love.

Thanks for sharing it. Atb, rich.

 

[Robson Valley]

What a pleasure to watch you work with froe, mallet and draw knife.
I do the very same to break down blocks for wood carving.
Fun to watch the mallet disintegrate, yes?

For roofing purposes, we use western red cedar for the wood.
When split as you have done, they are called "shakes."
Very attractive, even used on the sides of houses.
Specialized mills actually saw tapered pieces that we call "shingles."