classic living room foto

making stone axe cutting timber for hut digging post holes carving mortices in roof beams fire hardening mortices with coals (strengthens mortices) fitting mortices of beams on to posts hammering beams in place loya cane (a type of creeper) putting on rafters

lashing to frame making a kiln grate from clay making holes to let the flames through digging a trench for the kiln firebox stone lintel for the firebox entry mixing mud for kiln walls (just excavated dirt and water) putting grate in place building kiln wall kiln draw a strong draft

digging clay from the creek bank next to hut crushing dry lumps in clay crushing up old pottery to add to new clay (strengthens it) mixing clay loya cane splitting cutting notches folding along notches tying with cane fiber

completed tile frame sprinkle wood ash on stone (prevents clay sticking) clay into tile frame forming tile tab tile left to dry tile removed from frame tiles stored in wood shed out of rain tiles stacked into kiln 20 tiles

cover with broken tiles firing begins when the tiles glow red hot they're ready the next day putting tiles in place (they just sit on using their tabs, no pegs necessary) tile tabs hooked over purlins cross bracing adding grate bars to the firebox (increases heat production several times) starting fire with handrill

making curved cap tiles (normal tiles without tabs folded over a log) a tile goes on one side then another from the other side covers the tile just put in place finally, the cap tile covers the vertical gap between tiles stone footing for wall (prevents rising damp) digging underfloor heating system covering with flat stones sealing with mud fire at the front moves under stones

chimney added at back to enhance draft heated platform is warm and makes a good bed building mud wall digging soil for mud stones added to wall to save on mud chimney protected from rain by tiles wooden lintel forms top of door way split timber door hole for door hinge

putting door in place doorstep of mud finishing gables completed hut tree resin resin used as torch resin on tile as a lamp

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