Training
Training Facilities are split between White Grass Dude Ranch, the summer base of operation that provides hands on opportunities to teach log preservation courses, and the winter administrative complex located 5 miles away in Moose, which provides a full woodworking shop for window and door preservation training.
Current training opportunities provide on the job training and a hands-on preservation approach for historic landscapes and architecture, coupled with skills enhancement for employees. Future workshops are being planned to focus on preservation/conservation philosophy, window and door repairs, structural log repair, stabilization techniques and masonry preservation. In 2006 WCHP hosted a hands-on workshop for 25 participants in the service-wide “Preservation and Skills Training” program in partnership with the Historic Preservation Training Center. (HPTC)
The center also plans to host a data collection archive to develop and research information on historic preservation log technology. In connection with the CESU, students and researchers would be invited to develop papers, gather data and relevant history to provide guidance on rustic log architecture preservation. Topics such as the history and evolution of log construction techniques and how to preserve logs will be loaded into a database for use by practicing professionals and the general public.
Below is an example of potential courses:
Historic Profile Reproduction and Shaper Knife Grinding demonstrates how to reproduce profiles from historic fabric, drawings and pictures. This course teaches the safe and proper use of the shaper and bench grinders. Prior attendance of Shop Safety Awareness and Machine Safety is required. Participants learn how to pull a profile from historic material, transfer it to a corrugated steel knife blank, and then grind the knife profile using the bench grinders. Participants also learn the proper shaping and selection of grinding wheels and proper grinding techniques. Shaper safety, techniques, jigs, and fixtures instruction is given. Participants will then install the knives in a shaper head and run a sample of the historic profile. Participants are encouraged to call ahead if they have a profile from their park they would like reproduced.
Treatment, Repair and Replacement of Historic Window Sash is a shop and/or field based class. Each individual sash must be analyzed by the class to determine what treatment will be applied. Examples of treatment include: stripping the finish, removing glazing, and determining if lead hazards are present. Participants assess the condition of the sash to determine how far the repair process will proceed (i.e., will only minor repairs be made to retain historic material, or will full replacement be necessary). Participants will transfer and reproduce the historic profile to replace or repair parts in kind, paying close attention to replicating original joinery. Prior attendance of Shop Safety Awareness and Machine Safety is required.
Treatment, Repair and Replacement of Historic Doors is a shop and/or field based class. Each individual door must be analyzed by the class to determine what treatment will be applied. Examples of treatment include: stripping the finish, removing glazing, and determining if lead hazards are present. Participants assess the condition of the door to determine how far the repair process will proceed (i.e., will only minor repairs be made to retain historic material, or will full replacement be necessary). Participants will transfer and reproduce the historic profile to replace or repair parts in kind, paying close attention to replicating original joinery. Prior attendance of Shop Safety Awareness and Machine Safety is required.
