Bob meets with Michael Shiels to discuss the progress on the modular home project�s exterior construction. Bob points out some of the features that give this home its custom built exterior feel, including Cedar clapboard shingles on the lower half and Cedar shake shingles on the upper portion of the exterior walls areas as well as steel roofing. Cedar shakes are applied as a panel to the exterior of the house. Ken Clark from Cedar Valley Shingle is on location to demonstrate the installation of these panels and explain how they are produced at the factory for quick installation at the home site. At the factory, two-foot-by eight-foot plywood sheets are laid out and band saw cut, kiln dried, Western Red Cedar shingles are stapled and glued to the sheet. The band saw cutting process increases the open grain on the wood and allows for a better penetration of stains and sealers to extend the life of the shingle. The plywood backing increases the �dead� air space and increases the insulating value of plain cedar. The corners are made at the factory to conserve time and materials at the job site. The interlocking panels and pre-constructed corners can shave 75 percent off the install time of standard shakes. The shingles are also available pre-finished.

Using a jig is a great way to make accurate, angled cuts.

House six of the Elmwood project. The brick walkway goes in and the railings are replicated by Forester Moulding.

Bob meets Ryley outside the Victorian style house in Massachusetts to help him with the railing. Ryley starts with two by six vertical grain fir for the top railing and routes out a ridge for the balusters and applies standard moulding to the sides. Bob and Ryley head back to the workshop to create the balusters. Ryley traced the pattern from an antique baluster to create the design to create a form. They trace the pattern onto individual pieces of wood and cut out the pattern with a band saw and scroll saw. The meticulous hand cutting is what leads to the beautiful antique pattern. Back out at the site Ryley shows Bob a tip for dealing with the quirkiness of antique wood. He builds a template by scribing the angle on scrap wood then cuts the railing using this form. Bob uses sugar pine for the corner angles.

…time to host card parties and want a room to play. All you have to do is clear out the bedroom furniture and put in a round table and club chairs, shelving or cabinets, and wooden floors, these experts suggest. But one of Abele's clients…

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