My neighbor taught me to shingle...

As I plow through the process of learning about the difference between Cedar Shakes and Cedar Shingles I am pleasantly surprised by all the THINKING "field trips" I get to go on. Jump on the bus.

Kenny, my truck driving neighbor, "taught" me how to shingle on his house when I was a teenager. 
With only this one 15 minute lesson I went on for years shingling. He must have been a very good teacher! Over the years I handled many bundles of asphalt 3-tab shingles. One day, looking at a stack of bundles and noticed that the full back surface, of each and every bundle, had something printed on it. They were instructions!!! For a moment I thought... I thought, what a waste of ink, for such a simple process that I had "learned" as a teenager from my truck driving neighbor Kenny! I thought, who needs written instructions, to put on shingles? I thought, who reads the instructions on the back of a shingle bundle???

Then I wondered if anyone, had ever read them? No. Then I would be the first!!!

It, was, amazing. I was awe struck. Did you know, there were different ways to stagger the courses? Did you know, you could "buy" starter shingles and ridge cap? Kenny never told me any of this. I couldn't believe I read the whole thing! All the "new" stuff I learned. As a teacher I was enlightened. I would share how reading the back of a shingle bundle opened up a whole "new learning" experience to me with my students the next day in class. I tried to get my Building Trades students to read and study it like I did. Lets just say, they were not as impressed. One student said he had helped his Uncle shingle and "knew" how to do it. With that, they ripped open the bundle and shingled away. Happy, but lost, and did not know it.

I knew little or nothing about Cedar Shingles and had read only a paragraph in the textbook about putting them on. They are not popular in the Wisconsin area. So I started with a Google search on Cedar Shakes. Like a Horn-of Plenty, the information flowed out. After several hours of reading I was full and felt I knew enough to be dangerous!  I began looking for suppliers, comparing costs and shipping. Next looking into the manufacturers. Here is where it gets fun. A company called BuildDirect has a web site and Blog. I ordered a free sample to look at, one Hand Split - Cedar Shake #1 Heavy 3/4".

Got the free sample just fine. They missed the mark a bit by sending me a Sawn Cedar Shingle #1 Medium 3/8". Other than that just fine. When I called Ryan, from BuildDirect, he apologized and told me they had some new hires and they were having some product knowledge problems. I feel much better knowing this.

While waiting for the new sample I continued thinking.  I explored the BuildDirect Blog and came across a great post  Google -  8 Secrets To Success - if you want to see a great 3 minute You Tube presentation by Richard St. John, at a TED meeting.  My favorite is #8 Persist - persist through failure and CRAP! which stands for Criticism, Rejection, Assholes and Pressure!

Also for a hair raising sight seeing how Cedar Shingles are made today Google - Sawing Cedar Shingles on You Tube - nice flick. Makes you want to wear your safety glasses!

Puzzler - How will the parts of the Lattice Truss be re-assembled at the site in South Wayne?

Tech Vocab - Spaced Sheathing - Cribbing - Drift