Research by MASc student Adam Weigert
Adam Weigert holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Architectural Conservation and Sustainability. He is currently finishing his thesis in obtaining a Master of Applied Science Degree in Civil Engineering with the NSERC CREATE Heritage Engineering Grant. His thesis looks at how the documentation of tangible and intangible heritage can help provide insight into traditional timber frame construction and construction techniques.
In 2015, Adam joined CIMS for the opportunity of documenting local architectural heritage sites. The Senate Virtual Tour was the first project that employed him to learn photogrammetry.
The ignition of his thesis topic was born of the work from Digitally Assisted Stone Carving; he admired CIMS Alumni, James Hayes’ work in augmenting traditional crafts skills. They were working on finding an intersection of digital scanning/carving tools with traditional stone carving tools while collaborating with the Dominion Sculptor of Canada. Adam was driven to emulate a similar workflow, working with timber/wood instead of stone and so he set out to find how those in the industry were combining digital tools with traditional crafts. His first internship was at Factum-Arte in Madrid, Spain—developing new high-resolution photoscanning techniques. The second internship at Discovery Dream Homes in Peterborough, Ontario—experiencing the CNC timber framing process. Adam writes in more detail about these experiences here.
https://cims.carleton.ca/#/blogs/NSERCCreate
During Adam’s experiences at CIMS and in his internships, he sensed the tension between new technologies and their ‘impending takeover’ of traditional artisans’ work. Being from the digital side of heritage conservation, he wanted to learn the traditional practices himself as an attempt to mediate between the two.
He began working in Perth with the Algonquin College Heritage Institute, learning some heritage carpentry skills; specifically, timber framing with hand tools and power tools. During Adam’s time with Algonquin College, they inherited a large collection of antique tools. The family of the late Dr. Joseph Foohey of Pembroke, wanted to honor his interest in local logging history. They donated a large collection of antique tools; specifically, axes; specifically, broad axes–to the Algonquin College Heritage Institute.
During this time, undergraduate students from the Carleton Civil Engineering department were interning at CIMS to receive training in research lab environment. These students used photogrammetry techniques to scan 42 of the Foohey-Algonquin broad axes. Not only were they trained in photogrammetric scanning techniques; they helped developed scanning techniques of small objects in CIMS.
Adam’s collaboration with Algonquin College eventually led him to analyzing a 200-year-old hand-hewn timber frame. Algonquin College Heritage Carpentry Alumni and timber conservator Corey Pool has been helping Adam analyze the tool marks, while he documents Corey’s own carpentry processes.
This collaboration—between Adam Weigert, Corey Pool, Algonquin College and their broad axes donated by the Fooheys—drew the attention of CBC Ottawa Morning News.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/tools-antique-heritage-culture-hewing-1.5380861