[MR] RE: [P_info] Fort

[Jim Pryor]

There werwe questions on what the Fort was. Here is what came across the
Pennsic list.

Chimbai

-----Original Message-----

To: pennsic_info at midrealm.org
Subject: [P_info] Fort


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Greetings again, one and all, from Munenori!

I write to you today to lay before you the current construction timetables
for the Pennsic Fortress. We have broken ground on the site, and we will
have pictures to show soon (at a website to be announced shortly).

A couple of brief notes before we begin: this project is not only for the
enjoyment of the people who built it, nor is it only for Pennsic-goers this
year. We are building this fortress to use for a long time, and for the
enjoyment of everyone who comes to see it and play on or around it.

The construction effort isn't being drawn solely from Pentamere, nor just
from Pentamere and Oaken; we're actively soliciting volunteers from every
part of the SCA. Of course, we're starting with the more-local parts of the
Middle Kingdom because that's where much of the staff for the project lives
(SE Pentamere, Oaken). We hope to find volunteers from AEthelmearc, the East
Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom, and anyone else who's interested in seeing the
project completed.

The fort will be available for the use of other SCA groups holding events at
Coopers Lake (for example, the AEthelmearc War Practice).

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THE PLAN (Operations)

We plan to work every weekend between May 5th and June 30th (or whenever we
finish). If we can get everything finished before then, we will - it will
give us a chance to get some kind of grass cover started before War.

For each weekend, we hope to have a work crew of 40-50 people. While more
volunteers would be gratifying, we don't want people to come out and be
bored because there isn't enough work to keep everyone busy at once. We also
don't know how much equipment (tools and such) our work- force will be able
to provide (and we don't want to rent every single hammer and shovel). For
those reasons, we're asking everyone who would like to help to send word to
me (Munenori, munenori9 at excite.com) so I can schedule the right people for
the right times. We also hope that some of our volunteers can help us by
bringing some of the tools and equipment that we'll need. The staff will be
bringing everything we can scrounge from home, but we'll still need these
things:

  - A yard hi-lo operator for May 4th (please!)
  - Shovels, wheelbarrows, tamping poles, and posthole diggers
  - 1 or 2 power augers
  - A power miter saw, 1-2 circular saws, a sawzall
  - 2 generators and several extension cords
  - Several sturdy drills (3/8" or larger)
  - 3/16" and 5/16" bits (we will buy as many as we can afford)
  - A gas-powered air compressor (would be very handy!)
  - Air wrenches (3/8" or 1/2" drive, with 1/2" sockets)
  - Hand tools (saws, ratchets, sockets, hammers)
  - Pairs of large (10' - 12') stepladders (if you only have one,
    please bring it anyway, we'll find or rent another)
  - Sawhorses, 'milk crates' or other stands
  - C-clamps, crowbars, and beat-up/throw-away brushes (for tar)

  - Anyone with a *big* tent we could use for barracks space
    (like a GP-Med or bigger), please contact me as well.

Again, if you can bring any of these implements with you, please let me know
so I can plan accordingly.

=========
WORKFORCE

  ** Weekend 1 (5/5) **
We'll need one to three people to help offload the
lumber from the semis on Friday, May 4th. At least
one of these people will need to know how to operate
the lift that will get the wood off the trucks and
onto the ground.

We will need 40-50 people on Saturday and Sunday who can:
  - run saws, drills, and air or hand wrenches for assembling walls
  - push, lever, and pull the wall sections up into place
  - shovel lots of gravel and dirt

  ** Weekend 2 (5/12) **
We will need 40-50 people on Saturday and Sunday who can:
  - run saws, drills, and air or hand wrenches for assembling walls
  - push, lever, and pull the wall sections up into place
  - shovel lots of gravel and dirt

  ** Weekend 3 (5/19) **
We will need 40-50 people on Saturday and Sunday who can:
  - run saws, drills, and air or hand wrenches for assembling walls
  - push, lever, and pull the wall sections up into place
  - shovel lots of gravel and dirt

This is the weekend of the AEthelmearc War Practice, so
we will take some special precautions so as to minimize
our impact on the event. There's lots of room, so we should
be able to stay out of the way while we're working.

We won't be working the weekend of Memorial Day.

  ** Weekend 4 (6/2) **
We will need 40-50 people on Saturday and Sunday who can:
  - dig postholes with power augers or by hand
  - run saws, drills, and air or hand wrenches for assembling walls
  - push, lever, and pull the wall sections up into place
  - shovel lots of gravel and dirt

  ** Weekend 5 (6/9) **
We will need 25-35 people on Saturday and Sunday who can:
  - run saws, drills, and air or hand wrenches for assembling walls
  - shovel lots of gravel and dirt
  - operate hand-pumped sprayers (for wood sealant)

We plan to assemble the gates and the Marshall's Bridge
(the walkway that will form the roof over the gates) this
weekend, along with installing the false drawbridge and
other 'decorative' elements of the fort. We also plan to
start sealing the wood once all the assembly work is complete.

  ** Weekend 6 (6/16) **
We will need 10-15 people on Saturday and Sunday who can:
  - lay seed mats down on the exposed earth that remains
  - water said seed mats

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This message was posted to the Pennsic XXX Information Channel by:
"Tamara Griggs" <tfirenze at ix.netcom.com>