https://mudbox.freedombox.rocks/ikiwiki ... installed/
Log Cabins
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farmerchick
- captain of 1,000
- Posts: 1885
Re: Log Cabins
I've got a question for you mudflap.....what prep do you have to do with your logs before you use them....like do you dry them or what exactly...probably a dumb question but I want my husband to take some cedar trees I have and make them into porch posts and interior posts in my new living area we just got thru adding on. He says its too much work to use them....idk what the process even is after cutting and skinning off the bark......his idea is to use 6x6 posts and wrap them in stone....idk I'd like the rustic Log look...what is the process to prepare your own trees for log posts or slab them for tables?
Re: Log Cabins
Cedar is very cool, peel the bark and let it dry. But have you ever spent time in a cedar building? A lot of people get quite sick from it. It takes a lot to seal it if it does.
Re: Log Cabins
sure - so this post has been drying for about 6 months. it's not quite dry, but it's good enough - meaning, it's not going to warp or twist at this point. Here's a way to dry wood naturally: https://www.woodmagazine.com/materials- ... ing-lumberfarmerchick wrote: ↑September 19th, 2022, 11:38 pm I've got a question for you mudflap.....what prep do you have to do with your logs before you use them....like do you dry them or what exactly...probably a dumb question but I want my husband to take some cedar trees I have and make them into porch posts and interior posts in my new living area we just got thru adding on. He says its too much work to use them....idk what the process even is after cutting and skinning off the bark......his idea is to use 6x6 posts and wrap them in stone....idk I'd like the rustic Log look...what is the process to prepare your own trees for log posts or slab them for tables?
basically, let it dry in the sun for a few days, then put down a tarp, and stack it up neatly on a pallet or bricks or something, but out of the weather with 1/2" sticks in between. paint the ends with latex paint to slow the drying process so they won't crack.
As for peeling, it's not that hard- just need a MUT (multi-use-tool) from Harbor Freight:
Re: Log Cabins
oh - I forgot the "slabbing part":
https://www.bitchute.com/video/KEWQiECrzf0M/
A mill like this will now run you about $5k or more. But you can get this one on Amazon for $30 - clamps to a chainsaw: https://www.amazon.com/Chainsaw-Lumber- ... 0886HVRLH/, then you screw a 2x6 to the log and use it as a guide to make slabs. I've used one - works ok, but you need an extremely sharp chain.
https://www.bitchute.com/video/KEWQiECrzf0M/
A mill like this will now run you about $5k or more. But you can get this one on Amazon for $30 - clamps to a chainsaw: https://www.amazon.com/Chainsaw-Lumber- ... 0886HVRLH/, then you screw a 2x6 to the log and use it as a guide to make slabs. I've used one - works ok, but you need an extremely sharp chain.
Re: Log Cabins
We live in a log home in Wasilla. The greatest challenge for us is, by far, maintenance of the outside. It is two stories, and the ground is quite uneven surrounding our home. (We live in a heavily wooded area.) Washing, sanding, staining, chinking...it is a monumental task. Luckily, we only have to repeat the process every five years or so. Still...we are not spring chickens anymore...
The weather here is another issue that can be prohibitive. As the stain cannot get wet once applied (as well as just before we apply it), there is a VERY NARROW window of time we can stain where you hope and pray that it will not rain. Last summer we got lucky and were able to complete the task.
The weather here is another issue that can be prohibitive. As the stain cannot get wet once applied (as well as just before we apply it), there is a VERY NARROW window of time we can stain where you hope and pray that it will not rain. Last summer we got lucky and were able to complete the task.
Re: Log Cabins
Wow - that sounds like a lot of work! I'll have to stain mine every few years, but the style we went with - with its large roof overhangs (4' on the eaves and 8' on the gables), and natural chink, I expect the chinking will last practically forever. The large roof means the logs stay almost completely dry, as most of our rain comes straight down.AkalAish wrote: ↑October 2nd, 2022, 10:41 am We live in a log home in Wasilla. The greatest challenge for us is, by far, maintenance of the outside. It is two stories, and the ground is quite uneven surrounding our home. (We live in a heavily wooded area.) Washing, sanding, staining, chinking...it is a monumental task. Luckily, we only have to repeat the process every five years or so. Still...we are not spring chickens anymore...
The weather here is another issue that can be prohibitive. As the stain cannot get wet once applied (as well as just before we apply it), there is a VERY NARROW window of time we can stain where you hope and pray that it will not rain. Last summer we got lucky and were able to complete the task.
I also cleared out all the trees within 40 feet of the place, so we don't even get pine needles on the roof.
Re: Log Cabins
Take it for what it's worth, but we sat down and looked at our lack of funds to finish our cabin - we need to get our dog on heartworm treatment - he's positive - it's $1200 to cure it. He's a rescue, so he came to us with the problem, but we need to treat it during the winter when he's less physically active. Then there's the annual taxes we owe on our house, life insurance, cabin, car insurance, etc. Bottom line: we have no extra cash to spend on the cabin, and it's going to take about $8k to move in. But we want to get it done soon as we feel like "time is running short".
so, we're putting that $8k on the credit card. We'll pay it off after we move in. I added up what we'll save by moving there -
We drive 60 miles round trip to work on it every day. Living there, I'll be working from home, so we'll save a ton in gas money. Internet here costs $10 / mo, and there will be $100/mo (they have a "poor-people-need-internet" in this part of town, so we fall under it just by luck. But the school is one of the worst in the city, so that's the trade off. At the cabin, it's fiber, and it's owned by a co-op (the city + public), and it's $100 / mo. Maybe there's some discount there...). Also, I work from home, so no daily commute to the office. The only thing we'll need is groceries, once a week on a trip to town.
Also, I expect our monthly utilities to drop drastically - the current house has single pane windows, and pretty sure there is 0 insulation in the walls - built in the 1960's? When it's cold out - it's cold in. At the cabin - working on getting it fully sealed, it'll be insulated beyond what's required, and we can use wood heat from our never ending supply of logs from the woods behind the cabin.
the stuff we need to complete the cabin are things like
- Sewer/electrical trench (400' total)
- AC/heat unit (required by local code)
- plenum for AC unit ($650 for just the main air box was a quote I got - I just picked up the materials to make it myself for $198...)
- all the other AC connections
- 200' of electrical cable
- 200' sewer line
- faucets
- water heater
- meter base for the electrical
- counters (sorry - going to splurge here and get the $2k soapstone counters - spendy but worth it)
- insulation - $1500
- bunch of other miscellaneous things to tie everything up - like drywall/paint/etc.
Already have the hardwood floor and all the tile we need. Also have the kitchen cabinets.
I don't think inflation isn't going to quit (I'm thinking Democrats win in November - no really - and even if they don't - can anyone sanely argue that Republicans are going to drastically change anything? No. No you can't, therefore....). So I'm going to guess that spending money NOW to "trade" for "beneficial building supplies" and maxing out the credit card to do it is going to have a better payoff than waiting another 9 months to finish it slower and dealing with whatever inflation comes along between now and then. If worst comes to worst - I claim bankruptcy on the credit card.
so, we're putting that $8k on the credit card. We'll pay it off after we move in. I added up what we'll save by moving there -
We drive 60 miles round trip to work on it every day. Living there, I'll be working from home, so we'll save a ton in gas money. Internet here costs $10 / mo, and there will be $100/mo (they have a "poor-people-need-internet" in this part of town, so we fall under it just by luck. But the school is one of the worst in the city, so that's the trade off. At the cabin, it's fiber, and it's owned by a co-op (the city + public), and it's $100 / mo. Maybe there's some discount there...). Also, I work from home, so no daily commute to the office. The only thing we'll need is groceries, once a week on a trip to town.
Also, I expect our monthly utilities to drop drastically - the current house has single pane windows, and pretty sure there is 0 insulation in the walls - built in the 1960's? When it's cold out - it's cold in. At the cabin - working on getting it fully sealed, it'll be insulated beyond what's required, and we can use wood heat from our never ending supply of logs from the woods behind the cabin.
the stuff we need to complete the cabin are things like
- Sewer/electrical trench (400' total)
- AC/heat unit (required by local code)
- plenum for AC unit ($650 for just the main air box was a quote I got - I just picked up the materials to make it myself for $198...)
- all the other AC connections
- 200' of electrical cable
- 200' sewer line
- faucets
- water heater
- meter base for the electrical
- counters (sorry - going to splurge here and get the $2k soapstone counters - spendy but worth it)
- insulation - $1500
- bunch of other miscellaneous things to tie everything up - like drywall/paint/etc.
Already have the hardwood floor and all the tile we need. Also have the kitchen cabinets.
I don't think inflation isn't going to quit (I'm thinking Democrats win in November - no really - and even if they don't - can anyone sanely argue that Republicans are going to drastically change anything? No. No you can't, therefore....). So I'm going to guess that spending money NOW to "trade" for "beneficial building supplies" and maxing out the credit card to do it is going to have a better payoff than waiting another 9 months to finish it slower and dealing with whatever inflation comes along between now and then. If worst comes to worst - I claim bankruptcy on the credit card.
Re: Log Cabins
LHBA (Log Home Builders Association) buddy from NM had an extra disconnect switch ($400 for a 200 Amp switch) kicking around his yard at work (commercial electrician), so he sent it to me for the cost of shipping. In trade, I'm making him one of my Alpaca knit hats: https://www.etsy.com/listing/944585002/ ... ble-beanie , because that's what he wants. I ordered the wool (50% alpaca / 50% highland wool) this morning. I came up with a method to make a knit hat that is almost windproof, which is nice if you work outside like these electrical linemen do.
Anyway, THAT's what I like about LHBA: folks helping each other out. y'all wondering how I'm able to do everything from stacking logs to insulation to plumbing to electrical - it's because LHBA has a lot of awesome folks in it.
Anyway, THAT's what I like about LHBA: folks helping each other out. y'all wondering how I'm able to do everything from stacking logs to insulation to plumbing to electrical - it's because LHBA has a lot of awesome folks in it.
Re: Log Cabins
we've given up 6 years of nights and weekends and $60k. Don't mind the price so much, but getting a bit tired of the nights and weekends - I'd like to just move in...
Plumbing inspector just called a few minutes ago and said, "you're good to go!". Now I can bury the line. But I'm going to wait until I have a power line in the other ditch before I call the trencher guy back.....Anyway, "flushing toilets, here we come!"
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FoundMyEden
- captain of 1,000
- Posts: 1196
Re: Log Cabins
And I would suspect another 200-300k in personal labor for something that would cost you 3x’s that to have someone else build. My hubs is finishing an additional 1800 sq ft and it’s taken him, on the weekends, a couple of years to complete…but the profit doubled what we put into it. If inflation wasn’t such a pain in the arse we probably would have come out better. But it is what it is. All-in-all, it’s not easy but it’s worth it. Great job.
Re: Log Cabins
https://mudbox.freedombox.rocks/ikiwiki ... m_chinked/
detail of chinking around the window - I really like how this is turning out. I smooth it over with a kitchen spoon in these areas:
detail of chinking around the window - I really like how this is turning out. I smooth it over with a kitchen spoon in these areas:
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Silver Pie
- Level 34 Illuminated
- Posts: 6618
- Location: Terra Firma or head in the clouds; not sure which
