Log Cabins

[mudflap]

When the log is too big to fit on your sawmill, use the chainsaw and split that sucker in half. I was able to get two 5" x 12" x 27.5' rafters out of this monster, lol.

[righteousrepublic]

How do you deal with wood rot/decay and termites?

[mahalanobis]

How do you deal with [...] termites?

Extra food storage.

[righteousrepublic]

How do you deal with [...] termites?

Extra food storage.

That's a lot of wasted money and worthless sustenance in an emergency.

[mudflap]

How do you deal with wood rot/decay and termites?

The kind of termites we have here can only survive if they have a continuous link from a food source (wood) to the ground. Code says minimum clearance to the ground should be 18". So I made my foundation 24" minimum.

I treated my logs with a borate / antifreeze mixture that prevents rot as long as you keep the logs dry, and along with large roof overhangs and a wrap around porch will also help with weather. The borate also protects against fungus, mold, and termites.

But not carpenter bees. But I found what to do about the bees recently: fill in the holes, place bee traps, and stain the logs. I've heard of you can disrupt them for one swarming season, they won't come back, as long as you keep up with the stain every decade or so. So that's what I'm doing right now, since swarming season starts in a few months.

I have a friend who is a pro builder who says the lifespan of this type of log home is about 450 years, compared to 75 years for a standard American framed home. There are log homes still in use in Europe that are 700 years old. One of the oldest log homes in the US is over 300 years old.

[mudflap]

this is amazing:

[David13]

this is amazing:
...

That's an old one. But yes, ridiculous amazing, but just crazy that they would try it. But that it works ... more so ...
dc

[Silver Pie]

How do you deal with [...] termites?

Extra food storage.

I totally read this as the termites being extra food storage. Pickle 'em, dry 'em, grind 'em to flour, etc.

[Silver Pie]

Mudflap, this thread has been an interesting read. It makes me want to try a log cabin.

[mudflap]

Mudflap, this thread has been an interesting read. It makes me want to try a log cabin.

Thank you!
it's a ton of work. work work work. But I am building the largest cabin the LHBA sells plans for. A smaller cabin (35x35) would be so much faster and easier. The class is online now- take it any time, from anywhere.

The method is stupid simple- we got ours to within 1" of being completely level on all 4 corners, and this is our first cabin. shows how good the method is.

[mudflap]

I'd love to get into this more, but I need a standard family suburban home first (been slaving away trying to get a down payment... That and I'm terrified of buying expensive real estate at the peak top of the market!). I need to be near large cities based on my profession - but after I finally get a "standard" home, I would love love love to buy some remote forested property and build my own timber frame cabin.

Funny thing is: I know literally nothing about it. I grew up in techy white-collar middle class suburbs. I don't know anything about construction or carpentry or cabins. Except for what I've seen in a few YouTube videos. But it speaks to me.

thinking about what you said trying to buy at the peak top of the market- you might have some relief soon-
https://www.zerohedge.com/health/what-d ... an-housing

Looks like old folks are dying or moving into managed care, and there's not enough newer young folks to buy the existing homes. In a supply-and-demand situation, which this is, the supply is far greater than the demand, so prices must necessarily drop. Bide your time- it won't be long, my friend . Even Utah finally dropped below replacement rate for the first time (of course, the Tribune is cheering about something they have no idea what it really means, but anyway): https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/20 ... fertility/

[mudflap]

BTW, here's my org's website:

https://www.lhba.com/

[mahalanobis]

I'd love to get into this more, but I need a standard family suburban home first (been slaving away trying to get a down payment... That and I'm terrified of buying expensive real estate at the peak top of the market!). I need to be near large cities based on my profession - but after I finally get a "standard" home, I would love love love to buy some remote forested property and build my own timber frame cabin.

Funny thing is: I know literally nothing about it. I grew up in techy white-collar middle class suburbs. I don't know anything about construction or carpentry or cabins. Except for what I've seen in a few YouTube videos. But it speaks to me.

thinking about what you said trying to buy at the peak top of the market- you might have some relief soon-
https://www.zerohedge.com/health/what-d ... an-housing

Looks like old folks are dying or moving into managed care, and there's not enough newer young folks to buy the existing homes. In a supply-and-demand situation, which this is, the supply is far greater than the demand, so prices must necessarily drop. Bide your time- it won't be long, my friend . Even Utah finally dropped below replacement rate for the first time (of course, the Tribune is cheering about something they have no idea what it really means, but anyway): https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/20 ... fertility/

I think there are a lot of millennials who secretly (or overtly) hope the market crashes for these reasons:

• to help remove Trump

• so they can finally buy a house

• many of them don't have retirement savings, so it's no skin off their back (or so they think)

• many of them have tech jobs that (they think) will never lay them off, so they think another great recession will be easy for them

I'm not like that at all. I don't want a crash of any type. I want to see everyone employed, producing services that are generally considered valuable to the rest of the market. If that means renting for eternity then so be it.

[ori]

I'd love to get into this more, but I need a standard family suburban home first (been slaving away trying to get a down payment... That and I'm terrified of buying expensive real estate at the peak top of the market!). I need to be near large cities based on my profession - but after I finally get a "standard" home, I would love love love to buy some remote forested property and build my own timber frame cabin.

Funny thing is: I know literally nothing about it. I grew up in techy white-collar middle class suburbs. I don't know anything about construction or carpentry or cabins. Except for what I've seen in a few YouTube videos. But it speaks to me.

thinking about what you said trying to buy at the peak top of the market- you might have some relief soon-
https://www.zerohedge.com/health/what-d ... an-housing

Looks like old folks are dying or moving into managed care, and there's not enough newer young folks to buy the existing homes. In a supply-and-demand situation, which this is, the supply is far greater than the demand, so prices must necessarily drop. Bide your time- it won't be long, my friend . Even Utah finally dropped below replacement rate for the first time (of course, the Tribune is cheering about something they have no idea what it really means, but anyway): https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/20 ... fertility/

I think there are a lot of millennials who secretly (or overtly) hope the market crashes for these reasons:

• to help remove Trump

• so they can finally buy a house

• many of them don't have retirement savings, so it's no skin off their back (or so they think)

• many of them have tech jobs that (they think) will never lay them off, so they think another great recession will be easy for them

I'm not like that at all. I don't want a crash of any type. I want to see everyone employed, producing services that are generally considered valuable to the rest of the market. If that means renting for eternity then so be it.

I’d like to see a healthy economy. This means one where interest rates are not artificially low.

[mudflap]

I think we passed the "healthy economy" and "no crash of any type" a few exits ago on the freeway of debt....But, according to the last few presidents, along with the current one, "we're making great progress. "

lol!

[mahalanobis]

I think we passed the "healthy economy" and "no crash of any type" a few exits ago on the freeway of debt....But, according to the last few presidents, along with the current one, "we're making great progress. "

lol!

We've decided to prioritize short-term gains because it helps reelection, and because the hearts aren't turned to the children. I see so so many seniors (even conservative ones) who get up-in-arms scout their social security. That's fair, but I don't see anyone ever defend the social security checks of their grandkids or great grandkids. I'll never see a penny of my SS payments.

[ori]

I think we passed the "healthy economy" and "no crash of any type" a few exits ago on the freeway of debt....But, according to the last few presidents, along with the current one, "we're making great progress. "

lol!

We've decided to prioritize short-term gains because it helps reelection, and because the hearts aren't turned to the children. I see so so many seniors (even conservative ones) who get up-in-arms scout their social security. That's fair, but I don't see anyone ever defend the social security checks of their grandkids or great grandkids. I'll never see a penny of my SS payments.

Social security, from its inception, was intended to fund the current senior citizens, not the next generation. It was never about the next generation.

[mahalanobis]

I think we passed the "healthy economy" and "no crash of any type" a few exits ago on the freeway of debt....But, according to the last few presidents, along with the current one, "we're making great progress. "

lol!

We've decided to prioritize short-term gains because it helps reelection, and because the hearts aren't turned to the children. I see so so many seniors (even conservative ones) who get up-in-arms scout their social security. That's fair, but I don't see anyone ever defend the social security checks of their grandkids or great grandkids. I'll never see a penny of my SS payments.

Social security, from its inception, was intended to fund the current senior citizens, not the next generation. It was never about the next generation.

Exactly. They purchased a bunch of votes.

By the time I retire, the demographics will have shifted so far that there will be 100 retirees per worker. So it will fail altogether OR they'll save it by doing 3 things:

• Jack up the retirement age

• bail it out with a wealth tax

• make the payouts a function of your net worth, so those who prepared responsibly for retirement will not qualify == less liability

No matter how you slice it, a bunch of people will get screwed. Millennials are stupid for not not seeing this and demanding reform sooner rather than later.

[ori]

this is amazing:

I think he's more lucky than anything.

[mudflap]

I think we passed the "healthy economy" and "no crash of any type" a few exits ago on the freeway of debt....But, according to the last few presidents, along with the current one, "we're making great progress. "

lol!

We've decided to prioritize short-term gains because it helps reelection, and because the hearts aren't turned to the children. I see so so many seniors (even conservative ones) who get up-in-arms scout their social security. That's fair, but I don't see anyone ever defend the social security checks of their grandkids or great grandkids. I'll never see a penny of my SS payments.

Social security, from its inception, was intended to fund the current senior citizens, not the next generation. It was never about the next generation.

Exactly. They purchased a bunch of votes.

By the time I retire, the demographics will have shifted so far that there will be 100 retirees per worker. So it will fail altogether OR they'll save it by doing 3 things:

• Jack up the retirement age

• bail it out with a wealth tax

• make the payouts a function of your net worth, so those who prepared responsibly for retirement will not qualify == less liability

No matter how you slice it, a bunch of people will get screwed. Millennials are stupid for not not seeing this and demanding reform sooner rather than later.

...those who get screwed will be those who put their faith in
a) the gov (including MSM)
b) money (as in greenbacks)

those who won't be (as) screwed:
a) those who are independent of all things (D&C 78:14: "...that the church may stand independent above all other creatures beneath the celestial world;") - people who have the skills to enable their own independence, along with wisdom, knowledge, faith, etc.
b) all things includes "owing someone money".

[righteousrepublic]

How do you deal with [...] termites?

Extra food storage.

I totally read this as the termites being extra food storage. Pickle 'em, dry 'em, grind 'em to flour, etc.

Chocolate covered Termites, yum, yum

[righteousrepublic]

Although his specialty is treehouses, Pete Nelson may be of help in designs and building of cabins. How would you like a cabin twenty feet above ground? Pete has been a host of TreeMasters on Animal Planet. Here is his website: https://www.nelsontreehouse.com/show

[mudflap]

Although his specialty is treehouses, Pete Nelson may be of help in designs and building of cabins. How would you like a cabin twenty feet above ground? Pete has been a host of TreeMasters on Animal Planet. Here is his website: https://www.nelsontreehouse.com/show

Wow! Those are impressive!

I do have probably 8 large oak trees on my property that are 70'+ tall. Be a nice place for a tree house someday.

[Silver Pie]

Although his specialty is treehouses, Pete Nelson may be of help in designs and building of cabins. How would you like a cabin twenty feet above ground? Pete has been a host of TreeMasters on Animal Planet. Here is his website: https://www.nelsontreehouse.com/show

I love those! I wish I could live in something like that - as long as the floor and walls are well insulated so that I'm not cold at night in the winter.

[mudflap]

here I am a few months ago, trimming the 'overdangles'.

*I did not consult OSHA before starting this project.