Log Cabins

[mudflap]

How I moved my logs:



and



I designed and welded the log arch out of 2"x2"x 3/16" tube steel. then used a chain hoist to lift the logs - this one probably weighs about 6,000 lbs and is about 50' long. put a military trailer underneath, and as they say in NZ, "bob's your uncle". There are 60 logs like this in my cabin.

Rafters are much smaller - only have to be about 14" at the top, and only 30' long- probably weigh 3,000 lbs- I welded together a landrover axle and a 12" I-beam my steel supplier gave me for free and it worked much better:

[Silver Pie]

Holy crap, that's a lotta weight!

[mudflap]

New blog post: installing subfloor.

https://loghomejourney.wordpress.com/20 ... -subfloor/

[justme]

New blog post: installing subfloor.

https://loghomejourney.wordpress.com/20 ... -subfloor/

I got excited when I saw the header "everyone loves math" but then disappointed at the next line.

Thanks for sharing in detail your journey.

[mudflap]

New blog post: installing subfloor.

https://loghomejourney.wordpress.com/20 ... -subfloor/

I got excited when I saw the header "everyone loves math" but then disappointed at the next line.

Thanks for sharing in detail your journey.

lol. yeah, I don't know why math scares so many people - it is one of the languages of God, if you ask me. So beautiful. I guess it is just taught wrong. (former HS math teacher here...) . Thanks, though!

[David13]

I haven't used one, but have seen or been hear people using a laser level. I have no idea on the price, nor the accuracy or ease of use, but I do know there are some people out there using them.

Didn't you look inito that at all?

It looks like you did fine without it, but ...
dc

[mudflap]

I haven't used one, but have seen or been hear people using a laser level. I have no idea on the price, nor the accuracy or ease of use, but I do know there are some people out there using them.

Didn't you look inito that at all?

It looks like you did find without it, but ...
dc

yes, my neighbor offered me his. unfortunately
- it was too dim to see the laser line on the walls 20' from the unit
- the leveling screws on it were broken, so I had to painfully level it using its tripod. it was awful.
- with it being too dim while spinning, I had my wife turn it by hand and I went around making marks every 2' or so

When I went to set the rim joists around the inner perimeter using the laser mark, I just felt something wasn't right - my joists weren't lining up right. That's when I got the 50' long water level to verify the laser level, and I found the laser line was off by 1/2" in some places. probably due to turning it by hand. I looked into getting my own self leveling laser level, but that water level is extremely accurate- I think it's within 1/16" over 40'! That's extremely sensitive in my book. I think even my $500 surveyor transit that I got for $50 is only accurate down to 1/4" over 40'. The problem with the water level is that without 2 people, it's time consuming to use. still, very simple device with great results. Wish I had used it on my rafters up on the roof.

[David13]

I haven't used one, but have seen or been hear people using a laser level. I have no idea on the price, nor the accuracy or ease of use, but I do know there are some people out there using them.

Didn't you look inito that at all?

It looks like you did find without it, but ...
dc

yes, my neighbor offered me his. unfortunately
- it was too dim to see the laser line on the walls 20' from the unit
- the leveling screws on it were broken, so I had to painfully level it using its tripod. it was awful.
- with it being too dim while spinning, I had my wife turn it by hand and I went around making marks every 2' or so

When I went to set the rim joists around the inner perimeter using the laser mark, I just felt something wasn't right - my joists weren't lining up right. That's when I got the 50' long water level to verify the laser level, and I found the laser line was off by 1/2" in some places. probably due to turning it by hand. I looked into getting my own self leveling laser level, but that water level is extremely accurate- I think it's within 1/16" over 40'! That's extremely sensitive in my book. I think even my $500 surveyor transit that I got for $50 is only accurate down to 1/4" over 40'. The problem with the water level is that without 2 people, it's time consuming to use. still, very simple device with great results. Wish I had used it on my rafters up on the roof.

It don't matter on the roof. You want it to be sloped up there.
dc

[mudflap]

from this:


to this:


4x16x8' door frames.

because regular door frames would look wimpy on my cabin.

[farmerchick]

Pretty awesome mudflap!!!! My husband and I have built several homes from the ground up by ourselves. We went the conventional route...here in Washington everything is really regulated and it's difficult to get started building your home cuz the county inspectors are kinda jerks...plus it's hard to finance because you don't have a builder.....so we did it out of pocket....the first house took three years to complete...…......my husband is a very diplomatic guy and somehow became friends with the guys at the building department and after the first house...all the others were a breeze......it's really amazing all the things you learn doing a house project...things you never even knew existed....lol..... I love your large framed boards for the door frame...…..I'm going to remodel a home soon and I'm going to use some logs in the interior to create a rustic elegant atmosphere. I'm planning it now....it's pretty cool to see your pics...….when you get this finished and you are moved in a debt free house...there is no better feeling...…..I highly recommend it.....

[mudflap]

finished the first door frame, and hung the door. just needs to be stained:

https://loghomejourney.wordpress.com/20 ... oor-frame/

[mudflap]

https://loghomejourney.wordpress.com/20 ... rior-door/

made 2 of these doors from plans I found online- they look nice. building them was not too hard.

[JohnnyL]

Hard to imagine that was 500 lbs. Heavy wood!

[mudflap]

Hard to imagine that was 500 lbs. Heavy wood!

It lightens up when it dries. I used an online wood calculator tonight to figure it out - looks like the dry weight is around 350 lbs.

and I've looked and can't find many videos where someone cuts a log into lumber and shows the whole process start to finish, so I made a time lapse video tonight:

took about 1.5 hours total. I'll dry these pieces, and then turn them into another door frame in a week or so.

[JohnnyL]

Hard to imagine that was 500 lbs. Heavy wood!

It lightens up when it dries. I used an online wood calculator tonight to figure it out - looks like the dry weight is around 350 lbs.

and I've looked and can't find many videos where someone cuts a log into lumber and shows the whole process start to finish, so I made a time lapse video tonight:

took about 1.5 hours total. I'll dry these pieces, and then turn them into another door frame in a week or so.

Own little sawmill, eh? Cool. Does it only cut horizontally?

[mudflap]

Hard to imagine that was 500 lbs. Heavy wood!

It lightens up when it dries. I used an online wood calculator tonight to figure it out - looks like the dry weight is around 350 lbs.

and I've looked and can't find many videos where someone cuts a log into lumber and shows the whole process start to finish, so I made a time lapse video tonight:

took about 1.5 hours total. I'll dry these pieces, and then turn them into another door frame in a week or so.

Own little sawmill, eh? Cool. Does it only cut horizontally?

yeah, only horizontally. I got it for less than half price of a new one - it had only been used once. guy selling it is a friend of mine, and needed to show cash in his bank account while buying a house. My wife is excited for me to use it on all kinds of things - wants me to make a coffee table, kitchen table, shelves, etc. It's neat what you can do with it, so I'm keeping it after the build. probably going to make a new track for it and have a side business doing custom cutting. folks pay hundreds for live edge slabs around here. I could probably pay for the mill with about 2 trees worth of lumber.

[mudflap]

Folks ("experts") losing their minds over my pic on a log cabin ideas group on FB:


actual comments:
- "Bad Idea , not allowing for shinkage of the logs over time. Need a slip joint there. Logs will shrink 6- 12 % Over time."
- "On these kinds of logs do you have to cut joints in the buckboards so as the house settles it doesn’t throw the doors out of alignment?"
- "That's not a good idea The house will settle."
- "I’ve lived in a butt and pass for 25 years. It will move depending on the moisture in logs."
- "Definitely, I have been building Log home's around the U.S. every Log Home settles to a point. The one I live in now ( which I built & designed 16 years ago ) settled probably a inch or so over 16 years. Nobody can tell but I can"
- "You need to cut a keyway for settling"
- "Nice work.... I've built sold 130 log homes. A suggestion, add two pins at each log, at each windor and door. This prevents the logs from twisting in or out and goofing your trim."

summary: "I know nothing about this building style, but allow me to share my expert opinion on this building style that I know nothing about. I must be right because I have x years experience in a completely unrelated building style. There can't be anything that's true outside of what I know, so you must be wrong. "

When you don't know... you don't know. Happens in the Church, too. We often limit the revelation we could receive because we have a "it can't be" attitude. I think having an open mind and a believing heart are the essence of "child-like faith". Some people just don't have it.

As far as settling/shrinking/keyways/gaps/etc., here's a comment from a Log Home Builders Association member about her house:



Why doesn't it settle? It's genius, really:

[Silver Pie]

I didn't know you could do that to prevent the problem they were talking about. Thanks for sharing that tip.

[mudflap]

I didn't know you could do that to prevent the problem they were talking about. Thanks for sharing that tip.

that secret is the difference between paying a "professional builder" $300 / sq ft to build you a swedish cope custom log home with screw jacks and space above your headers, and just doing it yourself for $20 sq ft. Knowledge is truly power.

[Silver Pie]

Knowledge is truly power.

I totally agree.

[mudflap]

door side door is in:

[mudflap]

front door installed:



thought this was a really cool photo, so I had to share.

[ori]

I’m really loving the idea of building a log cabin. It’s my pie-in-the-sky dream.

[ori]

front door installed:



thought this was a really cool photo, so I had to share.

Is this going to be a two-story house ?

[mudflap]

I’m really loving the idea of building a log cabin. It’s my pie-in-the-sky dream.

It was my dream for about 15 years before I started. wish I would've started 15 years ago. But the stars had to line up, I guess: my ex (who said: "you can't build a log cabin - you're not a builder...") hadn't left me, and I hadn't married a woman who would say, "Let's build it!" at that point. I'll bet my ex would kick herself if she knew....

front door installed:



thought this was a really cool photo, so I had to share.

Is this going to be a two-story house ?

yes. 9 foot-ish ceilings on both floors. Our kids are moving on with their lives, so it'll just be the 3 of us, we think. But we want a large place so grandkids and family will have a place to gather. This is based on the largest home the LHBA group has plans for - 40'x40'. They also sell 25'x25' plans and 30'x30' plans. If I would've built something smaller, I think I'd be done by now. much quicker to build smaller. less lumber, less concrete, less rebar, shorter logs, less roof; etc. just goes that much quicker.

I'm guessing this is the largest residence in N. Alabama built almost entirely by one person.