Here we go again......

[foxvalley]

More out of nessesity than anything else,I've decided to start another handcrafted log shell,to sell to someone looking for a cabin or small log home.
I always was a huge log home fan,and guessing that others feel the same way,so if you would like to follow my progress from start to finish,from cutting the trees down, to peeling, to picking out the floor plan,just let me know here, and I will take the time to post pics.
I should have the shell finished before I leave for ID in sept........clap,clap,clap,this is crazy! this is crazy! this is crazy!(Chevy Chase)

[ElkNut1]

Wow, quite the project! Where do you get the time? (grin)

ElkNut1

[foxvalley]

I'm just not going to sleep for 6 months.LOL
Because my new taxidermy studio is set up for some serious volume,twice as much as before,and I don't have twice the work,I am going to split my day,half on taxidermy and half on logwork.
I also just picked out the floor plan!

[dotman]

Heck yeah, now I know who to talk to someday when I start this type of project!

[>>>---WW---->]

I'll bet Magic will be watching this one closely. He did a similar project on another site. last year.

[foxvalley]

The floor plan I picked out is one that I really liked ,but was to small for us. It will be 26x36 3 bedroom, 2 bath,1,410 square feet total.There will be three gables,the north facing gable over the main part of the cabin,then 2 east,west facing gables over the two back bedrooms in the loft.There will be 8'overhangs over all three gables,and the two loft bedrooms will have their own walk out decks.

Attachments_2013_01_9.zip

(862.5 KiB) Downloaded 363 times

[foxvalley]

Heck yeah, now I know who to talk to someday when I start this type of project!

dotman, The "Log constuction Manual" by Robert Chambers,www.logbuilding.org, is a step by step method on how to build a handcrafted log home.This is how I learned,and is well worth the 30 or so bucks!

[foxvalley]

I'll bet Magic will be watching this one closely. He did a similar project on another site. last year.

Magic,I would love to see what you built. This is my "first one"

compressed cabin.jpg (37.25 KiB) Viewed 7452 times

And my last one

[pointysticks]

looks cool!! you own the land already?

i've been fascinated with log cabins..i like the old school stuff. hewing logs with axes..stuff like that. nothing cooler than a home built using a chainsaw!!

[foxvalley]

Hey pointy!

Yes, both cabins sit on our 265 acre farm. The little one was a practice run for the big house,which doubles as my taxidermy studio in the above ground basement. The little cabin is for sale, we hope to sell it to someone close by, and move it to their location.
Any word on your finder?

[foxvalley]

Well, I thought I better start this project before I chicken out,so I went and cut the first 2 trees, and hauled them to the log deck,no turning back now! Bucking the trees to 50',don't think I'll need any longer than that.Useing white pine for the walls, might use red for the post and purlin roof system.Cutting the first 2 trees went pretty smoothly,no canopy hangups,nothing broke, and nobody died.All I can ask for.Guessing I'll need about 60 trees.

handcrafted by houghton1.jpgcomp.jpg (57.93 KiB) Viewed 7413 times

handcrafted by houghton2.jpgcomp.jpg (54.69 KiB) Viewed 7413 times

[foxvalley]

Two more trees on the deck today. Little more interersting.As a tree falls thru a thick canopy,it bends the trees behind it,and breaks off branches as it goes thru,hurdleing them back at you,these branches are called "widowmakers" and for good reason.They tend to fly at you like a spear or arrow because the large branch has needles on the end that act as fletching thus sending it point first.One came down at me today,it wasn't close,but still spooky.

[dotman]

Any updates?

[foxvalley]

No, Dotman, It's been so cold the last 4 or 5 days (28 below wind chill) that I took a break on cutting trees,but it's going to warm up this weekend,like to get a dozen more trees on the deck before Mon.Thanks for asking.
I do have an indirect update, I have been working on the railings for the big house.I cut tamarack out of my swamp last winter,peeled it,then let it dry in the garage.This is about 3 weeks worth of work so far.A couple more sections on this deck,and it will be done. 3 more decks to go...

2013-01-24_10-05-43_210.jpgrailing.jpgcomp.jpg (23.92 KiB) Viewed 7349 times

[foxvalley]

Well, I was hoping for 12 trees this weekend,have to settle for 4. Had to cut firewood all day Sat. And Sun.well, the first tree decided it wanted to fall the "other way" and pinched the bar,had to take chainsaw off so It wouldn't get crushed as the tree came down. The second tree got hung up in the canopy,tried pulling it off the stump with a rope,which of coarse broke.Ended up cutting it the rest of the way thru,and it did indeed spin free and fall. The third tree, I cut the backcut to far,and as the tree fell,the but end,now cut all the way thru,chased me for a couple yards..... The fourth tree,well I forgot to buck it to length, and you should have heard my tractor snort as it tried to pull the whole thing out! I was pretty much done by then.I now have 8 trees on the deck,52 more to go.

[pointysticks]

Fox. I assume you know chainsaws. I have an Echo. Couldn't justify a Stihl for my occasional use. Mostly yard work for my older neighbors. My bar oiler seems to spew oil out the bottom. Not so much oozes out the hole in the bar onto the chain. I've cleaned the bar spotless too. Any ideas?

[foxvalley]

Yes, I hear you! My 026 leaks everywhere, and drove me crazy. Cheap fix,lay it on it's side with the bar on the ground. Mine stopped just like that.

[foxvalley]

Three more trees down today,but they were the ones having problems,not me!

comp123.jpg (60.51 KiB) Viewed 7318 times