14 x 24 Olympic Peninsula

Redoverfarm · December 18, 2008, 05:47:27 PM

CF do you have any insulation in the rafters yet? That will make a world of difference in holding the heat. More so than the walls.

glenn kangiser · December 19, 2008, 01:18:07 AM

Quote from: considerations on December 18, 2008, 09:23:08 AM
well, I've been accumulating pics, but during this cold snap my wireless internet transmitter froze/flaked out/died/something. Anyway I've been reduced to dial-up until some technogeek gathers the cajones to drive out here on the cleared and sanded highways and deal with the electronics wad at the top of the tower.

I have the cajones, considerations - it's just that long drive from here to there....

December 20, 2008, 01:44:15 AM

"this snow will go away one day , looks like next Wed. or Thursday"

PEG are you under the blizzard warning for Saturday night as well?

Sounds like a doozy.

PEG688 · December 20, 2008, 02:15:24 AM

They say Whidbey will miss out on the BIG fun , 15 Deg,F here right now

, 1 to 3" of new snow Sat night.

Sunday snow showers .

The big fun's suppose to be out your way and down south and east of Seattle , 50 to 70 MPH wind sustained,,,,,,,, with gusts to 80 MPH with snow .

Gonna be a rough weekend in the PNW.

Good luck.

considerations · December 20, 2008, 10:23:46 PM

"I have the cajones, considerations - it's just that long drive from here to there."

No doubt in my peapickin mind.

Got the internet connection fixed, after a knockdown drag-out with the ISP owner. He decided to use steamroller tactics...he didn't think I would know how to respond to that.....woose.

Anyway. It's 7PM, been snowing since 3PM, it's calm, I'm not going to say the W--- word, don't want to invoke anything. It's supposed to be a blizzard, I suppose the folks in places that always get real winters are laughing at me. But, I checked out the gen - it works, the jerry cans are full, the water is thawed and holding, the furnace is fixed, and oh yeah, did I mention?....the wireless internet is working.

December 20, 2008, 10:49:56 PM

Cold but progressing:

Slowly

Jens · December 21, 2008, 12:08:14 AM

Is it really 2005 out there (date on the photos)!? Looking pretty good...cold, but good. I don't miss 3 hours of shoveling just to be able to go to work!

glenn kangiser · December 21, 2008, 12:38:16 AM

Looks great, young lady.

considerations · December 21, 2008, 01:17:21 AM

"Is it really 2005 out there?" Yeah, back to the future.

No, it's just so cold that the darn camera batteries croak need to be swapped out of the charger. Every time I do that, I'm supposed to reset the date, I forget. Yes the camera displays some little annoying message about it but I don't wear glasses outside because they just fog up from the cold, so I often don't notice the display.

Trust me, there wasn't anything out there in 2005 but scrub alder and scotch broom.

"I don't miss 3 hours of shoveling just to be able to go to work!"

I don't think I'd like that either. I just work from home.

January 02, 2009, 10:04:51 AM

I'm going to have to start accumulating a list of wattage demands for electrical things I install in the little house. Right now I have no idea what sort of load I'm going to be creating. I want more panels, but am torn between that and chasing more info on wind power to diversify the power sources. There is a helix turbine now that runs in light airs, and looks like a good idea for the highly variable conditions here. Plus we have more wind in the winter than in the summer, when the panels pretty much do the job.

Oh yeah, I have to put 2 risers in the stair landing, erg. My tongue got a cramp figuring out the angles....now I'm chipping away getting the inside corner to go gracefully around the tree trunk I decided to use for the inside corner. Yagh I'm slow in the cold! Pics soon, when I have something to show for the effort.

considerations · January 15, 2009, 08:32:00 AM

I brought in some help to make the corner....the second carpenter can never find a 90 degree angle.

However, progress is being made

(I don't think is such a thing as a 90 degree angle when one decides to use tree trunks)

Redoverfarm · January 15, 2009, 08:34:47 AM

considerations try using old logs and also tree trunks. You get as close as you can and let the rest disappear in time.

considerations · January 15, 2009, 09:06:26 AM

Those are tree trunks, really. I've been "helping" the neighbor clear some of his blowdown from the cedar grove. Poor guys didn't even know they were dead, they still had branches and new growth on them.....thank you Daddy for leaving me a drawknife.

Where I get confused is the "marriage" between the square lumber and the "round" posts. The porch was pretty easy, no corners. Finally when I figured out I need two risers in the stair landing, and that meant some whacky angles... I capitulated and asked for help.

Getting the stairs in gets the stove placed....gets a fire in the stove, gets me in the loft, at least at night.

At the rate I was going, by the time the stove is hooked up, I wouldn't need it cause summer will be back. Too much thinking, not enough hammering.

I always rankle at not doing it myself, but forward progress is the mantra, not stubborn stalling. At least I have resources (people) that I can trust.

ScottA · January 15, 2009, 09:14:54 AM

That's going to look nice.

January 15, 2009, 09:34:33 AM

I wasn't doubting you. I used 10-14" locust for the short log wall supports. Out of 5 there were three that were the but or stump end. It looks really neat when it spreads out over the floor at the bottom. The biggest challange I had was lifting and holding them in place while I squared the bottom to be level and then getting them back up again by myself. Just guessing they probably weighed 200+ pounds apiece. Then there was the porch post which were the same with the exception of notching out for the ledger to support the roof rafters. I still have one major job left with logs and that is the stairs which I hope to use the exterior halves of a log to make the stair stringers and steps. I don't look forward to that.

I always kept the chain saw, chisels, adze and anything else available to make the notches easier. Lag bolts and wooden plugs are the easiest to work with. But I fouond that predrilling was neccessity working with the locust.

Although you can't see alot in this picture this is one of the butt end log post.

CF as long as you are making progress that's what counts. Starting to see daylight at the end of the tunnel.

considerations · January 16, 2009, 02:28:20 PM

"Out of 5 there were three that were the but or stump end. It looks really neat when it spreads out over the floor at the bottom. "

Yes they do! I'd like to see closer up pics of those, if you get the time.

"The biggest challange I had was lifting and holding them in place while I squared the bottom to be level and then getting them back up again by myself. Just guessing they probably weighed 200+ pounds apiece."

I'll say, it took both of us. We had to lift them through the front window because they were too long to get through the door.

2 of them were 17' long and notched at the top to "meld" with the ridge beam. The cabin is only 14' wide and 24' long and 7'6" to the bottom of the ceiling joists , which are only 22.5" apart.

Threading (horsing/joist bending/cursing/grunting) the "poles" from horizontal on the first floor between the ceiling joists to upright and "visually vertical) from first floor to ridge beam was, well alternately exciting and challenging.

Anyway, since I didn't really plan for the weight of those two really long ones, I'm going to get two more concrete pads and piers and put a 6 x 6 post under the first floor to support each one. The base of each post is lag bolted through the floor, so I know where the braces go.

Plus, I don't care what they look like when in the woods, no tree is straight. There's always a bow or bend or even an "s" somewhere to some degree. So it was a real accomplishment and even the guy I hired couldn't do it by himself. I say the "guy"....he's actually a not very close neighbor and he and his "gal" are becoming good friends. Certainly a handy person to know.

The stairs and wood stove is pretty much the "architectural centerpiece" of the whole cabin. There is no room for any others.

So I'm glad we did it.

Sassy · January 16, 2009, 03:15:01 PM

Considerations, those logs will really give your place the custom touch

I especially like how you've incorporated them into the stairway.

Ask Glenn about straight logs

I can't even count how many logs we have in our place!

glenn kangiser · January 16, 2009, 11:03:51 PM

That's cool considerations. You got it - trees don't grow straight in the woods. Straight enough to work is good.

Redoverfarm · January 24, 2009, 08:18:11 AM

considerations I posted a couple pictures of the log support post in the Dogtrot post since you wanted to see them. I only got one on the camera before the battery died. The other is basicly the same.

Beavers · January 28, 2009, 08:00:30 PM

considerations,

I have been following your post closely, I'll be breaking ground on my 14x24 as soon as the ground thaws.

Your place looks great!

I'm also considering using 2x6 T&G for my flooring. The T&G would cost more upfront but, I would be able to have a finished floor for only $1.55 a sq. ft. if you included the cost of a 3/4" T&G plywood subfloor.

Have you been happy with your floor so far?
Has it been gouged up much during construction or gotten any water damage?
Would you use it again?

Thanks,
Beavers

January 31, 2009, 11:28:11 AM

Hey Considerations...your place is coming along GREAT! I've been reading your thread and it's so interesting. The logs look wonderful~
The days are starting to get longer!!!

considerations · February 01, 2009, 04:00:59 PM

"I'm also considering using 2x6 T&G for my flooring. The T&G would cost more upfront but, I would be able to have a finished floor for only $1.55 a sq. ft. if you included the cost of a 3/4" T&G plywood subfloor. "

I seem to remember spending $750 for enough 2x6 T&G do do the 14 x 24 floor....and I had 3 16' pieces left over... no subfloor, just insulation and a critter barrier underneath.

"Have you been happy with your floor so far?"

Yes

"Has it been gouged up much during construction or gotten any water damage?"

No water damage thanks to the dire warnings about how and why to protect it from the members of this forum.

Gouging? well, nothing horrendous. I'm banking on sanding it and then applying the same sort of stuff that hardens up gym floors. During the construction, I keep sweeping up the woodchips and picking up the errant nails to help preserve the surface. Plus I have 3 rugs for foot wiping that you have to step on before going inside, and I use them. I keep a tarp laying outside that collects a 4" deep puddle of rainwater to rinse boots on before wiping them on the rugs. Crude but effective and no one argues about doing it, mostly its just me.

I'll be using "coasters" on any furniture feet and area rugs that will stand up to being hung outside and cleaned with a pressure washer.

If it goes to the dogs, I'll consider a different type of finish, but I saw softwood floors over 200 years old in Virginia that had held up just fine.

"Would you use it again?"

Yes. I've pulled carpets out of old places and I don't want to live with what gets stuck down in the weave of wall to walls. I'm also suspicious of the damp that wafts up out of the ground around here. Even with moisture barriers on the ground, floors made with particle type sheets seem to blow out faster than plain old wood. I'll let you know in 25 years how it turned out.

considerations · February 02, 2009, 08:16:31 PM

I'm building a wood box - don't fret, I just sort of stacked the pieces into place so I could see what it might look like really vs the picture in my head.

The top will be covered with that cement board and then tiled.

Anyway, now I'm thinking that it should have some kind of surface finish inside the box.

Working hard to be frugal, I have a can of Verathane Spar Urethane. Its water based, and supposed to be for outdoor use, but from sad experience I can say that it gets wierd and cloudy when outside in cold weather. So I'm thinking that it might be a good candidate for putting a couple coats on the wood box.

Does anybody think this would not work? Easy PEG,

I'm just trying to save money. That can change if it's a really bad idea.

MountainDon · February 02, 2009, 08:28:12 PM

I don't see any problem with using the finish.

If you are going to tile on that (w cement fiber backer board) you'll need to be certain that plywood has sufficient support to eliminate any sag from the weight of the stove. It looks like the stove goes on top; right?

considerations · February 02, 2009, 08:49:15 PM

"It looks like the stove goes on top; right?"

Yes

"If you are going to tile on that (w cement fiber backer board) you'll need to be sertain that plywood has sufficient support to eliminate any sag from the weight of the stove. "

It's 3/4" plywood and there are two vertical "walls" of the same in the interior, delineating storage for wood, kindling, and cast iron. Underneath the top will be some 2 x 4 "struts" to stiffen it in a few places. Then I'm going to reinforce the "critical" corners with 2 x 4's and lots of screws.

Basically, I plan to rivet it together (sorry PEG).

Please tell me if you have more ideas about how to stiffen the top. I'm making this up as I go along.