"Cabin for One" Article

Pritch · February 28, 2008, 01:05:36 AM

I ran across this article about building "A Cabin for One" and thought some here might enjoy it. The idea of building a small log cabin in a remote area has been a dream for my entire adult life. As much as I enjoy the innovation and ingenuity in many of the stick-built projects here, I'm still captivated by the beauty of a hand-hewn log cabin. It seems most of the websites I've found relating to log building concentrate on building huge log mansions, not simple cabins way off the grid.

I would have liked to see more detail, as well as some interior shots of how he utilized the space.

Maybe this could become a "log cabin resource" thread. Do you know of any other articles or resources that should be included?

-- Pritch

ED: fixed link to log cabin page - MD

MountainDon · February 28, 2008, 01:21:18 AM

Interesting cabin. And yep, it would be nice to see some interior. Some of those McLog McMansions have some beautiful work, but are rather "too much" .

February 28, 2008, 01:24:58 AM

Hey Pritch,
Have you thought about timber frame building? It is a building structure that was bought over from Europe
and can stand for hundreds of years. I like the concept of a great room with a massive fireplace done with
beams fastened with wooden pegs no screws or nails. My husband just went to a timber frame class in Paris
Tennessee with a class of eight students. They put up a 12x16 with a loft in one week.
Check out the website grandoakstimberframing.com. It is the thought of truly building something with your
bare hands and working with wood.

ED: made url link work - MD

Redoverfarm · February 28, 2008, 07:45:29 AM

I am not sure whether this should be in the land portion and may very well fit this subject matter. This appeared in the local paper yesterday. It is unusual as these do not surface that often. If anyone is interested in the old antique log cabins. Have no idea of the cost. Generally they will all fit on one trailer. If anyone has the bug as well.

FOR SALE – Antique log cabin,
circa 1825. Story and a half, 90%
chestnut. Photographed, numbered,
dismantled and stored inside. Includes
new locust sill logs and lumber for
floor system. Also includes second
cabin with enough good logs for a 16
ft. addition. (540) 474-5137 2/28/2c

Redoverfarm · February 28, 2008, 08:18:00 AM

Here is a site to start with. Although it is geared toward newer logs it is a good resource to start with.

http://www.loghomes.org/

February 29, 2008, 04:22:21 AM

Hey Karnf,

I can appreciate the beauty and strength of timberframing, but I've been bitten by the log bug!

Your mention of the class your husband took reminded me of a log building school looked into several years ago. I couldn't remember their name, but remembered the Finnish proverb "Oma Tupa, Oma Lupa" (One's own cabin, one's own freedom) so I found them on Google! http://www.schooloflogbuilding.com

The classes are kind of pricey, and the list of required tools won't be cheap either! I guess that would weed out those that aren't serious.

I also heard that the Mackie school had put all of their classed on DVD and was considering getting them for my business. (I run an online video rental business) but they were too expensive for the rental model. I may break down and get them for myself when I get closer to building.

-- Pritch

JimC · February 29, 2008, 09:58:23 AM

These folks have a how-to-build school.

http://loghomebuilders.org/

Seriously tempting.......

glenn kangiser · February 29, 2008, 11:26:17 AM

They are also probably the best in qualty and reasons for doing things their way. They strongly advise - no kit log homes, although I have seen some who were satisfied with theirs.

Pritch · February 29, 2008, 12:59:46 PM

Hi JimC,

Thanks for the link to loghomebuilders.org. (I added it to my favorites.)

Glen, when you said "they are one of the best. . . " were you referring to loghome builders, Mackie, or the Great Lakes school?

-- Pritch

February 29, 2008, 05:22:11 PM

http://loghomebuilders.org/

They are in their own opinion, one of the best but I have also read other opinions that state the same thing.

JimC · March 01, 2008, 02:07:23 PM

Quote from: glenn kangiser on February 29, 2008, 05:22:11 PM
http://loghomebuilders.org/

They are in their own opinion, one of the best but I have also read other opinions that state the same thing.

I wonder if anyone is building one of these in NW Florida or S. Alabama? It would be interesting to volunteer some labor.....

Pritch · March 01, 2008, 02:21:36 PM

JimC, I think the opportunity to help is only extended to their alumni, but I'm not sure.

After spending a little time on their website and in their forums, it is starting to get a kind of "cult" feeling to me.

Butt and Pass is THE ONLY suitable method, and ONLY THEY can teach you how to do it properly.

Log building has been around for hundreds of years, and most artisans consider Butt and Pass to be an low skill, inferior method. They pitch their two-day, $500 log building class as not only sufficient to teach beginners how to build their own log home, but to succeed as commercial log builders!

$500 would certainly be easier to scrape together than most of the other schools charge, and it would be easier to get away for a weekend than ten days, but I don't want to end up passing out flowers at the airport!

Okay, that was probably a bit too opinionated for a new guy.

-- Pritch

JimC · March 01, 2008, 02:36:30 PM

Quote from: Pritch on March 01, 2008, 02:21:36 PM
JimC, I think the opportunity to help is only extended to their alumni, but I'm not sure.

After spending a little time on their website and in their forums, it is starting to get a kind of "cult" feeling to me. Butt and Pass is THE ONLY suitable method, and ONLY THEY can teach you how to do it properly.

Log building has been around for hundreds of years, and most artisans consider Butt and Pass to be an low skill, inferior method. They pitch their two-day, $500 log building class as not only sufficient to teach beginners how to build their own log home, but to succeed as commercial log builders!

$500 would certainly be easier to scrape together than most of the other schools charge, and it would be easier to get away for a weekend than ten days, but I don't want to end up passing out flowers at the airport!

Okay, that was probably a bit too opinionated for a new guy.

-- Pritch

I think the cost is about $800. Even so, if it were closer, I think I would go for the education. But as far as only alumni being able to help an owner-builder -- what an individual owner-builder does is their own business.....

Willy · March 01, 2008, 02:36:49 PM

Quote from: Pritch on March 01, 2008, 02:21:36 PM
JimC, I think the opportunity to help is only extended to their alumni, but I'm not sure.

After spending a little time on their website and in their forums, it is starting to get a kind of "cult" feeling to me. Butt and Pass is THE ONLY suitable method, and ONLY THEY can teach you how to do it properly.

Log building has been around for hundreds of years, and most artisans consider Butt and Pass to be an low skill, inferior method. They pitch their two-day, $500 log building class as not only sufficient to teach beginners how to build their own log home, but to succeed as commercial log builders!

Okay, that was probably a bit too opinionated for a new guy.

-- Pritch

$500.00 will buy a lot of books to learn off of and a few tools too. Not sure 2 days will make someone able to be a comercial builder when most trades take at least 4 year to get a journeyman licence. Hands on training is the best but you still need some book/class learning along with it. I have 38+ years as a electrician and still learning even tho I had a Masters Licence. Mark

March 01, 2008, 05:42:29 PM

I am like Mark as far as the length of the course. This sounds like it would just be long enough to get you into trouble. Shoot just log selection and orientation would take 1 day in itself. IMO you are going to make a large investment and a times taking project that you should arm yourself with a little more knowledge than a 2 day course.

Willy · March 01, 2008, 06:13:27 PM

Quote from: Redoverfarm on March 01, 2008, 05:42:29 PM
I am like Mark as far as the length of the course. This sounds like it would just be long enough to get you into trouble. Shoot just log selection and orientation would take 1 day in itself. IMO you are going to make a large investment and a times taking project that you should arm yourself with a little more knowledge than a 2 day course.

I have over 2 days of just staring at my blue print on my little 12x24 cabin to see where I could mess up! I spent hours calculating the stairs so they would line up with the rafter on one roof line and a floor below and yet still have 16" centers and a landing all with out shims. I built the stairs at home and they will fit to the TEE in the building. Because I have so much down time due to winter I have figured out every step, drawn the complete building to scale to make sure it all fits. I have made lots of changes to a not so good set of plans I bought for $24.00. They realy were not much more than "ONE" simple detail drawing of a cross section, artist drawing and floor plan. I feel for anyone who never built or saw buildings being built. These plans were not from this site I bought them befor I saw this forum. Mark

Pritch · March 02, 2008, 01:20:19 PM

JimC - Of course you're right. If I remember correctly, the part of the bullitin board devoted to rounding up help is private. I guess you can join the forum without taking the class. I don't know how much log building goes on in Florida, but apparently there is quite a bit in Georgia, if you're up for a drive.

Redoverfarm and Willy - I don't think we're in dissagreement.

A weekend course would be most valuable if it were designed as just an introduction of the various aspects of log building, rather than "This is all you need." I have been reading about log building all of my adult life (Almost 30 years!

) and visited log cabins in several states, including some in the construction phase. The fact is, I'm a pretty visual learner. Things that are outside my realm of experience are hard to visualize simply by reading about them.

A weekend "seminar" might be nice to see a log scriber actually being used, for instance. I've seen pictures, but I don't totally get it yet. (Of course, in a "Butt and Pass ONLY" school, they won't be addressing scribers!) Like JimC said, I would love to volunteer to help somebody out during the construction phase.

I ran across a school in Montana (A lot closer than Minnesota!) which has classes that run six weeks. These may be designed more for people in the construction trade who want to become log builders. I read that the Allan Mackie school in British Columbia, has closed, but his lessons are available on DVD. Mackie's books are considered to be required reading by many.

I think the measure by which a small log structure should be measured is Dick Pronneke's cabin is Alaska. The video, Alone in the Wilderness and the book One Man's Wilderness describe how Pronneke (in his fifties) went into the Alaskan bush, built a cabin, and lived there well into his eighties. As I am not the handiest of men, I really appreciate the level of craftsmanship he applied. Obviously, he had a lifetime of skills to draw on!

-- Pritch

JimC · March 02, 2008, 06:11:07 PM

Quote from: Pritch on March 02, 2008, 01:20:19 PM

I read that the Allan Mackie school in British Columbia, has closed, but his lessons are available on DVD. Mackie's books are considered to be required reading by many.

-- Pritch

The Mackie books and videos really look good but I can't believe the prices being asked for the videos! I think I'll buy a few of his books and keep a sharp eye out for a second hand set of vids.....

Redoverfarm · March 02, 2008, 06:37:44 PM

Pritch There is a guy near Pigeon Forge TN that makes jigs for log cabins. His name is Miller. I will try to find out his full name and number. Not that he has any schools but is aware of who is building and where. Might be a good person to act as a liason for a builder that might find an extra pair of hands handy for a week or so on a project.

I got in touch with him as he makes guides for Dovetail, half dovetail, V notch, A notch and the like of log joints. They are the kind that are used with a guided chain saw. His product is pricey but seems like a decent person.

John

Pritch · March 04, 2008, 12:13:46 PM

Jigs? For dovetails?

March 04, 2008, 02:59:30 PM

Pritch Yes they make a dovetail jig. It is made of plywood that slips over the end of the log. There is a middle line guide as well as a centerline guide. Depending on which size logs you have would depend on which jig to use.Don't quote me on the sizes but I think they are close. Most common are 6-10" are most common size with 10-12" next and then larger for a 12-20/24". They are made so that when aligned it will make the cut using a chain saw with a nylon guide strip on the jig as well as the chainsaw(prevents cutting into the jig). Once set up you allow the saw to follow the pattern on the jig and the end results is a perfect dovetail or what ever jig you choose. I have enclosed a couple of sites and you can see exactly what it is suppose to look at. The first site is Mark Bowe's buisness just a few miles from the house. He is into it big time shipping cabins all over the east coast. He has three sets of jigs(2 per set for right and left hand cuts) for the different size logs. The cost on just one set is around $1,500.00 He also has some pretty elaborate cabins that he has done which are on his website http://www.antiquecabinsandbarns.com/default.aspx. One is Abe Lincolns homeplace I think. The other sites are just cabin for sale as a buisness. Don't look too long or you will get the bug as I did. Of course as in most of these buisnesses they are into the dismantle and erection. But Bowe actually takes beams and re-cuts them into house designs using his jigs.

The same jigs would work for round logs as well but their intent is for handhewed logs(rectangle), Round logs if used you would probably be assured that the joint would have to be chinked. Not real sure about that but if you check around someone in the buisness can tell you for sure.

http://www.antiquecabinsandbarns.com/beams_barnwood.aspx (Half dovetail)
http://www.vintagelog.com/clay.htm
http://www.vintagelog.com/mcdaniel.htm (closeup of dovetail joint)
http://www.vintagelog.com/lewisk.htm

John

Pritch · March 05, 2008, 12:04:58 PM

Thanks Redoverfarm. I'll spend some time snooping around there. Square log, dovetailed cabins are beautiful and really showcase the artisan's skill. My perception is that they tend to be more common east of the Mississippi than out west. (Probably because the east was "civilized" while the west was still "frontier".)

I've read accounts that people would look down at a round log cabin as evidence of poor axe skills, and perhaps questionable breeding.

Then again, I'm sure some trapper in the rockies or pioneers desperate to get a shelter up ahead of the approaching winter really cared!

I found another article of interest: http://www.cabin-plan.com/buildyourown.html

-- Pritch