;DStarted preassembling the framing so I don't have too do it all next spring at the cabin site.                   Hand hewing the beams isn't too bad. I have my 11 year old son go get 2 logs and by the time he gets back I have Draw knifed 2 logs and put an edge on the inside flats too make it look tongue and groove. We did 12 logs in a couple of hours. WOULDN"T WANT TO DO IT FOR A LIVING

Holy cow... this is going to be fun to watch.  Looks great so far!

The biggest difference from log construction and framing is planning, planning, and more planning. You don't get a second chance to run wires and the like with recepticles and switches.  Although chink logs are a little more forgiving.  Take your time to figure these out and it will cause you less headache's.   It will be interesting to see how you progress.  If I can help in any way ( non labor mind you) just ask.

I have tried doing the planning -planning - planning. Now it's time to do it.   I have sketched out the log diagram - wiring and the window lay out. Even figured out the rough lengths of the logs in   between the windows and doors. Oh probably forgot something. Plumbing I will do last and I will hang it all on the wall over head so I can drain it .

The several log cabin build reports I have followed built solid walls and cut out the windows and doors after the walls were done.

Just saying!!?

Very rarely have I passed a log through an opening, normally I have the window and door bucks in place as I build the walls and align the inside of D logs to their frames, cutting the logs to fit as the wall is built. The bucks are braced square and plumb to the floor, we also run plumb story poles in the corners.

Gonna frame up window openings and butt up to them with logs. seems to me the easiest. cement blocks for piers 2'x2' and 2'x4' stacked on top of each other. it's the cheapest and gives me more beam support. less time too. Peeled 11-12 logs and they where frozen and they peeled real easy I thought. About 5-7 minutes a piece. Also going septic. Bought 2 1000 gallon  poly septic tanks for 200 bucks.  Just my luck they changed the law this year from 1000 gallon holding tank too 1250. Oh well won't have to pump it in my life time I guess. Was thinking about insulating floor but from what i read since it is just a deer camp the floor probably will never warm up any way so why waste money on it. If I have time and money later I might just insulate it!!!!!! I have half the main floor framing all cut and pinned together.  Can't do any work on the land because the hill going up to it is steep and it snowed. No way of getting escavator up in now. Plus the local gravel pit is closed for the season. Spent all week sawing up logs - 1 more day and I think i will be done for this bunch . i might have to have a little bit more done in the spring.  post pictures soon of flooring.

Nice project!  I did something vaguely similar, but my logs came from white pines about 5 miles from my property.  More info here... http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=8030.0



My windows and doors were framed by 8"x8" posts connected to my logs with 3"x3/4" plywood splines. 

Glad my days of peeling bark are done, but it wasn't a major part of the time spent on the project. 

Keep those posts coming!

I looked at your post . It looks great. I like how you took the time to mortise and tenon . I also love the big covered deck on the back. What did you treat the pine with??? do you have termites in your area? My camp is in the Northeast so no termites up here. Just black ants ,porcupine and mice. Thats part of the reason We are building with logs- no insulation for mice. Should last my life time and my kids too.  How do you like the composting toilet???

Quote from: Remington760-308 on December 11, 2012, 06:57:11 AM
I looked at your post . It looks great. I like how you took the time to mortise and tenon . I also love the big covered deck on the back. What did you treat the pine with??? do you have termites in your area? My camp is in the Northeast so no termites up here. Just black ants ,porcupine and mice. That's part of the reason We are building with logs- no insulation for mice. Should last my life time and my kids too.  How do you like the composting toilet???

Thanks for the comments.  Not many log builders here.

The pine was treated with borax (Timbor) and then Defy Epoxy Fortified wood finish, both from the Log Home Store in Oregon http://www.loghomestore.com/index.php

Right now I'm not too pleased with how the Defy exterior finish is holding up.  Needs to be redone next year.  Like others have said, paint or opaque stain might be a better way to go.

Foundation wood is all pressure-treated.  We have both termites and carpenter ants, but our first attacks were by carpenter bees (Xylocopidae).  Carpenter bees bore into untreated wood and hollow out chambers to lay eggs in.  Not fast damage, but not critters you want living in your walls either.  At least my forest entomology training paid off...   Paint and wire screening solved our problem, and they are only active and a problem in the spring.  Also had a few invasions by tiny black ants that wanted to nest somewhere near the top of one of our walls.  Used ant spray over a period of 6 weeks or so to finally discourage them.  They were quite persistent.   Our logs were attacked by ambrosia beetles while drying, and we had the normal assortment of both flat-head and round-headed beetles laying eggs under the bark before we peeled all the logs.  The beetles caused some minor damage in some logs, but only had a few emerge out of the logs once the walls were finished.  Somewhere in the pictures you can see carpenter ant damage caused by them nesting in our logs that were stacked for drying.  I know from experience that you want to keep the carpenter ants from building their home in your walls as they can be very difficult to exterminate.  As it was we just got a small bit of surface sculpturing from the ants before I un-stacked the logs and killed the ants.  Here is a picture of the damage they did to one of my 8"x8" posts. 



A septic system would have required a well, and the cost for each would have been $20,000-$25,000 so the composting toilet for $1200 was a much better deal.  It works OK unless we have 15 people over for a weekend.  We had a family weekend that overloaded the system once, had problems with flys once (use diatamaceous earth to cure) but otherwise it has worked well.  We have power at the cabin so it can use a heater in the winter months to keep things composting year round.

Here is a picture of it - 2-3 rows high. Peeled 8-10 logs and stacked them. I am prefitting it on my lawn . Then I am going to take it apart and trailer it to the place where it will last me and my kids a lifetime - I HOPE> The deck is in 4 pieces.

Here is the last log. tried down loading a longer video but it would upload properly oh well

Haven't posted in awhile...... won't do much until spring rolls around... tried but everything is covered in ice even though i covered it with plastic  ...... i have built window frames ---- all 9 of them  -- also built a couple of jigs to router electrical boxes and for the window framing ---- bought a 2.25 hp router with 1/2" collet so i can run a large 3/4" x 1 1/2" bit for electrical wires in the logs.... and tongue and groove router bit for my flooring......   1 question open for comments   I was thinking a burn't red roof anybody done this and are you stilll happy with your decision   if so any pictures would like to see a couple.... was thinking brown or green but everybody has that.... I just think it woould look nice with red  with red trim..... GIVE ME YOUR OPINION   THANKS

sorry but no pics but I think of all the cabins I have seen nestled away - that red metal is the cats meow on them !!!
A good friend is starting their place (log) up on MN - Canadian border and besides logs getting peeled the only other thing decided on his that nice deep red metal hat!

Driving over the holidays, I noticed an abrupt transition at the Western North Carolina/Eastern Tennessee border, from green to red roofs - almost like the color was state regulated.     Gotta say those red roofs are nice looking - it would be my choice.

 ::)Very cold -22 degrees... haven't worked on peeling logs for awhile.....Spring is coming...... Getting excited.... Just sent in building permit.Driveway permit is already done... next big step is for septic design.... friend is going to design one for me since that is what he does for  a living.... Built frames for windows with slip joints in the garage last week... now i have to build door frame-s.....  Backdoor or No backdoor???

Quote from: Remington760-308 on January 25, 2013, 03:52:54 PM
::)Very cold -22 degrees... haven't worked on peeling logs for awhile.....Spring is coming...... Getting excited.... Just sent in building permit.Driveway permit is already done... next big step is for septic design.... friend is going to design one for me since that is what he does for  a living.... Built frames for windows with slip joints in the garage last week... now i have to build door frame-s.....  Backdoor or No backdoor???

Egress is important. I would never build a house with only one entry point.  Not sure what your design is but if it opens to a mud room or a room other than a living room it would be a good place to take your boots off. And if the wife gets after you , you have " an avenue of escape". 

Cool project Remington.  You're about 65 due west of my AO.

You're getting some work done with your tractor!  I'm doing my research on utility tractors and am thinking one like yours maybe a bit bigger will be good for me and my homestead.

I bought this tractor from my dad. He bought it to help with building his house. He then sold it to me to buy a bigger one (4310) with just bucket loader no hoe. My tractor has 33 hp and backhoe. His is 31hp and very slow..He wishes he kept this one... I love it  It is just the right size for me  .. I dont think I could live without it anymore. I have done a lot of clearing and digging and brush hogging with it the past few years. I have owned it for 9 years with just routine maintenance and a set of front tire.. I know it is going to come in handi up to camp the first few years. clearing brush for food plots- digging for piers- raising logs on camp etc.   I hauled out all my trees for my log cabin with it. I made some 1 1/2x3" x 32"long forks for it. They have come in handy moving 12-19' logs around.... saves my back   I wouldn't go any smaller because I can run most attachments on it...5' brush hog-5'rototiller-backhoe-6'york rake '         


I see that most log cabin kits only have a front door of this size. I am planning on building a log cabin generator/wood shed attached out the back so I dont have to go all the way around to start generator or get wood for stove in the mornings...

Cut ridge pole support post the other day. -8 in the morning today - but by 12:30 it was in the teens. 20' long as straight as I could find.. I draw knifed it.... One side was very easy but the other must have been still frozen...

Makes my back start hurthing again just watching you. Ah but youth has no pain.    No lifting is required.   Not saying it is better but I found that sitting on the log moving from one end to the other worked better for me.  Secret is to always keep bark under your bottom.  Peel from one end to the other as far as you can get around the circumference . Roll the log to expose more bark and do it again. 

I tried sitting on the log but i couldn't peel very good- was too bent over..... I  peeled half the log in sections then flipped it to get the other half..How old do you think I am??    good thing I have only the one log to peel the whole thing. I have peeled about 45-50 of my d-logs. I am having Martin's Sawmill come back and cut 1 more bunch(25) logs for a few more good long d-logs and some floor planks.. I started my outhouse. NO PIC YET> The deck is 8' x 8' and 2'6" of it on one end is a deck . I boought some cull PT limber from lowes for $45 and it was enough for my floor framing.......The actual cost was over $125.00 I am going to put a vinyl floor down and build my walls on top of it. Slope roof to the back and collect the rain water to flush toilet....  EVERY CAMP HAS GOT TO HAVE AN OUTHOUSE!!!!!!!

Worked on outhouse framing today...can't seem to find any material that isn't covered in ICE ....... floor done - walls framed -- door way framed    now to wait until thing start thawing again to find 1 by material to board and batten walls

Info on water pressure and supply. I am looking at putting a gravity fed water line in and it will drop from a spring to camp about 40-50 feet..
What psi should I expect?  Also any benefit to start with 1" then go to 3/4" any more pressure .... or just go 1" all the way.. I am trying to get enough to supply a hot water on demand water heater - there is going to be 2 sinks a shower and a toilet in camp... and maybe an outside faucet for rinsing deer...

.43 psi per foot of height. ( 10 foot head = 4.3 psi, 100 foot head = 43 psi

pressure is one thing - flow is another- the larger the tube the higher the flow for the system

I usually leave my deer dirty, we tried to keep them clean every time we try and wash one they run off and roll in the muck

Static pressure is easy to calculate, as UK4x4 just showed you.  However, that is not the pressure you will get when you start using the water.

Not only is your situation almost exactly like what I am envisioning at my property (water from an uphill spring), but this is actually up my day-job alley.  I've mentioned elsewhere I am not a structural engineer, so I've got a lot to learn in that area as I plan my cabin, but as a chemical engineer by training, well it's been said we are just underpaid plumbers. 

The static pressure that UK4x4 is what will be measured when there is no flow.  But as soon as there is flow, there is a pressure drop that results from the friction between the water and the pipe.  This pressure drop would negate some of that static head. 

To figure out the pressure drop, you have to estimate what your desired flow rate would be.  Here is a good reference as to what you would expect in an ideal situation.  Let's use 2.2 gal/min.

The first thing you need to do is calculate the Reynolds number, which is (D)(V)(ρ)/(µ) where D is the pipe diameter, V is the linear flow rate, rho is the density of water, and mu is the viscosity.

For a 1-inch pipe at 2.2 gal/min, V is (2.2 gal/min)*(1 ft³/7.48 gal)*(1/( π*1/24*1/24)ft²)=53.9 ft/min

For water, density is about 62.4 lb_m/ft³ and viscosity is about 2E-05 lb_f-sec/ft²

So your Reynolds number would be

{(1/12 ft)*(53.9 ft/min)*(1 min/60 sec)*(62.4 lb_m/ft³)}/{(2E-05 lb_f-sec/ft²)*(32.17 lb_m-ft/sec²-lb_f)}

Where 32.17 lb_m-ft/sec²-lb_f is the conversion between pounds of force and pounds of mass.

So the Reynolds number is 7,260, which means you have turbulent flow.

Then you use this graph to calculate the friction factor for that Reynolds number (this is for the Darcy friction factor; there is also the fanning friction factor which is 1/4 the Darcy friction factor, just to be confusing).  Assuming a pipe roughness of (relative to diameter) of about 0.0005 (that's the ratio of the size of the friction-causing bumps to the overall pipe diameter), it looks like the friction factor would be about 0.033.  At such a low Reynolds number, the roughness is not much of a factor.

Then according to the Darcy–Weisbach equation:



We calculate the pressure drop (head loss)

ΔP/L = {(0.033)*(62.4 lb_m/ft²)*(53.9 ft/min)^2}/{2*(1/12 ft)*(32.17 lb_m-ft/sec²-lb_f)*(60 sec/min)^2}

= 0.31 lb_f/ft³   or 0.00215 psi/ft

You say you have about 50 feet drop to camp.  I am assuming that is vertical.  If your slope is 20%, that means you have a 250 run of pipe.  So your pressure drop over that run would be 0.54 psi.  That is compared to your static head of 21.5 psi with no flow, so you lose about 3% of the pressure.

You can see the Darcy-Weisbach equation indicates pressure drop increases with the square of the flow rate, so pressure drops will increase rapidly with faster flow rates (although remember, the Reynolds number and hence friction factor also changes, so you can't say it is just proportional to the square of the water usage - higher flow means more turbulence means lower friction factor).

Increasing the pipe diameter helps reduce the pressure drop, but you see if only varies with 1/D, i.e. inversely proportional (and the Reynolds number increases as well).

The civil/structural engineers have a bumper sticker that says "Engineers know the right moment".  Well, I don't know hardly anything about moments, but I do know my Reynolds numbers!