Dogtrot at Hightop

glenn kangiser · December 30, 2007, 01:22:05 AM

...again.

Nice recycle job.

Redoverfarm · January 04, 2008, 08:29:26 PM

Weather has been so cold here that it is hard to stay out very long. I did manage to go on New Years Day to a friends log yard and pu 5 locust post 8-10 diam for the porch post. Then Yesterday I peeled what little bark was left with a draw knife and then plumbed up the bottoms. Only got 3 done yesterday as the temp didn't go past 15F. Feet and hands froze out. Today was a lillte better in the PM to 38F but this morning it was 6F. Had to get the wifes car worked on so that took up the better part of the day. Weekend and next week suppose to be near 50F so I will probably start the porch roof on Monday.

January 08, 2008, 08:41:27 PM

Been taking advantage of this great weather. Who would think that it would be close to 60F this time of the year. Work pretty steady the last two days with setting the locust post for the porch and setting the rafters. As the later photograph displays it has been close to dark before I got finished today. Actually I had forgotten about any photographs until late. Had to pick the tools up in the dark

. I can tell you something about locust post. They are hard and heavy. Another tip is not to use 3" deck screws into them to hold temporary supports. They will not come out. Had to use a Sawzall to cut them off then use a pair of vise grips to remove the remaining screws.

Tomarrow I will add the false rafters on both ends and then hit the road. Got to find perlin material. I have two mills about 5 miles from the house so I am hoping they have something dried that I can use. Then the metal. But the weather is suppose to turn nasty on Thursday with freezing rain, snow and temp drop so I might have to wait on the tin until it is warmer as the manufacturer recommends temp's 40+ before installing.

ScottA · January 08, 2008, 10:20:13 PM

your place is turning out great. Nice job on the porch.

Sassy · January 08, 2008, 10:53:00 PM

I really like it! Love the porch too

January 12, 2008, 09:44:39 PM

Well the weather held out long enough to get the metal roof put on the porch today. After I had built the porch deck I was concerned that I would not get it done and the snow would accumulate on the deck, melt and run back onto the cabin subfloor and between the log and the subfloor. That worry is over. If the weather is permitting I should start with the door and window installation this week. The locust post were still not cured enough to apply stain but once they dry out along with the deck by Mid spring or early summer they will get stained to match the board & batten on the addition and gable ends. Right now they stick out like a sore thumb. But heck who's going to see it but you all.

glenn kangiser · January 12, 2008, 11:01:33 PM

That's really looking great, John.

DEFY can be used on wet but drying wood and comes in stain colors. It keeps out about 98% of the moisture. The tints also have UV protection.

ScottA · January 13, 2008, 01:29:09 AM

Very nice indeed. It could pass for a historical landmark. Maybe you can say a dead honest persident slept there. Well maybe not honest.

CWhite · January 14, 2008, 08:21:30 PM

What a wonderful place. You've come a long way since last August! The basement looks so clean and accessable, and the upstairs is so completely rustic. Great combination with a gentle facade. I'm really enjoying watching your progress.
Christina

January 16, 2008, 01:41:19 AM

Wonderful! You can tell you've put a lot of time & effort into it - I bet you get a lot of compliments on it! And PEG would be so proud - the grounds are absolutely immaculate!

MountainDon · January 16, 2008, 01:51:24 AM

Now that you mention it I've not seen so much as a stray piece of lumber, a tool, or anything laying about. That shows a lot about the care being taken.

I worked for a custom builder a number of years ago. One thing he insisted on was a cleanup at the end of the day. Nothing left laying around. A week or so ago when K and I walked about some new upscale homes under construction I noticed all sorts of debris left laying about. Doesn't look like a professionals workplace.

Redoverfarm · January 18, 2008, 07:18:09 PM

Well yesterday afternoon I decided to try to extend my working time on the cabin. I used my tractor and along with my son on his 4 wheeler we plowed the Forrest Service road for about 1-1/2 miles from the main road. It is only about 1/2 mile from the house. It took 2 hours round trip to open it up. At least now it will not get packed down and turn to ice as fast.

Today I tried to get my truck & equipment trailer to the cabin. Not!. I was determined to finish framing in the front door and sheeting it. So I went back to the house and traded the truck for the tractor. Took a little longer to drive up but I had a pretty sucessfull day(1/2) and finished what I had set out to do.
By afternoon the sun came out and temp rose to 40F and alot of the sun melted off the road and driveway, I could have waited and got the truck up this evening but wouldn't have gotten done what I did.

MountainDon · January 18, 2008, 08:06:00 PM

The more I look at this the more I wish I had an old cabin to use.

Redoverfarm · January 18, 2008, 10:06:27 PM

Don actually the larger cabin was bought from an individual who deals with them on a regular basis. This one stood next to three others he had and they were shipped out west somewhere. I think Colorado. There is another person nearby that has made a buisness out of the old cabins. He is actually buying out of Canada and shipping them into his yard. He has been using old barn timbers from there and then recutting (half-dovetail design)them per blue print designs and then shipping to all points. Basicly there is not much difference from a log barn and a house in general except doors and windows. He now has standing two large Post& Beams that he got from Canada now. There is still some old log cabins around but are getting scarce. Alot still hidden by siding. I think he also gets alot from Kentucky. Most are hardwood, Oak and still some chestnut. The following are some sites of log homes for sale.

http://www.oldlogcabins.com/
http://www.loghomes.com/forsale/log-shells/log-shells-for-sale.html
http://www.antiquecabinsandbarns.com/

January 18, 2008, 10:40:28 PM

Interesting links - I love looking at the pix of the cabins & what they've done with the logs. So MtnDon, ya gonna get some logs & do something like Red? Really makes a nice home/cabin

MountainDon · January 18, 2008, 11:11:15 PM

Quote from: Sassy on January 18, 2008, 10:40:28 PMSo MtnDon, ya gonna get some logs & do something like Red?

I like the look very much. Likely cost a pretty penny for all those old logs, and for moving them, etc. I'd have a real difficult time extracting all the money it would likely cost from my wallet.

I'd look up my family tree to see if there's a Scotsman lurking in my past, but I'm too tight to spend the money on it.

Redoverfarm · January 23, 2008, 10:14:13 AM

Well after 1-2" of new snow I ventured up on the mountain. The previous plowing did help a good bit but I still had trouble getting the trailer turned around to head off. Tight place even in good weather. The temps made it close to 30F and I got some work done on the entry framing. There were some places to insulate that once the sheeting was on I wouldn't have gotten to. I am going to try again today but without the trailer. Cordless tools and power inverter loaded for the trip. I will put the iceguard on the ply then followed by the wire lath. I would have done it yesterday but forgot to take a couple electrical boxes for the entry way lights which is easier to install before the lath. If I can't get there then I guess I will start on the "dreaded" income tax stuff.

Redoverfarm · January 23, 2008, 05:58:20 PM

As you can see I did make in on the mountain today.( Didn't have to do the income tax stuff

I got the lath wire up on the entry way. Well at least 80% of it as I ran out just lacked 16" X 40" over the door. I hate when that happens. I just used what was left over from the house remodel a few years back. No biggie but I like to finish what I start. I probably will not be able to parge and lay the stone until spring. I off set it so the door molding would set against the ply. Just a couple of photos because I hadn't posted any pics in a while. I did take a picture of the cabin complete with the porch which I didn't have before. Tomarrow I will try to get some of the windows transfered from the barn to the cabin. Forecast is 60% snow then turn to 80% tomarrow evening with 3-6" predicted accum.

Sassy · January 23, 2008, 08:07:39 PM

Like I've said before, shore looks nice! You've done such a wonderful job on the house - very inviting!

Redoverfarm · January 30, 2008, 07:51:55 PM

As you can see I have been a little busy the past couple of days. Managed to install 11 windows and 3 exterior doors. Two of which were in the back on the board and batten addition( not pictured). Today is the first day that I would say that I was out of the weather. No wind blowing through the cabin. It's been several months since the subfloor was installed and thanks to Advantex it held up remarkable considering the rain and snow that laid on it upuntil this point. But I lacked only one window today to finish up of course it was on the high side. The rest of the day (majority) was spent house cleaning. How many snack cakes and snacks can be eaten while building a structure? I am not sure but I had quite a quanity of wrappers to pick up. I like to clean each days activity up at the end of the day but with working til dark it is hard without any electric at this point. And the next day I am so gunho on getting started. Thus compounding the problem over several days.

Another thing about cleaniing up is that once I moved from one phase to the other of the project I would not eliminate the particular supplies not needed. Part of that was lacking a weather proof location and the cabin having a roof served that purpose. I don't need comealongs, chains, adze, axes and the like for trim work although some might. The following pics are of the windows and the front door installed. I thought the door was sort of unique and kind of fit the log cabin style. The alternative wa to make one which I didn't want to undertake. Probably couldn't have made it as insulated as the one I ended up with anyway.

Next step is to address the loft area and catwalk which I will have to install more 4X8 beams to support the flooring.

Hope you enjoy the pics.

John

January 30, 2008, 08:51:14 PM

Quite nice - I like that door

BTW, your diet sounds a bit like Glenn's when he's working...

ScottA · January 30, 2008, 09:43:03 PM

All I can say is Wow! Very nice job you are doing. I love the door.

peternap · January 30, 2008, 09:44:21 PM

Boy...that's looking good !!!!!!!!!!!

glenn kangiser · January 30, 2008, 09:59:27 PM

Looking great, John.

Redoverfarm · February 08, 2008, 01:35:24 PM

Finally got it to a stage with doors and windows installed. Installed the locksets in the doors so I can leave alot of the tools on site now without hauling them every trip. Before I was just praying that they didn't walk off the job site. Spent the majority of the week attaching the ceiling joist/floor beams for the loft area around the fireplace/stove flu. Had set anchors in the block when they were laid but as luck would have a few were not put in properly and were loose and too long. Just cut them off short and shoved them back in the flu and used Toggle bolts in their place. When I attached beam to beam in the crossovers a lag bolt sufficed.

There are just some things that require an extra pair of hands. I found that out when I tried setting a 10" dia 10' locust post for the stair landing. I managed to get it plumb and marked the bottom for a plumb cut. lowered it down and made the cut. This is where the extra hands come in as I drafted my son to steady the post while braces were attached. Then I had to mark the pocket of the beams and lower it again. This time when it went up it was permanent. Another problem diverted and done with.

I think after this week I will take a long weekend off and travel to my parents which I haven't seen in a while. About a 4 hr trip. The cabin will be there later.

Opps.

I forgot the photo of the monster post. Well I will get it the next time around.