Anyone else building log homes?

[TraditionalTool]

single-jack,

Very nice home, looks like a very well built home!

C'mon TT, tell us how you really feel

Yep, I have had my emails exchanges with both Skip and Elsworth Jr. Not gonna be too much good from me in that regard, I have never subscribed to the conspiracy theory of building log homes, where you can do it but the government will stop you from doing so...that piece of it is a real quagmire, IMO. This holds true for the "no government employees" disclaimer...

I agree Skip was a eccentric guy with a political agenda.

I think I can agree with that much.

I do however, respectfully disagree with some of your statements: I have seen many examples of his building style in person and found them not to be "a pile of cra#".

For better or worse I'm calling my home a "kit home". A builder is helping me out to mill the sides off (will get to the log piece in a moment).

A log that is milled square or rectangular is also no longer a log any more than a 2x4 is a log. The square or rectangular shape creates a "flat on flat " condition which create a capillary effect which draws water into the joint. I am not selling anything here. Just presenting a alternative. I believe in it and have it graphically shown to me why it can be of superior durability and economy.

Well, at least my 2x4, wait, mine are 2x8. (that's 2 feet wide by 8" thick) seem like a decent log to me. The outer sap wood is removed for the most part. Traditionally it was sliced off with a broad ax, and as a matter of fact I had bought a broad ax and ended up giving it to the craftsman that taught me how to build this home. I hope he puts it on his mantel and has it for many years, he is most deserving of such a tool.

So, yeah, go read SkipE's dribble on "kit homes" and think of mine.

But at the same time, take a good look at what I'm building in the following pic.

And then look at this, it's a pic from a guy who built a SkipE home on Camino Island, you probably know him. I just saw it on his photobucket the other night. I'm not sure what it is about, but it looks like rust/corrosion to me.

I will say that his home is looking good, and it does look solid, I think his is one of the better ones I've seen for early stages. You probably know the guy, goes by Flinklock and is building on Camino Island.

And not for nothing but I don't care to have a knife blade's thickness between the wood and chinking material, sorry. Dirt and dust will only get in there, possibly mold. That basically wicks the moisture in, not air the moisture out, IMO, but depends on environment. If it helps in your area, be lucky.

I'm still very happy with my kit, I know a "kit home" ain't for everyone, but I'll have to suffice as it is what I am building...OTOH, what you think of as a kit and what I think of as a kit could be different all together.n

Cheers,
TT

PS - Rest in Peace SkipE

 

[Metals406]

single-jack,

Very nice home, looks like a very well built home!

Yep, I have had my emails exchanges with both Skip and Elsworth Jr. Not gonna be too much good from me in that regard, I have never subscribed to the conspiracy theory of building log homes, where you can do it but the government will stop you from doing so...that piece of it is a real quagmire, IMO. This holds true for the "no government employees" disclaimer...

I think I can agree with that much.

For better or worse I'm calling my home a "kit home". A builder is helping me out to mill the sides off (will get to the log piece in a moment).

Well, at least my 2x4, wait, mine are 2x8. (that's 2 feet wide by 8" thick) seem like a decent log to me. The outer sap wood is removed for the most part. Traditionally it was sliced off with a broad ax, and as a matter of fact I had bought a broad ax and ended up giving it to the craftsman that taught me how to build this home. I hope he puts it on his mantel and has it for many years, he is most deserving of such a tool.

So, yeah, go read SkipE's dribble on "kit homes" and think of mine.

But at the same time, take a good look at what I'm building in the following pic.

And then look at this, it's a pic from a guy who built a SkipE home on Camino Island, you probably know him. I just saw it on his photobucket the other night. I'm not sure what it is about, but it looks like rust/corrosion to me.

I will say that his home is looking good, and it does look solid, I think his is one of the better ones I've seen for early stages. You probably know the guy, goes by Flinklock and is building on Camino Island.

And not for nothing but I don't care to have a knife blade's thickness between the wood and chinking material, sorry. Dirt and dust will only get in there, possibly mold. That basically wicks the moisture in, not air the moisture out, IMO, but depends on environment. If it helps in your area, be lucky.

I'm still very happy with my kit, I know a "kit home" ain't for everyone, but I'll have to suffice as it is what I am building...OTOH, what you think of as a kit and what I think of as a kit could be different all together.n

Cheers,
TT

PS - Rest in Peace SkipE

By definition, a "kit" home is prefabricated/preassembled, broken down, shipped and reassembled... With very little finish work needed to erect the shell.

You are doing something similar... But your structure is by no stretch of the imagination a "kit".

 

[SINGLE-JACK]

single-jack,

Very nice home, looks like a very well built home!

... take a good look at what I'm building in the following pic.

THANKS! - took me ten years - lots of "settling" tricks made it work!

You're doing really nice work, too! What species of wood?

 

[TraditionalTool]

By definition, a "kit" home is prefabricated/preassembled, broken down, shipped and reassembled... With very little finish work needed to erect the shell.

You are doing something similar... But your structure is by no stretch of the imagination a "kit".

Cheers to that for sure! *lol*

It is a kit in the sense that some assembly is required...hey, so the joinery is not cut, it's a rough kit...*lol*

It is milled, for certain, but I'll take it over a butt-n-pass any 'ol day of the week. The SkipE crowd feels the same way about their style, so be it.

THANKS! - took me ten years - lots of "settling" tricks made it work!

You're doing really nice work, too! What species of wood?

Your home looks worth it, most certainly. It looks really good. These are wood homes after all, some fixing may be required...

My logs are completely green, so green they drip water when you scribe them.

These are Eastern White Pines, aprox. 18"-24" tip to butt.

I must say that white pine shaves so nicely...definitely quality timber to work with. Looks good also, just not cheap...

Cheers,
TT

 

[lngbeard]

TT
The joinery at the corners of your home looks great. Any timber framer, I think, would be proud of them. I am also a big fan of Classic timber frame structures. While Skip and his followers anti government rhetoric may go too far, at least they are not going around with blinders on (not suggesting you are) about the true state of our nation and the undermining of the constitution. Some people actually think the Federal reserve is a U.S. government institution. :jawdrop: In the end I appreciate more than one building style and method and did not intend a raging debate ensue. My point was to present another option that people interested in log homes should consider. You place looks like it will be solid, comfortable and great looking for many years. Best wishes.

 

[TraditionalTool]

TT
The joinery at the corners of your home looks great. Any timber framer, I think, would be proud of them. I am also a big fan of Classic timber frame structures. While Skip and his followers anti government rhetoric may go too far, at least they are not going around with blinders on (not suggesting you are) about the true state of our nation and the undermining of the constitution. Some people actually think the Federal reserve is a U.S. government institution. :jawdrop:

I think it's the politics that turn a good amount of people off. I think you will find that many people that build log homes do it for the intent of doing it debt free, it wasn't Skip that was beating that drum the longest, it was Mackie. The craft of building log homes was almost dying (still is actually) until Mackie came alone in the 70s and brought the craft back from out of the ashes.

It's the conspiracy theories that leave a bad taste in my mouth of what Skip advocated. That and the fact of how he and his son respond to questions about it, it makes it more like a cult than a building style.

In the end I appreciate more than one building style and method and did not intend a raging debate ensue.

Likewise!

If all log homes were the same it would be a boring world after all, heh?

I considered doing a butt & pass home at one point, and I do think it is good for some folks to build that way, as it is affordable. If all the conspiracy theories didn't exist and if SkipE and his sons didn't go about their business in such a "cult" fashion, that style of building would have a much better reputation. You can only blame SkipE and his sons for the controversy that exists between the LHBA and most all log home builders that exist.

SkipE's harsh words towards the builders has caused some to react with the same vengeance against the LHBA as he has placed against all builders that exist today. This includes handcrafted and companies that build milled lumber.

For me it was quite simple, dovetails are considered the epitome of handcrafted quality in most all woodworking, notably in furniture making. To build a home that is dovetailed together is the ultimate project!

Remember that I am doing this out of pocket, there will be no mortgages on this home, I paid cash for my timber, I am investing the sweat equity needed to get it done, and I will finish it off as this will become my project for the rest of my life, and I will leave it to my family when I'm gone.

My point was to present another option that people interested in log homes should consider. You place looks like it will be solid, comfortable and great looking for many years. Best wishes.

It will be well built and solid, no question. I have also seen some solid examples of the butt & pass method, so I wasn't trying to dis it entirely, more so I was dissing the way that SkipE and his sons have positioned themselves and what they have said against other real craftsmen of this trade. The LHBA pales against many of those craftsmen in comparison.

Cheers,
TT

PS - Single-Jack's home is yet another example of a quality built log home that will last a lifetime and then some.

 

[Pondracer]

I had heard the home insurance was really expensive for these types of homes because of the inability to repair an outside wall in case of fire damage etc.

 

[TraditionalTool]

I had heard the home insurance was really expensive for these types of homes because of the inability to repair an outside wall in case of fire damage etc.

Pondracer,

Yeah, that can be a problem with any "handcrafted" log home, and I have heard of people with milled kit homes being able to get insurance easier in some cases. However, there are companies that will insure handcrafted log homes.

I hate to think about replacing a log, but it can be done, it's just not easy in this case when you have a handcrafted home.

I'm not sure fire damage is the biggest fear, I would think rot is more common.

Regards,
TT

 

[DK_stihl]

Traditional Log Home

Here is a Log Home that I am helping with. It's been a lot of fun so far. This is not my website BTW. Let me know what you think of it.http://www.stargazerpics.com/Galleries/OurLogHome.htm

 

[TraditionalTool]

Here is a Log Home that I am helping with. It's been a lot of fun so far. This is not my website BTW. Let me know what you think of it.

You can see some of my comments about the LHBA up higher in the thread, I'm not too fond of SkipE, or his son. I don't think the method is the best, it is however easy enough that most folks can do it. Lots of space between those logs to fill in, especially at the corners. I will have a decent amount of chinking on my house also, but I will use modern synthetic chinking, not mortar as the LHBA advocates (that stuff wicks water into the logs).

In general I feel there are better ways to build, and more specific why I chose to dovetail my home. I think it produces one of the best joints for logs in the history of log home crafting.

Cheers,
TT

 

[xtm]

Interesting thread...

While I like all craftsman-built log homes, I prefer the "look" of the milled sides for a log structure.

Are you leaving the tops and bottoms of the logs unmilled to reduce the amount of chinking material? Will the chinking be nearly flush with the sides - inside and out, and what material will you be using?

Looking forward to more photos of the progress.

xtm

 

[TraditionalTool]

Interesting thread...

While I like all craftsman-built log homes, I prefer the "look" of the milled sides for a log structure.

Are you leaving the tops and bottoms of the logs unmilled to reduce the amount of chinking material? Will the chinking be nearly flush with the sides - inside and out, and what material will you be using?

Looking forward to more photos of the progress.

xtm

xtm,

There are a couple reasons to leave the edges un-milled. Maximizing the width of the log, as you point out is one, but also to have the wavy chink line is desirable, to me it shows that it is hand crafted, opposed to a straight linear chink line. This is the way it was done in days of lore. Although, in days of lore they would do this with a broad axe, milling the sides saves a lot of time.

The milled sides are an advantage in several ways also, for one it exposes the heart wood which rarely rots, mostly only in extreme cases. It also makes it desirable for the inside of the home, making the walls flat so it is essentially like a typical wall in a home to hang things on, women find this a big plus for decorating the home.

The chinking is typically put on at an angle, being inset at the top of the chink line, and angling outward to the bottom so that the bottom is flush with the log. This allows the water to run down and out of the logwork cleanly.

If you look at the joinery closely, you will see that these are half dovetails. As such, there is a flat surface that extends out for both top and bottom, so that water will always drain away from the joinery/timber, so it keeps water rot to a minimum. Also one of the primary reasons the half dovetail was such a great joint, the very fact that it does drain water away from the home. It is the top of the tail that locks the log in for each log.

I will keep updating, but getting the yard cleaned up, and waiting for the timbers to be shipped out west so I can continue working on it. That should happen pretty soon, in the next month or so.

Regards,
TT

 

[AngelleMarshall]

Timberframe homes

Timber frame homes are constructed using medieval methods. The timber frame home design utilizes a framework constructed of a post and beam style method. Timber frame homes use trusses made of exposed timber posts, and the resulting skeletal structure remains a visible part of the home's design.
for more information on this go to:-http://www.homecontractorsdirect.com/:greenchainsaw:

 

[TraditionalTool]

Well, this is not a timber frame home specific, but will use timber frame for the roof system (ridge sitting on 3 posts with timber rafters running from the ridge to the top plates on each side. The porches will be timber also.

This style is best described as a handcrafted log home.

Cheers,
TT

 

[Metals406]

Well, this is not a timber frame home specific, but will use timber frame for the roof system (ridge sitting on 3 posts with timber rafters running from the ridge to the top plates on each side. The porches will be timber also.

This style is best described as a handcrafted log home.

Cheers,
TT

Making good progress on the lot, and setup Alan?

 

[TraditionalTool]

Making good progress on the lot, and setup Alan?

Got most of the weeds cleaned up and have left a couple calls to see if I can get some grading done before we ship the logs out. I want to have the pads done, so need to get someone to do some grading before I set them up.

I have some work to do before the logs ship, but I am making some progress. This week was slowed down due to a blown server, and my wife's car had the starter go out, so I have had to driver her around some...

My angle grinder came today, and the ceramic disks came already, but wouldn't you know the angle grinder didn't include the spanner/wrench. Need to dig one up, and clean up the mushroom for my buddy, I'm giving it to him for his yard...one side of the 'shroom split while sitting in my backyard, but it will be ok.

Cheers,
TT

 

[Metals406]

Got most of the weeds cleaned up and have left a couple calls to see if I can get some grading done before we ship the logs out. I want to have the pads done, so need to get someone to do some grading before I set them up.

I have some work to do before the logs ship, but I am making some progress. This week was slowed down due to a blown server, and my wife's car had the starter go out, so I have had to driver her around some...

My angle grinder came today, and the ceramic disks came already, but wouldn't you know the angle grinder didn't include the spanner/wrench. Need to dig one up, and clean up the mushroom for my buddy, I'm giving it to him for his yard...one side of the 'shroom split while sitting in my backyard, but it will be ok.

Cheers,
TT

If I was closer, I'd come help with grading... I have a pretty nice laser level... $1,600 worth.:jawdrop:

Let me know how you like those ceramic discs? They really work good on steel as well.

My grinder should be here soon then, I need it for some stuff.

 

[Metals406]

In reference to your grinder... If it has the lock button on the back of the head, or on the side you can just hand tighten the wheels on, and take them off the same way... It's harder to do if the head doesn't have the push button lock though.

 

[TraditionalTool]

In reference to your grinder... If it has the lock button on the back of the head, or on the side you can just hand tighten the wheels on, and take them off the same way... It's harder to do if the head doesn't have the push button lock though.

I see now that I could have done that and used a pipe wrench on it, but it would have horked up the nut/washer some...anyway, I borrowed one from a friend and ordered one online.

Have a 40 grit loaded on the grinder and waiting for it to cool a bit before I head outside to try it on the 'shroom...

I wish you were closer also, I would have been glad to have you grade it. I think I found a guy that will do it, but won't be able to talk to him until tonight. I spoke to him today, but he was at a jobsite in his hoe. He has a laser level also...these pics were from his craigslist ad:

Cheers,
TT

 

[Metals406]

That laser controlled grade box on the front of that t-190 should do the job really well... Don't forget to take lot's of pics for us!