Building my own log cabin

[Pat]

Pappy, Thanks for the info and for not getting twisted by the Powerjoke comment. My last Ford was an '84 diesel F-250 and I just got a 2008 creewcab F-250 now with the Powerjoke. It has about 150 miles on it now that we took it for a drive. If it serves me as well as the '84 I will be a happy camper. So now I have a "little truck" so I don't have to use the 1 ton dually Dodge with service body with custom everything when I don't need the MONSTER TRUCK.

The little 6 banger Cummins B-5.9 twisted off the input shaft of Dodge tranny. I replaced the tranny with BD. Gutted the Gear Vendors under/overdrive and ate the HD torqu converter. Now back on the road again with super HD Kevlar clutches and torque converter and Gear Vendors aux OD #4. If this 4th unit shreds I am going to rreplace the stock drive shaft and try not to worry about it. The aux OD was wonderful in the mountains but I don't do so many mountains anymore.

About the tongue and groove... I recommended grooving both sides and inserting a spline. Making a tongue full length down a log requires removing a lot of wood, splines do a good job, and are way easier.

Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[pappy19]

These guys make the best aftermarket tranny for Dodges....and Fords, I have one in mine. Your spines make sense.

www.suncoastconverters.com

[Pat]

BD , Has a good rep for HD trannys, lock up controllers, exhaust brakes, and such. Unfortunately when my aux ovrdrive clustered it broke the tranny and I had to have it reworked so while they were up they went even more HD on the torque converter. I have the original recipe 12 valve B-5.9 Cummins, no chip, no nothin' just old fashioned diesel engine.

I have changed the injector pump to a much higher pressure one and injectors to finer holes. I do get just a little more HP and torque and 1-2 MPG better economy while getting the little boost in HP and Torque.

Pat

[egon]

Is the upcoming pole barn for housing the truck fleet?? [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Egon [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[Pat]

Egon, No, I have the 35x75 metal bld for excess truck storage and maint, the one with the rotating jib crane and electric lift on a trolly car.

The pole barn will be for the tractor and implements evicted from the "tractor shed" as it is retasked as shop anex. I could use the metal bld mentioned above for the job of the pole barn but it is over a quarter mile from my house and I want the pole barn just a few yards from the attached garage at the house. I suppose I might find room for the dune buggy in the nearby pole barn so it is available on a whim.

Pat

[CORDWOODGUY]

HIGHSMITH...........HERE ARE SOME COMMENTS I`D LIKE TO MAKE AND CORRECT.HOPEFULLY ,YOU HAVEN`T BUILT YET.

FIRST OFF,YOU ARE SMART TO TAKE TRAINING AS LOG BUILDING IS A TRADE...NOT FOR THE UNTRAINED DIY`ER.ITS GOOD YOU ARE TAKING A SEMINAR....BUT IF ITS JUST A 3 DAY SEMINAR HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK YOU WILL LEARN?USUALLY SEMINARS ARE TO GET YOU INTERESTED AND TO GET YOU TO SIGN UP FOR A COMPLETE COURSE.
USUALLY ,YOU BUILD A COUPLE OF ROUNDS HIGH AT BEST.SO YOU DON`T LEARN HOW TO DO A LOG FLOOR SYSTEM,WINDOW DOOR PLACEMENT,ROOF,CHIMNEY FRAME IN ETC.
AS FOR LOG HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION.I THINK ITS THE SCHOOLS OWN ASSOCIATION TO BOLSTER CONFIDENCE...IF I`M WRONG I`LL APPOLOGIZE![INTERNATIONAL LOG BUILDING ASSOCIATION IS THE REAL THING.]
NOTE:THE LOG HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION WILL NOT ALLOW ME TO POST.MAINLY BECAUSE I`M A PERPONENT OF THE SCANDINAVIAN SCRIBE FIT SYSTEM.WHICH IS THE CADILLAC OF LOG BUILDING SYSTEMS.ITS ALSO A CHINKLESS SYSTEM.

NOW FOR COMMENTS FROM YOUR FOLLOW UP POSTS.

[1]GARY M.....KUDO`S TO YOU ABOUT THE SLIP JOINT,WINDOW DOOR FRAME SLOTTING,JACK POSTS.BUT HERE ARE SOME YOU MISSED.
(a)TOILET PLUMBING HAS TO BE GRADED STEEPER TO ALLOW FOR SETTLEMENT ON SECOND FLOORS.
(b)STAIRS ON THE SECOND FLOOR SHOULD BE BUILT WITH WHEELS SO THEY SLIDE OUT WHEN THE WALLS SETTLE.PLUS THEY SHOULD BE SLOPPED TO ALLOW FOR SETTLEMENT.
(c)CUPBOARDS ALSO HAVE TO ALLOW FOR MOVEMENT OF THE WALL.
(d)LEFT HANDED SPIRAL GRIANED LOGS
(e)LOCALIZE CHECKING UNDER THE LOG
(f)ELECTRICAL WIRES ARE PLACED BETWEEN THE LOGS AND HIDDEN.THE LOGS AROUND SWITCHES AND BOX PLATES
ARE RECESSED/BEVELED INWARDS.
(g)ETC

[2]HIGHSMITH.....AS FOR NO CONSEQUENCES FROM SHRINKING?I THINK YOU ARE MISINFORMED.EVEN A 100 YEAR OLD LOG CABIN WALL SHRINKS AND SWELLS.
THE KNOTCHING WOULDN`T HAVE ANY BARING ON THAT.



[3]PAPPY 19.....NOT ALL GREEN LOGS TWIST,IN THE SCANDINAVIAN SCRIBE FIT METHOD, BUILDERS PREFER TO USE GREEN LOGS AND I`M NOT AWARE OF ANYONE HAVING A PROBLEM.BUT IN THE CASE OF LEFT HANDED SPIRAL GRAINED LOGS.THEY WILL TWIST BUT A TRAINED LOG BUILDER CAN TOUCH THE LOG AND KNOW ITS NOT FOR THE WALLS.

[4]PAT......PERSONALLY,I DON`T CALLED MILLED LOGS A LOG CABIN.IN THE ROUNDED SCANDIANAVIAN SCRIBE FIT METHOD(CHINKLESS) WATER WOULD HAVE TO DEFY GRAVITY TO LAY IN A JOINT.BUT IN CHINKED/CAULKED JOINTS ON A MILLED LOG,IT A TWO EDGE SWORD.YOU CAN TRY AND KEEP WATER OUT BUT IF IT GETS IN ITS TRAPPED.WOOD ROTS WHEN MOISTURE LEVELS EXCEED 19%.REMEMBER ON A FLAT SURFACE WATER WILL SPREAD OUT.LOOK AT THE LOG HOME KITS THAT HAVE EXTENTIONS THAT ARE FLAT.THESE ROT OUT AS WATER ENTERS THE JOINT THOUGH THEM.

[5]EGON..........SCANDINAVIAN SCRIBE FIT IS BASICLY SEAMLESS AND REQUIRES NO CHINKING,CAULKING ETC.
IF DONE RIGHT YOU CAN BARELY STICK A KNIFE BLADE
BETWEEN THE LOGS.

CORDWOODGUY
PS: I HOPE I DIDN`T OFFEND ANYONE.MY INTENT IS TO EDUCATE.ALSO I USE UPPERCASE LETTERS BECAUSE OF A VISUAL DISABILITY...SORRY!

[TroyBilt]

Here you go. Paul Martin is using his own logs and is building pretty much solo. Home is located in the Cascade Mountains in the middle of Washington state. He has a very informative web site that gives step by step information, but I'm still searching for that link. I'll post it when I find it. If nothing else you may find some inspiration, because Paul is inspirational to say the least. Sometimes he had to dig thru 7' of snow to get to his log pile. Before that he dug the basement by hand, and then carried all the blocks on his back up the steep bank to where he built the basement for the log home. His web site offers a wealth of information. Be sure to check out ninety steps to install a pair of rafters or his log-lifting crane that he engineered. He is quite the engineer and not afraid to do a lot of manual labor. Here is something to get you started until I find that site link. A link to a short video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyoAZb8Y3h8
Troy

[TroyBilt]

Here is that link:
http://www.paulandellen.com/loghome/loghome.htm
BTW, two things. First, He loves to have visitors. Second, He built the cabin after attending a day two class given by Skip Ellsworth. Troy
oops. didn't look at the date of the first post. Pretty old.