A cabin goes up quickly when we have a man for each corner of the cabin, carefully crafting each notch.

Stubborn logs sometimes need to be disciplined into place.

After the logs are all up on the cabin we do a final trim of any protruding notches.

A chainsaw is wonderful tool.

I once asked my grandmother what was the greatest invention she has seen in her lifetime. She had been born before cars, airplanes, computers, and men walking on the Moon. Her response was “the chainsaw… before it’s invention men had to work so hard to cut a piece of wood”. I miss that wonderful woman so.

You know it’s funny, in today’s world so few people have the skill of working with a chainsaw. I’ve had master carpenters with 10 years experience apply to work with us, requesting to paid more than I make, who have never used a chainsaw, or an axe, or even knew what an adze was, I would prefer a inexperienced apprentice, ready to learn, than someone who walks in with an attitude of superiority knowing nothing of our unique skills.

If you are thinking of building a log cabin one day in the future, begin now to learn the use a chainsaw, and a axe.

And use safety equipment.

And don’t smoke cigarettes.

BTW… this is a paid actor pretending to use a chainsaw.

Eventually, with enough effort, the pile of old logs began to look like a log home.

Originally posted 2015-07-25 14:08:42.

Originally posted 2015-07-24 14:08:39.

Originally posted 2015-07-23 13:55:30.

This cabin has a very nice chimney… a tip of the hat to whoever the stonemason was on this little home.

The wood shake roof and the aged board-and-batten siding add greatly to the “rusticness” of this cabin.

I was concerned about how low to the ground both the cabin, and especially the sided addition were… I advised the owner to maintain a regular scheduling of termite treatment and that likely one day there would be a need for a lot of wood replacement due to rot… but for now… all was well.

I have to admit that if I had built this cabin I’d likely have done a snazzier job. I would have built the addition higher and put more of a stone foundation under her.

If the owner’s of this cabin wanted a wood-stove in this back addition I’d have talked them into a second stone chimney rather than a pipe run out the side of the wall. Yeah, my version of this cabin would have been more refined.

So, I am thankful that I wasn’t the builder, because it is these differences between what this cabin’s builder did and what I would have done that make this place as special as she is.

I really like this cabin, I could see myself living here. (my wife, not so much, she likes my refined farmhouse/cabins better) I find myself drawn to the backwoods charm and the down-to-earth feel that this cabin offers. Nothing pretentious here… You don’t vacuum the floors… you use a broom.

Nice.

A perfect man cave.

Originally posted 2015-07-22 12:54:13.

One day a very wealthy father took his son on a trip to the country for the sole purpose of showing his son how it was to be poor.  They spent a few days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.

After their return from the trip, the father asked his son how he liked the trip. “It was great, Dad,” the son replied. “Did you see how poor people can be?” the father asked. “Oh Yeah,” said the son.

“So what did you learn from the trip?” asked the father. The son answered, “I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.

We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We have servants who serve us, but they serve others.

We buy our food, but they grow theirs.  We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them.” The boy’s father was speechless. Then his son added, “It showed me how poor we are.”

Too many times we forget what we have and concentrate on what we don’t have.

Originally posted 2015-07-22 12:32:35.

Here’s a special little cabin that I was once called out to inspect, and repair, if necessary. I found very little that needed my attention.

This cabin had served for many years as a “camp” for family members to enjoy this rural wooded area. Perhaps, to do a little hunting, but more likely just to get away from the stresses of the city. Who can blame them?

I’ve got four exterior photos to share with you… here’s the first.

Originally posted 2015-07-21 22:38:34.

There, that’s better. The cabin will not need any more attention in my lifetime. And should now stand proud for another century or two.

Originally posted 2015-07-17 15:06:51.

You know, the funny thing is that it often takes no more effort, and cost no more money, to do the job right the first time.

But, it sure costs a heck of a lot more to do it wrong, and then undo what was done wrong, and then repair the damage created by doing it wrong, and then in finally doing it right.

I REALLY don’t like coming in behind others and fixing their messes. Chinking is my least favorite part of building a cabin, but it’s crucial in building an attractive cabin that will last for centuries. I only undertake repairs like this for the love of the cabins… I hate to see them lost.

Originally posted 2015-07-17 14:56:25.

Originally posted 2015-07-17 14:44:44.

The builder who put this cabin up made two major mistakes in caring for these logs. His intention was good, but his experience was lacking.

First he installed the chinking so that the top of the chink joints were flush with the log above it, instead of recessing it, and thus creating a drip edge for water to run down the house instead of finding its way behind the chinking and then rotting the logs.

The builder’s second mistake was in painting all the logs with a clear sealer, which was unnecessary, and which gave these historic logs a “plastic look” changing their patina from antique grey to god-awful orange. This plastic coating did not aid in protecting the logs but rather hid the damage that was occurring under the surface from the faulty chinking.

Originally posted 2015-07-17 14:20:15.