Helping with a log cabin build

skyking · Jun 24, 2024

I have been back and forth to a friend's property overlooking Lake Roosevelt for a couple of years now. I helped with road building and excavations for footings, for the shop, test pits for the septic. Pouring the ICF foundation walls.
Now it is getting real. I went over in March and unloaded two 53' semi loads of log cabin kit that was built in Montana.
The prow wall is framed in and we are laying out and cutting the king post that goes from basement to loft. Fortunately we do get to cut it at the first floor. It is a massive pine log 26" diameter that does not apprecialby taper in the first 10'.
We have to lay out and plunge cut beam pockets in it tomorrow, then start framing the first floor.

Ajay · Jun 24, 2024

Wow, now that is cool!

skyking · Jun 25, 2024

It is similar to this model.
https://lazarusloghomes.com/sunset-valley-chalet-longer-and-more-room-in-a-complete-log-package/

We will plunge those beams in similar to this.

skyking · Jun 25, 2024

These are some of the views from his place. Lake Roosevelt to the SW

Sunset the other day

Pour day for the Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) walls in November.

digging for footings in August.

View to the ENE of the lake.

Red Squirrel · Jun 25, 2024

Wow those are some seriously huge logs! Looks like a super nice area.

bbhaag · Jun 25, 2024

That looks like a beautiful place to start a home and how fortunate to have a friend like you to come and help.

skyking · Jun 25, 2024

We laid out the floor, stood it up, and then sanded one spot on it to get it to quit rocking. That was it. Marked the cardinal points on it on chalk lines snapped on the floor. Used the laser to set the top cut and beam pockets, then tripped it and went to work with the saws.
Here is sits looking through the picture window, about as subtle as a 40 oz FOSTER's <Australian for Beeyah!>
on a table full of 12 Oz Miller lites. It puts the log in cabin. Other cabins have King Post envy.

Under the knife

I initially plunge cut the sides with my BigFoot baby beam saw. It shoots through schools! < nod to Joe Piscapo in Johnny Dangerously >

I had a few bad touches to fix up. Nothing for a little sawdust and glue and maybe a sharpie to fix.

We are ready to stand it up permanently. I rotohammered a piece of rebar into the concrete and drilled the bottom of it. You never know, some big kids roughhousing could knock it out of place.

skyking · Jun 25, 2024

@lxskllr I wish you were here for the saw work. I am not as strong as I was 45 years ago when we were logging firewood. Chainsaws are humbling.

lxskllr · Jun 25, 2024

I'd love to be out there helping you! A smaller top handle might be easier to work with doing pockets and stuff like that. I like having the saw right in front of me with my hands close together doing "fine" work. Easier feathering edges when you need to make something just a smidge bigger(hole) or smaller(board).

Lost_in_the_HTTP · Jun 26, 2024

Now imagine doing all of that without a single power tool of any kind.

Millions of homes were built that way.

skyking · Jun 26, 2024

I wish I had some of those tools today. A big ass sharp chisel and a mallet would make some nice clean work.
2" framing chisel

If I did more of this work I would have a set.

Greenman · Jun 26, 2024

I'm surprised you weren't required to put a hold down on that post.

Lost_in_the_HTTP · Jun 26, 2024

He doesn't specify the species or length, but using Douglas Fir and 10 feet, I get just under 1,900 pounds. Does it really need more than gravity and the beams on top to hold it down?

skyking · Jun 26, 2024

It is a ponderosa pine. No hold down required. We pin it as a nod to folks with 300 pound linebacker children who roughhouse in the basement

Lost_in_the_HTTP · Jun 26, 2024

That's still just over 1,500 for a 10 foot hunk. Looks roughly 10-12', not sure, maybe less.

Greenman · Jun 26, 2024

Lost_in_the_HTTP said:
He doesn't specify the species or length, but using Douglas Fir and 10 feet, I get just under 1,900 pounds. Does it really need more than gravity and the beams on top to hold it down?

Earthquakes don't care much about gravity. A decent sized quake could easily bounce that post over a couple feet. Depending on exactly where the place is, wind load could be a more important factor than seismic, the construction methods are pretty much the same for both.

Lost_in_the_HTTP · Jun 26, 2024

But he also has a center pin drilled into the floor to thwart side movement. Doesn't mention the size of it though.

I did similar on a much smaller scale. 4 x 4 x 9' White Oak rough hewn, 1/2" rebar set into concrete and drilled into the bottom of the posts. Point was to keep the wood above ground. Four of those with 2 x 6 white oak rafters and 2 x 4 white oak lathe with metal roofing. A bit of diagonal cross bracing. I've had several storms with winds over 40 MPH and no indication of trouble.

Greenman · Jun 26, 2024

I have no doubt it works just fine.
My point was current code in earthquake zones. I believe he's in Washington and they're probably a little more reasonable about it than California, but where I did all of my building I would have had to anchor that post to a foundation. Having it sit on a single pin is surprising to me, though it shouldn't be.

Lost_in_the_HTTP · Jun 26, 2024

OK, so play devil's advocate without hijacking the thread, what would that involve. Ideally nothing like visible metal strapping. What about a set screw type of thing, drilled into the side and tightened onto the center pin?

skyking · Jun 26, 2024

I have a detail and an engineering stamp on the drawing.
I wouldn't bother engaging that guy.

Greenman · Jun 26, 2024

Lost_in_the_HTTP said:
OK, so play devil's advocate without hijacking the thread, what would that involve. Ideally nothing like visible metal strapping. What about a set screw type of thing, drilled into the side and tightened onto the center pin?

No reason it wouldn't work. Where I built I would have to have an engineer sign off on whatever method I used. I had to do a lot of odd things over the years. Had a cantilevered floor system supporting a 4x rim joist that would be supporting the second floor wall, had to put the joist hangers on upside down. It was really odd to look at because the loads were all reversed. The inspector needed some convincing that it was what the engineer wanted.

BoomerD · Jun 26, 2024

Greenman said:
I have no doubt it works just fine.
My point was current code in earthquake zones. I believe he's in Washington and they're probably a little more reasonable about it than California, but where I did all of my building I would have had to anchor that post to a foundation. Having it sit on a single pin is surprising to me, though it shouldn't be.

The log home is in eastern WA. Nearly ZERO seismic threat there.

Greenman · Jun 26, 2024

BoomerD said:
The log home is in eastern WA. Nearly ZERO seismic threat there.

I thought the entire Pacific rim was a seismic zone? Perhaps I should quit thinking.

Lost_in_the_HTTP · Jun 26, 2024

Kind of stretching the off-topic bits here, but while the western part of the state is far more active, the east isn't completely stable.

skyking · Jun 26, 2024

We got it permanently mounted and the glue lam stuffed into the mortise. The grade on it was dead nuts!

There's a structural wall at the back to provide a continuous wall line to land the floor joists on.
Tomorrow we'll start grading out and setting the first of the double rim board, then we'll start putting in floor joists.
@Lost_in_the_HTTP , where we are building is seismic zone B.

Helping with a log cabin build

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