Sunday, July 25, 2010

Close but no cigar!

Cut 16 notches, stacked ten logs over the weekend. Looks like I won't make my deadline for being under roof by August. But pretty close. I have a family reunion next weekend so this will probably be the last update for a couple of weeks. My foraging efforts last weekend helped me find three standing dead trees of appropriate size for my uses.
I chopped this one down with the axe because it was growing up from the side of a steep and slippery ravine. I didn't trust myself with the saw under those conditions so I got a nice workout. I tied a rope around it before I dropped it so that I could haul it back up the hill after it fell. Even at 11:00 a.m. my little point and shoot camera had to turn its flash on to take a picture this deep in the woods. Gives you an idea of how lush the canopy is this time of year. "The woods are lovely dark and deep" - Robert Frost.

The walls are almost finished. I just need a couple more courses and I can start the roof! Can you believe it is almost August? Time flies when your having fun.

5 comments:

  1. Question: how are you gonna fill the gaps between the logs?

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  2. The folks on the Forestry Forum have given me a lot of advice on how to fill the gaps. Some think I should use "chicken wire" and insulation then cover it with mortar. I'm planning to wedge sticks into the gaps and then seal the cracks with some concrete mix that was left in the garage by the previous owner.

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  3. that makes sense, thnx!

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  4. I am impressed with you have achieved. May I ask, did you build the cabin by yourself, alone?

    I am from Malaysia. I have an abundance of rubber wood trees which are to be cleared. But I am trying to find an alternative use for them. I hope I could build something like yours.

    Thanks.

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  5. Hello to Malaysia!
    Yes I built the cabin alone and it was very dangerous. I have no cell phone reception at the site and am over a half hour away from any hospitals. I did have someone nearby who knew what I was doing and would probably have found me eventually if I have injured myself but it probably would have been too late to save my life if the injuries had been severe. I wrote a warning post on the blog here:

    http://houseoffallentimbers.blogspot.com/2010/09/please-be-careful.html

    I really should have taken better precautions and gotten more training before doing this. Good luck and please be careful.

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