Click TOOLS OF THE TRADE to see some of the tools and equipment we used.
    LOG STRUCTURE - PAGE 2 -->
     
 

12-7-07

We finally started working with the logs! Yesterday, Paul and Jeff rigged the first of four lifting poles and stood it up into position inside the southeast corner. Because they worked diligently through the day, we don't have any pics. But today they got the second pole into place and took pics of the process they used. It was quite difficult since there are no nearby tall trees to attach block & tackle to lift the poles with. The first pole took about 6 hours. The second took more than that, due to a slight problem.

More pics here

     
 

12-30-07

After a couple of weeks off for the holidays and a new baby, we got back to work on the third lifting pole. We also had the help of some friends of ours that had helped us with the peeling. Not having any heavy equipment that could actually lift the poles over the walls and set them for us, we used the same methods used on the first two poles - block & tackle, manpower, and a tractor. But, we also had an unfortunate scenario repeat itself.

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1-13-08

SUCCESS!
We've had to take a couple of weeks off due to bad weather on the weekends. Finally, we were back at it today and, with some significant adjustments in our approach, we got the third lifting pole in place. One more to go! We don't have a lot of pics of this process since everyone was needed to get the pole raised.

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1-19-08

With the third pole in place and moderately secured, we had good weather to get the fourth pole rigged and ready to lift.

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2-9-08

DISASTER STRIKES!
We had to take a weekend off to move. We're now living with Jeff's parents until the log home is finished. During our hiatus, we had two major wind storms, with gusts as high as 60mph. Our two front poles that were sitting on concrete pads came down. One actually snapped when it hit the wall! This was quite depressing, but we are determined to push forward. We just need to make some adjustments.

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2-16-08

Many hands make light work. After a long day with nice weather and lots of help, we've got 4 poles in the air once again. This time we took some extra measures to ensure these poles were not coming down any time soon.

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2-17-08

It's amazing what a difference one day can make in the weather. Today was windy and rainy but Jeff was out there installing the eye lags to secure the diagonal guy ropes. He also finished numbering the logs with black spray paint.

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2-23-08

With the first four logs laid out around the house, we're ready to start preparing to set the first one. Our friends Tom and Paul came out today to help Jeff carefully measure the rebar pin positions on the wall and transfer those numbers to the log. The morning hours proved quite adventurous. We lost one of the pulley lead lines. It came out of the top pulley! The only way to fix it was to get up there somehow. Paul made a harness out of rope and Jeff sat in the harness while the guys hoisted him to the top. No pics of that event. Sorry.

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2-25-08

Yesterday, Ted came out to help Jeff adjust the front lifting poles a bit. We needed to gain a couple of inches to allow the larger wall logs to pass by the lifting poles. We had them so tight to the inside corners that there wasn't enough room for the wall logs. Unhooking our corner safety chains, the lifters were tilted inward a bit, then resecured. Today, Jeff spent an hour double-checking the rebar pin measurements and drilled the holes in the first log.

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2-29-08

Jeff spent a couple of hours today doing the last preparation work on the first log and rebar pins. One of the first tasks was to cut off the tops of the rebar pins in increments of an inch or so. Feeding the pins through the holes in the log will be much easier this way.

Tomorrow, the first log goes up on the wall!

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3-1-08

Today was an exciting and much-anticipated day, although it was very windy and snowy. Ted and Paul came out to help Jeff and John get the first log on the wall. With some extra determination from Ted, we actually got two logs up!

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3-2-08

Jeff worked by hmiself today, preparing the third log for the wall. All the rebar pin positions were taken and transferred to the log. Holes need to be drilled, and sill sealer put in place next.

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3-8-08

Even the nastiest snowstorm couldn't keep us away today. We were determined to get the third log set on the wall and we did just that. Ted came out again to lend a hand.

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3-9-08

Yesterday we got over a foot of snow. Today we had clear skies, though it was still plenty cold. Jeff worked on measuring the rebar pin locations for the 4th log and drilling the holes in the log. He also got most of the sill sealer put in so we'll be ready to lay the log on Saturday.

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3-15-08

Today was a beautiful day to work outside. It started out cool and cloudy, but the sun came out and it warmed up to about 40 degrees! We got the 4th log set on the wall. That makes one full course of logs laid! These were the most difficult as they were the base logs and needed to be anchored to the foundation. The rest should go much easier. We hadn't seen Tom in a while, so with the warmer temps, he decided to show himself.

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3-22-08

Another beautiful day to set logs! Ted came out yet again to help out. We're beginning to think something's wrong with him. 8-) By the end of the day we had rthe second course laid, but not completely fastened.

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3-29-08

Another blue-sky day, but with the warmer temperatures comes lots of water and mud. Not as much visible progress today, but we finished pinning the logs we set last weekend and experimented with some new and improved rigging to help with the block & tackle tensions.

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4-5-08

The warmest Saturday this year, and we got the pleasure of having our good friend Jon and his son, William, come out and get their hands dirty - literally. It's still very muddy on the site, but we expect things to dry up soon. Jillena came out for a couple of hours as well. Today work was slow, as we spent a lot of time plumbing the first two logs on the third course.

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4-6-08

Jillena was back out to help today, and so was Jeff's dad, John. The mud is still slowing us down, but we finished drilling and pinning the first two logs of course 3 and got the third log up and pinned in place.

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4-12-08 & 4-13-08

Ted was back again on Saturday and we were able to finish setting and securing course #3. Jeff and John pulled the next four logs off the racks on Sunday and Jeff trimmed all the knots off. We should be ready to start setting course #4 next weekend.

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4-19-08

The best weather of the year allowed us to set 4 more logs. John also brought out his new excavator and spread a lot of our dirt pile around the house.

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4-26-08

It was another great day for working outside. The weather has been warming up nicely, especially for April. Today we continued driving pins on course #4.

No extra pics today.

     
 

5-10-08

Jeff's father-in-law, Paul, was back for the weekend - his first weekend of 2008. As his work schedule permits, he'll be back for many long weekends through the summer, just like last year when the project started. With his help, the guys worked on prepping the concrete footers for the log columns and making forms for the piers the columns will sit on above floor level.

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5-11-08

Today we finished working on the concrete pads. As soon as we get a portable mixer on site, we'll pour the column piers. The rest of the day was spent working on the first log of course #5.

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5-17-08

Some rain fell today, but we still made great progress. Ted and Bob came out and we finished laying course #5, with just the ends pinned in place. Jeff went out after dinner and drove the rest of the pins for the north log.

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5-23-08

A couple of days ago, Jeff and John poured the first few concrete piers. We never did get that portable mixer, so we made due the old fashioned way- a wheelbarrow and a hoe. It was great weather for concrete that day - damp and rainy, but because of the weather, we didn't take the camera out. Today, Paul and Jeff poured the rest of the piers.

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5-24-08

We finally began work on the support structure for the first floor. By the end of the day, Ted, Paul, John and Jeff had one of two floor girders sitting on two end support posts.

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5-25-08

Paul and Jeff set the two end support posts for the second girder today. Then John came over and the three of them set the second girder on the posts.

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5-26-08

Paul and Jeff started on setting the middle girder support posts today. They also ended up having to replace one of the end support posts they put up yesterday.

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6-1-08

We weren't able to do much this weekend due to rainy weather, but we did get some more holes drilled and pins driven on the 5th course.

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6-6-08

Today was a scorcher, and the beginning of three in a row. The entire day was spent digging our 575-foot utility trench from the transformer location to the future pole location at the road. We got it all dug, laid the electric conduit, cable and phone lines, and backfilled over half of the trench.

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6-7-08

Paul was back at work today on the excavator, this time pulling out stumps around the pond and moving large brush piles. We've taken a break from the house itself to prepare the pond area for expansion. Jillena was out helping her dad today and took all the pics.

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