Good idea on the jig Don!

looks good so far don if you run out of material let me know i can probably get you the same amount again after the two rain's we have had they grow line weeds. on the notching i tried a diamond burr i got from harbor freight worked well for me but I'm ho.
Jim

Thanks guys.

Jim, I'm sure I have more than enough. One thing about the notches, I just watched another episode of Barnwood Builders and they took down and reconstructed a cabin with double flat notches. A lot easier than what I had planned and at N scale, I wonder if anyone can tell the difference between that an a half or full dovetail... I think for my first log cabin, I'm going to try the easy way first... It will also allow me to build individual walls instead of stacking logs.

That's a very nicely-done cutting jig, Don. Simply done and looks simple to use, too.

Wayne

Don,

that is an excellent idea


Lutz

Thanks guys, what could be more simple than  a groove. I like it because the MDF doesn't want to cut along with the wood stick. The stick has a tendency to flair up on the ends, but they'll get cut to size anyway.

I'm going to go ahead and do flat notches, this way I can build a jig so I can do all four walls laying flat and be sure they interlock before bringing them upright. When I saw that on Barnwood Builders, they discussed why they did that one cabin that way and decided it was late in the year and the pioneers took the quickest route to get their house up before the snows came. Apparently there were no rental condos in the area to stay in...

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Hokie, dokie, I surrender. I've made about four different cutting jigs for my stick logs and none of them work because of the inconsistencies of the sticks (thickness, bends). That, plus the tendencies to split rather than cut clean has driven me two steps closer to hitting the bottle. I have a different plan now for those sticks, so Jim, they will not go unused, think Piece en Piece, (a no-notch cabin building technique).

My new plan for the cabin logs is to go with balsa wood. I made a cutting jig in about 20 minutes that I can cut the logs to length and get consistent V notches at the ends without anything splitting or breaking off. The downside is that I will have to stack the logs as they did back in the old days, one log at a time, but I think that will be fun.

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So, here's what I'm going to use to notch and size the logs, then stack them. The male part of the notch is cut with an Xacto knife. So, lets see if I can make progress this time.

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Have you considered using basswood? It doesn't have the fuzzies like balsa does.
In regards to: "has driven me two steps closer to hitting the bottle."
Remember NO working during drinking hours!

(09-18-2022, 08:43 AM)Tyson Rayles Wrote: [ -> ]Have you considered using basswood? It doesn't have the fuzzies like balsa does.
In regards to: "has driven me two steps closer to hitting the bottle."
Remember NO working during drinking hours!

I kind of like the roughness of the balsa, plus it'll take stain easier. I knocked over a bottle of JD and it soaked it right up. Gave it that old Tennessee log cabin look.

Here's some shots of my first full course plus the inside first floor.

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Got the first floor done, put in the beams for the attic floor, but then decided I should go for a two-story. According to the "Barnwood Builders", I should have a Summer Beam running long wise to support the second floor, but since it won't be seen, I surely don't need it. Not all log cabins have a Summer Beam anyway, this one doesn't... Unlike how the pioneers did things, the door and windows will be cut in later. Since this is my first log cabin, I'm going to take the easy way.

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(09-20-2022, 10:13 AM)ezdays Wrote: [ -> ]Got the first floor done, put in the beams for the attic floor, but then decided I should go for a two-story. According to the "Barnwood Builders", I should have a Summer Beam running long wise to support the second floor, but since it won't be seen, I surely don't need it. Not all log cabins have a Summer Beam anyway, this one doesn't... Unlike how the pioneers did things, the door and windows will be cut in later. Since this is my first log cabin, I'm going to take the easy way.

Don;

 

But i have a question: What is a Summer Beam?


Lutz

(09-21-2022, 03:10 AM)Schraddel Wrote: [ -> ]Don;



 




But i habe a question: What is a Summer Beam?




Lutz

Thanks Lutz, I'm not sure how well I'm doing, but a log cabin like this is rough to start with so we'll see where that goes.



A Summer beam is a heavy beam that would run lengthwise under the floor beams and would carry the weight of the second floor. The word has nothing to do with Summer, but is derived from a French word basically used for load bearing.

(09-21-2022, 03:10 AM)Schraddel Wrote: [ -> ]Don;
 

But i habe a question: What is a Summer Beam?

Lutz

Thanks Lutz, I'm not sure how well I'm doing, but a log cabin like this is rough to start with so we'll see where that goes.

A Summer beam is a heavy beam that would run lengthwise under the floor beams and would carry the weight of the second floor. The word has nothing to do with Summer, but is derived from a French word basically used for load bearing.

looking good don. how are you going to handle the door openings? 
Jim

(09-21-2022, 10:38 AM)jim currie Wrote: [ -> ]looking good don. how are you going to handle the door openings? 
Jim

I glued backup strips behind the window and door edges so the logs will stay in place. I have a #15 Xacto blade which has a very narrow saw edge that will cut them out. I need to find the right door and windows before I start cutting. That is going to be the nervous part.