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Honeybee
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# Posted: 29 Nov 2016 06:10am
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My newest adventure has brought me to the road of clearing land and building a rustic cabin in the woods. I have always wanted to build my own cabin, one of the few things on my bucket list to fulfill.  guess. It's Tim ego,start adding some new things to the list. First I needed to learn how to log. Check learning and had a teacher for about 2 months. Now almost done clearing the area. Learning lots and absolutely loving it! Had a fun snag the other day that took me about 2 hours to deal with, slow but much safer with a come along rather than have the tree fall on me with all the trees it was nestled on.
Still have. A little rays nest left to deal with but otherwise good fun! Learning lots!
I'm trying to build it as little cost as possible. Have the windows for the place, got them for a trade. Well most of the appliances, I am going for rustic so appliances are limited. I'm using what ever wood I can from the land. I have some but will need to purchase more.
I am hoping to have the pillars in this January and then start the construction so we are able to move in for late spring early summer. I am learning lots as I am going. I studied furniture design in my twenties so I am not a total green horn. Still building this kind of a structure is new to me. What I do not know I will learn.
I am aiming for a post and beam, however I just came across cord wood homes and was thinking of that? Any body have experience with that? I like that it cuts out all the insulation, but I am wondering if it saves there but it costs some where else?
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bldginsp
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# Posted: 29 Nov 2016 05:37pm
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I have no experience with cordwood homes, but I can foresee several possible problems. Logs split as they dry, which could lead to air and water leaks. If the logs are exposed to the elements for many years it seems they would have to rot eventually.
I wouldn't try this method, or any unusual method, without thoroughly researching it and getting the benefit of those experienced. Let us know what you find.
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AKfisher
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# Posted: 29 Nov 2016 06:12pm
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Cord wood is an excellent way to build a cabin, when built right it will last several life times. But, it is very time consuming. You would have had to log, buck, cut, and stack all the cord wood a year or two before you attempt to start making walls. The cord wood needs to be dry so that it doesn't shrink while in the mortar wall.
The mortar is quite expensive to make now days with the price of sand and concrete. I built a sauna this summer out of cord wood and D logs. It is fun but a lot of work. Would it have been easier to just build it out of logs, probably. But I like the way it came out and it certainly works as a swet lodge.
Looks like you have decent logs, I would get a bandsaw mill and start milling into 2 or 3 sided logs.
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AKfisher
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# Posted: 29 Nov 2016 06:16pm
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A couple pictures.
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Honeybee
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# Posted: 30 Nov 2016 02:55am
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AKfisher
Thanks. Your sauna looks great! I really like how you used the two front posts of burled wood. Have you used your sauna yet? I wonder if the extrme heat and humidity form it will impact the mortar and wood?
After some reading the cord wood building is not the right choice at this time. Maybe for another cabin. But time is of the essence at the moment and with wanting to be able to move into the cabin by late spring/ summer I will have to stick to post and beam.
The logs are not bad where I'm clearing. They were harvested some 30 years ago so they are still small, but for me with being new to logging they are just right. 😊
I was just looking at some mills on line. Saw a few. But they vary so much in price I have no clue as. To what is a good deal or not? Lol! I have to do some more research on the mill, I have always wanted one.
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AKfisher
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# Posted: 30 Nov 2016 01:40pm
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The sauna works well! I built cedar benches inside, I am fitting a cedar door I built as well. I originally used milled slabs for the door but wanted a tighter fit for the door.
The stove is a cheap one, from lowes. It works ok. I will upgrade someday. The cordwood and mortar work great in the sauna. The steam that comes off the rocks actually will be absorbed into the cordwood and eventually the cordwood will "breathe" and dry back out.
This coming up summer I am going to enclose the front with knee walls and bug netting for a changing room and cooling room.
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