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onegunsmith
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# Posted: 11 Sep 2013 09:57pm
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I'm looking at building a cabin this winter that is about 25 miles off the road system. I can only get there by snow machine as there are many rivers and swamps to cross. I plan to use 8" 3 sided logs milled on site and want to frieght as little as possible. I have a good snow machine, frieght sled, chain saw, and generator. I think i have most things figured out but know i'll be forgetting something. I was wondering what kind of things you have run into that have caused problems or stoped construction all together. Also wondering what i may use for roofing material that will frieght easily. I'm thinking rubber but rubber doesn't like to glue down in the winter. Steel seems like the simple way but it's exspensive and will get bent up pretty good in route. Thanks for your time and imput.
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Just
Member
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# Posted: 11 Sep 2013 10:50pm
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any cedar on sight to make roof material
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onegunsmith
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# Posted: 11 Sep 2013 11:06pm
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No cedar, just spuce and birch. Maybe a cottonwood here or there.
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OwenChristensen
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# Posted: 12 Sep 2013 06:38am
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I like your handle. I don't know much about your type of build, but I have freighted a lot of materials by snowmobile. I have a '94 Cheetah with high and low range, pintle hitch and a 156'' track. I built a steel A-frame with the skis towards the back and a steel loop for the hitch. Then two cross beams with stake pockets. This puts enough weight on the snowmobile for traction and eliminates a joint, so it doesn't jerk bad like a dog sled type. I haul about a tenth of a cord this way.
Owen
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PatrickH
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# Posted: 12 Sep 2013 07:24am
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When I was digging the foundation the bobcat was breaking the main belt and i didnt have extra killed the whole weekend and the one after that,now I have extras.Being so dependant on the machine I would have extra parts and tools to repair it,when you start working stuff hard it seems to break things that normally would be fine.Also what about shakes for the roof light weight,last long time look better than steel and can be done in stages
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onegunsmith
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# Posted: 12 Sep 2013 10:57am - Edited by: onegunsmith
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I've not seen many shake roofs up here. I'm in Alaska BTW. I thought of that after Just mentioned the cedar. The would load nice. How well do shakes shed snow? The area averages 7 feet of snow a year.
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Just
Member
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# Posted: 12 Sep 2013 04:04pm
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Maybe heavy black plastic covered in sod ,,if it is to be a " small" small cabin ??
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rockies
Member
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# Posted: 12 Sep 2013 07:42pm - Edited by: rockies
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Hi. This is an article by a guy that designs and researches building enclosures and why they fail. There are a lot of other great articles on construction on the site, especially about condensation, vapour barriers and insulation, which will be extremely important for you since you are so far north. Just search for "very cold" in the search bar and you will get tons of advice.
http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/insights/bsi-031-building-in-extreme-cold/?s earchterm=extreme cold
Another concern might be your foundation. I've read that in the far north buildings are suffering from soil movement due to the frost levels in the ground changing and shifting the foundations. You might consider this system.
http://www.technometalpost.com/en/products/exclusive-sleeve/
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onegunsmith
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# Posted: 12 Sep 2013 09:20pm
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Some very good info there Rockies. I work construction above the Arctic circle and there are many problems in that climate. My foundation is going to be adjustable as so the cabin can be leveled easily instead of fighting the frost heaves ill live with them. This will be more of a trappers cabin rather than a weekend type cabin. Kind of one step above a tent. A sod roof is a thought but they have to be pretty flat and with the snow load in that area more pitch is better. Probably going to go with steel for the speed and longevity. I was hoping to use as much material fron the land as possible but some things are just going to have to be hauled in. Thanks for the imput. It's great to learn things others have done and what they might have done different.
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toofewweekends
Member
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# Posted: 12 Sep 2013 10:26pm
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1Gun,
I'm in AK as well. If you're investing the time into doing 3 sided logs, I would do steel roofing with a fairly steep pitch. If you're that distance from the road, you don't want to wonder about how a roof that holds snow is doing during one of those 3 foot dumps. Summer time, it reduces your fire worries. Ours is 16x20 near Petersville and has a 12:12 pitch. Sounds like a freight train when it slides!
Roofing actually transports pretty easy over snow with a sled that has adequate width & length to support it and some wood scraps to keep your strapping from bending the edges too much (they bend back, too).
Design your roof to use full length sheets so you don't mess with cutting them.
Have a safe & productive winter!
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onegunsmith
Member
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# Posted: 12 Sep 2013 11:27pm
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Thanks toofew, I'm coming off the Deshka landing so we are almost neighbors. I talked with a guy at work today and he said he had frieghted steel without much trouble and I've had to use a lot of bent steel working in the bush. I was thinking 8/12 with 2 foot overhang for the roof. I'll get the steel cut to length here in Palmer so thats no problem. Putting screws in while wearing mittens is a different story. I was kinda wonder in about floor elevation with regards to snow. I'm thinking three foot min but not sure i'll get that high without using a post. Your thoughts? Thanks!
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leonk
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# Posted: 14 Sep 2013 01:05pm
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Good luck with your cabin. Building in AK in the winter must be fun 
What type of structure are you building?
There is video on youtube how to build simple log cabin, it was done for AK trappers association by some well known fella, let me know if you want me to find it.
On another site, I recall one guy described ideal small cabin in severe climate - size, door, windows, roof, stove locaiton. I wish I bookmarked it.
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rockies
Member
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# Posted: 14 Sep 2013 06:34pm
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Here is the site for the Cold Climate Housing Research Centre
http://www.cchrc.org/
They seem to be based in Alaska
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onegunsmith
Member
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# Posted: 15 Sep 2013 11:11pm
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I worked with CCHRC on a project a few years ago. Some really good info but the likey spending money. I'm building a 12 or 14 foot by 16 foot trapper cabin on screw jack foundation. I'll be milling logs on site with a Stihl 441 R cm and a Granberg mini mill. I'll use 6 adjustable piers carrying three beams with floor joist on top of those. 10 rows of 8" logs for walls and 6x6 roof framing. I plan to plywood the floor then cover with 2 inch blue foam and then cover that in another layer of plywood. I've been practicing in the back yard and have to say keeping chains sharp is going to be tough.
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toofewweekends
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# Posted: 16 Sep 2013 02:24am
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1Gun,
my Petersville area cabin sits on 4-foot pilings, 6x6 treated. Not sure how far down the builder went (I'm owner 3 on a 12 year old place). I know they hit a huge boulder on one corner. Guy said if the rock hasn't moved since the glaciers came by, the cabin's not moving!
I think 4 feet has been good. Big snow years, we're up to the windowsills between snowfall and roof slides. Much taller seems out of proportion and probably causes some building issues. My roof is a 12/12. I'd trade some slope for more head room (it's one room and a loft). Our front door has a decent porch roof coming off the gable wall below the loft window. That makes getting in easy in snow or rain. We swapped the tin for lexan or some strong clear stuff on the porch. Works great. And when the snow slides, or in the summer, you get a lot of light in the windows that the tin blocked.
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