Conner Prairie

Last spring while I was in the Indianapolis IN area going to the Lasko School of Log Building I managed to visit a place called Conner Prairie just north of Indianapolis. As I entered the outdoor museum I was amazed by the early 1800 hand hewn style log cabins and barns. One of the largest collections of restored log structures that I've ever visited.
I was taking pictures of one of the barns when one of the people that worked there came up and ask if I was from the magazine. I told him that I wasn't and he went on to tell me about a guy from one of the log home magazines that had just been there the day before. Not knowing which magazine he was from, I figured I would keep an eye out for the article.
It finally appeared in the April Issue of Log Homes Illustrated. Here is part of the article.

Cutting Some Trees

As much as I hate to, I'm going to have to stop working on the house for a couple of weeks. I've been given quite a few pine trees to cut down and remove. I have about 20 that our church wanted removed from around the parsonage and about that many more my mama wants cut down from her place. They are tired of picking up pine cones before they cut the grass.
I will be able to use some for house logs , but most will be cut up into dimension lumber and tongue & grove flooring, roof decking, and wall paneling and furniture and the list goes on. Now I just need a sawmill. :) $$$ A Wood-Mizer LT15 would be nice!

Another Log On

Another log was added to the wall today. This one I had to straighten by cutting it and putting it back together again. I really didn't want to have to do any logs this way but this log needed to be used low on the wall because it slightly has left hand grain so I didn't want to use it in the window openings and it was to short for the front or back walls.I used a spline made from a 2x6. I placed the cut so that in the interior of the house it will be hidden behind the bath tube. Sorry I didn't take a picture of the log before I cut it to show how bowed it was.


Cuts are made to accept spline

Nice Fit

Now a Straight Log

1st Round Log

Today we put our first round log on the wall. We're building a round log chinker. We have lateral grove islands so that the log is close the length of the log. We will use chinking to fill in between the logs. I love the look of Maple Island log Homes thats look I'm try to achieve. Only our logs are nowhere near as straight as theres so our house will have LOT of "character". :)

I got a little help today. (My wife made me take the picture of her off.) :(Using a butterfly to left the sagging middle.
Close up of the butterfly in use.
Cutting lateral grove island so that the log is close the length of the log.

Nice fit.

Progress

Now that we're finally finished with the sill logs I hope the pace starts to pick up. I really want to be through with the log shell by early to med. June. I know it doesn't seam like we've done much seens the first of Januray but these sill logs have received a lot of attention not to mention the days lost to rain. Now I plan my days off from work around the weather forcast. :)

Building site ready to go.

Temporary foundation
Sill Logs done!!!

Sill Logs Are Done!!!!

Finished up the second 3/4 sill log today.

Setting up to cut saddles and scribe
Saddles cut and sanded
Scribing notch
Finished Log

3/4 Sill Log #2

Another rainy day yesterday but I managed to plane and rip the second 3/4 sill log in between showers.

3/4 Sill Log On The Wall

I finally put the 1st 3/4 sill log on the wall. This is the log I had cut in order to "straighten" it. I rough cut the back door opening. What I mean by rough cut is that I cut the door under size so that I can make a finish cut later after all the logs are on the wall. You would normally like your sill logs to be an uncut log. This helps to hold every thing together. Instead I placed a 2x8 under the cut and screwed the to parts of the log to the 2x8 this will help keep every thing in place. I've never read or saw anyone doing this so I hope I don't have any problems with it.
I also made my first rooky mistake. I forgot to cut my saddle over the notch before I cut the notch. When I cut the saddle I cut into the notch cavity which made me have a gap at the top of the notch. Nothing that a little caulk want fix but I want make that mistake again.

Relif Cuts

Break out the relif cuts
Finished Notch
Tight fit here
Notice the gap at the top of the notch. :(
Cut door opening to straighten

Remember the bend

Now a straight log

1st 3/4 sill log on the wall

Dressing a Flat

Another Rainy Day

I had hoped to get the 1st 3/4 sill log dressed and on the wall today but it rained all afternoon. I done a little in between showers. All I was able to do was dress the flat and cut for the back door opening. This log has a bend in it about six feet from the butt. I'm using it so that it can be cut for the back door. Ideally you would not want your sill logs to be cut but I don't have that option. I'll talk about this later. See the video above to see this log brushed, planed and sanded.

3/4 sill log ripped
Rough cut from sawingAfter dressing smooth but wet
Bend at 6 feet
Cut to straighten

3/4 Sill Log

Today I started working on the first 3/4 sill log. This log is kinda of special because it was cut from the site where our house will be. Our house will literally set on top of where this tree was growing.


After Planing
Lay Out
Chalk Cut Lines
Ripping Finished Up At Dark

FIRST LOGS !!! WOO-HOO !!!

Today was a day that has been a long time coming. We laid our first logs today.

Moving the log from the log rack to the temporary foundation

About to lay our FIRST LOG
First Log In Place

First log going into position

Laying second log

Making sure every thing matches up

Second log going into place