A new guy checking in to say hello

[DYork]

I 've been reading here for a while now. Lurking I guess you could say. I've read just about everything on this site, and the main website as well. I guess there wasn't a shot for this when I got all my military immunizations, way back when, 'cause you folks seem to be kinda infectious with your enthusiasim. In other words, wife and I have caught the log house bug, and are now really convinced this butt and pass formula is the way to go. Which is a good thing, because I wasn't looking forward to all that dang notching to begin with.

A little about us and our tentative plans. I'm 55 and Jane (wife) is 40. Currently live in the semi desert of San Angelo Texas, but have 75 acres of pine & hardwood in San Jacinto County, which is deep in East Texas. Would love to build one out of west Texas mesquite, but most of those tree trunks would give a snake a backache. On the property in East Texas I have hundreds of White Oak, and Loblolly Pine, (maybe 1000s) with mixed in everything else. It hasn't been logged since before my father bought it back in 1963, so the timber resources are significant, and my 2 sisters own the two 75 acres parcels either side of me, with those 2 properties equally covered in old growth trees. They've already said I could take what i want off theirs. West property line butts up to the Sam Houston National Forest, but I guess I best not stray over there with a chain saw. :wink:

We haven't decided which of us will attend the class yet, but leaning toward Jane going in a few months--when it is warmer in the NW. If I go, I'd have to explain and argue with her every step of the construction. If she goes, it will be built on what she learns there, which will then be forever known as "Her Way" so I'll feel right at home with that. (Some of you married guys may be familar with what I'm talking about here)

Anyway, when "She Who Must Be Obeyed" returns form the NorthWest, I suspect we'll know a lot more than we do now, which isn't a lot. I've done some stick house framing in my life, put on a few roofs, completely rewired to code an older house, septic tanks and plumbing, but nothing with logs. I will have a Case backhoe/loader, and a couple of tractors to use, so that should help with the stacking and hauling part. The bark skining part looks like Blister City, but we'll skin that log when we get to it. BTW, a friend of mine told me those draw knives should be known as draw blood knives. Any truth to that nasty rumor? Where's the engine on them things anyway? ;)

My big question right now, concerns the time frame for felling the trees. Going with the pine, as they are the straightest. I understand that they should be cut in late fall to winter most places, but does that hold true in moderate climates like East Texas? Don't have much of a winter, maybe a few freezing days/nights and the pines never seem to stop growing there.
I believe it was in the 80s there yesterday & I know it was on Christmas Day because I was there. I sawed some hurricane felled pines off the fences while I was there, and can tell you they were pretty sappy and moisture laden. And, as I understand it, you can use a green log with no ill effects with butt & pass anyway, so will I be safe enough to go ahead and begin felling trees in April? At my age, I don't have a lot of time to waste ya know.
Edit: I notice there are no classes scheduled later than Feb this year, so that will slow things down a bit. I've got time tho. (famous last words huh?)
I can spend it clearing the construction location anyway. Plenty of downed trees to practice my skinning on, and lord knows how many more time she's going to change the floor plan. (Please God. Don't let her see that home with the log turret. I've tried to be good-really I have.)

Got a little long winded for an introductory post, so I'll wait for you fine folks to wake up tomorrow and wonder who the heck has wandered in here.
Don

[JeffandSara]

Welcome, Don!

Your introductory post worked for me. I'm notoriously long-winded. :oops: :lol:

Others will come with more technical comments, I'm sure but off the top of my head....

75 acres, next to 75 acres on either side, AND next to the National Forest. Dang! That sounds GREAT!

Yup, go with the pine, not just because they're straight, but because they're soft-wood. You'll be driving a LOT of rebar. :wink:

I have some experience with drawknives, and there is no motor, more's the pity. :lol: But actually, you'll probably not be using one. A bark spud (the long-handed flat-bladed kind of tool you use to scrape off linoleum?) is the tool of choice for preserving your logs' natural protections. Blisters are a potential danger with one of those, too, but for me, it mostly messed with my arthritic wrists and tendonitis in my elbows. (I recommend arnica gel or cream every night during log prep. :wink: )

And whoever you send to the class, just make sure that they're ready to pay close attention. As soon as you/Jane get there, a lot of the process will become clearer because of the class location. But even though students now receive a very nice handbook that those of us who took it years ago did not (had to take our own notes), it's important to add your own notes and clarifications and to be paying attention to the demonstrations and other people's questions. You don't want to be out in the kitchen drinking coffee when they hit any of the essential points. :wink:

Jeff and I highly recommend the course, the method, and the instructors. (Jeff actually went twice-- the second time to clarify some things in person, and to see the looks on my face when I saw Skip's house for the first time.) Today we're enjoying the first snowy day of the season in our log house. It's a lot of work, but you can't beat it.

Again, welcome.

Sara :D

[rreidnauer]

Yawn . . . Oh, sorry.

Welome aboard Don!

Sounds like you got yourself the Mother Lode of logs. The battle is half won!!! I'd like to add that you can use summer cut logs to ease construction. They will peel much eaisier, and driving rebar will be less strenuous as well. Of course, nothing comes free, as the cons will be heavier logs and bigger gaps in the motar joints from shrinkage, if you get quickly to chinking. Also, you might run into a sappy mess depending on the species.

Now, you said you got yourself a bunch of white oak too, eh? If it's big enough, I think I'd be getting a guy with experience and a portable mill in there to cut me all my floor boards. (and perhaps any other large dimensional lumber you decide to use)

You're other trade skills are going to be a welcome addition as well. Other than that, Sara has it pretty well covered. I look forward to hearing your progress. Again, welcome to LHBA.

[DYork]

Thanks folks. i was joking about the motorized draw knife, and have used a spud scraper, but to scrape old shingles off a roof. About 10 layers of ancient shingles as I remember. I did see a bark chewing attachment for a chainsawonce, but it looks awfully slow to me.
Not a bad idea to mill some oak into dimensional lumber, but I was kinda hoping I could hold on to that for the future, in case maybe raw timber prices would go up some. A little more income never hurts. And, there is a commercial sawmill about 2 miles up the road, but I haven't really been by there. It may be a pulpwood operation. Maybe Georgia Pacific or whatever name they go by nowdays. Can't keep up with them anymore and all the old mills I knew when I lived over there have closed up shop.

Sorta planning the foundation now. I'm most familar with pier & beam(or is that Jim Beam? Nah, he & I parted company about 10 yrs ago) I figured with the weight of the walls and roof, I'll have to double up on the # of piers. About 3-4' of sandy loam, with clay below that, and bedrock a few miles further down.

No county building code to be bothered with, as they can't afford to pay an inspector. Might be a permit needed for the septic system--I'll have to check on that. Picked out a nice elevated location, about 50 yards from a little lake we built right before I went off to the service, in the mid 60s, so I can look out on that off the front porch.

Now, before I get too far, am I right in understanding that a lot of what is taught at the class is confidential or copywrited like? I do understand this class is a business endeavor and they certainly have that right. And I agree with that as well. So if I ask a question I shouldn't, just let me know that it maybe shouldn't be discussed in the public portion of this forum, and we'll wait for the class to get it answered.

Now--It's nap time for me.

[rreidnauer]

Now, before I get too far, am I right in understanding that a lot of what is taught at the class is confidential or copywrited like? I do understand this class is a business endeavor and they certainly have that right. And I agree with that as well. So if I ask a question I shouldn't, just let me know that it maybe shouldn't be discussed in the public portion of this forum, and we'll wait for the class to get it answered.

Yea sure, there is some things kept confidential. Everyone has to make a living, and giving everthing away isn't gonna keep ya going very long. (little bit like Duke trying to sell the secret recipe for Bush's baked beans) But don't worry yourself. If you ask something that might be better kept for the class, we'll let ya know. This is a friendly enviroment here. Some folk might have strong opinions (myself included) but we never go Jerry Springer around here. :wink:

[DYork]

Good morning all.
What about pictures from the main page? The pictures of homes students built. May they be "right click saved as" and/or posted elsewhere? I like to ask before I take pictures from websites.
Don

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[rreidnauer]

The bottom of the homepage does have a copyright notice, so I'd get in contact with Ellsworth or Steve before doing so.