Australia calling in

[Karen]

Hi

I'm in NSW Australia and moving onto a 200 acre property with plenty of trees, (scribbly gum, blue gum, she oak, bloodwood, mahogany, ironbark). My partner will be staying in town during the week to continue with his business and keep me supplied with $$ for materials whilst I build a quick (?) log cabin as a temporary roof over our heads - if this is possible. As a female builder who has yet to learn how to hammer a nail in straight I realise I have a massive task ahead of me :roll: but I'm willing to give it a go if it's possible to achieve.
Sooo ...my questions: can hardwood (especially eucalypts) be used to build a log cabin? If so, does the weight of the timber alter the construction? Any help, Aussie links etc will be greatly appreciated.

Tootles for now
Karen

[rreidnauer]

On a guess only, I'll say that the weight of the logs won't effect the construction technique, rather, the strength (or resistance to fail) of the lumber species would be of main concern. I'm sure a response from an unnamed qualified engineer :roll: will be of more value here.

What will be a factor is the physical labor increases the harder/heavier the wood.

[dave]

Eucalyptus is a good choice for your cabin, mostly because it is so straight. It is heavy, and does check, but not too bad.
Since you have so many gum trees down there, I'm certain others have built quite successfully with them.
I've seen one eucalyptus log home and a cabin, both very nice, both not in Australia.

Check out this site, close to home www.nafi.com.au/timbertalk/

[Karen]

Thank you both for your replies.
It's amazing how little information there is over here in Oz on log cabin building. I've spoken with many home builders and most have absolutely no concept of how a log cabin is constructed and cannot even understand how it can be built without steel, concrete or nails (apart from the roof). I spend more time explaining the little I know and reassuring people it is possible than gleaning any information that can help me!
David thanks for the link - actually I had already checked out and posted questions at the NAFI website a couple of weeks ago - again virtually no info there and no reply to my questions. I've tried again though. And yes Rod, it is the weight of working with heavy logs that concerns me most, especially the higher ones. Looks like a crash course in winches and pulleys along with building skills! Any suggestions other than a crane?
I think I'll just have to launch into building a chicken shed or something in order to familiarise myself with building technique and the behaviour and weight of heavy timbers - and use trial and error as my teachers! :roll:

Thanks for the info so far. Suggestions and information are still very welcome!

Tootles
Karen

[dave]

If building yourself and lifting are an issue, you can try vertical log construction.
The homes can be very beautiful, and lifting heights are not a problem.

The NAFI site answered my queries way back when, I'm sure they'll get to yours.

[Roy]

Hi Karen
My wife and I have been building a small log cabin in South Africa out of Eucalyptus Saligna and Eucalyptus Cladocaylix. The Eucalypts have got widly varying properties from species to species, but I prefer them to the only other commonly available alternative here, which is Radiata Pine. I would recommend cutting down some sample trees and seeing how they behave while seasoning . (Cracking, twisting etc.)I did eliminate some species at this stage of my planning.
I chose E-Saligna for minimal cracking, strength, straightness, length, hardness and beetle resistance.
The weight is a factor, they are heavy! The lifting techniques taught by the LHBA are cheap and easy for anyone to use and worked equally well on logs weighing 2.5tons.
I fully recommend the LHBA course.

This is what you can build with a few E-Saligna sticks.

http://i.photobucket.com/albums/d78/roytrembath/A1.jpg
http://i.photobucket.com/albums/d78/roytrembath/a3.jpg
http://i.photobucket.com/albums/d78/roytrembath/a2.jpg

[grannyk]

Thanks for showing us your beautiful log home in progress.
It's so neat to see everyone's work as it's being done.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v704/heaven4333/Blinkies/smiles-kuku.gif

[Simon D]

Hi Karen.

Just found this site and it's really interesting stuff.
Try finding this book for info on Australian timber usage:-

Wood In Australia. by Kieth.R.Bootle. (has info on usage from pioneer times to present and lots of data).

Check out COLONIAL SLAB HUTS OF AUSTRALIA to see what the pioneers thought. The iron bark (Eucalyptus paniculata), stringy bark (Eucalyptus obliqua), box (Eucalyptus bosistoana)and the blackbutt (Eucalyptus pilularis) were favoured.
http://sres.anu.edu.au/associated/fpt/nwfp/slabhuts/slabhuts2.html#anchor116733

Cheers,
Simon D

[Karen]

Hi
Thought I'd offer a reply and a quick update whilst I have computer access. I've moved onto the property and am in the process of building a chook house with casuarina trees. They're a soft wood but still weigh quite a lot. My first attempt was unsatisfactory and so I dismantled and have started afresh. I chose logs that were small in diameter - 6 inches with the bark left on - as I was concerned about handling heavy timber. I found it too hard to work with such a narrow log and have moved up to 18 inch diameter logs. Looks better and is more forgiving as I'm still learning to manage a chainsaw. I've skidded the logs up the wall with ease using a 4WD - but find having no-one there to guide the log I've ended up with some falling off the skids. I managed to pull the entire building down at one point (only three logs up on each wall!) Sigh! It's hard. I'm going to have to find some new swear words as I've worn the other ones out! :roll: But I keep rereading my two books (Allan B Mackie and one other) and keep at it. My biceps are certaily developing.
Roy, thanks for the info and the photos. I'm going to use ironbark for the foundation logs (straight onto the ground) as they're pretty termite resistant and scribbly gum for the rest. They do crack a fair bit as they lose moisture quite rapidly but I'm using them green and hope they'll season and settle together as a team :wink: I'll try and get some photos up of my efforts to date. Wow what a learning curve.

Tootles for now
Karen

[Kimberley]

Hi Karen,
Where in Aus are you? I'm in WA and want to do the same kind of thing.
:)
Kimberley

[andrewk]

I am looking at the same thing in N NSW and your right there is not a lot aroind here and what is - is reallly pricey !

I have got onto one guy that built a few in SE QLD in his park and are waiting to hear back from him

Be carefull of gum trees against termites and also a fire problem - the ones I have seen are treated pine against insects with some fire protection

lets keep talking

cheers Andrew