Must the logs be green?

[etd66ss]

So if a key feature of the pinned butt and pass method is the radial shrinking of the logs clamping down on the oval shaped rebar to eliminate wall settling, what happens if your logs dry out before you stack up the walls? If the logs are dry, can you no longer use this method?

[panderson03]

dry logs can be used with this method:) some use standing dead! its all good:)

[rckclmbr428]

Short answer is yes, you can use dry logs or green logs with rebar. In a perfect world all the logs would be large, straight and dry.

[StressMan79]

Actually

1 rebar is round
2 it has more to do with the rebar going in @ different angles. Try to get 15 pins completely parallel.

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[eagle]

Actually

1 rebar is round
2 it has more to do with the rebar going in @ different angles. Try to get 15 pins completely parallel.

even if they were all parallel, I bet there is no way it would move

[etd66ss]

Actually

1 rebar is round
2 it has more to do with the rebar going in @ different angles. Try to get 15 pins completely parallel.

Sent from my VS986 using Forum Runner

I read the other day that rebar is stamped and is slightly oval due to the flashing. It was in a butt and pass online article, would have to find it again.

[loghousenut]

I read the other day that rebar is stamped and is slightly oval due to the flashing. It was in a butt and pass online article, would have to find it again.

I'm with you. I think it is oval too and Peter has been sniffing the cork a bit. Kinduva moot point (look it up, Bo) because that steel gets so darned stuck that you'd have to burn the log to get it out.

Then there is that "all different angle" thing. I have a feeling that if you took slick, round, 1/2" steel pins, and greased them, and then stuck them into 5/8" drilled holes, they would still stack into a strong wall because of all them different angles.







PS... Either dry or green. Flip a coin.

[edkemper]

Perhaps it's also important to understand the terms. Green meaning we can stack them the day they fall if we can work fast enough. Green is probably a little misleading. Yes we want "wet" logs whenever possible. But I'm guessing that most standing dead are still wet. Dead, but wet. Once down and stacked, they will also likely shrink.

"They say" cut lumber takes about 1 year per inch thickness to fully air dry. That is cut lumber without any outer layers protecting the wood. How long it takes for a 12" standing log with all it's bark on to air dry is something for the scientists to answer.

On the other hand, a kit home has all their lumber kiln dried before they build. Yet Log Home Kits still settle, by inches.

[rocklock]

key feature of the pinned butt and pass method is the radial shrinking of the logs
what happens if your logs dry out before you stack up the walls?
If the logs are dry, can you no longer use this method?

No. The key feature - principle is the log is held in place with re-bar. The log shrinks in all three direction. If I put a re-bar 3 inches in a log, it will not back out. If I drive the number that are required, the top log becomes permanently attached to the bottom log.

We have had log dry for 3 or 4 years and they still work. In fact logs take a very long time to dry. They will rot before they dry..

So, drying logs, unless they are oak are not a problem. The reason we discuss green logs is because everyone starts with them.