SPIKING

[Drh0liday]

I've been reading a lot about this style of log homes and i've liked everything i've seen. All my life I've been taught these exact principles of seeking out your materials at the lowest possible cost and then building with what you have.

But there is one thing I havn't seen anywhere yet, which is what is the spiking method used to spike the logs together. What is the reccomended type to use? I've seen one website talking about butt and pass log homes and talking about the spiking process but what i can't figure out is exactally how. Is like a toenail spike or is it like a connecting rod hidden under the chinking, i've even seen someone mention rebar instead of actually buying spikes, and i like that idea. Bbut where? :?: :idea: :?:

[rreidnauer]

Sorry, you got to take the class if you want the secrets. :wink:

(if I told ya, Ellsworth would beat me with a cold salmon!)

[The_Truth]

Rod is right. :D He is probably used to hearing that, but it is more than that. The class will teach you what to use and more importantly the correct way to use it. The class was great, the info learned in there will make your head spin, and will get you excited about log homes built "the right way".

I didn't have alot of construction knowledge going into class, but even learned some of that which will help me build my log home.

Money well spent!!!

[jruz]

I think if you spend more time looking around you'll find the answer to your question (this coming from someone like you - no class...yet).

I'm looking forward to the point in time when I can afford to take the class and start on my way to building a log house for my family. I hope you'll find there is a wealth of hidden information beyond what you find available to the public - it likely to be in both of our best interests to take the class. :D

[Drh0liday]

:mrgreen: Yeah, i would like to take the class but financially speaking it just isn't plausible right now. i'm just not sure what kinds of things i could learn from themn that i'm not already aware of and it's difficult to convince someone when you can't even give them an example(hence revealing a "secret") so untill i get some "disposable" income i'm going to have to do without. but of course i'm still not ready to build the house either. that's a few years off. although i did find some extremely usefull information on the spiking techniques

[dvb]

drh0liday,
I am not trying to sound arrogant or mean. The problem is that you are not aware of what you could learn. I had built a few frame houses and garages before I took the class and was pleasantly surprised at the amount of "new" information that was presented.
I also agree with the idea of keeping things "secret" until you take the class. Why provide all of the information for free? These people make a living from people taking the class; and I would never begrudge anyone from making a living. After you take the class, all of the help and information you will need is available to you.
Plus there is a pretty good cheering section in the forums for when you get bogged down and thing aren't going as you had planned. :D

[Drh0liday]

I also can understand people wanting to make a living by teaching classes, and the concept is not arrogant to me, i'm just having difficulty with the six hundred dollars, ( that's an entire paycheck for me)

[jruz]

Yeah, i would like to take the class but financially speaking it just isn't plausible right now.

I guess I do have one leg up on you, in that I live in Washington and I'll be "commuting" to and from the class once I get to that point. Either way, in the greater scheme of building a house the cost of the class is a drop in the bucket.

Keep reading up - in the forum and the main site. I think (and hope) you'll find enough info to tickle your curiousity. :lol:

If you still don't find anything I'd post back. I bet more people who have taken the class can chime in with enough to wet your appetite...

[rreidnauer]

No doubt I'll save far, FAR more than the cost of the class, with the knowledged gained from the class.

From my perspective, I didn't spend money on the class. No, rather they saved me many thousands of dollars by taking the course. :wink:

I hope you get the opportunity to go.

[RockEngineer]

When you get right down to it the method of connecting the logs isn't much of a secret. They are connected using 1/2" rebar every 24". One reason for taking the class is that just using the 1/2" rebar without all the other things taught in the class would not get you a house that is truly functional. Each method of building a log house has its advantages and disadvantages. I have engineered a bunch of different styles and tried to pay attention to each methods problems and how they solve them. The methods have developed over time and the LHBA butt and pass method has been thought through to resolve problems integral with this method. When you start mixing methods of log building you create a whole new set of problems that may not have been thought through. I see people all the time who say I want to use this method but I don't like this or that and so I'm going to take this idea from this other method and use it here. When they are done they have problems with settling, air leakage, rotting logs or something else and then they want to blame the method when the problem is that they chose to develop their own hybrid method and didn't think through all the problems.

As far as $700+ travel for the class, if you can't find a way to come up the this money which may save you $$$Thousands in the end, how are you ever going to come up with the Tens of Thousands to pay full price for everything in the house. Those who are successful in their search for a debt free house start with their 5 year plan which includes becoming educated on how to make and succeed with your 5 year plan. (Freedom doesn't come over night or without planning and hard work) Knowledge is Power. Application of that knowledge creates true freedom. The 2 day class is 22 hours of pure power put into simple usable terms. Did I agree with everything taught in the class? No. Did I learn a lot even after 20 years of engineering log homes? Yes. Is it worth it? Definitely. The member forums and their shared information alone are worth the $700 fee. :lol:

Good Luck.

[jeffro]

Well said Richard. We started with a 7 year plan and cut it down to 5. Took the class about 8 months into the "plan", so don't give up on your dream.

It will work out for travel, just start saving a little bit and forgetting that money exists, and put any extras into the pot too. Then you can get the full story from Ellsworth and Steve.

Jeff