Where to start

[Cornfed]

Hi all i know im new here but just wanted to try and get pointed in the right direction. The wife and i have been looking into buying land up in the U.P. of MI and moving there full time within the next 10-15yrs. We want to build a log home, wood shed and atleast one barn from the ground up ourselves and from the trees on the land. My parents plan to join us there at somepoint so a second cabin would be built. But onto my question where would be a good place to start learning how to work with logs and to start aquiring tools needed (want to limit power tools since the places we looked at are very very remote and other reasons) would it be worth my effort to start with log furniture? or just wait untill i can take one of the classes and go full steam on the cabin when we get the land? My building skills right now are only with 2x lumber simple sheds finishing basments etc... our dream is to set this up as our final homestead . Also is it worth getting really old tools to start found a drawknife on craigslist and a crosscut saw too?

thanks
-J

[Shark]

You answered your own question.

Take the class, it will be the best thing you can do for yourself. After that, you will have the knowledge you need to build whatever you like on your future property.

Good luck!

[panderson03]

yeah I agree. take the class. even our most basic of decisions needed to be rethought out after we took the class. if we had taken the class first, we would have had much fewer headaches:) welcome to the forums!

[hawkiye]

Good places to find tools is craigs list, local throw away papers, yard sales etc. you won't need a draw knife there is a better way it's called a spud. You'll need some power tools like a hole hawg and lightweight electric chain saw to go with the big gas powered chainsaw. You can use a generator to run the power tools. That's what I did and it worked fine. I have a Coleman 55KW and it worked great just keep the oil changed and the air filter clean. There is a lot of information on the site for free read everything, that will give you a much better idea of where to start.
I grew up in the construction trades but i learned things in the class i wish I had known years ago it is some of the best money I ever spent in my life. As far as I know no one has ever asked for their money back in like 40 years. You will come away with confidence that you can really do this and be chomping at the bit to get started. However take your time and the class will teach you how do things a lot cheaper most of the time. A lot of folks use telehandlers these day to lift their logs I lifted all mine with Block and tackle and it worked great. Although telehandler is faster usually.
Blayne

[bittsandbobs]

Hello Cornfed.
I'm also a new member with the same goal. 4 months ago I purchased a nice piece of land in Keweenaw County that has frontage on Lake Superior. I'm still 10 years away form retirement, but its is good to have a plan and somthing to look forward to. I also want to hand build a log cabin, and this system seem to be the way forward. We can stay intouch and perhaps share tools or labor.
Cheers,
Bitsandbobs