# Buying logs for Cabin



## 00juice (Apr 8, 2007)

Hi,
I've been thinking about building a log cabin next year. I need to start getting the logs so I have atleast a year to dry prior to using. I'm trying to figure out how and where to buy logs for the cabin. I'll be building near the Allegheny National Forest in PA. I will be looking for straight logs ~40' long. 9" minimum tops and 12" minimum butts. Type of tree- preferably spruce or hemlock, although i'm open to other species that would be considered home logs. I'm estimating a need of about 100 logs. Any idea what I should expect to pay, where I should look etc.
Thanks in advance


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## burlman (Apr 8, 2007)

we build a few log homes every summer. Our wood of choice is white pine. we average i6 in to 20 in at butts. we bring in tree length, so we can sort for size and crook, we pay our supplier on average $200.00 per tree delivered. We dont take spruce to unstable when it dries. Hemlock is alot cheaper but way to heavy to work with . also we alwas get alot of shake in our hemlocks, making them worthless other than pulp. peel them quick while the sap is up makes life much better. we build green and let the logs dry in place.


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## woodfarmer (Apr 8, 2007)

*burlman pics*

do you have any pics of your cabins?


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## Husky137 (Apr 8, 2007)

$200 per tree delivered? Holy smokes! Maybe I should start contracting some quebecois lumber trucks to back haul pines logs,eh?


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## PA Plumber (Apr 8, 2007)

burlman said:


> we build a few log homes every summer. Our wood of choice is white pine. we average i6 in to 20 in at butts. we bring in tree length, so we can sort for size and crook, we pay our supplier on average $200.00 per tree delivered. We dont take spruce to unstable when it dries. Hemlock is alot cheaper but way to heavy to work with . also we alwas get alot of shake in our hemlocks, making them worthless other than pulp. peel them quick while the sap is up makes life much better. we build green and let the logs dry in place.



Wow, $200.00 bucks. How about $100.00/tree, you pick the trees and I'll guarantee no shake? I'll even fell, limb, buck, and stage the trees. Shoot, you could even hand select the trees you want.


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## 00juice (Apr 8, 2007)

*Montana School of Log Building*

For anyone interested. Last year I attended the Montana School of Log Building. It was a week long class, that tought the basic technique, from foundations to roofs. Al Anderson did a great job. I learned alot, and had a great time. If anyone is interested in building one for the first time, I'd suggest taking one of his classes. He also sells his video set at Bailey's, which is not as good as the class, but it would definately help a first time builder. You can get him at http://www.imt.net/~logworker/
He teaches a full scribe method, which gives a very neat and tight fit with very little required skill. 
FYI


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## forestryworks (Apr 12, 2007)

*also...*

be sure to check out a book called 
"One Man's Wilderness" by by Sam Keith and Richard Proenneke

it's got a good couple of chapters about log cabin
building by hand (the guy made his own hand tools
and built the whole cabin by hand)

plus it's in alaska... what more could you ask for?

great color photos, too!


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## 00juice (Apr 15, 2007)

the book is great, and the movie is also very cool. One mans' wilderness is his journal, Alone in the wilderness is his film being commentated from the journal. I got them both from my local library. Great read.


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## ArborView (Apr 16, 2007)

My son is 7 years old and our favorite movie is Alone in the Wilderness. We have it on DVD. We seriously want to build a small log cabin in the woods on our property. Nothing real fancy, more of a hunting cabin with a little wood stove. But I want to do it right so we can use it for a long time. I'm glad to hear about that book, didn't know about that. I'd like to find some more info about building "rustic" cabins. If anybody has any, please pass it on.


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## Adkpk (Apr 16, 2007)

"The Log Cabin" by, Len Mcdougall. It's a good read. Lots of goodies about building and living in the wilderness. Also any, Anne LaBastille, as for wilderness living. I couldn't put all four of her books down.


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## PA Plumber (Apr 16, 2007)

I should have made this offer sooner...

If any of you want to practice your log cabin building skills, I can supply the logs and the land. I don't think there would even be a charge for participation. Let me get a plan I like and the line for volunteers forms on the left. 




(Just kidding of course!)


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## 00juice (Apr 16, 2007)

The Art of Log Building, by Manny Sievert is a pretty good book. It is no longer in print, but I was able to get it used on Amazon for like $7 plus s/h. Again, if you are thinking of building, if nothing else, get the Montana School of Log Building DVD set from bailey's. I teach architectural design in High School, and this year we are designing log cabins. I'm using the VHS set in my class to help reinforce concepts. Hopefully, I'll find a few logs around before the end of the year to actually teach them the building technique. It is not very difficult, but it is time consuming.


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