Cabin Building Day 2
12/28/10

-24 today, was able to get trees cleared and beams put in place. Going to need to haul m5 up on sled during the next couple of days. Ground is not as level as I thought, so I will need to make some 6x6 blocks to get all the foundation beams level with each other above ground. Found the highest corner and will level there up to it to avoid having to dig in the permafrost.

Be sure to check back next Thursday for Part 3!

What follows is part one of a several part series that documents the true story of Mr. David Wightman of Galena, Alaska, and his ”logs to lumber” experience of building a cabin in a remote part of Alaska. The story is written in Mr. Wightman’s own words and originally appeared on the Logosol forum. We will continue to post new segments roughly once a week until the story is complete. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Cabin Building Day 1
Sunday, December 26, 2010

Well after 10 years of wanting to build a cabin with an M5 in a remote location in Alaska the adventure started off today. I transported the foundation beams, sill logs, sill tops, and the floor joist that I cut with my M5 at my house to the cabin site today with a snogo and sled. Eventually when I get the foundation done and floor deck completed I will be bringing the mill out to the site for the rest of the lumber making. Here are the pics and updates for the project. 

picture 1 of 8x8 beams for foundation and sill logs

picture 2 of 8x8 beams for foundation and sill logs

Bull Moose taking a look at the lumber on the way out of town. Small spike fork with a large body, would have been a good eater!

Bull and Cow moose inspecting the progress on the way out of town.

Cabin site looking in from the lake.

Cabin site looking out over the lake.

Load #2 true 2x6 floor joist cut with M5 in town, loaded and ready for a ride. 10 miles out of town one way via snogo.

Be sure to check back next Thursday for Part 2!

Building a log home can be very rewarding, but it can also be complicated and dangerous if not done correctly or with the right training under your belt. If you're considering building a log home, we highly suggest you search out training from a qualified school or builder. Alaska Log Structures up near Anchorage, Alaska offers a comprehensive 10-day course that covers everything from safety to purchasing materials to hands on training in the actual building process. For more information, please check out their website. Bailey's offers a wide variety of woodworking and log handling tools to help log home builders, too. 

Happy scribing this holiday season!
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