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Report from the
jobsite – 2011
LEAD, SOUTH DAKOTA
Ross Ortman’s vacation cabin, started 2 years ago in the
Wilderness Estates development just outside of Lead, South
Dakota, is finished and is worth the wait.
Ross chose to frame the cabin, then
install half-log siding inside and out. Bears Den supplied
the siding, log posts, ridge beams, and a small log truss
for the front porch.
The 10” log siding is a true half-log, cut from the same
profile milled log used in a full-log wall. Ortman's log
siding is 5” thick except the ends, which are left the
full 10” diameter where they extend past saddle-notch
corners.
Half log siding goes up
outside
Log beams inside match the
siding
Almost finished
CENTRAL NEBRASKA
Max and Deb Sheets are building a hunting cabin on the
Platte River near Central City, Nebraska.
Max, Deb and friends along with Mike and Christian from
Bears Den stacked the 24' x 30' cabin and set the roof
trusses in 3 days last August. It's a simple design based on
the Gravitas "Shasta Cabin" plan from our website.
Getting Started
Time to drill for
electrical outlets
A covered deck is the
best part of a cabin
The end of the third day
DEER MOUNTAIN
In September we were in the Black Hills again working with
Jason Rakow Construction on Chuck and Angie Anderson's cabin
in the Deer Mountain development near Lead.
The Anderson's 1200 sq. ft. weekend cabin was stacked with
8" diameter logs. Christian Sabatino and I, working with
Jason Rakow’s crew helped the Anderson family stack the logs
in 4 days. The following week, I helped the Rakow crew put
up the loft floor beams, ridge beams and ENERCEPT roof
panels.
Working with Jason and his able assistant Matt, we developed
a technique using a custom made jig and router “doweling”
the ends of the floor beams and deck headers so they fit
together without metal hangers.
Chuck Anderson and friends are finishing the interior
in-between a little snowmobiling this winter.
The Anderson crew begin
stacking logs
Good help is important
Rakow Construction sets
the roof
The doweling machine we
invented
Getting ready for the
doweled floor joist
A perfect fit
WESSINGTON SPRINGS
Dale and Melissa Schimke are building a log home based on
the Gravitas "Long Valley" plan from our web site on their
ranch Northwest of Wessington Springs, SD.
We began working with Kirk Luymes and his TOTAL CONSTRUCTION
crew on their home in mid October. This mid-sized home has
lots of character. The 28 corners make it appear larger than
it is but there's plenty of space for visitors. Dale’s
family homesteaded
the land here over 100 years ago so there won’t be a
shortage of family and friends to gather here. A balcony
over the front door and good size deck outside the south
window wall provide fantastic
views of the Wessington Hills.
The home is constructed of 10” diameter logs with a log
ridgebeam and log purlins supporting ENERCEPT roof panels
over the loft and great-room area and conventional roof
trusses over the rest of the house. Exposed log floor joists
support the loft and log stairs.
The South Dakota winter slowed things down in January, but
spring and an enclosed roof is on the way.
First, we lay out 28 corners
Pre-cut logs go up fast
Tightening the
through-bolts helps pull the wall plumb
7 pm Friday night in the
Wessington Hills with the TOTAL crew
The loft floor starts to take
shape
The balcony looks north
Looking south, the view never
ends
Spring is coming |
