Kyle_in_Tex
Super Star Member
Me too on your friend. You are a good man for helping out.
The Log house Project begins........
- Thread starter MotorSeven
- Start date
- Views: 739340
OP
MotorSeven
Elite Member
Cut 35 ac of hay between yesterday and today......it's tedder time tomorrow:thumbsup:
dave1949
Super Star Member
That's good of you. Hope the weather cooperates until it's put away.
OP
MotorSeven
Elite Member
We have rolled about 140 4x4 bales so far....hope to finish tomorrow.
jclaudii
Silver Member
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2012
- Messages
- 135
- Location
- River Valley and South Arkansas
- Tractor
- MF35, Kubota7040, Case885, Ford 1100
Took a few days to read in between doing work, playing with kiddos, and dealing with an entire sick family. But all I can say is WOW...I can NEVER show this to my wife or she may just let me go. You got an entire house done faster than I have got our 10x12 deck done!!! I bought the lumber when our first born was here about 4.5 years ago, it's still sitting in the driveway with nothing but corner posts up. I applaud your work ethic, craftsmanship, and your "help-out" nature about helping neighbors! Fantastic build thread and I'm sad that it is ending. But now the possibility of having a "farm projects" thread that will get all the attention and views is a real possibility now.
If you ever get a chance in your downtime while sipping some scotch, could you put together some helpful links, books, contacts, etc that really helped you gain the skills or confidence needed to do each individual part of the whole. I could see myself doing some of what you have done, but the wood and sawmill part. I am now doing some research on how one puts these things together, as I think a cabin would be the perfect house for our family. I am curious if you had to predrill each log or just screwed in.
If you want some ideas on "whole house temp monitoring" let me know what you have in mind either here or in a PM. An arduino microprocessor is the perfect platform for you to "build" on and have a custom, tuneable, easy to reconfigure, system...possibly for under $75 bucks. The arduino itself is like 15 bucks, each temp probe (a ds1820) is like 2-3 bucks, and you can connect up to 64 on 3 wires or 2 in low power configurations, so cat 5 or even old phone line will work perfect for this. There are many a versions of this done out there, and I would be happy to point you to some people/places that could help you out with this. The first step to seeing the validity of going "off grid" is monitoring usage and energy within the home. A simple lcd display for about 15-20 bucks will relay all this info to you, or the device could just be hooked to the PC and a nice webpage be where the info is stored and viewed. My goal for our home is to eventually have every room with a probe, one on the roof, one outside, a few relays to know when my ac kicks on, one for my well house to kick a lamp/heat on, and eventually monitor an entire solar hot water setup with it as well.
Again, a fantastic build, and I wish I could follow a person on here versus a thread. Can't wait to see the future projects around the farm.
If you ever get a chance in your downtime while sipping some scotch, could you put together some helpful links, books, contacts, etc that really helped you gain the skills or confidence needed to do each individual part of the whole. I could see myself doing some of what you have done, but the wood and sawmill part. I am now doing some research on how one puts these things together, as I think a cabin would be the perfect house for our family. I am curious if you had to predrill each log or just screwed in.
If you want some ideas on "whole house temp monitoring" let me know what you have in mind either here or in a PM. An arduino microprocessor is the perfect platform for you to "build" on and have a custom, tuneable, easy to reconfigure, system...possibly for under $75 bucks. The arduino itself is like 15 bucks, each temp probe (a ds1820) is like 2-3 bucks, and you can connect up to 64 on 3 wires or 2 in low power configurations, so cat 5 or even old phone line will work perfect for this. There are many a versions of this done out there, and I would be happy to point you to some people/places that could help you out with this. The first step to seeing the validity of going "off grid" is monitoring usage and energy within the home. A simple lcd display for about 15-20 bucks will relay all this info to you, or the device could just be hooked to the PC and a nice webpage be where the info is stored and viewed. My goal for our home is to eventually have every room with a probe, one on the roof, one outside, a few relays to know when my ac kicks on, one for my well house to kick a lamp/heat on, and eventually monitor an entire solar hot water setup with it as well.
Again, a fantastic build, and I wish I could follow a person on here versus a thread. Can't wait to see the future projects around the farm.
You can follow M-7 and his postings by just clicking on his name above his avatar.
OP
MotorSeven
Elite Member
Sorry for the slow response....it's been hectic here. I appreciate the compliments, but in the beginning I brought no real skillset to the table. I built my first and only other log house in '83. Before starting that project I had built a pair of speakers in HS...that's it. My Dad was a VP of a Finance Company and I don't even ever recall him swinging a hammer. I didn't have anyone teach me at a young age how to build things, and when I got older I pretty much taught myself.
Self analysis in three, two, one.....:laughing:Yes, some of us have natural born talent for certain things but I don't really feel that this applies in my case. Because you see, I would describe myself as having a high drive/determination. When I want something that is out of reach because I don't know how to do it, I research, ask questions, then I just jump in with both feet. I then proceed to make mistakes then try not to make them again. I guess you could say I'm too dumb or hard headed to be intimidated by the magnitude of a task. Along with this I am not ****, which has it's good points and has definite drawbacks. I'm ok doing a pretty good job because I don't have the patience for true perfection. I have always warned others that if they are **** in nature, don't build a log house......it's a sure clash of nature vs mind.
Want to hear something really funny, math has kicked my butt all of my life. Struggled with it in HS and college, avoid it whenever I can and it is a handicap when building anything. I have to check re-check figures and measurements, then still sweat that I screwed it up. I think that is why I love to pick up a chainsaw and carve neanderthal figures in a log....NO NUMBERS INVOLVED. Same thing with the cedar log railings, just let the sticks and branches tell you where they want to be.....that is just pure enjoyment.
Anyway, with all this the bottom line is we/you have the capabilities to do anything you want if you have the drive to do it and to overcome the fear of the unknown. Knowledge is power, the internet has made it easier to gain that knowledge. Research & read, talk to those that know how to do the task you want to accomplish. Don't be afraid to ask them to come give you a hand so you can learn.
A 10x12 deck? I love decks, one of my favorite things to build and it's an inexpensive way to ad open space to any home. If I was closer we'd have that sucker up in a few hours:thumbsup:
As far as the temp monitoring, yes one of these days I want to get into it and set up a few sensors...I'll get with you about that when winter sets in and slows me down:smiley_aafz:
OP
MotorSeven
Elite Member
Ok, progress on the basement insulation. It's all up and "mudded" with Liquid Nails....I did all the seams just like drywall mud. I put the plastic rounded corners on everything, then feathered them in with the liquid nails. I then borrowed a drywall sprayer/hopper and put Drylock basement paint in it, set it on the largest setting and sprayed a heavy texture on the walls.
All mudded:
I cut the top at a 45 degree bevel so once sealed off, water can't run down behind it from big wind/rain storms:
All mudded:
I cut the top at a 45 degree bevel so once sealed off, water can't run down behind it from big wind/rain storms:
