August 24, 2013 Work completed for 2013

   Today I wrapped up the work for 2013. I framed out the three windows installed in the loft, and trimmed out the end gable completely on the front of the garage. Next year I will install the last window on the rear end gable, trim out the rear end gable, and install siding on the front and the rear. Other than trimming out the windows in the log walls, the exterior of the garage will be 100% complete at that point. In 2014, I will have a cement apron poured in the front of the garage, and a walk path poured from the service door to the apron. I would also like to get the stairs to the garage loft installed next year. This winter I need to learn how to do stairs as I have to install them in the house as well.

  When the inside of the house is completed. I would like to install stone facing on the cement stub walls around the base of the garage, as well as around the base of the house.

   This has been a challenging year. The push to get the garage completed was very strong; I worked many nights up to and past sundown. I won't be thinking about building in Montana for a while, but when I get back to New Hampshire, I will have to start laying out plans for what I want to accomplish in 2014.

   Have a great fall and winter. See you in the spring!

August 22, 2013 Installed soffits complete, and service door

      

   Today we finished installing the last of the soffits. The toughest ones were on the sides where the soffits meet the end logs. The top ones had to be driven in from the side. It was a very tight fit.

   Here you can see the two adjustable can lights we installed on each side of the service door (Which we also installed today). We drilled a hole up through the five logs above the door so we could wire in a light switch beside the door on the inside of the garage. The wiring will be completed next year.

August 21, 2013 End gables sheeted

   Today we finished sheeting the end gables and installing all the windows in the loft, except for one in the rear. It is framed out. I sheeted over it and covered it with house wrap. In the spring I will buy the window, use a router to open the hole, and install it.

   We also cut the grooves for the splines (1/4 in X 2 in steel bars, 30 inches long) on both sides of the windows in the log walls, then pounded the splines in place before framing the windows out. The splines will keep the logs from moving for the life of the building. We then installed all five windows on the main floor. The only opening left is the service door.

August 19, 2013 End gables framed

   Today I finished framing the end gables. I'm showing the back side as the front is not as pretty.
When I reframed the 4 ft X 4 ft holes to 3 ft X 3 ft, it didn't turn out as nice as I would have liked. This  I can easily hide.

   Tomorrow I will frame out the windows on the main floor and hang the windows. I will also sheet the end gables, cover it with house wrap and install the windows in the loft.
 

August 16 and 18, 2013 Garage doors and framing.

   On August 16th I had Copper City Door install the garage doors, and I started framing out the end gables. The garage door motors are side mounts, which makes for a much cleaner installation. 

   I ran out of 2 X 6s today, the 18th. I will pick up another load in Butte tomorrow.

I purchased all the windows on the 6th, and you can see in this picture that two windows in the loft are just about framed in. I don't like the size of the windows. I feel they are too big for the space they are going in.  I framed them out for 4 ft X 4 ft windows. I will see if I can get 3 ft X 3 ft windows tomorrow. 

   Before I frame out the windows in the log walls, I have to chainsaw a groove on each side 1/4" wide X 2" deep, X 31" long. I will drive in a steel bar that is 1/4" X 2" X 30" long. This will prevent any movement of the logs. I will install longer bars at the small walk in door. My goal is to have all windows and doors installed by the end of this week.

   

August 5, 2013 Roof shingled

On August 5th, I had a friend help me finish the roof. We installed the drip edge,  ice shield, and the underlayment, and shingled the roof in about 7 hours. The roof is right at 16 squares.

This picture shows the garage in relation to the house.

August 1, 2 and 4, 2013 Building the roof

On August 1st, we started blocking the TGIs at the top wall logs, the perlins and the ridgepole, when we cut the TGIs to length and installed the 2 X 12 header boards the roof system became very solid.

On August 2nd, we installed the 2 X 12 header board on both sides, and then installed the facia boards on the sides. We started sheeting the roof about 7:30 PM. We had to quit with all but two 2 foot strips  left, one on each side of the peak; it was too dark to use the skill saw anymore.

On August 4th, we finished sheeting the roof and installing the facia boards on the front and back. It is now ready to be shingled.

July 30, 2013 Rafters installed

   We finished installing the TGIs (rafters) today. Yesterday was a long day, today seemed like it would never end. It was 3:55 before I realized we missed lunch!

   Tomorrow I will screw down the last two wall logs installed, and start building blockers to go between the TGIs to keep them in proper alignment to accept the roof sheeting. I still have a number of blockers left over from building the house, which I will use on the garage.

   Friday, we will chalk line the TGIs on both sides and cut them to length. Then we have to install
 2 X 12 pine for mounting the facia boards. The 1 X 12 and a 1 X 4 rough cut cedar will go on last. Once this is complete, we'll install the sheeting on the entire roof.

July 30, 2013 Ridge pole and perlins installed

   Today we finished notching all the posts for the roof system. We installed the posts, perlins and ridgepole, and cut the flats on the top two side wall logs.We install a lot of braces going three or four directions to make sure the posts do not move when we install the perlins and ridge pole. Most of the logs have been stained. The rest of the staining should be completed by the 1st of August. It's really starting to look like a building.

July 27, 2013 Wall logs completed

   We finished the last wall logs today. They are the two on the top right and top left. You do something unusual with these two logs. For the top two wall logs only, both butt ends of the logs are visible from the front. This is true for the perlins and the ridge pole as well. This adds a lot to the beauty of a log building.

July 26, 2013 Wall logs almost completed

   Today I finished installing the loft floor, and we finished installing all but two of the wall logs.
It gets tougher to select the right logs for the walls as you get down to the last logs you have available. I do have a few peeled logs that will never be used on the garage.

July 22, 2013 Loft floor nearly completed.

   These two photos show the loft floor about 98% complete. I have two rows left to install. I ran out of 2 X 6's, which I picked up today, and will stain tomorrow. 

   The top log on the far right side in the bottom picture is only about 3 inches above the loft floor level. I will have to install the next wall log on that side before I finish the floor. If I install the last row now, I think it will interfere with the scribing of the next wall log. The last row of 2 X 6's will have to be scribed, and cut to fit with a jigsaw. The first row I installed was also scribed to fit. Note the stairwell in the back!

   Tomorrow we will begin installing the last 6 wall logs.

July 16, 2013 Capped loft logs, built stairway header, cut keyway for loft floor planks.

   Today we finished capping the loft logs. These are the most difficult logs on the garage. One side has 8 notches, the other side has 9. They fit very well with very little fitting with a sawzall. We also installed the two logs over the loft log caps. These two logs are grooved to accept the ends of the loft floor 2 X 6's, which is shown in the third picture below.

   Once these two logs were installed, we installed a 3.5" thick header for the stairway. The header was milled from a very large lodge pole pine.

   Here you can see the groove that was cut to support the ends of the loft floor 2 X 6's. We ran a straightedge across the flat tops of the loft logs at each side to mark the bottom of the groove, then we measured 1.5" up from that mark and used a chalk line to outline the groove. We cut along the lines with a chainsaw, then removed the center section with a chisel.

   I'll stain the 4 logs we installed, as well as the stairway header, then I will install the loft floor. There are 6 more wall logs to install, then we start building the roof system, which will be post and pole, the same as the house.

July 13, 2013 First trees planted

   Today I planted the first two trees on the property. They are both lodge pole pine, the same kind of pine the house and garage are made of. If they survive, they could get to be over 60 feet high. The pine beetles won't bother them for at least another 65 years. Pine beetles only attack mature trees.

   The trees are planted about 100 yards in front of the house in a ravine. The grass in the ravine stays green most of the summer so they should get enough moisture. I guess we'll see!

July 12, 2013

   Today I finished staining all the logs, inside and out, that have been put on the walls so far. I did forget to complete the two support poles. I also finished framing out the two large garage doors. There are 10 more logs to be installed on the walls, then we will begin the roof system.

   Once we complete the next round of logs, I can install the loft floor, which will be tongue and groove 2 X 6's just like in the house. The only difference is, this time I will stain the bottom of the loft floor 2 X 6's before I install them. This will eliminate overhead staining, and give a more complete coating.

   I also completely stained the 2 purlins and the ridgepole for the roof system. This was much easier to complete before they were installed, again eliminating overhead painting and painting off a ladder. Monday morning we begin installing the rest of the wall logs.

July 5, 2013 Loft Logs in

 

   Two days ago we finished installing all the loft logs and  capped the main beam on both ends. Yesterday, I started staining until I ran out of stain, then I installed screws through the top of the door and window frames to secure them to the next full log.

   Today, I went to Three Forks and purchased the rest of the logs; 10 wall logs and 2 purlins. I'll stain logs until the roof structure materials arrive on Monday, then I will start prepping TGIs (Rafters) and building blockers to go between the TGIs. As I type this up, the wind is blowing probably close to 40 MPH and it is getting ready to dump a lot of rain!

July 2, 2013 Main Beam Completed

   Today we finished installing the main beam and the posts. Before we finished today we installed most of the loft logs. The fit on the top of the posts looks like they were shaped in a lathe.

June 28, 2013 Main Beam

   We are now working on the ninth round of logs. The next log will be the main beam which will extend the length of the garage. It will be supported by two uprights standing on the garage floor.

   I'll drill a 1/2" hole in the concrete floor that will match a 1/2" hole I will drill into the bottom of each upright. I'll then screw a 1/2" steel lag bolt into the bottom of the uprights, and cut them off with 2 inches sticking below the wood to fit into the holes in the concrete

   The next logs will be the cap logs at the ends to cap the main beam in, and the six and a half loft logs. The stairway will come down at the right rear corner of the garage. The half of a loft log I leave out is where the stairs will come down.

   We have already flattened one side of the loft logs. This weekend I will stain the main beam, the  uprights and loft loft logs. Tuesday we will install the loft logs and the cap logs. Then I will install the loft floor.

   When the loft floor is in, we'll install two mores rounds of logs, then the roof system is ready to be installed.

June 24, 2013 Building

Here you see us working on the 7th round of logs. This round will cap all the windows and doors. 

When I was sawing one section of round six, I hit a rotten core in the log. I tossed the log and put up a replacement. I think that building with beetle kill lodge pole pine will get tougher as more years pass and the logs have been dead longer. Rotten cores will become the norm.

June 17, 2013 Garage Logs Delivered

   I have been very slow posting to this Blog for which I apologize.

  On the Monday the 17th, the logs I cut for the garage were delivered. It is amazing how much straighter they looked while they were still standing. I hired a log peeler to do the peeling for me this year. I definitely want to get the garage completed before I leave in the fall.

Baseboard outlets completed, June 14, 2013

   I'm still waiting for the log hauler to free himself up to bring my logs down. I went up two days ago and cut them all to 40 feet.

   Yesterday I was trying to finish the baseboard outlets, but I ran out of wire at 6:00 PM. Everything in Butte closes at 6:00 PM. I picked up the wire this morning and finished the last outlet and wired the circuit into the main panel. I also picked up a 3 foot, 220 volt baseboard heater and thermostat and installed them in the mechanical room. Heating the 10 foot by 10 foot room last winter with a ceramic heater was getting a little expensive, plus the baseboard heater should be much more reliable.

Main floor baseboard outlets, June 10, 2013

   Today I finished chiseling out and shaping the rest of the baseboard outlet box mounting holes on the main floor. If I don't haul logs tomorrow, I will stain the raw wood you see around the boxes, and begin running the electrical wire. I think peeling logs is easier than chiseling these holes. This was all sitting down and laying on your side work. Not real comfortable, but it's done!

Cutting logs, June 7, 2013

 
   I cut logs for the last three days; I should now have enough the finish the garage. I will cut each log to 40 feet and hire a log hauler to move them to the job site. The rest of the log will be cut up for firewood.

   I learned a valuable lesson this week, and I found out that old skills can come in handy. Never park your vehicle too close to trees you are cutting down. I still have the skills needed to repair barbed wire fences. (When the wind pulls a falling tree off course)

Main floor outlets, June 3, 2013

Today I started carving the 17 holes in the second log on the main floor for the electrical outlets. When I had the first two rounds of logs in place, I drilled a hole through both logs into the basement. I then drilled a hole in the side of the second log angled down to meet the first hole. I carved out an area so an electrical box fits snug and flush.

When I finish prepping all the holes, I will stain the carved area before I begin wiring them in. Tomorrow, I will look for outlets and covers that will match the stain as close as possible. 

Opening Day May 14, 2013

Today I found a place to cut the logs for the garage. My assistant, Rocky. and I (lower right in photo) marked 59 trees. I used orange spray paint to mark which ones to cut, and the size of the base. Rocky marked a few smaller ones. I spent the rest of the week helping the rancher who owns the property where these trees are located as payment for the logs. I also spent time helping my cousin, who is letting me use his D3 Cat to skid the logs out, and his Mini Excavator to repair the wiring to my garage, and whatever else I find a use for it. Due to a death in the family, I spent the next two weeks in Minnesota,