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compound dovetail log cabin

Started by james, April 10, 2004, 08:20:20 PM

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james

 ???  I live in northeast WA , up in the mountains and am looking into building a coumpound dovetail log cabin with the logs flattened on three sides and the fourth left round to face the outside .  Anybody know much shrinkage i can expect from this? I will be using 9-12 in doug fir
                                             thanx

Preston

Hi James
Well it all depends on how much miosture the will have and what kind of climate you live in and the rain all take part in this! We just got finish building a 3 sided "D" style 8" log home and allowed 1 1/2 inch of settle to the house! I live in a fairly dry climate! Like I said all depends on how dry your wood is and we sell dead standing dry logs!
Preston

james

will the shrinkage affect the fit in the joints i will be using logs that have been down for a year or so stacked and stickered under cover (after being peeled and squared) i want as tight a fit as possable
                              thanx

Jeff

I was under the impression that was the beauty of the dovetail joints. Shrinking actually tightens them.
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

Ed_K

 I built a lincoln log 3D  8"H, 19 yrs ago. for ha ha's I just measured the logs. They are all at 7 1/2". I live in Ma. average moisture.
Ed K

swampdonkeyhemi

I have been "surfing" this forum for some time and have found a ton of usefull Info! Our family ( Dad Bro Uncle and Myself) have recently purchased a Lumbermate 2000 with the 23 hp Briggs I am setting up to mill some 8x8 timers and would like to try my hand a dovetailed shed . Can anyone direct me  to info on how to correctly layout and cut a set of dovetails ? This site is by far the best !!!!I post some pics later of our setup!

Jim_Rogers

There were some photos on here back when this section was first created.
I'd either do a search, if that's possible, or look at the first few pages of this section and work your way to the current page.
Or maybe someone will post a link or diagram of how to do it for you.
I'm sorry I don't know how to do that, yet.
Jim Rogers
Whatever you do, have fun doing it!
Woodmizer 1994 LT30HDG24 with 6' Bed Extension

swampdonkeyhemi

Thanks Jim,

I found the section"bonus notches" i recently came across this site that sells a dovetail Jig !
http://www.silvanatrading.com/logosol/dovetail/dovetail_page.htm

Bro. Noble

SD,

Have you talked to anyone that has used these dovetail jigs?  How do they compare to the 'dovetailers'  in ease of use and price?

I'm interested in getting a dovetail jig.
milking and logging and sawing and milking

swampdonkeyhemi

I havent talked to anyone yet but heres another system I found this one comes with the Saw
http://www.gndovetail.com/index.html

Bro. Noble

That's the 'dovetailer'  that I was refering to.  Paul H and Mark M have those.  They evidentally work really well,  but are (in my opinion) really expensive.  I think there is another made in Georgia or that area of the states.
milking and logging and sawing and milking

L. Wakefield

   I'd just recently got the notion to look into log homes (probably a kit to start- after I make one 'according to the directions' I might feel up to starting from logs) and so I searched the forum for 'log homes'- and I cam across this tutorial for one type of joint-  https://forestryforum.com/windyhill/tutorials.htm

   I don't think it's the exact one you are looking for but it might be in the ballpark.  

   Anyone got experience with log home kits? Or- for that matter- do any of you sell them? I'm in Maine and I am wondering about insulation or R-value (I *know* we talked about that once early on..)  lw
L. Wakefield, owner and operator of the beastly truck Heretik, that refuses to stay between the lines when parking

pappy

L. Wakefield,

Check out this site for log home manufactures right here in Maine.

http://mainewood.org/

click on the membership button
"And if we live, we shall go again, for the enchantment which falls upon those who have gone into the woodland is never broken."

"Down the Allagash."  by; Henry Withee

L. Wakefield

  Thanks- also, this one which I had already found..

     http://loghomelinks.com/states/me.htm

            There are a lot of companies out there. I am looking for a way to start finding out what I don't know.  lw
L. Wakefield, owner and operator of the beastly truck Heretik, that refuses to stay between the lines when parking

L. Wakefield

L. Wakefield, owner and operator of the beastly truck Heretik, that refuses to stay between the lines when parking

james

biggest problem is finding time :( Im a long haul trucker so time is in short supply.
 thanks for the input still trying to figure out wheather to build a chainsaw or band mill -some of the logs will be 40 footers  :-/

Anthony

James, Most of the Log building companies I have worked for allow for 6% shrinkage rates. This is a safe number to use no matter what the current moisture content of your logs are. A good book on laying out the notches is Allan B.Mackies "Notches of all Kinds". Jeff is right in saying that this notch should get tighter over time, however the vertical portion of the notch will produce gaps as the logs shrink. There are various dovetail jigs out there, Dream Dovetail jig, Great Northern Dovetailer, and Ed Millers jig ( I think it is called the EDM tracer) but these are mostly for use on logs which are flat on all sides. Many log builders will argue as to the quality of notch produced by a jig. I haven't used one myself so I can't say one way or another. Dovetail jigs work great for fine woodworking but logs are a whole different animal. Hope this helps

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