- Joined
- Apr 29, 2012
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- 515
I've just written this up for my blog, but I thought it might be of interest here too.
Cutting Corners
One of the big decisions youll have to make when setting out to build your log cabin is what sort of joint to use at the corners of your structure. There are various options from the square notch to the simple notch, all with varying degrees of difficulty. Every single one of these techniques is perfectly attainable with determination and a sharp axe.
Any of the techniques in the illustration above will work, but the chamfer and notch approach has three slight advantages. Firstly, its stronger and more secure. Secondly, the sloping bevels allows the joint to shed the rain. Thirdly, it is the most beautiful of the three. And if youre doing this for the sheer joie de vivre of the thing, then notching and chamfering presents the biggest technical challenge.
First Steps
In this scenario we will assume that you dont have measuring tape or a joiners square. So you will need to spend some time judging by eye the way that your corners will join. With the approach we are using the upper cut of the join should be downward sloping. This way the joint will be able to let the rain water run out rather than collecting on a flat plane. The key is that upper cut of each successive log will slope down but at right angles to the downward slop on the log below. This should become clearer in the next phases.
Using a pen, pencil or piece of charcoal, draw out angles of the joint. The image above shows the log with the lines drawn out. It is upside down as you can see the downward sloping plane is on the bottom.
Scoring and Cutting
The next phase is fairly easy. Score the waste material of each joint with a saw.
Then use your axe (better be sharp!) to cut out the waste wood from the joint. Use the axe like a plane to ensure a nice smooth plane so that your logs connect nicely
Finishing and Fine-tuning
Even if you have used a joiners square and measuring tape their will be some fine adjustments to make. Since this is field carpentry, there will be even more fine tuning. Dont get despondent, what seems like a disaster may in fact just be that your angles of the two downward sloping bevels are off by a few degrees. It doesnt take much of an error for the join to look very ugly. Persevere and plane the angles with your axe. With a bit more tweaking you should end up with something like this.
Its not perfect, but its certainly functional and is fairly easy on the eye. Hopefully somebody finds this helpful.
Cutting Corners
One of the big decisions youll have to make when setting out to build your log cabin is what sort of joint to use at the corners of your structure. There are various options from the square notch to the simple notch, all with varying degrees of difficulty. Every single one of these techniques is perfectly attainable with determination and a sharp axe.
Any of the techniques in the illustration above will work, but the chamfer and notch approach has three slight advantages. Firstly, its stronger and more secure. Secondly, the sloping bevels allows the joint to shed the rain. Thirdly, it is the most beautiful of the three. And if youre doing this for the sheer joie de vivre of the thing, then notching and chamfering presents the biggest technical challenge.
First Steps
In this scenario we will assume that you dont have measuring tape or a joiners square. So you will need to spend some time judging by eye the way that your corners will join. With the approach we are using the upper cut of the join should be downward sloping. This way the joint will be able to let the rain water run out rather than collecting on a flat plane. The key is that upper cut of each successive log will slope down but at right angles to the downward slop on the log below. This should become clearer in the next phases.
Using a pen, pencil or piece of charcoal, draw out angles of the joint. The image above shows the log with the lines drawn out. It is upside down as you can see the downward sloping plane is on the bottom.
Scoring and Cutting
The next phase is fairly easy. Score the waste material of each joint with a saw.
Then use your axe (better be sharp!) to cut out the waste wood from the joint. Use the axe like a plane to ensure a nice smooth plane so that your logs connect nicely
Finishing and Fine-tuning
Even if you have used a joiners square and measuring tape their will be some fine adjustments to make. Since this is field carpentry, there will be even more fine tuning. Dont get despondent, what seems like a disaster may in fact just be that your angles of the two downward sloping bevels are off by a few degrees. It doesnt take much of an error for the join to look very ugly. Persevere and plane the angles with your axe. With a bit more tweaking you should end up with something like this.
Its not perfect, but its certainly functional and is fairly easy on the eye. Hopefully somebody finds this helpful.
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Either way, that cabin is an inspiration.
