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Summer 2011 Number 73

Our Niagara Falls Conference


Watch for
the EP&M
to go on sale
at ILBA website

Inside This Issue


Our Niagara Falls Conference
page 1
India Log Experience
page 4
Log Building in Siberia
page 8
Running 220v Tools
page 14
Buster
page 15
Teck Talk
page 16
Tech Tips
page 17
Extremely Air-Tight Results
page 17
Niagara Falls Conference
page 18,19
In Memory of Jerry Rouleau
page 20
Classifiedspage 22,23,24
Advertisers in This Issue
page 26

Log Building News


now in

Full Color

Download the
current issue at the
ILBA website:
www.logassociation.org

Agreement Number 40707514

Another great ILBA conference. A good


turnout of log builders, their associates, friends,
families, and suppliers to the industrymore than
70 of us trekked to Niagara Falls for our annual
get-together.
Pre-conference, Higgs Murphy spearheaded a
hands-on workshop teaching chinked centerline dovetail wall construction. And, as it turned
out, he got help from the famous dovetailer Peter
Gott, who was also our keynote speaker this year.
Fifteen builders attended this coursemany from
overseasa great effort (photos on pages 18-19).
John Boys introduced us to a new staff member
at Nicola LogWorks: Buster is his name. And he is
capable of incredible feats of strength. John Nininger
had brought lefthand and righthand log samples
from his yard in Vermont to be tested to the breaking
point. But was stopped at the border: Canadian
Customs wrote him out a ticket that explained it all:
Logs are not permitted in Canada. Thats news
to us. So, Buster, with Johns help, tried to break
8x8 pine beams, new types
of screws, special aluminum
dovetail fittings, and much
more. Details inside this issue.
The Auction saw some
notable, even historical,
itemsAllan Mackie donated
several of his tools, and
in particular a couple of
his personal axes. Wayne
Sparshu was high bidder for
one beauty that Allan had
used for decades it was
knocked down at a stunning
$2,100. Mack Magee donated
a 20-year-old bottle of single malt, which he then
bought back, and then shared with people at the
banquet. All up, the auction brought in nearly
$20,000 to fund ILBA activities. Thanks to all those
who brought items, and to those who bid on them.
The log builders competition was back for the first
time in years. It was good to see log cutters out there

giving it their best (and fastest) efforts.


Notch Scribing and Cutting
First Place: Matt Davidson
Runner Up: K. C. Ball
Axe Throw (Womens)
First Place: Ingrid Boys
Runner Up: Alison Davidson
Axe Throw (Mens)
First Place: Christoph Mengel
Runner Up: Duane Sellman
At the Annual General Meeting a good deal of time
was spent discussing important issues like the drop in
membership and declining membership income from
dues. In 2011 we received less than half the dues
that we had in 2008. The Board had earlier cut about
1/3 from Association expenses (including office and
wages, Log Building News, postage, and more).
Ann has moved out of our rented office to a new
home-office, and will be taking some days of unpaid
leave. Tough times. But there is strong expectation
that our new Effective Practices &
Measures booklet will provide a
profit center for us. The EP&M will
be sold online as a color PDF for
$22.50 per copy. And it is looking
like it will be a first-class resource
for the industry. It is expected
to be available this autumn, or
before.
The Board decided to try
printing Log Building News only
as a PDF (digital) for one year.
This brings advantages like: being
printed entirely in color, and
allowing the use of video clips in
addition to photos (videos on page 15 and 19 of this
issue). Savings include: printing cost, cost to prepare
for the post; and postage costs, too. A big savings.
Youll receive an email before each issue is available,
and then youll sign-on to the ILBA members only
website page to download your copy.
continued next page

LogBuildingNews
Summer 2011
Issue #73
Published four times a year
2011 International Log Builders Association
P.O. Box 775
Lumby, British Columbia
Canada V0E 2G0
Toll-free: 800-532-2900
Phone: 250-547-8776
Fax: 250-547-8775
www.logassociation.org
Ann Miks, Administrator
ann@logassociation.org
Log Building News Editor
Robert Chambers
robert@logbuilding.org
Contributors to this issue:
John Boys
john@logworks.ca
Robert W. Chambers
Robert@LogBuilding.org
Vic Janzen
vicjanz@telus.net
Katharina Klbel
katharina.koelbel@freenet.de
Earl Laverty
earl@lavertyloghomes.com
Willi Miks
Care of ann@logassociation.org
Scott Stroud
sstroud@builderradio.com
Mathias Ullmann
info@artifex-blockbau.de
John Wilkins
sprucecrafters@hotmail.com

The Trade Show was excellent this year, thanks to all our sponsors who took the
time to show us their newest wares. A full list of sponsors and supporters is on
page 19.
Presentations were really superb. Dalibor Houdek, on his way to Czech Republic
with a stopover in Niagara Falls, brought us up to date on the Canadian approaches
to residential energy codes changes. What a breath of fresh air to see a sensible way
of improving energy performance. (US codes, ICC especially, should take note of how
sensible it can be to develop new codes. The US codes are heavily influenced by paid
lobbyists from construction industries.)
Dan Wait told us about a lower-tech kiln he has built for drying whole round logs,
and showed pictures of a new kiln he is building. Higgs gave several sessions about
roof design that complemented Mack Magees presentations about roof engineering
always a topic that draws in the log builders.
I gave a presentation on my experiments with underscribing over the past 11
years. In 1999, when I invented the Accelerated Log Building method, I found that
the classic Del Radomske overscribe methods would not work for me. First I had to
figure out why they wouldnt work, and then I tried out several different methods of
using underscribing on both accelerated and one-log-at-a-time buildings. For the past
6 years have been using my modified underscribe method. Look for an article in a
future issue of LBN: the methods Im using now are simple, and have been giving me
superior results.

Peter Gott charmed every person at the Conference


Our keynote speaker was Peter Gott, who, I can report, charmed every person at
Conference. Peter has been building dovetail log homes in North Carolina for more
than 50 years. Peter Gott has done for chinked dovetail construction what Allan
Mackie did for full-scribe-fit construction. Peter taught Drew Langsner (and hundreds
of others) to hew and build. His PowerPoint presentation (his first ever?) was warm,
folksy, funny, and insightfulit was eye-opening and a hoot! For me it was especially
interesting to see the sophistication that Peter applies to log selection. Peter will soon
publish his second book on hewn dovetail construction.
The 2012 conference venue was discussed at the AGM, with some interested in
sharing the event with the Timber Framers Guild, in Monterrey, California. More news
when the decision is made.
Many thanks to Ann Miks and to Earl Laverty, the Conference Chair, who worked
side-by-side on putting this great event together at the White Oaks Resort in Ontario,
Canada. Thanks to Linda Granger for her volunteer help, and funding the social
evening. A full list of volunteers in on page 19, many thanks to Willi Miks, and Kay
Sellman for their help to make this conference a success.

Mission Statement
This association is a non-profit
organization comprised of log crafters and
affiliated members from many countries.
We are dedicated to the education of
both our members and the public.
Our association has a mandate to
research, develop and share techniques
relevant to the construction of superior
handcrafted log buildings.
2

Peter Gott and John Nininger


discuss fundatmental issues

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Number 73

LogBuildingNews

India
Log Experience
By Mathias Ullmann
Again one of those Spam emails? Crazy guys from
Thailand, Maldives, and this time India, I clicked it into the Trash,
why not the Congo? But two days later the phone rang, a serious
voice, explaining slowly about his project in the lower Himalayan
mountains, about 300 kms northeast of Delhi, a weekend house
for his family. Having had a long business tradition with Germany
they wanted a log house from here.
Two months later, I was sitting in the plane, heading for the
building site in Sattal, Uthakaranth at about 1200 m above sea
level. I was happy to find out that Mr. Jain, the owner, was a
friendly civilized guy. The ride to Sattal was not so civilized, I have
been around the world, but that ride beat anything I had seen
so far. No rules, no signs. On the road: cows, pigs, monkeys,
mopeds with whole families on it, all heading somewhere in a
big rush, most of them on the wrong side of the road.
The road got narrower, curving up the mountains higher and
higher I spotted the building site, a terrace surrounded with a
white, freshly painted and illuminated fence. Oh gosh, the fence
must be taken down, was the first thing I got out of my mouth.

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Mathias Ullmann on the ridge

I walked up and down, measured and checked everything,


looked at cranes, talked to all kinds of self-named experts and
finally after two days my mind said impossible. But my mouth
said: we will go for it.
I was sure that we had to build on site. Logs would have to
be sent from Germany, local wood would be growing in India
(mostly pine) but was impossible to get harvested in the way we
would need it. Visiting the tool market in the capital of Delhi,
which turned out to be no better than a yard sale, it was clear to
me that we would have to bring everything with us.
Back home, we pushed 45 frozen icy logs into two 12 m
containers after treating them very well with Remmers BS1,
that we mixed with hot water which froze right after spraying.
We used closed-type containers (not open tops) by placing the
logs with our Potain and then pushing them in with a fork lift.
A third container was filled with all kinds of tongue and groove
boards for roof and flooring, the purlins and rafters, and beams for
the timber frame first floor which were prefabricated in Germany.
Every container had to be fumigated, and some guys from
the harbour in Hamburg came to our site, about 1000 km
further south, for an astonishing 350 for all 3 containers. The
containers were already on their way via Cape of Good Hope to
Bombay, before we got all documents that were needed. That
was the first reconnaissance with Indian mentality, very slow, very
complicated, and not allowing any flexibility.
The containers reached Delhi by train, custom clearance took
another 6 weeks, with the containers sitting in the sun cooking
at 40 degrees (105F), so our plan to set up the whole thing in
May, was gone. The monsoon rains might start in June, so we
did not want to take the risk of being washed away while work
not being finished. The logs finally reached the mountains,
where they had to be loaded on smaller trucks to bring them up
at night, when traffic was not as crazy. After taking the brandnew fence down, the logs were rolled down to the home site,
and carefully piled on the concrete foundation by crane. We
covered them well, just before the rains started.
continued on page 6
Summer 2011

Number 73

LogBuildingNews

In November, our crew of three log builders plus my brother,


whom I brought as a site manager, reached the hotel in
Bohwali where we stayed for the next four weeks. The first days
were quite shocking for everybody, no one never seen a thing
like that.

took over in the crane, while the operator served the hook.
From time to time the self-made electrical cables started to
burn as there was no fuses. We worked on bamboo scaffold in
the beginning, the green bamboo started to shrink in the heat
and after a day they were useless. After one broke down while
cutting a window opening (and dropping the running saw out
of the house), they finally sent one aluminium ladder from Delhi.
But we managed to finish the log walls to layer eight, after 10
working days, faster than we thought.
There was nothing else to do, no excursions in the
mountainous backcountry were possible because of the
damaged roads, and no one wanted to visit the flat lands. So
we lived our big brother life during daytimes behind the white
fence, and after dawn behind the hotel walls where we were the
only guests. Every step was carefully watched from the other side
of the fence, so we were living a zoo life.
Still, we set up the whole upstairs floor which was initially to be
done by the Indians themselves, cut out the stairs from leftover
wood and got the roof rainproof, earning some extra euros.

Setting a floor joist log

The logs were in astonishingly good condition, all very clean


wood after curved-planing, and no spot of a blue anywhere. The
wood was drying already, cracks everywhere and compared to
the green logs we were accustomed to, they were hard to cut.
So I put short 35 cm (14) bars with a .325 chain on the Huskys,
filed down the depth gauge, and sharpened everything again
after just two or three logs.

Having finished the whole thing two weeks before our flight,
we headed to the Andaman Islands, to get some rest, swim in
clean water, and see some girls, after having worked in a 100%
male world.
It was hard to leave the house there, in a totally different
world, showing that all our rules and thoughts are just relative
and that everything might work the other way around as well,
possibly creating happier people. Still we had the feeling that
the house might not really fit there, behind the white fence,
while on the other side people are living under plastic sheeting,
without running water or a toilet. But one day we will be back,
and if only to see if the house had not been eaten up, and is still
protected by the Terminator.

Our work is done here!

The crew and other staff

Each time after one log was cut out, the Indians put
Terminator (with a big photo of Arnold on the can) on. It was
some anti-termite stuff that smelled so bad that we refused to
touch it. But the owner insisted on it.
Since the crane operator did not get out of bed before eight,
and needed persuading in order to move anything, my brother
6

Summer 2011

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Number 73

LogBuildingNews

Log Building in Siberia


By Vic Janzen
Log building in Siberia in 2011 is much like log building in
Canada in 1968, when I was first introduced to the craft by Uno
Beck, a Swede-Finn builder who had apprenticed in the trade in
the 1920s before emigrating to Canada where he spent most
of his working career as a faller in the rain-drenched forests of
the Queen Charlotte Islands. He built himself a house in hewn
dovetail style late in the Depression and helped three families,
including my own, build their first log houses.
I am today thankful for the low-tech methods we used as
professional builders in the mid-1970s when there were perhaps
three or four of us in all of Canada using the scribe-fit method. I
placed the logs onto my first house by parbuckling, using actual
horse-power since my neighbour had a draft horse that got little
exercise. I soon shifted to the modern technology of a 1954 Ford

I'm glad I bought that piece of rope!

myself committed to building a log church there. I tried to do


this by remote control, fund-raising in Canada and the United
States, and having my interpreter Alexei Pankov spend a week at
my farm in Columbia Valley, BC learning the basics of the craft in
the building of a scaled-down version of the proposed building.
The plan was for Alexei to return home and ramrod the
project with local volunteers. This didnt work as he lacked the
confidence and sufficient skills to take on a much larger building
and so I was importuned to return. The logs were delivered
in the winter of 2010. Plenty of them of excellent quality and
dimension. I had expected to find Siberian Pine but rather found
they had purchased Larch, which reminded me of Douglas fir.
continued on page 10

Wood Moisture Meters


Soviet SUV with fried clutch

pick up truck. This prepared me for the Soviet era mini-SUV with
the fried clutch that we used to drag the logs near the building,
Then we parbuckled with man and woman and children power.
When visiting the village of Onguday in October 2009, I left
a copy of my book as a memento of my visit, and then I found

Worry about

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Number 72

LogBuildingNews

My Vision: I would run a regular log building


course of about three weeks for the local people,
during which I would teach them to fit logs, make
floor joists, build the second story next to the main
building and leave them to fill in the last few feet of
log walls and then install the plate logs and ceiling
joists and roof structure with the help of a hired crane
sometime in the future when they got to that stage.
In the meantime, the novice builders would have acquired
the useful skill of building log houses from the Siberian forests,
largely untouched by the hands of loggers. I sent three
chainsaws to Siberia, peeling spuds, drawknives, and scribers and
indelible pencils. I asked that the logs be peeled in advance and
that there be some sort of lifting device on site for which I, and
my supporters in this mission, would pay.

Assorted groups of volunteers from far away villages showed


up for 3 days at a time and left about when they were beginning
to acquire skills. One group of retired old guys (some even older
than I), were cheerful workers content to peel logs and build
scaffolds, but too old to learn new tricks. Two of these geezers
did, however, nail down the main floor which was a great
convenience since there was no possibility of taking logs back
to the ground to cut notches and lateral grooves. We resorted
to the pre-machine age in Canada and the United States when
we simply walked on the parallel last log to cut the lateral and
teetered on the corner to cut the notch. It took me back. Most
log builders today have never done this and wisely so. This
church/clinic/womens shelter/guest house will still be the best
log building in the villages I have visited.
Log buildings abound in this vast area and are easily the most
common form of building in all of the thirty some odd villages I
have visited. Villages in western Russia near Moscow reveal the
same preponderance of log structures. With rare exceptions,
these buildings are poorly built, featuring notches that hold
water and little in the way of roof overhang to protect the walls.
Log houses are not easily evident since the solution to poor
workmanship and deterioration has been to cover up the
buildings with some form of wood siding, plaster, brick (as
shown here) and even vinyl siding. The projections at the corners
of conventional houses is the giveaway that a log home is
hiding underneath.
The round notch, rejected in the world of modern professional
builders, was common historically in Russia. This I knew years
ago from old books as well as photos of buildings on the farms
of my Mennonite grandparents and great grandparents that
survived the emigration to Canada 85 years ago.
I visited an ancient Russian Orthodox Church in the City of
Gorno-Altaisk that was built of scribed logs with round notches.
The notches were nicely scribed but cut on the top side of the
log: upside down, we would say. Two years ago I had seen the

That diagonal log on the ground is our foundation

I also needed a foundation, which I found upon my arrival


to be heavily creosoted large short logs laid diagonally on the
boggy land at each corner of the building as well as at the
corners of the intersecting middle wall. The locals assured me
that this technique was customary and that it works.

The coloured brick corner, that is also slightly protruding, indicates


that it is an old log house that has been entombed in brick

I quickly discovered my vision and the reality had no


intersection. A few logs had been peeled. There was nothing
like a class to teach but rather myself and Alexey and the
pastor family of which only the women were available during
the day. I had the foresight to buy a 60 foot rope in the town
of Gorno-Altaisk on my way to the village, and it proved to
be our chief piece of log shifting machinery. Being pressed
for time and talent, I eschewed the shrink-fit notch, except in
one demonstration, and reverted to the round notch. With
overscribing as taught to me by old man Beck, and a technique
much promoted by Del Radomske, I think our round notches will
be fine.
10

Summer 2011

log builders beginning work on restoring a part of the church,


and this time I saw their completed work.
Colleagues who have worked in the old Iron Curtain countries
will easily identify with much of what I am describing. Common
materials are hard to find, and poor quality. I was frustrated
until I finally learned to roll with the Russian way of improvising.
We needed a length of chain with a slip hook at one end and

Recent log restoration of church shows good work

a locking hook at the other. After many stops, we found chain


but no hooks of any kind. We improvised by finding a couple
of carabiners and cutting useable hooks out of a towing strap.
Common nails and spikes provided more adventure. These I
could bend with my bare hands and they mostly bent when
being driven into rock-hard
well-cured larch lumber.
When attempting to pull
any nail out with the one
claw hammer that existed
in the stores, the handle
snapped. I rebuilt the
handle and the next time
I attempted to pull a nail,
the hammer itself fell apart,
revealing it to be what
I think was Chinese pot
metal.

did not strip off the cambium as is the custom in modern log
building. My old-fashioned sense of aesthetics has never much
cared for the look of a log without traces of inner bark and the
natural sheen of final layer sapwood. We needed blue chalk.
Doesnt exist. We improvised with powdered blue paint.
We had to hand-build 36 log floor joists. Impossible without
chalk lines. My interpreter Alexey and I spent a good part of

Log floor joists for main floor

my last in Siberia in the big modern city of Barnaul where the


airport for the region is located and searched again for chalk.
We visited three large stores, reminiscent of Home Depot, and
continued on page 12
Vic in Siberia

Finally in my diatribe
I will mention one other
surprising deficiency: chalkline chalk. Both in the city
of Gorno-Altaisk and in the
village of Onguday, only
red chalk could be had and
the Larch logs are about
the same colour of red and
identical where the lovely
inner bark remains. No, we
Number 73

LogBuildingNews

11

we found chalk lines aplenty but not one store


stocked the chalk needed to use them! I will
be shipping blue chalk in large quantity from
Canada by first class mail.
In the end, it seems visions need to be
modified. I am happy that the will of the
people, if not the skills and equipment, is there
to finish the building. Their vision also had to
be modified. They were certain that Viktor from
Canada would easily work some sort of magic
and in three weeks a building would rise from
the marshy land, clear to the ridge pole and
they would simply carry on with basic local
carpentry techniques. Three quarters of the
log work is done, leaving the last quarter for
them to do, calling back the approximately five
people who can manage it. Completed ceiling
joists await installation. Plate logs are set aside.
On my last morning, divested of my grubby
work clothes and attired for the first leg of my
journey home, I left the Siberians with a six-log
course of logs to occupy them.

My protg, Alexey, is the big young Muscovite in the yellow shirt. My best
scriber was Vika, up on the building. I also trained her in log-selection which
terrified her. Mostly this was a hair-raising adventure but in the end the
mission was accomplished.

Some of the crew, pictured here, will return


for a day or two here and there when they
can leave their home communities and jobs and complete the
log work in preparation for conventional framing of the barngambrel roof. Of course, North American style framing is rare in

these parts and it is my hope to send a couple of framers from


Canada or the United States to do this work and to teach one
more skill.

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12

Summer 2011

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Number 73

LogBuildingNews

13

Running 220v Tools


By Earl Laverty

I am one log builder that will openly admit that I love


timber framing as much as log construction well, I guess
timber framing is a very close second. But, timber framing
now accounts for close to 50% of my business in the Southern
Ontario market. While I started timber framing to keep busy
between log shells, it has almost reached parity with my log
home business. This has meant that I have had to tool up to
reflect the growing importance timber framing has had
for business.
Because many of the best timber frame tools come from Germany, I found
that they did not run on standard North American 110 volt power. No,
these giant circular saws, chain mortisers, beam planers and band saws
usually run on 220 volts. Since my shop is a rented building with standard
110 volt, this created some initial difficulty that I had to overcome.
The most immediate problem was providing 220 volts
to tools in the shop but I wanted to be able to use my
tools on jobsites, and it all had to be done safely and be
able to pass inspections. So, with some initial ideas from
Leo Oesterle, from Mafell Canada, I approached a friend
of mine, Sean Cassidy, who makes his living setting up
concert systems as an audio technician. (Please have
your panel made by a qualified tech).

The 220v sub-panel temporarily mounted to my shop wall. 220v


extension cords go out both sides and up. The sub-panel is powered
by the permanent dryer plug seen below it. And the sub-panel can
be unplugged and taken with me to the jobsite.

While most feeds in our North American residences are 110 volt, we
do have some that power heavy loads usually stoves/ranges and clothes
dryers. So, 220 volts exists in our panels already we just need a feed
that will carry it. With my friends help, we ran a heavy 8-gauge wire from
the shops
existing panel
to a convenient
place in the
shop where we
would locate
the sub-panel.
Instead of wiring
it directly to the
sub-panel, we
chose a standard
stove (or dryer)
plug to be the

method of connecting the power to the sub panel.


The hope here is that I can bring my free-standing
sub-panel to a jobsite, plug it into a stove connection
in the kitchen, and power up.
Sean installed the appropriate breakers and cut
the outlets right into the side of the box. We then
mounted the panel on plywood and hung it on the
wall. With the 8-gauge feed hooked into a 220 volt
stove receptacle and a stove plug attached to the sub
panel, all I had to do was plug it in and voila I had
power. For less than $600. I now have safe power for
my tools in my shop and I can usually find a place to
hook up my sub-panel on a jobsite.

Now I know what some of you are thinking.


Why would anyone need to go through all
this to be able to cut a timber? After all, all
you need is a scoring knife and a chainsaw

Portable sub-panel on my tailgate. Note two types of 220v


extension cord plugs (20amp and 15amp) mounted in the side of
the box. The sub-panel can be plugged into any dryer or the stove
outlet at the jobsite. Example of dryer outlet shown.

14

Summer 2011

Buster
This year, John Boys brought along a new member of his staff.
Strong, silent type. Buster is the name. And all were invited to test
his abilities. Buster is a combination of steel beams, holding jigs,
and a hydraulic ram that John designed and built to test wooden
and steel joinery.
The testing (and breaking) went on all weekend in the Trade
Show area, so Ill just call out a few of the highlights that I saw.
First, an 8x8 pine beam (see photo below) with notches in each
end (like a floor joist) was bent down at midspan. At about 8000
pounds the right end joint failed when a crack split the beam
almost in two.
But then John screwed the beam back
together again with two Heco-topix screws
(see Tech Talk page 20), and applied the
mid-span load again. This time the left
end failed at about 8200 pounds, while
the broken-and-screwed-together-rightend held! Amazing.
Later, a simple butt-joint was screwed
together with two Heco-topix CC screws.
A vertical timber post, and a horizontal
beam, with no wooden joinery just
a butt joint (see drawing). This joint
was stronger than 9450 pounds an
incredible performance for what was

basically 2 screws. Nothing broke,


but the beam was eventually
pushed off its position (and was
still holding the full load at the
time).
Finally, John tested the flat
barrel bolt he is now using a
3/4 x 1-1/2 x 3-1/2 flat bar
of steel, tapped for 3/4 all-thread (see photo in Tech Tips on
page 20). Putting the all-thread into tension, he got more than
19,000 pounds out of this connection, and did not go further
since Buster has a top-end of 22,000 pounds.
John Nininger had brought righthand and lefthand spiral
grain log samples for Buster to test, but
was refused entry into Canada with them:
logs are not allowed in Canada.
Thanks to Duane Sellman for
providing his notes on ultimate yields
(Mack Magees laptop unfortunately
stopped recording data.) And many
thanks to John and Nicola LogWorks
for bringing Buster all the way from BC
to Niagara Falls so we could meet him.
Photos: R W Chambers

Buster bending an 8x8 pine


timber with end half-lap notches

Video of John Boy's'


Buster working. A
broken beam, that was
then reinforced with
screws, is re-tested. This
time it broke at 8200
pounds (4000 Kg).
Click on photo
to watch video.

Video requires QuickTime Player, if you dont have QuickTime installed you
will be directed to the Apple website to download the software.

Number 73

With 8000 pounds applied at midspan, the right


side split. The split was then screwed together with
2 Heco-topix CC and the beam tested again and
this time the other end failed at 8200 pounds

LogBuildingNews

15

TechTalk

Irwin, Milwaukee, Greenlee, Lenox, Bosch). You know what I


mean: the matted-fiber look of digested wood.

ti p s a n d t o o l s

HolzMaster Augers
Reviewed by Robert Chambers
I recently used Gary Richters HolzMaster auger bits
in an expert course I taught about log truss construction. Gary
demonstrated these bits at the Niagara conference, and later I
bought two 24-inchers: 7/8 and 1-1/8 diameter. In brief:
these are the sharpest, fastest, cleanest-cutting auger bits I have
ever used.
The first thing I noticed: these produce chips that dont look
anything like the chips made by traditional ship augers (from

HolzMaster
double-cut
auger on the
left; and Wood
Owl tri-cut on
the right

HolzMaster on the bottom; and Wood


Owl tri-cut on the top. Both are
Teflon-coated.

The flakes these bits make are clean and crisp, and are
mostly semi-circular-discs of uniform thickness (see photo).
The half-circle chips easily climb up the auger twist without
jamming, and eject themselves. Because the bits are so sharp,
the discs-chips have clean edges, with no ragged portions to
catch and clog. Single-edge augers (the standard ship-augers
that most of us have been using for years) try to cut a full disk
with each rotation (when they are sharp), or even try to cut a
full-length apple-peeling-type curlycue. And, as we all know,
these kinds of chips jam up.
Maybe the Teflon coating helps the chips climb, but there
is more to it for sure. I think it is the geometry of the way
these bits cut, and the unique shape of the half-discs each
cutter makes, that is probably the reason they cut and clear
so well. Ive got a feeling that some smart engineers really
looked at the way to drill holes in wood, and designed a way
to fundamentally improve the task.
When I peered down into the holes we drilled, the sides of
the holes actually reflected light. They werent just smooth,
they looked polished. This is probably another reason the
chips clear so welltheres nothing for them to stick to. I
cant say yet what the results will be in Douglas fir or cedar.
Gary drilled pine at Niagara Falls, and the holes were as clean
as a whistle. We were using Alaska spruce.
We also drilled long end-grain holes,
and the bits again performed better than
Ive ever seen before. In all holes (end
grain, cross grain, and oblique grain)
the bits eagerly fed themselves into
the logs without having to be pushed
or thumped (you know what I mean).
We drilled both horizontal and vertical
holesa few of them were about 32
deep. For the first 24 we did not have
to clear chips even once. Once the
extension got inside the hole we cleared now and again.
The HolzMaster bits come in a tube marked Wood Owl,
but they seem to be specially-made for Gary and Timber
Tools. I havent found them for sale anywhere else. The nail
chipper Tri-Cut Wood Owl bits (which are also good) have 3
cutting edges (photo). The HolzMasters have 2 cutters (which
explains why they produce half-disc chips). Gary carries 18
(45cm) and 24 (60cm) lengths, while the Tri-Cuts are not
found in anything longer than 18. And apparently you can
special-order HolzMasters that are longer than 24. I also
got a Wood Owl 12 extension, and it is, sad to say, the same
design as all other extensions. Now if those same engineers
would just put their minds to building a better extension

The chips are uniformly crisp, half-discs. The small chips seen
mixed in here were from end-grain drilling we were also doing.
16

Summer 2011

Photo by R W Chambers.

TechTips
Photo by R W Chambers.

New screws from Heco-Topix Combi-Connect (bottom); and


SFS (top) have different thread pitches on the two halves of
each screw. This draws the two log or timber parts together
as the screw is installed. No washer is needed because the
threads hold all the forces, not the heads. This means the
heads can be small (and can be sucked right into the log for
automatic countersinking. Amazing.
Andreas Hermann brought the Heco-Topix to the Trade
Show (www.HerrmannFrames.com), and John Boys tested
them with Buster.

Photo by R W Chambers.

I admired this waste bin at the dovetail course. Could be


built to be moved by crane or forklift. Holds wood chunks,
and sheds sawdust. Fixed sheet metal slide for tip-dumping.
John Boys reports
that a flat piece
of bar-stock
steel, drilled and
tapped, works
as well as round
stock for a crossdowel connector
(barrel bolt),
costs a lot less to
fabricate, and is
much easier to
install. Makes
sense to me.

Extremely
Air-Tight
Results
At conference we shared some recent
tales of blower-door testing, and
among the many tight homes, two
results were standouts. A log home in
Denmark, built by Nicola LogWorks,
used Gasket Girls P-gasket and
achieved a stunning 0.87 air changes
per hour (ACH). John Boys reports
that the client paid special attention
to sealing doors and windows, and he
used gasket or membranes instead of
caulk wherever possible.

Log home in Alaska that got a 5-Star Plus energy rating.

Photo submitted by John Wilkins

A log home built near Soldotna, Alaska by Jeff Parish and John Wilkins used Natural Log Homes 3-fin gasket and wool
insulation, and got 1.6 ACH at 50 Pascals. This meant that its performance qualified it for a 5-Star Plus energy rating, the top
of the rating scale.

Have any of your houses been blower door tested? Please provide results to Ann at the ILBA.
Good results like these must be shared!
Number 73

LogBuildingNews

17

photo credit: Willi Miks

photo credit: Robert W. Chambers

photo credit: Katharina Kat Klbel

Niagara Falls Conference


Zack Jacobson works on a dovetail.
Ann Miks keeps everything running
smoothly from her conference central
command.

photo credit: Robert W. Chambers

Dai Ona and Allan Mackie.

photo credit: Katharina Kat Klbel

photo credit: Willi Miks

photo credit: Willi Miks

Dalibor Houdek speaks to us about


log home building codes and energy
efficiency.

Matt Davidson races his way to a firstplace finish as John, Roger and Kevin
look on.

Pritt-Kalev Parts from Estonia cuts a


dovetail.

18

Roger Ellis performs at the jam session.

photo credit: Robert W. Chambers

Higgs Murphy and Peter Gott planning


their next move during pre-conference
dovetail workshop.

photo credit: Katharina Kat Klbel

photo credit: Robert W. Chambers

Linda Granger, Linda Bourdage and Lloyd


Beckerdorf relax and listen to the music.

Ingrid Boys lets loose and captures


first place.
Summer 2011

photo credit: Katharina Kat Klbel

THANK YOU

photo credit: Robert W. Chambers

Andrew Malakhvetchouk enjoying


the late-night music jam session.

photo credit: Katharina Kat Klbel

Dominique Fournier and Earl


Laverty during the dovetail course.

Duane Sellman tries out the huge


Mafell circle saw.

Conference Volunteers
Earl Laverty, Conference Chair
Dan Wait
Ron Brodigan
Willi Miks
Kay Sellman
Duane Sellman
John Boys
Katharina Koelbel
Lloyd Beckedorf
Linda Bourdage
Linda Granger
Jennifer Gurski
Higgs Murphy
and the many people who helped
clean up the parking lot
Our Sponsors
Enviroshake
FraserWood Industries
GRK Fasteners
Herrmanns Timber Frame Homes
Husqvarna Canada Corp.
ITN International Corp.
Nicola LogWorks Ltd.
The Sansin Corporation
Timberlinx
Timber Tools
Woodlandia
ILBA Auction Sponsors
Cannon Bar Works
Lee Valley Tools Ltd.
Magard Ventures
Book Store
Summer Beam Books

Matt Davidson
adzes a log.
Click on photo
to watch video.

Video by
R. W. Chambers.

Auction Donations
Lloyd Beckedorf
Linda Bourdage
Roger Ellis
Robert Enos
Dominique Fournier
Konrad Gallei
Linda Granger
Ron Hann
Zack Jacobson
Bob Kenel
Kat Kolbel
Robert Chambers
Earl Laverty
B. Allan Mackie
Ann Miks
Willi Miks
Brian Morrison
Higgs Murphy
John Nininger
Dai Ona
Priit-Kalev Parts
Slawomir Rombel
Suzette Storey
Duane Sellman
Enviroshake
FraserWood Industries
GRK Fasteners
Herrmanns Timber Frame Homes
Husqvarna Canada Corp.
ITN International Corp.
Nicola LogWorks Ltd.
The Sansin Corporation
Timberlinx
Timber Tools
Woodlandia
Wayside Printers
Cannon Bar Works
Lee Valley Tools Ltd.
Magard Ventures
Summer Beam Books

John Boys of Nicola LogWorks


brought Buster to the conference,
which was one of the highlights.

Video requires QuickTime Player, if you dont have QuickTime installed


you will be directed to the Apple website to download the software.
Number 73

LogBuildingNews

19

In Memory of Jerry Rouleau


J u ly 2 6 , 1 9 4 8 - M a r c h 1 5 , 2 0 1 1

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
By Scott Stroud
As many of you know, Jerry Rouleau had been battling cancer for the past two years. Jerry passed
away surrounded by his family at St. Francis Hospital. He is survived by his wife, Valerie; his
sons, Jason and Scott, and Scott's wife, Amber; his daughter, Kerry, three sisters and numerous
grandchildren, cousins, nieces and nephews.
Few people I've known have had the opportunity to touch as many lives in such a gracious and
endearing way as Jerry Rouleau. Whether in business or in other aspects of his life, Jerry had a way of
inspiring everyone around him. He was a caring, giving person. You never left Jerry's presence without
feeling better about yourself, and that is a truly remarkable characteristic, one worth emulating.
After having lost his wife, Jan, to cancer 10 years ago, Jerry created Jans House of Hope, a fund
raising project that built a 3,100 sq. ft. home on a barge complete with 3 car garage, car in the
driveway and landscaped yard which toured seven cities on the east coast. The tour generated
over $15 million of publicity for cancer awareness in a two-month period.
During his career, Jerry spoke personally to over 8,000 industry professionals who have attended
his seminars & workshops. In addition, he was the author of Selling New Homes: Sales & Marketing
Workbook for Million-Dollar Producers, Selling More Homes the Easy Way, The Insiders Guide to
Selling More Homes, and the eBook, Selling More Homes the Easy Way, Part 2.
Jerry was the founder of BuilderRadio and the Selling More Homes Podcast, which he co-hosted
with me for over three years. Before BuilderRadio, though, Jerry had been involved in the housing
industry for over 25 years as President of J. Rouleau & Associates, offering public relations, sales and
marketing resources and consulting to builders, housing companies and building product suppliers,
including many ILBA members.

Over 1 mile of
Gaps this Wide?

hats right. The average 2,200 sq. ft. home has over
5280 feet of log joint exposed to the elements. Dont
take a chance keeping out the invasive power of Mother
Naturejoin the thousands of homeowners who have sealed
their home with Log Jam chinking.

When other chinking pulls away Log Jam holds its seal.
Since its introduction in 1985, Log Jam chinking
has been the recognized industry standard
in elasticity, adhesion, and durability. It is
also the only chinking to hold a UL fire
resistance rating. Log Jam doesnt just
fill the gaps, it provides ultimate
protection against the elements.
10300 E. 107th Place Brighton, CO 80601
1-800-767-5656 www. sashco.com

20

Summer 2011

Support the advertisers who support Log Building News. Its a win-win situation!

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A Boys Big Book of Jigs


A Log Builders Reference to Jigs, Tools and Techniques
An informative book on jigs and work methods specific
to our trade. Sections include: Scribing and Layout,
Stairs and Railings, Cutting and Drilling, Stairs and Railings,
Holding, Mills and Machines, Lifting, Work Methods,
Accessing Heights, Resources, Cool Tools and New Stuff.
Available to ILBA members only
Convenient binder format allows additional
information to be inserted
Price $95.00 CAN plus shipping
To order, contact the ILBA office at 1-800-532-2900 or
250-547-8776 or email info@logassociation.org

Number 73

JIG BOOK
---On Sale
NOW!

Elevating the Design and


Engineering of Timber Structures
Ben Brungraber, Ph.D., P.E. ben@ftet.biz
Mack Magee, M.S. mack@ftet.biz
Duncan McElroy, P.E. duncan@ftet.biz
Joe Miller, Ph.D., P.E. joe@ftet.biz
Fire Tower Engineered Timber, Inc., 60 Valley Street, Unit 1, Providence, RI 02909
Phone: 401.654.4600 Fax: 401.654.4602 www.ftet.biz

LogBuildingNews

21

CL a s s i f i e d A d s
FOR SALE
Building logs for sale - regular and oversize. Fir
Cut to peeler lengths mainly 43 and 52 ft. Trees
were harvested in fall 2010 and some in winter
2011. Good straight logs for building - approx
200 cu m. Also oversize logs for Timberframe
stock. Woodlot 454 Golden BC, 250 344 4646.
Chisum Log Mill for sale: $250,000
Processes any type of logs into finished tongue
and groove logs. A team of 3 people can easily
process logs for the walls of a 1200 sq ft home
in 2 work days. Delivery, installation and training
available. Can be operated with a generator for
remote locations. Contact info@alphalog.ca for
Specifications.
Dietrich's professional 3D CAD/CAM software
Includes latest version (8) with hardlock: D-CAM
Module, DCAD 2D Module, Project Data
Paid $8000, asking $5000 obo. Email
paul@ktloghomes.com or 613-227-4663.
1999 Heartwood Band Sawmill Model 310
Electric Never been used; 6 Double-Cut
(cutting travel speed up to 3 feet per second
forward or reverse). Will require 600 Volt 3
Phase Power or motor exchange. The only
noticeable noise this mill makes is the actual
blade cutting through wood. Eighty-eight feet
of track; operator travels with mill head along
track. Numerous track-mounted hydraulic
log handing systems and full programmable
computer controlled set works. (We purchased
2 and only set one up for use.) Purchased in
1999, replacement value of this unit today is
over $130,000 Canadian. Asking $65,000.00
Canadian, will require some site preparation and
assembly. To compare this to any of the small
bandsaws is like comparing a hi-way tractor/
trailer to a go-cart, this is a serious production
mill. We often can go three weeks between
bandsaw blade sharpenings! Please arrange
for an appointment to see the twin unit in
operation. Link to this model at Heartwood Saw:
http://www.heartwoodsaw.com/Model_310.html
Email to info@moosemountain.com or phone
toll free 1-877-932-3992 Lloyd Beckedorf,
Moose Mountain Log Homes Inc.
Logworks Helper Pricing program specially
written for fast and accurate takeoffs and
quotes of log home shells. You can customize
it for the pricing methods and preferences
you currently use. Note: you must own a copy
of Microsoft Excel to run Logworks Helper.
Developed by Dai Ona with help from John
Boys. Contact Ann at the ILBA offices for sales
and enquiries. CDN $500.
Established fully equipped Log Home/
Sawmill manufacturing business available in
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Property includes
three buildings on 12 acres. Contact Bridgetown
Realty Inc., Brokerage, Terry Schug, sales
representative, 705-949-8787.
Hop over to LogFrogs.com for log cleats and
great log building tools, books and toys for
builders and owners! Get entered to win your
free builder's pack of Log Frogs and a free one
month's banner ad on our site!
www.logfrogs.com
22

HELP W AN T E d

help Wanted

Back Country Log Homes is located close to


Saskatoon,SK and we are looking for one or
two experienced log builders for this summer
and fall. Timber frame experience would be a
plus. If interested please contact Jeff by email
backcountry@yourlink.ca or call 306-493-2448.
Send resumes to: backcountry@yourlink.ca.

Full time log chinker. Full time log hand


crafter and timber framer. For both of these
positions we require years of experience and
references. Contact - Southwest Log Homes, Inc
Email: david@southwestloghomes.com

Experienced full-scribe log builder wanted for


year round, full-time work. Big White Pine logs.
Good working conditions, minimal travel, good
pay and benefits. Rural and beautiful Northern
Vermont near Connecticut River and White
Mountains of New Hampshire. 3 hours from
Boston, Montreal and coast of Maine. Outdoors
oriented person with good woodworking and
math skills. To apply send or email resume and
references. The Wooden House Co., Ltd., 3714
North Rd., S. Ryegate, Vermont to Newbury,
Vermont 05051 Phone: 802-429-2490, email:
john@woodenhousecompany.com
Handcrafted Log & Timber Frame Builders
Edgewood Log Structures, a successful Handcraft
and Timber Frame company in Coeur dAlene,
is looking for both experienced and apprentice
log and timber crafters. Wages are DOE. Full
time positions available immediately. Please
send resum to Edgewood Log Structures, P.O.
Box 1030, Coeur dAlene, ID 83816 or call
208-683-3332.
Log Crafters Wanted Mid-level (3-5 years
experience) or possibly builders capable of taking
on a project with our crew or their crew.
While dual US & Canadian citizenship or Class
1 truck driver's license would be a benefit, it is
not necessary. Applicants must have Canadian
citizenship or Landed Immigrant status. With
Moose Mountain you will be involved in
patented and warranted air and weather tight
fully scribed joinery, exciting projects and the
possibility of travel with a company that is over
30 years in business. Earnings dependent on
skill and experience and level of responsibility
willing to take on please call to discuss. Call
us toll free at 1-877-932-3992 or email info@
moosemountain.com.
Did you know Environment Canada has
determined that southwestern Alberta enjoys
Canada's overall nicest climate and we are
situated in the most moderate area of Alberta
all with the Rocky Mountains at our doorstep.
Alberta has one of the lowest costs of living plus
the very lowest tax, what do you want your
future to hold?
To see the caliber of projects Moose Mountain
builds, visit our photo gallery at:
www.moosemountain.com
Log Builders and Timber Framers Wanted
We need 4 to 5 log home builders and/or timber
framers at our plant in Chilliwack, BC. We will be
busy for the whole next year. Please contact us
via email at cancedar@shaw.ca or phone
604-836-8315 and ask for Gerhard.

Legendary Logcrafters Limited is a handcrafted


log home producer in Collingwood Ontario. Due
to a consistent annual growth, our company is
adding multiple positions from apprenticeships
to experienced log home builders. Legendary
offers highly competitive wages and a very
structured work environment. Please email
resume to Legendary@legendarylog.com or fax
705-444-6675 or call 705-444-0400.
Experienced Log Builder Wanted for
permanent full time position. Send resumes
with references to danielalbert@coyoteloghomes.
ca or fax 613-756-6186. See our work at
www.coyoteloghomes.ca.
The Log Connection is currently seeking
three to four highly motivated, enthusiastic
individuals to become part of our design
team. Two positions are available for drafters
with a minimum of two years architectural
CADD drafting. Two positions are available for
accomplished drafters/designers with ability to
complete highly detailed log home construction
drawings within a specified time period is a
definite asset. Duties will include the creation
of working drawings for custom log homes
based on preliminary designs, production
design and detailing, shop drawings as well as
modifications to existing designs. Scope of work
may range from medium sized residential to
large commercial projects. Preferred experience
would include log home design/drafting.
Provide resume and samples of past CADD
work, attention to: Mr. Dave Sutton, The Log
Connection, 129 Nanaimo Ave. West, Penticton,
BC Canada V2A 1N2.
Log Builder Wanted Log Home Builder career
opportunity available with a progressive, quality
oriented, full service log home company.
Edmonton area, permanent full time, year round.
1-2 years experience, must have own tools and
transportation, wages are $18.00-$30.00/hr on
piece work. Fax resume to 780-460-2584.
Daizen Joinery Ltd. is looking for full time, HSB
CAD operator and K2 machine operator, timber
frame production assistant. Please contact
Dai, 250-679-2750 or email dai@daizen.com
Big Foot Manufacturing Inc. in Tappen British
Columbia is looking to hire a qualified Timber
Framer with CNC experience. We are currently
expanding our product lines now that we are
entering the North American market. The ideal
candidate will be a journeyman Timber Framer
who has experience operating a Hundegger k2.
This person will be responsible for processing
and fitting final pieces and may be required to
do some on-site erection. Please email resums
in confidence to: wayne@bigfoot-mfg.com
or deliver them in person to: Big Foot
Manufacturing, 3380 Ford Road, Tappen B.C.

Summer 2011

CL a s s i f i e d A d s
help wanted

announcements

services

Nicola LogWorks Log builder with timber


frame experience or timber framer with log
building experience to work in Merritt British
Columbia. Scope of work includes layout and
cutting skills in round log Post & Beam, Dovetail
joinery, Timber frame and Scribed Joinery.
Options for both temporary and permanent
position(s). Please send resume to: John Boys,
(john@logworks.ca) or fax 250 483-4045. Mail:
Box 1027, Merritt BC Canada V1K 1B8. Phone:
250-378-4977. References and resume required.
Learn more about Nicola LogWorks:
www.logworks.ca

Fire Tower, licensed in 23 states and bringing a


modern perspective to time-honored craft, is an
enterprising firm specializing in the engineering
and design of new and existing log and timber
structures.

Handscribed Log Home Projects CD DRAWING


DREAMS - a selection of 24 log home projects.
My first 24- a CD Of 24 log homes. $19.99 tax
and postage Included. Call 1-877-832-0165.
www.rsmdrafting.com

Fire Tower Engineered Timber, Inc.


Ben Brungraber, PhD, PE / Mack Magee
60 Valley St., Unite 1, Providence RI 02909
phone: 401-654-4600 fax: 401-654-4602
email: ben@ftet.biz / mack@ftet.biz www.ftet.biz

Ed Shure and Architect Paul Froncek have


teamed up to provide you and your clients with
beautiful designs that begin with a structural
sensibility. Our 23-year professional relationship
enables us to provide site specific design, as
well as coordination with timber craftsmen,
contractors, engineers & building officials to
insure a seamless (and mostly painless) process.
We have the experience to create log & timber
designs that you will love to build.

Confort Nature is looking for an experienced


log builder who will be in charge of production.
As a hands-on team leader, he will be responsible
of log shell construction from blueprint reading
to quality management. As a small company
looking to develop and always get better, we will
give a lot of place to your ideas and techniques.
We are located in Quebec, 100km north of
Montreal, in the beautiful region of Lanaudire,
next to Saint-Donat and Mont-Tremblant
Park, nearby lakes and mountains. Let's build
something together! Please contact us via email
at info@confortnature.com or phone
1-877-424-3525.
John Devries Log Homes, a small upscale
company operating in Rural Eastern Ontario
since 1976 seeks an experienced log crafter
preferably with hands on supervisory experience
that can read plans and manage projects. We
foster a dynamic, creative, solution oriented
work environment that emphasizes quality while
attempting not to sacrifice productivity (that
elusive log builders Holy Grail) in a structured
but fun atmosphere. (At least we think its fun) It
would be helpful (but not required) if applicant
has timber framing experience as well. Salary
dependent on experience. Plenty of lakes, great
fishing, hunting and other outdoor recreation.
2 hours to Toronto or Ottawa (for some serious
city fun) Call to Martin or Martin to discuss at
613-478-6830 or e-mail info@jdvloghomes.com

W OR K W AN T E d
Traveling Timberwright Professional Finish
Carpenter for Scribe Fit and Post & Beam
structures. 30 years accomplished tradesman in
this field. Mobile, with extensive selection of
tools. Honest and Reliable. Contact:
RALPH CLEGG (604) 740-2404 BC. Canada

announcements
FraserWood is a pioneering, full-service provider
of innovative timber products and services
committed to extending the reach of natural
timbers in built environments.
FraserWood Industries Mack Magee
PO Box 175, Garibaldi Highlands BC V0N 1T0
tel: 888-898-1385 x 210 fax: 604-898-1384
email: mmagee@fraserwoodindustries.com
www.fraserwoodindustries.com

Number 73

Good Shepherd Wool Insulation News.


We welcome anyone to come visit our new
business in Interlaken, NY or call at 607-3301198. We still operate as Good Shepherd Wool
Insulation (www.goodshepherdwool.com) but
with a new LLC suffix. In addition, my wife owns
a Bed & Breakfast you may wis h to stay at while
here see www.glassmagnolia.com, and I brought
down my herd of Tennessee Walking Horses and
am giving Instructional Trail Rides in the only
National Forest in NY state which has 16,000
acres and is 5 minutes away. This is the only herd
in the world of 5 or more where every horse does
the running walk! Show people have bred it out
of them to get a showier gait. Stan.
On the 6th of November Estonian
Woodhouse Association launched a new portal
on Estonian wooden houses. The main goal of
the portal is to raise the awareness of people
on the excellence and essence of wooden
houses and on the production of wooden houses
in Estonia. Estonian wooden house is an
internationally competitive product with high
quality, of which approximately 80% are
exported. Centuries long traditions, naturefriendliness and contemporary solutions are
the key aspects that characterize an Estonian
wooden house. Estonian wooden houses portal
is also the new web page for Estonian Woodhouse
Association the profiles, contact details and
product description of our member companies
are also available. At the present time the web
page is in Estonian and in English it is planned
to add additional languages and information in
the near future. The portal is available from the
addresses: woodhouse.ee and puitmajaliit.ee.
Whitehaven Wood Products Have an
Exciting Product. Make your SOFFITS a proud
architectural detail with Handcrafted continuous
wooden soffit vents from Whitehaven Wood
Products. Easy installation, Labour saving,
Quality finished look. See us at www.soffitvents.ca
or 250-803-4616

services
Brian Lloyd Construction Consulting
Industry Consulting
Building Inspection
Expert Witness
Conflict Resolution
Vernon, BC. Tel/Fax 250-549-3545
email: bg_Lloyd@hotmail.com

Full 3D drawing capability, including:


walk through presentation
permit & construction drawings
shop drawings for hand or machine cutting
steel & hardware design
structural analysis
For more info contact:
Ed Shure at Timmerhus Inc.
303-449-1336 or ed@timmerhusinc.com
David Hourdequin, PE, owner of D. Remy &
Co. is our first engineering member located
east of the Mississippi offering heavy timber and
log system structural design services. His office
is centrally located in western North Carolina.
He is licensed through the mid-Atlantic and
Southeastern US (see his membership listing
under engineers). David is an active member
of The Timber Frame Guild and their Timber
Frame Engineering Council. He serves on the
Technical Activities Committee which is currently
in the process of getting the new design standard
TFEC 1-07 Standard for Design of Timber Frame
Structures and Commentary adopted and
incorporated into the NF&PA National Design
Specifications. He especially enjoys working on
complex and difficult projects of high intensity
and short duration. His hobbies are astronomy,
amateur telescope making, and adventure
motorcycling around the mountains of the
southeast. To learn more about David, check out
his website at www.dremy.com.
Drafting and Design Services - RSM Drafting
Services Ltd. is a freelance drafting and design
service that specializes in log and timber frame
buildings. We have been Drawing Dreams
since 1977. We have a CD of 24 log homes
available for $19.99 all taxes and shipping
included. Contact Bob at www.rsmdrafting.com.
Email bob.rsmdrafting@telus.net or call 1-877832-0165 toll free Ask me first Building design
consultants.

LogBuildingNews

23

CL a s s i f i e d A d s
Training
New ownership, new instructor, new outlook
The Pat Wolfe Log Building School has
recently transferred ownership. Pat Wolfes
former assistant instructor, Brian Morrison, is
now instructing 1-, 4- and 10-week courses
in both the spring and fall. Maintaining the
schools traditional methods of log home
construction, Brian Morrison brings a new
approach to the quality of homes created
and the professional education delivered.
Find out more about Brian and the Pat
Wolfe Log Building School online at www.
logbuildingschool.net.

Training
FREE Log Selection CalculatorGo to www.
LogBuilding.org and then click on Free
Information. From that page choose the log
selection calculator and download it to your
computer. Requires Excel software to open and
use this file. It gives you T-1, T-2, B-1 and B-2 for
any set of logs.

f o r m o r e i n f o r m a ti o n

Ann Miks, Administrator


ann@logassociation.org
International Log Builders Association
P.O. Box 775
Lumby, British Columbia
Canada V0E 2G0
800-532-2900 toll-free
250-547-8776 phone
250-547-8775 fax
www.logassociation.org

2011 ILBA Board of Directors


President
Higgs Murphy
Email: logdoggies@yahoo.com
Vice-President
Earl Laverty
Email: earl@lavertyloghomes.com
Treasurer
Kevin Maynard
Email: kevin@openhearth.us
Clerk
Daniel Wait
Email: dan@fbiloghomes.com
Directors
Robert W. Chambers
Email: robert@logbuilding.org
Ron Brodigan
Email: courses@schooloflogbuilding.com
Konrad Gallei
Email: konrad@gallei.de
Glen Jackson
Email: info@logandtimbertraining.com
Past President
Ron Brodigan
Email: courses@schooloflogbuilding.com
24

Summer 2011

LOG BUILDING TOOLS

STARRETT & MACKIE scribers; heavy duty drawknives up to 30; peeling spuds;
chopping & finishing axes; broadaxes; adzes; GRANSFORS axes; ENGLISHslicks;
ROBERTSORBY, HENRY TAYLOR, FOOTPRINT & PHEIL chisels and gouges;
JAPANESE slicks, chisels, saws, ink lines & flex squares; hand-forged Flarens,
shovel gouges, flat & scarf slicks, drawknives & draw-gouges; BARR Specialty
Tools; peavies; cant hooks; lifting tongs; log dogs & cleats; log horses; water
stones; Diamond whetstones; NORTHWEST calipers, tenon cutters & long auger
bits; ship augers; chainsaw mills & attachments; MAKITA & MAFELL planers, saws
& chain mortisers; MACKIE log building books & videos.
FREE

MAGARD VENTURES LTD. Attn: Maurice Gardy


8365 Domagala Road, Prince George, BC, Canada V2K 5R1
Tel: 250-962-9057 Fax: 250-962-9157
magardlogtools@telus.net

Summer Beam Books

32-page
catalogue

www.logbuildingtools.ca

specializing in timber framing


and related topics

www.summerbeambooks.com

2299 Rte 488


Clifton Springs, NY 14432
toll free 877-272-1987
315-462-3444

Charlotte Cooper, owner

An innovative, full-service provider


of timber products and services.
Call us today to make FraserWood part of your team.
Sales: Mack Magee (401) 489-4567
Manufacturing: 39500 Government Road, Squamish, BC Canada V8B 0B3
Toll Free: (888) 898-1385 www.fraserwoodindustries.com

Support the advertisers who support Log Building News. Its a win-win situation!
Learn about timber framing
Experience the joy of building
community through craft

Timber Framers Guild


education inspiration

888-453-0879

www.TFGUILD.ORG

contact mel@waysideprinters.com
tel 250.545.2341
toll free in BC 1.800.663.6432

Proud to serve the ILBA


Number 73

LogBuildingNews

25

Advertisers in This Issue


A Boys Big Book of Jigs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Atlantic White Cedar Logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
BC Log & Timber Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
CBR Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Dietrichs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Emseal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Enviroshake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Fire Tower Engineered Timber Inc. . . . . . . 21

How to Get Log Building News

Log Building Standards

Articles, photos and letters are


welcomed. The deadline for LBN 74 is
September 25th, 2011.

The ILBA Log Building Standards are


available online at the ILBA website,
www.logassociation.org and can be
downloaded to your computer at no
charge as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file.

If you submit articles in Microsoft Word


on CD or by email, send them directly
to the ILBA office.

Advertising

Foard Insulated Panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Back issues of Log Building News are


available from the Association office.
Call 800-532-2900 to order.

Log Building News welcomes


advertisers. Please contact the ILBA
office for deadlines.

Good Shepherd Wool Insulation . . . . . . . . 25

Copyright Notice

GRK Fasteners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7, 12

Perma-Chink Systems Inc. . . . . . . . . . . 7, 21

Log Building News is copyrighted in


Canada and the United States. Express
written permission is required from
the ILBA and, in some cases, from the
author, before any article or photo
can be photocopied, distributed or
republished. Contact the ILBA office for
details.

Log Building News is a great way to


contact the best log home builders. The
ILBA is the largest group of builders of
handcrafted log homes in the world
our members make well over $250
million of logwork each year. Please
contact the office at
1-800-532-2900 for an advertising
specification sheet and ad rates.

Precision Structural Engineering . . . . . . . . 21

Disclaimer

RSM Drafting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

The views and information expressed in


articles and ads appearing in Log
Building News are those of the
authors of those articles and ads. The
International Log Builders Association
assumes no responsi-bility for the
accuracy of the information contained
herein and does not edit or investigate
any article or ad for that purpose.

Fraser Wood Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Lignomat USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Log Home Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Magard Ventures Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Nicola Log Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Pat Wolfe Log Building . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Sashco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Schroeder Log Home Supply . . . . . . . . . . 13
Sherpa Timber Connection . . . . . . . . . 4, 15
SMTC Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Streamline Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
The Sansin Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Summer Beam Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Timber Framers Guild . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Timber Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Log Building News

now in

Full Color
Download the
current issue at the
ILBA website:
www.logassociation.org

Wayside Printers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Woodlandia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9, 13

in our next issue

Coming up in Log Building News 74

Experiments With Underscribing


2012 Conference
More Tech Talk
SUBMIT YOUR ARTICLES TODAY WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
26

Joining the ILBA


Membership in the International Log Builders
Association is open to any interested person.
Members get a copy of the ILBALog Building
Standards, one year of Log Building News,
membership certificate, voting privileges,
discounted conference registration, a listing in
the Annual Directory, a copy of the Association
Constitution and Bylaws, use of computerized
help wanted and work wanted ads, and all ILBA
mailings and notices. Company memberships
have additional benefits. The ILBA accepts Visa or
MasterCard. For more information on dues and
member benefits, please call the ILBAoffice at
800-532-2900.
Summer 2011

P Gasket from Nicola LogWorks

Sail Through your next


Blower Door Test
with Custom Shaped PGasket

Installs Lightening Fast!


Got

ta G

ask

et!

1 3/8" diameter - compressible


to less than 1/4"

Water proof

Hig

gs

Stapling flange for an easier, faster,


install

Install during construction or on tear


down
Close cell exterior/open cell interior
Non-toxic. No off-gassing.
Non-reactive with stains &
finishes.
Ease of installation in all
weather
Water Proof!

Great compression
recovery
720 lineal feet per reel
5% Discount to all ILBA COMPANY
MEMBERS

A Stylish
Hat!

To Order: 1-250 378 4977 or Toll Free: 1-877 564-4667

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