Need advice.

F

Flumph

Joined
Dec 31, 2010
Messages
9
A few friends and I have come across log-cabin building using hand tools as a sort of escape from civilization. We've scheduled a trip to a tract of land in North Texas that is pretty heavily wooded, and we're going to try our hands at felling some trees and hewing them into something usable.

I have two questions:
First, where can I find information, methods, and general literature regarding traditional cabin construction?
Second, what is the real difference between Wetterlings and Gransfors Bruks axes? People will talk about the fit and finish all day, but how are they functionally different? I'm looking at the 26H Wetterlings compared to the Scandinavian Forest Axe for felling, topping, and limbing medium sized trees of various types.

I've also seen a lot on the internet about how Gransfors axes are ground too thin to split wood effectively, and don't do well on harder woods, which are very present in Texas. Unfortunately the Gransfors American felling axe is a bit out of my price range. The Scandinavian axe is probably right at my price ceiling.

So, basically, Wetterlings or Gransfors? Are there any other brands of similar quality that are worth looking at?

Thanks for your time, and I'm sorry if these questions were ill-placed or not adequately phrased. I've lurked bladeforums and a few other websites for quite a while, and only now have I had a question worth asking.
:)
 
Lots of great books on cabin building at my county library .... maybe at yours, too. If you pull this off come back and post some pics, sounds like fun!
 
Welcome to the forum Flumph

Up here in the great white north early cabins were made of softwood, mainly white pine. The actual logs after felling were done with a broad axe for scoring and an adze for squaring the front and inner sides of the logs. Most had dovetailed corners that I have seen done with a hatchet. Sorry this ramble does not answer any of your questions ;-))

Best regards and good luck on the project.

Robin
 
I've fallen in love with an Iltis 27" felling axe. Ordering it now.

I have access to an academic library, so I'll check that out. It spans four buildings! Talk about overkill...

So I'll need a log scribe, probably a draw knife too, and an adze?
 
Flumph said:
I've fallen in love with an Iltis 27" felling axe. Ordering it now.

I have access to an academic library, so I'll check that out. It spans four buildings! Talk about overkill...

So I'll need a log scribe, probably a draw knife too, and an adze?
Click to expand...

The need for an adze will depend on what style of structure you plan on building. The folks I know who do cabins from scratch use pine and build dovetailed squared log buildings and use a broad axe for scoring and adzes for squaring. Scandi style round log structures take a lot less work but tend to rot out much faster than squared log buildings. You mentioned hardwood, will you be building it from hardwood? Were log house built from hardwood in Texas in the early days? The reason I ask is, most hardwoods rot out very quickly.

Best regards

Robin
 
Decided against the Iltis in favor of the Wetterlings, considering they're comparable quality while the Wetterlings shipped was $15 cheaper than the Iltis before shipping. Perhaps I'll get a heavier, longer double-bit Iltis later on. I'm very excited about the Wetterlings though :D.

I don't know much about the history of log cabins in Texas, but my library has a few books on the subject that I'm going to pick up tomorrow on the way to class. I recall hearing in a Texas history class that most buildings in early Texas were either sod or brick in early times, perhaps because the only available wood was hardwood which rotted too fast. Building a sod house doesn't sound nearly as fulfilling :p.

My uncle is also an arborist, so I'll write him an email or two. Forestry is a fascinating subject.

Thanks for the replies. I just might grab a CS hawk after looking at this board for a while...
 
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