Wilderness Log Cabin

Old Axeman said:
"Everybody leaves their signature in one way or another"
This statement is also true for craftsmen like us who restore something historic. What I do is to try and make my signature sympathetic to the original builders signature.
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That's got to be an art, and it must be frustrating when trying to rejuvenate careless/sloppy work, and joyful every now and again when trying to emulate the previous efforts of a master craftsman. Luckily in the historical artifact-grade restoration trades you folks are blessed with not having to be lowest bidder.
 
Old Axeman said:
About eight years ago + or - PBS aired a show called "Alone in the Wilderness" It is the story of Dick Proenneke, a man who walked into the Alaska Wilderness, built his log cabin, and stayed for 30 years. I am not sure if PBS still airs this video as I have not had TV for about 8 yrs. I restored a log cabin close (relative term in AK) to Dicks cabin but never saw his cabin. I understand that the National Park Service has restored it and maintains it. If you have not seen "Alone in the Wilderness" or read the book "One Man's Wilderness", I think you should. Dick Proenneke is my hero!
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It’s an awesome piece of work!
 
What I wouldn't give to take 40 years off my life with the knowledge I have now. Some things I wouldn't change, and some would change drastically. I would have loved to have done this type of work.

There was a show on home renovation that had a guy named Norm. He went on to have his own show, the Yankee Workshop or something like that. Norm was incredibly skilled with his hands, but he did a one or two week stint in Yellowstone (I think) to do a cabin restoration. He had to horseback in for 5 or 10 miles to get to the site, and he made some pretty idiotic comments that I found insulting about traveling by horse. And I'm NOT a horse rider. I never watched him after that.

I would have loved to have that job (as well as the skill to perform it).
 
I am the guy that Norm Abram (host of PBS "This Old House" show) was there to meet and work with in the wilderness. The historic log lodge was actually on Federal land administered now by the U S Forest Service not Yellowstone National Park. During the last 20 years of my working career I worked for both agencies. That "This Old House" show was shown 32 years ago on PBS. Then, again in 1998 Norm and the show visited one of my restoration jobs in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, Big Prairie Ranger Station, Montana. The 1998 filming was also used as a PBS fund raiser. I am not good with the computer and can not find anything on line about those shows. Those were great times for me with nice memories. I hope they are still available to be seen.

Your impression of Norm is not correct, I spent a lot of time with him in the wilderness and he is not only talented but a very decent guy.

Bernie Weisgerber
 
I,m so glad this thread was revived. I watch Dick Pr. On you tube last eve. And ordered his book today at the library.
Ty to all involved in making this thread. And special thanks to Old Axeman.
 
Sodak, the thing I learned in my on camera time and in writing ventures is that the expression "we will fix it in post" (editing) means that what you want to say, or not say, as the actor or author of written material does not mean squat. The director or publisher has control of the finished product, not you. The best advise I got was from the English producer/director I worked with on the PBS series "Frontier House". He said "Bernie, never trust anybody in this business, and that includes me"
 
Old Axeman said:
Sodak, the thing I learned in my on camera time and in writing ventures is that the expression "we will fix it in post" (editing) means that what you want to say, or not say, as the actor or author of written material does not mean squat. The director or publisher has control of the finished product, not you. The best advise I got was from the English producer/director I worked with on the PBS series "Frontier House". He said "Bernie, never trust anybody in this business, and that includes me"
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Boy, that's right, Bernie. The TV industry is loose and fast with the truth. I live in a wilderness-lite area. A few years ago, a squatch-hunter TV show came out to film an episode. They asked to use my property, which was known for squatch sightings. I said, fine.

But at some point, they wanted me to go on camera to say I saw a Bigfoot, which would have been a lie. I declined, but they pushed back pretty hard. The closer came up to me and told me, "You have to support the story." I didn't, but they had no trouble finding locals who would tell that lie. Great show. Great story. All BS.

But when I got this place back in the early '80s, it had been a settlement of hobos and such. There were all sorts of small huts and lean-tos, and many were incredibly well crafted with sticks, logs and string -- even rope made from twisted fibers of stinging nettles.

Some years later, a 9-member hippie family moved in downstream and built a compound of fairy-tale-like buildings. They drank river water and lived off cow's milk, food stamps and anything they could scrounge up in the forest. Spirits were kept high with crops of marijuana and poppies. Here's one of the buildings, made mostly of split cedar planks.

2v2ZaCFqFxAWtWs.jpg
 
Old Axeman said:
About eight years ago + or - PBS aired a show called "Alone in the Wilderness" It is the story of Dick Proenneke, a man who walked into the Alaska Wilderness, built his log cabin, and stayed for 30 years. I am not sure if PBS still airs this video as I have not had TV for about 8 yrs. I restored a log cabin close (relative term in AK) to Dicks cabin but never saw his cabin. I understand that the National Park Service has restored it and maintains it. If you have not seen "Alone in the Wilderness" or read the book "One Man's Wilderness", I think you should. Dick Proenneke is my hero!
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I saw it. I remember him making hinges from a metal can of some kind. It was a great watch. I may check it out again.
 
Old Axeman said:
I am the guy that Norm Abram (host of PBS "This Old House" show) was there to meet and work with in the wilderness. The historic log lodge was actually on Federal land administered now by the U S Forest Service not Yellowstone National Park. During the last 20 years of my working career I worked for both agencies. That "This Old House" show was shown 32 years ago on PBS. Then, again in 1998 Norm and the show visited one of my restoration jobs in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, Big Prairie Ranger Station, Montana. The 1998 filming was also used as a PBS fund raiser. I am not good with the computer and can not find anything on line about those shows. Those were great times for me with nice memories. I hope they are still available to be seen.

Your impression of Norm is not correct, I spent a lot of time with him in the wilderness and he is not only talented but a very decent guy.

Bernie Weisgerber
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I've seen that video but I can't find link to it now. I did find your 'These Old Cabin Logs' video.

 
Square_peg1 (Tom)--- As I said, there are 2 "This Old House" videos where the TV series visited 2 of my Wilderness projects (only axe and crosscut saws for work tools) . In 1993 in Wyoming (near Yellowstone NP) and then again in 1997 or 1998 in Montana (near Glacier NP).

A member on this forum that lives near you, and that you know, George J. , now has my VHS copies that WGBH PBS station sent to me when we made the shows years ago. I talked with him about a week ago and his plan is to do whatever magic it takes to put them on this forum. If you know how to do that magic and can help, please get in touch with him. People keep asking me about those shows. So, about a year ago I called WGBH and they said that to their knowledge you can no longer buy them. They also told me that the 1993 show was out of copyright and the 1997-98 fundraise show was never copyrighted. WGBH has no problem with the shows being put on the internet.

I hope this can happen after all these years !

Bernie
 
Old Axeman said:
Square_peg1 (Tom)--- As I said, there are 2 "This Old House" videos where the TV series visited 2 of my Wilderness projects (only axe and crosscut saws for work tools) . In 1993 in Wyoming (near Yellowstone NP) and then again in 1997 or 1998 in Montana (near Glacier NP).

A member on this forum that lives near you, and that you know, George J. , now has my VHS copies that WGBH PBS station sent to me when we made the shows years ago. I talked with him about a week ago and his plan is to do whatever magic it takes to put them on this forum. If you know how to do that magic and can help, please get in touch with him. People keep asking me about those shows. So, about a year ago I called WGBH and they said that to their knowledge you can no longer buy them. They also told me that the 1993 show was out of copyright and the 1997-98 fundraise show was never copyrighted. WGBH has no problem with the shows being put on the internet.

I hope this can happen after all these years !

Bernie
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Thanks, Bernie.
There are services that convert VHS tapes to DVDs. Costco used to do it. Not sure if they still do. The last tape I had converted came back with poor quality video and I don't know it it was because of the old VHS tapes or because of a lack of care in adjusting the playback of the tape.
 
Square_peg1 said:
Thanks, Bernie.
There are services that convert VHS tapes to DVDs. Costco used to do it. Not sure if they still do. The last tape I had converted came back with poor quality video and I don't know it it was because of the old VHS tapes or because of a lack of care in adjusting the playback of the tape.
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There's plenty of DIY options these days, too, they just require a small amount of technical know-how to select the kind that best matches your needs and budget.
 
Old Axeman said:
Square_peg1 (Tom)--- As I said, there are 2 "This Old House" videos where the TV series visited 2 of my Wilderness projects (only axe and crosscut saws for work tools) . In 1993 in Wyoming (near Yellowstone NP) and then again in 1997 or 1998 in Montana (near Glacier NP).

A member on this forum that lives near you, and that you know, George J. , now has my VHS copies that WGBH PBS station sent to me when we made the shows years ago. I talked with him about a week ago and his plan is to do whatever magic it takes to put them on this forum. If you know how to do that magic and can help, please get in touch with him. People keep asking me about those shows. So, about a year ago I called WGBH and they said that to their knowledge you can no longer buy them. They also told me that the 1993 show was out of copyright and the 1997-98 fundraise show was never copyrighted. WGBH has no problem with the shows being put on the internet.

I hope this can happen after all these years !

Bernie
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I am working on ripping and hosting these videos and will archive them in one place for viewing, but for now the first one is up: Big Prairie, Montana, 1997

Here is the link
Big Prairie Montana, 1997 (full Video)
 
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ithinkverydeeply said:
I am working on ripping and hosting these videos and will archive them in one place for viewing, but for now the first one is up: Big Prairie, Montana, 1997

Here is the link
Big Prairie Montana, 1997 (full Video)
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Thanks for doing that, ITVD.

I think "toothbrush" must be slang for "pint". :D

It's funny that Bernie doesn't let Norm do any of the actual building work. I bet it drove Norm crazy.

High mountain cutthroat are my favorite. They develop a stronger skeleton than lake trout. As a result all the bones stay stuck to the spine. You fry them and then peel the top fillet off. It'll come bone free. Then pull out the spine and all the pin bones will come with it. You're left with a second fillet on the bottom. In good high country you can catch them bam, bam! Quarter to lunch I'll go catch 2. Then come back at quarter to dinner for 2 more. I never catch dinner cutthroat at lunch. They wouldn't be fresh anymore by dinner. ;)
 
Square_peg1 said:
Thanks for doing that, ITVD.

I think "toothbrush" must be slang for "pint". :D

It's funny that Bernie doesn't let Norm do any of the actual building work. I bet it drove Norm crazy.

High mountain cutthroat are my favorite. They develop a stronger skeleton than lake trout. As a result all the bones stay stuck to the spine. You fry them and then peel the top fillet off. It'll come bone free. Then pull out the spine and all the pin bones will come with it. You're left with a second fillet on the bottom. In good high country you can catch them bam, bam! Quarter to lunch I'll go catch 2. Then come back at quarter to dinner for 2 more. I never catch dinner cutthroat at lunch. They wouldn't be fresh anymore by dinner. ;)
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For sure!
That is funny, looks like they had a lot of fun though.
Here is a short montage of clips from the video

Montana 1997, Clip Montage
 
Old Axeman said:
ITVD, I thank you very much for working on this ! George, even though we have never met in person, I consider you to be one of my best friends. And I am proud that you own some of my personal axes, hatchets, and adzes !
Bernie
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Likewise Bernie. That is really meaningful to me, and don’t worry, I won’t forget the importance of the adze!
Can’t wait to talk story with you again my friend
 
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