Toolage

We're almost ready to start stacking logs, but before we start, the next important consideration is gathering the right tools for the job. Happy is the husband who gets to build a log home, because there are so many tools that are really essential for making the job easier and more efficient that he is bound to accumulate a good collection of tools before the project is done. In fact, we were so involved with tools for awhile that a number of them acquired their own names. The hammer drill was called “Hammer-head” as opposed to the pilot drill known as “Needle-nose”; the shop-vac answered to R2-D2, and there was “John Henry” the mini-sledge hammer, and the “Big Bessey” clamp twins, and so on.

One big challenge with log home building is finding large capacity tools that can handle lumber greater than 6” in width. You certainly don't want to purchase the weekend warrior grade tools for log home building. All your tools will be getting LOTS of use, and you'll want them to last. I can't begin to make an exhaustive list of all the tools that might be needed on the job, but I'll mention some of our favorites in no particular order.

• Prazi Beam Cutter Saw. This is a chain-saw type blade that attaches to a worm-drive circular saw. It is great for cutting larger pieces of lumber. We used this for cutting the log ends that would be exposed at the butt and pass corners and for cutting various beams. While it cuts vastly straighter than a chain-saw, it still leaves a rough cut surface, which looks beautiful on the exposed ends, but didn't make a tight seal when stacking logs end to end within the wall.
• Radial Arm Saw. My husband found a 10” Black & Decker radial arm saw at a pawn shop for $135, and still considers it one of his best purchases for the job. He built a new blade guard for it using a piece of aircraft aluminum he picked up at the steel recycling yard, and installed a 12” blade on it. We used this for making the cuts for the unexposed log ends. The logs were 7 1/4” tall, so it still took 2 cuts to get through the logs, but when angled ever so slightly toward the center, they sealed together very nicely. The radial arm saw was also used for many an angle cut, such as cutting BCI's for the roof, and has been well used throughout the project.
• Porter-Cable Chop Saw. This is kind of like the wrench of the project. It gets used almost daily for too many uses to name. It cuts most of the dimensional lumber, and does some of the angle cuts. When cutting many pieces the same size, you can set up a stop so you can do multiple cuts without measuring each time. Even I can use it with no trouble.
• Grizzly Band Saw. This came along a little later in the project. It is great for splitting beams or siding and resizing excess material for alternative uses.
• Scaffolding. This is another thing we waited far too long in the project to purchase. Badger Ladder makes great quality scaffolding with very affordable shipping rates. For the cost of renting scaffolding, it is well worth it to buy your own.
• Cordless Drills. We have used 12 or 14 volt drills throughout the project. They are like wrenches too. Our favorite is a Bosch, because we like the quality and their service (very quick to honor their warranty). We've also gone through a few DeWalt's and have an old Black & Decker that just keeps going. Personally, I think the older DeWalt's were better quality, but their standards have deteriorated on the newer drills.
• Clamps. A wood worker can never have too many clamps it seems. You'll need some with the deepest bite you can find. Bessey makes some deep biting clamps that we used extensively.
• Routers. We have a heavy-duty Porter-Cable router and a Craftsman router (or two), which all got lots of use, some of which we'll explain in more detail in another entry.
• Gorilla Ladder or Little Giant Ladder. The kind that you can fold or unfold or extend into several different heights. Gets used all the time. Get two if your budget allows.
• Planer. We just replaced our Craftsman planer that must have planed many miles of lumber with a Grizzly planer. In our household, this gets used almost daily.
• Table saw. My husband's son got us a Ridgid table saw to replace our old one. It's nice for cutting plywood and other large or long pieces.

The list could go on almost endlessly, but I'll stop here. I'll mention a few others in future entries. Meanwhile, if you're thinking of building your own log home, be prepared to invest in good quality tools for the job.