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Log Building Construction question.

Radix2

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A friend is renovating a log home that uses an interesting wood detail to chink between the logs. Anyone familiar with this method - is it still available? Who produced it? There is a need to add to some of the walls, this cabin was built in the 1940s I believe.
 

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Kaizen

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I'm no cabin expert but that was definitely machine made. guessing all of the logs are exactly the same thickness as well. had to be a large factory operation.
 

manwithtools

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Definitely factory made. Newer simpler profiles have been developed. I doubt that you will find any exact matches to that system. You would have to find the exact company that made that profile. Could have been in Michigan or most anywhere log homes were popular.
 

K'ledgeBldr

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Several different methods have been used/experimented with-

But finding that exact same "chinking" piece- from the 40's- would probably be an exercise in futility.

Now, depending on how much is needed and a rather deep pocket to keep the integrity of the original design, you could have a set of shaper knives made to reproduce the piece.
 
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PugetDude

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Spent a couple of summers 30+ years ago in Jackson Hole, building a "traditional" log cabin and a subsequent addition.

We used a similar local system of wood chinking, except ours were hand-cut rather than machined. (we were using rough peeled lodgepole pine logs)

We'd scribe a 4" diameter split log filler piece on the outside, using ~4' long strips, toenail it in place with 12D galvanized box nails, Then had a foam guy come in and spray a thin bead in between the logs on the inside to seal everything up; when he was finished we scribed and fitted split wood filler pieces between the logs on the inside, completely covering the foam . Used 12d galvanized finish nails on the inside.

Something like this would give you the look you want and the foam would provide a better seal.

Your cabin was probably a proprietary package produced by a now-defunct manufacturer; little or no chance of finding additional material. You're probably going to have to mill your own if you want an exact match.

Good luck with your project! Post updates when available.
 
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Radix2

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Thanks for the feedback. I just wondered if anyone here had seen this system before, I really know nothing about log buildings. Looking at it though, it seems like a pretty good design. The builder has contacts with some of the local log lumbermill outfits, so maybe someone there will remember it.
 

Bondo

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Greenfield, Maine
Thanks for the feedback. I just wondered if anyone here had seen this system before, I really know nothing about log buildings. Looking at it though, it seems like a pretty good design. The builder has contacts with some of the local log lumbermill outfits, so maybe someone there will remember it.

Ayuh,.... I would think it's from fairly local, 'n probably post-war era,....
'40s thru- '60s,...
 

manwithtools

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Never know how local. I built a couple log homes in Indiana with logs from Pennsylvania and beams from North Carolina. It was the cheapest solution even with the freight.

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