tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14987421.post2441628686500121907..comments2023-07-30T09:26:56.139-05:00Comments on Deer Tracks & Trails: Wood TrussDeer Tracks & Trailshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00012656488710718645noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14987421.post-69854663203818668442007-11-27T15:35:00.000-06:002007-11-27T15:35:00.000-06:00To use the truss noted in this post would require ...To use the truss noted in this post would require Douglas Fir-Larch or Southern Pine timbers. These specie have premium structure qualities. In other words, these specie are stronger than your proposed black spruce timbers. The black spruce timbers may be used, but may require larger sections.<BR/><BR/>The cutting of any log into square or rectangular pieces may lead to potential problems. Branches on the tree grow out of a knot on the main trunk of the tree and when the log is quartered, these knots go through the quartered sections of the cabin wall. The knot will shrink when the log dries and may fall out. Also, the quartered sections may shrink differentially from the adjacent section causing longitudinal cracking.<BR/><BR/>The quartered sections should have a tongue & grove on top and bottom of the sections to interlock with the adjacent sections on the top and bottom. I suggest the books "Building with Logs" by B. Allan Mackie or "Your Log House" by Vic Jansen.<BR/><BR/>A study of the above referenced books may help to determine the type of joinery used at the cabin corners. Full dovetail and half dovetail corner notching is a common historical method of joining the logs at corners.<BR/><BR/>Hope this points you in the right direction!Deer Tracks & Trailshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00012656488710718645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14987421.post-30617904400289908312007-11-21T09:17:00.000-06:002007-11-21T09:17:00.000-06:00Hi. My husband and I are building a log cabin out...Hi. My husband and I are building a log cabin out of 5 x5 logs that we are harvesting from our farm property. I love the drawingg you have done of the roof trusses. We are going to do something similar and have 2 30foot long black spruce as support beams from front to back. I haven't finished reading the blog yet but I'm hoping there will be ideas on how to do things before we screw them up. One question. Do you know how to make the dovetail joints at the corners?<BR/>Janet<BR/>PS my blog is This Log House. We are only at the tree cutting stage now.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com