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The Log Workshop |
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The mechanics of dovetailed log construction are surprisingly
straightforward. The self-tightening dovetail
joint cut into the ends of the timber lock each log in
place at the corners of the building. Each adjacent
log knits the building together, with the exception
of the last two logs at the top. These last roof-supporting
logs are anchored by drilling holes through the dovetailed
ends and the center of the top logs down into the ones
below. Pegs are driven through these holes, thus
pinning the logs together and securing the building.
While most log buildings in the Ottawa Valley are constructed
with cedar or pine, the last course is almost always
hardwood logs, which are strong enough to hold corner
pegs and notches for roof rafters.
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The group of volunteers works together to
carefully lower each log.
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On my building, the pegs were removed from the top
ash logs by raising them with crowbars and jimmying the
pegs loose. Although there were no floorboards on
the second floor, quick scaffolding was constructed
by placing boards across the 5"x9" joists and
nailing supports to the walls.
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Once the pegged logs were free, ropes were
tied around each end, wrapped
around a second floor joist and, finally, around
the rope holders' waists. In this fashion,
the pieces of timber were slowly lowered to the ground.
Once clear of the top pegs, the going was easy.
Since the chinking between the logs plays no structural
role in the building, a hole was easily punched through
it with a crowbar to make room for a rope to be passed
though and tied. Once the ropes were secured,
the all-clear cry was hollered and each log was unceremoniously
pushed off the building to fall into a cloud of historical
dust, rocks, horsehair and wood bits.
The dry cedar logs were surprisingly light. Four people
could easily pick up a 26' piece and walk it
to a flatbed log truck or hay wagon. We loaded logs
in that manner until the demolition reached the windows
on the first floor of the building. At that point,
the pieces of timber shortened to just 3' long and
were easily tossed into the flatbed truck for loading.
Once past the windows, the last long logs were loaded
onto the truck, while the rotten ones were tossed
aside to sit as a reminder of the building that once stood.
I was amazed to discover that the floor joists were not
nailed to the walls, but merely rested in a notch
on the long supporting wall log. In similar fashion,
the bottom pieces of timber were not fastened to the stone
foundation in any way. In an anticlimactic finish,
these logs were merely picked up off the ground like fallen
fence posts and heaved aside at 3 p.m.
In less than a day we had taken down what would take me
more than a summer to rebuild. But that's another
story, for another time….
Karen McBride
Editor's Note: Watch for the second article
of this series in an upcoming woodworking newsletter. |
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