When it comes to building a log cabin, the tools you select are as important as the construction techniques you choose for your log home.
In this blog article, we will discuss the log cabin tools required to construct a log home, why we use these tools, how to use these tools, and substitute tools.
Log cabin building tools can either be traditional log cabin building tools or power tools.
Log working hand tools will make your build slower, however, it’s easily achievable to build a log home with just hand tools. Typically, building a log cabin without power tools is done because of the beautiful craftsmanship and finish it provides.
From log cleats or log dogs to peaveys or cant hooks; there are hundreds of hand tools you can use to build a log cabin. Some will be specialized log hewing tools (e.g. an adze) and some will be general-purpose carpentry tools (e.g. chisels).
Yes, you can build a log cabin without a few of these log building tools, however, this post will share the 7 most important log cabin tools that you won’t be able to go without.
7 Must Have Log Home Tools
- Adze (or Adz) – For Hewing Logs
- Axe – For Felling and Notching Logs
- Chainsaw – For Cutting Logs
- Drawknife – For Peeling and Debarking Logs
- Log Dog – For Holding Logs
- Mallet – For Hitting Logs
- Peavey – For Moving Logs
Purchasing good quality tools will be a great investment, you will be able to re-use them for future builds and the maintenance of your log cabin.
So, keep reading to discover all the tools you will need to build a log cabin…
Adze (or Adz) – For Hewing Logs
An adze is a specialized hand tool used for hewing logs from the stone age.
An adze is similar to an ax but has the cutting blade perpendicular to the handle at the base.
It traditionally looks like a “gardening hoe” with a long wooden shaft and a flat blade at a right angle at the shaft’s base.
Primarily, we use them for hewing logs once they have been felled. So an adze is a low hewing tool. Hewing is the process of straightening the round edge of a log, once the bark has been removed.
Whilst an adze can be used as a substitute for a drawknife to peel and debark logs, its best use is for hewing.
Using an adze is very simple.
You will use it to hew the topside of a log flat. Standing next to or on top of a log, swing the adze between your legs, hewing the log.
You will want a 3lbs, long-handled (30-42”) adze.
An alternative to an adze is a broad axe, as they are both used for finer detail smoothing and hewing of logs.
Axe – For Felling and Notching Logs
Where would a traditional log cabin builder be without their ax?!
An axe is a hand tool use for felling and harvesting logs. The axe is older than an adze but it’s also from the same era (i.e. the stone age).
A hand ax can be used for hundreds of jobs when building a log home; from felling to notching and harvesting to preparing lumber.
An ax is traditionally used for felling (i.e. cutting) logs.
It can also be used to notch your logs when hewing or scribing them; however, it is sometimes better to use a chainsaw for precision and speed.
How-to
When harvesting your logs take an ax and, standing next to a tree, cut a v-notch (i.e. kerf) at waist height to around ½ the diameter of the tree. Cut an identical kerf on the opposite side of the tree, around 1 foot above the original kerf. Finish felling the tree by using your ax to notch a final kerf 1 foot above the original kerf.
You will want a 4lbs, long handled (26-32”) axe from either Helko Werk or Hults Bruk.
When felling, a substitute tool to an ax is a chainsaw. You will want to use a chainsaw for logs over 12” in diameter.
Chainsaw – For Cutting Logs
Building a log cabin from scratch can be a very cheap route to housing… chainsaws are not!
Unlike some of the other hand tools introduced in this blog post (e.g. log dogs) a chainsaw doesn’t require an introduction.
The only hand power tool included in this list has been so for good reason.
A chainsaw is a universal tool that can be used to cut, round, and notch your logs.
The sooner you invest in a good quality chainsaw the sooner your life will become much easier when building a log cabin.
Ideally look for Husqvarna or Makita with an 18″ bar length.
Drawknife – For Peeling and Debarking Logs
The drawknife (i.e. drawing knife or drawshave).
A modern tool dating from around the 1950s. Originally coined a “drawing knife” because the knife was drawn towards you as you peeled lumber.
A drawknife is used for peeling and debarking logs, it can also be used for hewing your logs, however, that’s much easier with an adze.
A drawknife has a flat chisel-shaped blade, typically 22” wide and 8” high, and tapering tangs which are held by two wooden handles.
A drawknife’s primary purpose is to remove excess wood, in this instance the bark on your log cabins logs.
To use a drawknife simply straddle a log, grip both handles of the drawknife so that the knife will shave with the grain and not against it, and with the blade perpendicular to the wood, pull the drawknife toward you.
The sooner you use a drawknife to peel logs once they have been felled, the easier it will be. Ideally, fell your logs in the spring and peel within 48 hours.
You will want a large draw knife around 22” with a 13” cutting blade like this to allow use for larger logs.
When debarking your logs, there are alternative tools available; a debarking spud. Typically, a debarking spud is used for tough logs where the bark is tacky. This can happen if you fell a tree and don’t debark it immediately.
Log Dog – For Holding Logs
What is a log dog?!
A log dog is a very specialized iron tool used when building a log cabin.
Its sole purpose is to hold logs in a fixed position when notching them.
A log dog holds two logs together ensuring that they don’t move when being scribed and notched.
It is the simplest tool you will use.
Simply insert one end of the log dog into a single log and the other into an alternate log that you want to fix in place.
You can then scribe, notch, or cut the log.
You should look for a heavy-duty log dog between 20” and 30” and 4lb to 6lbs with a good taper on the tip.
Log cleats are an alternative tool to hold logs in place are, they come in small and large sizes.
Mallet – For Hitting Logs
Who hasn’t used a mallet before?
A mallet is a specific type of hammer with a large rubber head. Traditionally used in woodworking, to prevent spoiling and splitting of timber during manipulation, a mallet can be found in most museums in the world.
Mallets are used to position logs in place and to drive log cabins’ corners together.
They can also be used to support you when using other tools. For example, hitting adzes, chisels, and log dogs!
Ideally, you should look for a white rubber mallet, weighing 2lb or 3lbs.
When positioning logs, you can also use a sledgehammer as opposed to a mallet. If you opt for a sledgehammer make sure to not mark or split the logs.
Peavey – For Moving Logs
A peavey is a logging tool.
Invented in 1850 by Peavey, as an alternative to a cant hook, it is used to move, position and roll logs.
Moving and rolling logs into position, once felled, is exhausting… especially uphill.
That’s where a peavey comes in, especially for logs greater than 12” in diameter.
A peavey is used to roll logs into position when building a log cabin. A Peavey is especially useful when rolling logs that are uneven or moving lots of logs over a short distance, without a vehicle.
A Peavey only has one purpose so it’s an expensive tool to purchase for just this task, but you will thank yourself if you purchase one!
To use a peavey, push the peavey’s spike into a log, and then use the hook and arm of the peavey to roll the log. Once fixed, a peavey provides great leverage to reposition or move a log.
Ideally, you will want a peavey that can roll logs up to 20″ diameter and 10FT in length.
An alternative to a peavey can be either a cant hook or a heavy-duty flat pry bar. Essentially, any tool that provides the durability and strength to move a log can be used as a substitute.
Summary
In addition to these super seven hand tools, when it comes to building your log cabin, you will also need some smaller accessory tools:
That is it!
Once you have purchased these tools you will be ready to build a log cabin.
If you are running a tight budget then you can always look at craigslist and eBay for second hand tools. For new tools, you will be looking to spend around between $2,500 and $3,500.
This blog post has focused on the hand tools required to build your log home from scratch. If you have purchased a kit to assemble, or have purchased, or felled, logs then you won’t require a peavey or adze.
If you have used alternative hand tools to build your log home with or have any questions about the tools required, then we would love to hear from you in the comment sections below.
