Building the Traditional Hewn-Log Home

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Next, using a level as a straightedge, draw a vertical centerline down the end of the log. (If the end is cut at a taper, you may have to trim off just enough wood to square it.) Then move to the other end of the log and repeat the sighting, centering, and marking procedures.

Time now to mark the actual hewing lines. In order to assure that both hewn faces of a log are the same height (top to bottom), it's critical that an equal amount of wood be left on each side—which is why we measure out from a centerline to establish hewing lines.

Start by measuring half the planned wall thickness out from either side of the centerline and cutting small notches where those measurements meet the top edge of each end of the log. For example, if you want the walls to be 6" thick, measure out 3" on either side of the centerline. Use the level to extend these lines down the ends of the log on either side of, and parallel to, the vertical centerlines.

At this point you should have three vertical and parallel lines drawn down each end of the log. Now snap chalk lines to establish the hewing lines along the length of the log. The final step in hewing layout is to rotate the log 180° and snap the two hewing lines down the opposite (crown) side of the log.

JUGGLING: IT'S NOT A CIRCUS ACT

The terminology gets a little tricky along about here, so let's give it a quick run-through. In its broad meaning, the term hewing refers to the overall process of flattening the sides of a log; the initial roughshaping by notching and removing chunks of wood from the sides of a log is known as juggling; and the smoothing of the squared faces with a broadax is hewing in its specific meaning. In hewing, then, first we juggle, then we hew.

The wood to be removed from the sides of a log comes off most easily in chunks—which is why we cut notches every foot or so along the surfaces to be hewn. If you're notching with an ax, leave the project log on the scrap logs near the ground and rotate it so that the side to be notched is facing up at a 45° angle. To cut the notches, stand on the opposite side of the log so that you can swing the ax down and toward you in a normal chopping movement. Chop V-shaped notches at 12" to 18" intervals along the length of the log, cutting down to within 1/4" or so of the hewing line.

If you're notching with a chain saw, place the timber on sawhorses and use single cuts—as opposed to V notches-spaced 6" to 8" apart and penetrating to within 1/16" of the hewing line. Turn the log so that the side to be notched is facing straight up, then ease the base of the saw's bar into the wood and bring the front of the bar down gradually until the cut nears the hewing line.

With the timber notched all along its length and positioned on the scrap logs near the ground, knock out the first chunk by using a mallet or club to drive a froe or a single-bitted ax into the end of the log just above the hewing line. Now, standing on the side of the log opposite the surface being hewn, use a wide-bladed ax to split off the rest of the chunks, one at a time.

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