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>or has participated in the construction of one?
I have. They were nice hunting cabins, I live in Alaska. The biggest problem is settling unless you get an extremely good foundation but even then you still get it. You can get a chainsaw jig for cutting logs or use what we used (pic related and also the log carrier we hooked to an ATV is in pic).
Ours were put on concrete blocks and the cabin is suspended off the ground. Then it's just cutting the log, shaving both sides so it will sit flat, cutting the end notches, laying down a thick insulating strip between the logs, then screwing the logs on top of each other with these really long cabin screws (ours were actually called cabin screws but were just really long Lag Bolts). Then it's pretty mush repeat til done.
You cut the doors and windows when you are done but you need to leave a 3 to 4 inch gap above them because of settling. You stuff that gap with insulation and just nail a scrap board to cover it. Then it's just routine maintenance which usually is jacking up, re-leveling. You can tell the settling when doors and windows either stick or won't open. Also if you put a wood stove in don't skimp on any of that, we use insulated "rated" stove pipe and flashing and stack. And buy a chimney brush.
