COMPLETE SITE INDEX

The New Hope Journal         The Poetry, Essays and Personal Journals of Larry L. Dill

November, 2008

Cabin Building            A Photographic Essay by Deborah Gaddy

Larry L. Dill with companion, AK, begins a cabin at Rabbit Rock for his daughter and son-in-law in August, 2008.

The cabin will be 10 by 16 ft with a 5 by 10 foot front porch.  The foundation is locust logs and storebought treated pine.

The log framing goes up quickly.  The  two inch thick rough sawn pine logs are the donated left over scraps from neighbor Scott Black's hand cut timber cabin about a half mile up into the East Fork Gap from Rabbit Rock.  They range in width from fourteen to four inches and length from 10 to 18 feet.

AK inspects the interlocking joints.

The gaps in the logs are chinked with common brick mortar just as the main lodge is.  The narrowness of the logs presents a problem solved by nailing temporary backer boards on the outside. See below,

Tar paper roofing protects the cabin's interior until the corrogated sheetmetal roofing can be installed.  As noted above, temporary backer boards are installed on the outside of the gaps so that the chinking mortar can be firmly packed in place from the inside.  After the mortar is cured the boards will be removed and a finish coat of mortar will be added on the outside.

A pewter candle sconce found at a local thriftstore highlights the natural beauty of the weathered logs and mortar.

AK enjoys the large window on the downhill side of the cabin.

Larry L. Dill places hinges on one of 7 double pane windows to be installed in the cabin. The windows were brand new and were found discarded at the curb on Marshall Street  in Waynesville after they failed to sell at a garage sale.

With the Autumn Chill in the air the woodbburning stove is installed in mid October even before the cabin is complete.  The front porch will need to be finished before installing the antique English door found at a North Carolina flea market.

With a golden apple tree standing next to the front porch the main lodge can be seen in the distance.  A garden and pond is planned for the area in between.

The matching pair of stained glass windows in the front and back eaves, also found at a flea market, open for summer ventilation.

The cracks between the boards in the eves will be sealed with batten boards and caulk on the outside.

Though the pine flooring will not be installed until the spring, the cabin should be ready for occupancy by Thanksgiving.

October 28, 2008 two inches of snow fell on Rabbit Rock.  This photo was taken by Larry L. Dill the next day when he was ready to start putting the porch roof on.  A paint drop cloth serves as a temporary door.  The stove is fired up and the cabin is already snug inside.

October 31, 2008 the leaded glass English antique door is in and the cabin nears completion.

October 2008 New Hope Journal Complete Site Index larrydill@newhopejournal.com www.newhopejournal.com copyright 2008 by Larry L. Dill