Secret to Maintenance-Free Mortar Chinking / Ep65 / Outsider Log Cabin 

When I was a kid I liked watching Mister Rogers, because of the pacing of the show and his voice was soothing. I now like watching The Outsider for exactly the same reasons.

I agree with your analogy of the lath functioning like rebar. I'd also say that the fact you can't really notice your work with the lath when you stand back a take a look just means you did a really good job of keeping it very neat and tidy.

Greetings from the U.k. Have been watching your videos for a while now and it is deeply therapeutic to watch man and nature work in harmony and see a man work with his hands to create something from nothing. Hope one day to visit your great and beautiful country and maybe build a cabin of my own here. Keep up the good work Chris A.

I like your idea about doing the rock infill around the base of your cabin and raising the grade around there also. I’ve been wondering what you were planning to do with that area. We always tried to get the roof on first before installing the windows, less chance of breaking something if you work from the top down. The cabins looking great, weather’s getting nice, woods are greening up, roofs going on, life’s good! Keep it up!

I agree with the metal lath, My Dad and Mom moved my uncles cabin down by the lake ( away from the in-laws back yard!) right after they got married, in the late 1940s. This is in NW Wisconsin. It was re-chinked in the way you describe at that time. It was never re-chinked and was moved to Fort Folle Avoine historical site back up the hill a few years ago, still in good shape other than the roof. Basically went it back to the in-laws back yard. Funny thing is, Dad even at 97 does not like it there!

Awesome this is what I need.. , I'm just about to finish my shift in Icu, and will relax with your latest video, when I get home thankyou sir😉👍

To preserve wood here in Maine I use something I call “boat soup” . The mix is 1/5 pine tar, 2/5 boiled linseed oil, and 2/5 mineral spirits. It will darken the wood, but it works and it is cheap.

hey Outsider-how is your wife doing? I know she had been thru (all of you in fact) difficult times, just hoping she is doing well still! Great Channel !!!

that shot with the thrown wood was awesome :) I love that you share your reasoning with us about your decisions for the cabin and encurage the exchange of opinions and experiences. Thank you for sharing parts of your life with us.

See RU-vid channel "Hickory Ridge Homestead ". He showed a DIY treatment for logs

Was the flying log shot inspired by "A Space Odyssey"? :-)

Where'd you get that left-handed hammer? I haven't seen one of those in a while. LOL

Hello Outsider, As I watched this video and Mothers day is comming I wanted to let you know that I said a prayer for your family being the first Mothers Day without your mother. I also prayed for your wife. In these times we feel that we are alone but that is not the case. As we know we are never alone. We are promised in Gods word that he will never leave us or forsake us. God's word brings comfort to me when I feel that way and I hope it helps you and your family at this time also. I just want to let you know. Keep up the faith and all you good work and may God's blessings of health be on you and your family.

I dont own or live in one, my elders tell me back in the day the Mi'kmaq people used spruce gum and tree sap with berch bark flower make it a paste, mix all and add water, its like making bread but you dilute the mix into water and paste the final product on their tar shack buildings, was mainly for patching and water proofing and glue but it's also used for bug control and preserving wood tools and ceremonial pipes and wooden staffs leather shoes boots etc etc

I most definitely agree 💯 I also ready like how you very simply explain in simple detail what your doing. Keep up the good work! -This is Bill from Houston!

Re the logs....I'm a big fan of Yakisugi or Shou-sugi-ban...ie charring the wood to preserve it. I have done this on the board and batten siding of my cabin. It's supposed to seal the surface, and burn the edible part of the exterior so there's nothing for algae or wood boring insects to munch on. I noticed it made the wood much harder too. The deeper the burn, the more protected it is. Mine's been standing for a year now. It was black to begin with, but has lightened over time. I haven't used any other form of protection, as I'm sensitive to chemicals. The Japanese have been using this method for centuries. Cheap too, but time consuming. Congratulations on the amazing work you've done so far. It's one of the highlights of my week watching you both. I've learnt so much.

You sound like the man who used to do the commentary for the Disney wildlife films.

Did you consider creasing the lath horizontally to give a deeper fit?

Good Saturday Morning Mr Outsider and Dad! Thanks for visiting with your amazing journey. Great inspiration and ingenuity! God Bless, good luck!

I have never built a log cabin without treating the logs FIRST, I had the pleasure of staying in wade phillips “Phillips 66 “cabin many years ago and he pretreated his logs, it seems to be the best way to me ,your doing a great job keep it up.

I just want to take a second to thank you for bringing us on this journey. I also would like to say your family is in my prayers on this mother's day 🙏.

nice touch tapping the bolt through with the clapping in the music ! and the tossing the wood onto the trailer in slow mo was nice

Proverbs 11:14 Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellers there is safety.

You just got another big thumbs up for caring to share this update.! Thank you and well done..!

I am now 69. I used the 'diamond' for the three cabins I built in the 70s and 80s and 90s. All three cabins have not had any issues... YET... with their lathing! Oh, and do NOT use linseed oil for the logs. Keep safe, you two.✨🤗✨

When you are doing the windows on the top floor I really recommend you do a dormer window as that greatly increases the usable space and also looks nice. Great job!

Methyl Ester (biodiesel) is great for wood treatment. It has no glycerol so less greasy and if you don't wash it** the slight alkalinity helps with protecting the wood. Methanol is best but you can make it with any pure alcohol. Mix 1 200ml of alcohol with 2% lye (NaOH) and shake until mixed. Pour the resulting paint stripper into 800ml of oil warmed to 50 degs C and shake like mad for 2 minutes. Allow to settle. The soap at the bottom is excellent stuff. The clear above is methyl ester.

Like your quote about beginnings .... its the little things, that show the least, that you gain the most from ultimately! Great video ! Stay safe my friend. !!

@1:05 Why did you hammer the all thread all the way in, when You could have cut off the excess on the side you're hammering in.

Love what your doing. My son and I have often talked about building a cabin or two on our 700 acre property. Had you thought about using galvanized staples in place of the ardox and roofing nails? Just something that came to mind as I watched. What are you going to use for chinking. A couple of builder friends have built cabins and they used cement on some place (per owners request) and on the others they use a type of silicone based material (came in powder form I think) that would expand and contract as the weather dictated. Keep the great videos coming, can't wait to see it when your finished.

These videos along with other RU-vidrs changed my perception( towards positive) about Canada and Canadians, I'm also hooked to Joe robinet, shawn James, doug linker. P. S: (all the years of brain bleaching by U.S main stream movies making fun of Canada, during my growth years, I was dumb 🤦‍♂️)

Good time to use a box blade or similar to fill in some of those massive ruts in the trail before the summer dries it like concrete.

Your photography is so good and creative, adding to the enjoyment of the video.

It is good to hear the Word of God on your Channel my friend.

I really appreciate your videos. They are different from anything else on RU-vid and that's awesome.

My good friend, excellent monitoring the Moisture in the woods, I will recommend to get a little bit lower than 14% ideally less than 10 , but your right about because the woods is outsite exposed.

Have you ever considered wire fence "staples" (basically a nail with the head cut off bent into U and has both ends pointed)seems to me it might be aa good alternative to driving a nail in and bending it over.

Watching you back your rig into your grandfather's "woodshed," reminded me of the security measures you put into place to prevent wood theft. Has it helped?

Coming to your place every week is an amazing journey, be safe💖🇦🇺

Hi, new to your channel. sub'd, like'd, bell'd, and will occasionally comment. Please keep up all the Hard Work and Great Content. and...Thank You for the Word! best to you and yours. w.

My Self Reliance channel put Dried ground moss in between the homemade, Clay/Ash/Grit mortar, to insulate the cabin Gaps. He is in Algonquin, Canada.

50/50 used oil and diesel preserves wood , thin the used oil anyway u like , the thing is, the used oil is free , and no it’s not gonna catch fire ... but that’s for wood post and fences or wood decks , not sure about logs...so save your used oil and use it for other woods , it will make them last a life time Burning or charging wood is another great way to weather proof wood

I’m enjoying your building projects I turn 80 tomorrow I’m getting active way to being able to do these things myself so I certainly enjoy watching you accomplish that way you work

Eugene from illinois . i love your log cabin its graet . a youtuber BEARDED CARPENTER building log cabins , ckedk im out it seems to me he nows what he is doing . god bless Eugene from Illinois . Be safe

Great Video. 👍 With the Chincon. I think the wire mesh sounds like the best way to go to reinforce it. I Guess that you will have to put that also on the inside (?). There will also have a air gap in between, I believes that will help in Insulation (?). #STAYSAFE.

Really appreciate hearing your scripture reading. God bless you my friend. Stay strong in The Lord.

I can't wait to see your progress. Hope your wife is feeling well. I have prayed for her and will often think of how she is going in her recovery? So nice your dad is helping you still it must help him as well to get through his days. May God bless you and your family 🙏❤️ Australia

I recently just started watching your yt videos. I had a question what kind if gloves are thise yellow and blue ones i see you and you're dad wearing? Thanjs again LOVE THE CONTENT ❤️

I have a pine wood fence. I installed it 10yrs ago. One of the knots in the pine had sap run down it dried. Its still there in all the weather, still hard as a rock and it sticks to wood. Just a thought for your log protection.

Nice and simple as always, honest and slow, I have not been around much, hospital again, I would like to know again what is the cabin use going to be, I don't think you will live in it with your wife's illness or am I wrong, I do seem to remember that something like you and your dad might just use it as a get away or hunting, not sure about that, at 80+ I do get mixed up at times, still going to watch as much as I can, have clicked Like on them all, watch all of them from start to finish, some more than once, commented on more than half, so til the next one, Later

I love watching your videos. You're doing an amazing job!

Dear Sir, My privious comment was a bad draft, sent by accident. This is my proper massage to you: I have been watching your channel for the first time today. I was "hooked" and watching for hours. I am very impressed by the creativity, strength and tenasity, agility, and tool proficiency of your father and you of course. Your harmonious team work is admirable. However one thing kept bothering me: your lack of safety awareness. I was pondering within myself whether or not to comment about it. After listening to your monolog about your wife's condition, I made up my mind to humbly speak out. (Please fill free to keep my comment private if it is not appropriate). First I want to convey my sympathy and positive hopes to your wife and family. I'm a member of the "cancer family". I lost my mother and many kin to the disease. I hope you'll keep strong for many years. In my professional life, I'm an avocado grower in Israel for over 35 years. I operate various power machinery, including a chain saws. Most of my days I work on top of a mobile lift on an uneven Trane where capsizing is immanent. (In my younger days I used to do some very hairy stunts, but no more.) During the years I've seen and heard about many accidents involving work in high places. It mostly append when people didn't take safety precautions. Under Israeli law, employees working off the ground must use full safety equipment and procedures. It's mandatory to go through safety training every two years. I am reaching out to you by saying: "Do your work, enjoy your labor, but think of safety first. Always remember that your loved ones need for you to come home safely. In your family situation….. even more so." I was happy to see that you started using safety harness and line. I saw that you improved your safety awareness in later episodes. Saying that, I think that you can improve. There is great gear on the market. Each item is best for different work situation. To prevent accidents, action one has to employ the right items and use them properly. Here are some general pointers: • Helmet with strap for head protection in case of falling, or in case of tools falling from above ( i.e. a dangerous tool falling on your father's head, when he is standing blow you); • Safety harness must be kept secured to a life line or anchor, at all time, including when climbing on ladders or scaffoldings (that is why there are two hooks on your strap) ; • Ladders: secured to a rigid object or A frame design, wide base plate to prevent toppling to the side; • Tools and materials should be pulled up by service line not thrown up & down; • Secure tools when placed up high so that they won't fall on people bellow. Please don't be angry with me for sounding admonishing. It is only with good intentions. I pray that one day you will do an episode, where your kid will build a cabin with your help. Sincerely, Leeor Ron.

Me and my boys are Getting ready to build a off the grid cabin what are the dimensions of yours

I always look forward to your videos!

Well done. Love the camera angles & the music. Thanks for the update tell Senior outsider that we are holding him up in prayer as well as the whole family.

Your attention to detail,is great,it helps us all,and educates us all, keep up the good work,and hi from OZ

Love and respect from California. Love the bible reference. Amen brother.

Hi bjurtek... Just a small note , you mentioned to try this method , i forgot what you actually said exactly , you forgot to put it in your comment , but you did say to follow up on Shawn Jame's post , or knowledge on it. If you see my post , about your post mentioning to try this stuff you had a recipe for , could you pop it in on another comment , this time can you put your mix in this time?. Thankyou bjurtek. John is doing a great job indeed , so kudo's to him for doing this virtual with just him & his dad. Fantastic feat.!!! Please don't think i'm having a go @ you bjurtek for not putting your mix recipe in your comment because i'm not doing that @ all , just thought i would bring it to your attention , nothing more. Hope you have a great day bjurtek... Cheer's !!!

Seeing how you used that threaded rod was genius. Its funny because that helped my mind incase I ever built a cottage myself, because I noticed how you made the end clean with an angle grinder. I am very familiar with using an angle grinder but to achieve the result you did, can't be explained, it's just how you work the tool with using the nut! Kind of neat to see because you would never know with the results showing after! Awesome work!

Work nailing on the wire mesh. Try using a commercial stapler with heavy duty copper staples. I have seen another cabin done this way but don’t remember the Chanel it was on. Good luck.

Do you plan on having access to the space beneath your cabin? The Boss of the Swamp has some great ideas. He lives off grid in New Hampshire

What can't you use curved nails on the chicken wire? They are semicircular in shape and sharp on each end so that both ends go into the wood as you hammer, catching the chicken wire. Here is an example: homemadelovely.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/curved-nails-metal-mesh-to-wood-fencing.jpg Or couldn't you just use a staple gun?

Love how you bring scripture into your vids! Thanks and God bless!

We have a log house in Oregon, wet area, but we did as you did and extended our roof over to cover the logs. We used a boric solution to keep bugs away. We used fir off our property. Not bug resistant 🥴 Enjoy watching your show. God bless you n your family

Loved the shot of being throw into the trailer from the logs perspective

Never use chinking it's caulking and will trap moisture cause rot. Should just use nails up down bent them hold mortar in. It been allot work but only need touched up not very often and mortar breath chinking dosent

I always find it so encouraging and enjoyable for men of faith to speak the word during the course of their day. Especially on RU-vid and especially in this day and age. I appreciate the humor. My prayers for your family and your endeavors. The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26 Blessings to you & yours!

Curious about your plan to put woodchip on the muddy ground. I have the same woodmill and clay/stone ground. The bark and sawdust turns into a soft mess on the ground. Vehicles lose traction, it holds lots of water.

I loved that intro music

any cheap water base paint(or varnish)(dilute 1:5 ratio with water) mix it with graphite, it's dark but great to kill rut & rust graphite is magic, just a tea spoon per 5 gallon mix is enough

The scripture you included in this video made it all the more beautiful than it already is. Thank you for taking us along on this journey. Your videography is beyond beautiful. God bless you and your family.

I used what your using and I had no issue of a problem, now my brother bought a log home that has that store bought stuff and last year he had to go over it but what I've realized with a log home of a friend a wrap around porch took care of everything, plus it look great. That's what my brother going to do.. God speed..

Good morning. The cabin is looking great.

Cherish these times with your Dad. Time waits for no one except God. After all, He invented it. Its amazing what we take for granted.

If you get any moisture on the iron filings the wood well turn black

Hi love the videos I binge watch them. Could you tell me please what’s the make and model is on your crane for your three point hitch, on Red?

Looking great, you're doing a fantastic job. Getting it dried in is a wonderful feeling, I remember when hubby and I got the 2x6 ceiling/roof on, we put rubber membrane on the whole roof, insulation on and metal roof on at least the inside should stay drier and then doors (little more secure) and then the windows...totally dried in, what a wonderful feeling. Reliving what we built by watching you build. Keep up the good work, stay safe, be careful, take it easy and keep dry....God Bless you and your family, keeping you all in my thoughts and prayers. Oh, we used Sikkens products on the logs.

Dear Reverend, Thank you for your detailed account of your adventures. Have been enthusiastically watching throughout with enjoying living your many endeavours virtually. My families' 25 acre Muskoka property must be somewhat near your Beloved Grandfather's property. About what R warmth rating is your cabin?

Great job on the cabin build. My preferred treatment on log cabin logs is no treatment at all.Logs last a very long time, even spruce, when left alone when they are far enough off the ground and a good overhang helps too. Dick Proenneke’s cabin didn’t have treatment and it did very well.

Progress is good! You and Sr O have done an amazing job. As it’s grandpa’s land I love that you always look out for him, we’re some wouldn’t. Your a phenomenal person, son and grandson from all you do. Blessings to you and the O fam. 🌲🔦

Love the Bible quotes 🙌 ❤

Your link to your plans are not going anywhere. I have a log cabin in Quebec and the person who build it put rose Fiberglas insulation between the logs. I would like to take it off and put something better. Except the metal roll there what do you put in between? I’m a pastor in a small church trying to revitalize a church where the average is 55 years because my family is making the average sink lol. God bless you

4:42 Amen to that.

Lafarge Cânda gas fiberglass in the Mix this would strengthen ít android gỗ without ít on water applications .

A air compressor and a nail gun that shoots roofing nails would make this job a lot easier and faster

There is a tool that you can buy to help with nails at funny angles I just can not remember the name of it but I have one which I use to happen out nails from re-purposed wooden pallets the next best thing would be a an old drill socket bit that is bigger than the nail head place over the nail when you get to the point that the hammer won’t work and then hit it again this will drive the nail in more for you if it’s too deep of a socket bit just use an angle grinder to cut off the excess part of the socket or put in a nut in it to fill the socket up enough to still allow for you to use to hammer in the nails fully.

John, here's a home-made recipe for wood treatment. Also, pick Shawn James' brain on it.

Have you talked with Shawn James My Self Reliance? He too built a cabin in the woods in Canada. May God bless your efforts! May you receive wise counsel!.

About the lath/no lath - yes lath will considerably strengthen the mortar exactly like rebar add strength to concrete, so I'm pretty sure you made the right choice, especially taken the quite big gaps between some of the logs in mind.

Oh my gosh... Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap... That would've taken forever to nail those in at that rate. Poor bugger. Lol

Love the reference to Zerubbabel!

i have not bee following you like some but the bond you and your dad needs a mention as i have similar with both my sons and i mast say it fells great your build is looking good no one does this over here some further south but we just don't get the snow like you guys and that's a good thing as i don't like the cold just needed to say these things i hope it makes sense to you stay safe

Use fencing staples on the top.

Hadn't seen any work on your cabin for a very long time.. thought you gave it up for good...

Ahh Zerubbabel, one of the less popular old testament names in the modern era, or any era ; )

Boiled lic seed oil .take a paint bush and put the lin seed oil on .that will perteck your logs from water and will give the logs it natural look .

It is so nice to see the cabin coming along and knowing this is the year she'll be finished...mostly finished, I figure. I'm getting more & more excited to see these final pieces of construction come together and see the cabin finished. I keep imagining how beautiful she's going to look and you couldn't have picked a more peaceful & serene setting to build in than where your at right now. It's good to see your dad still working on it with you as well. Let him know you have a subscriber that says hello to him and I look forward to seeing you both on here next week with more accomplished on the cabin. Til then stay safe & take care.❤ BTW, I love your narration to the videos & I especially loved this week's, when you chose to speak of God by referring to the book of Zachariah in the bible, 😊 wonderful 😇. Most ppl your age & the times in which we live in, don't have the nerve to talk about God, in any way whatsoever let alone even care about God.

1:28 if you put the nut on before you cut the bolt you don’t have to worry about burrs or cross threading. Put the nut on then cut the bolt. The back the nut off and it will remove the burrs.

Just a suggestion: might not be a good idea to use a torque wrench to tighten bolts.. It might ruin its calibration

nothing for nothing if your going to spend money on wire and nails just buy a industrial tank of expanding foam and be done with it fo good it works period is weather tight cheap and last for years try it