Log Cabin Secrets

Log Cabin Secrets is a series that reveals my professional tips and tricks for log construction from 35 years of building and teaching. Save time, builder better, save money—there are secrets for everyone.


This book tells you about mitered log joinery: and shows you how to fit logs together seamlessly for log roof trusses or log post-and-beam. Detailed, step-by-step instruction. Loads of practical advice. 


Mitered Joinery is the strongest, best-looking, and easiest way to fit naturally-shaped, full-round logs to each other. (Also works for live-edge material.)


Packed with information that is found no where else, including my new tool: a moveable storyboard that finds where logs will intersect each other. No more leveling logs end-for-end. No more lofting from a deck underneath. No lasers, no plumb bobs, no hassles.


I provide three options for laying out the mitered cut-lines—you take your pick of which one you will use for your project.  First, Simple Angle, where every cut-line is simply half the included angle between two logs (ie bisected angles). Next, the Storyboard Method—which will soon be in the toolboxes of many pro log builders and timber framers. Third, the Spreadsheet Method: measure log diameters, enter those numbers into a free spreadsheet you download from my website, and all the cut-angles are provided to you. No math required.