Log cabin workshop coming to Nenana

Dr. Barber's last log cabin workshop was in Palmer. A new one is planned for Nenana.

Assistant Professor and Director of the Forest Products Program Valerie Barber will teach a log cabin building workshop in May for the Toghotthele Corp. in Nenana.

While the majority of students will be corporation members, there are a few slots open to the public for a cost of $1,200. The workshop kicks off May 2-5 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with log peeling, then continues May 6-24 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. The site is 307.8 Parks Highway. The end result will be a 16 x 20 foot cabin that Toghotthele will likely use as a visitors' cabin.

The sessions are for people interested in building or renovating energy-efficient, quality log structures in Alaska. Robert W. Chambers, world-recognized authority on handcrafted log home construction, will lead the sessions on how to build with green logs. Richard Musick of Fairbanks will be assisting. Basic procedures and techniques will be described and practiced to help even the novice get started with a project. Building an energy-efficient log home requires the highest level of craftsmanship to meet modern standards of airtightness, indoor air quality, safety, comfort and durability. Textbook is provided.

Instruction includes:

• Safety

• Chain saw use

• Maintenance

• Cutting demonstration

• Practicing notches

• Ripping and scribing logs


Robert W. Chambers has been building log homes since 1983 and teaching log construction since 1988. He is the author of the bestselling log home construction textbook, Log Construction Manual and the inventor of log construction methods, products and machinery. He holds U.S. and foreign patents for his log construction inventions.

In April 2006, the International Log Builders Association presented Chambers with the Grand Achievement Award, which has been awarded only three times in the ILBA’s 30-year history. He is a consultant for log home owners, log home companies, builders and developers throughout the world, including the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Latvia, Russia, Finland, Scotland, England, Ukraine, Greece, Romania, Dubai, South Africa, Oceania, Brazil and Chile.

Richard Musick has worked for the last 13 years building custom energy efficient log and frame homes. He owns Ventilation Solutions, a company specializing in heat recovery ventilators and air filtration systems. He has taught more than 20 log home building classes around Alaska.

For more information, contact Barber at 907-746-9466.

This cabin was built during a workshop at the Matanuska Experiment  Farm in 2011.