Learn to build a log cabin from the master

An opportunity to learn from one of the most famous log cabin builders in the world will occur May 1-23 in Nenana when Robert Chambers conducts a log construction workshop.


The University of Alaska Fairbanks School of Natural Resources and Extension is working with the Toghotthele Corp. in Nenana to offer the workshop to corporation members and the public. The site is 307.8 Parks Highway. The end result will be a 16-foot by 20 foot cabin that Toghotthele might auction off to the highest bidder

Richard Musick

The workshop is for people interested in building quality energy efficient log structures in Alaska. Chambers, a 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. The classes are facilitated by UAF assistant professor Valerie Barber. 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.

Instruction includes safety, chain saw use, maintenance, cutting demonstration, practicing notches, ripping and scribing logs and building roof trusses. Final product will be a log shell with roof trusses. Cost of the workshop is $1,500 and a few openings remain.

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 and DVD, 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 41-year history. He is a consultant for log home owners, log home companies, builders and developers throughout the world.

Richard Musick builds 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 over 20 two-day courses around the state, showing basic log scribing techniques and how to build energy efficient log homes and has taught three log construction courses similar to the one that will be taught this year.

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