My Montana log project: before

@TheHorse (230103)

Walnut Creek, California

September 2, 2025 12:18pm CST

OK, here's the rotten log before (or as) I started working on it. I think I have a photo from up the hill where I harvested the log, but I haven't found it yet. My first task was to chip out all of the rotten wood, exposing good wood to which I could attach my new log. After making sure the new log fit snugly in the space I cut it for, I put the new log aside (it weighed less than 30 lbs--not an issue,even for this old guy) and cleared out as much rotten wood as I could. For the record,this area is just to the left of the door to the cabin, so it's something people see when they come to visit. I wanted the end result to be purdy. . . OK, let me see if I can find the photo.

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10 responses

@DaddyEvil (158826)

• United States

2 Sep

I'm glad the replacement log wasn't too heavy for you to manage. I'm sure the repair looks good.

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@DaddyEvil (158826)

• United States

3 Sep

@TheHorse Finding and chopping down a tree the right size is always fun.

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@TheHorse (230103)

• Walnut Creek, California

3 Sep

@DaddyEvil In this case, I found a tree that was already down, but not rotting. I was able to get the bark off easily.

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@TheHorse (230103)

• Walnut Creek, California

3 Sep

Harvesting it was an interesting task.

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@JudyEv (362419)

• Rockingham, Australia

3 Sep

That's a good photo of the damage. Was the rot caused by damp? Do you have white ants (termites) there?

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@TheHorse (230103)

• Walnut Creek, California

3 Sep

I have not seen termites there. I think the rot was caused by piling snow. As it melted.

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@snowy22315 (195599)

• United States

2 Sep

Looks like a big task

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@TheHorse (230103)

• Walnut Creek, California

2 Sep

It was. But I managed,to squeeze it into three days of constant work. Heh. I had no idea a bag of cement weighed 80 lbs.

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@celticeagle (179372)

• Boise, Idaho

3 Sep

Ok, so it is purdy I will wager. The Tru Built is too.

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@celticeagle (179372)

• Boise, Idaho

5 Sep

@TheHorse .......The Tru Built shovel in the picture.

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@TheHorse (230103)

• Walnut Creek, California

3 Sep

Tru Built?

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@TheHorse (230103)

• Walnut Creek, California

5 Sep

@celticeagle Oh. Yeah. I used that thing to chip out the rotted wood."BFH"

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@wolfgirl569 (121925)

• Marion, Ohio

2 Sep

That was getting bad.

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@TheHorse (230103)

• Walnut Creek, California

3 Sep

Yep. I'm glad I was able to get the rotted wood out of there. My post hole shovel came in handy.

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@RasmaSandra (88670)

• Daytona Beach, Florida

2 Sep

Looks like it involved a lot of work.

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@TheHorse (230103)

• Walnut Creek, California

3 Sep

It did. But it was satisfying work.

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@jstory07 (145656)

• Roseburg, Oregon

3 Sep

Getting rid of the rotten log is a good idea.

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@TheHorse (230103)

• Walnut Creek, California

3 Sep

Yeppers. I scraped away everything that was not good wood.

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@LadyDuck (482960)

• Italy

3 Sep

I am sure you did a good job and I am glad the new log was not too heavy. 30 lbs is something I can also move easily.

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@LadyDuck (482960)

• Italy

3 Sep

@TheHorse - Good, I like to see the result of your hard work.

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@TheHorse (230103)

• Walnut Creek, California

3 Sep

@LadyDuck Shh. Sneak peek.

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@TheHorse (230103)

• Walnut Creek, California

3 Sep

I'll post the "finished product" within a few days.

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@Fleura (32490)

• United Kingdom

5 Sep

Is the cabin actually built of logs, or are they just decorative?

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@TheHorse (230103)

• Walnut Creek, California

5 Sep

The cabin is built out of logs.

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@LindaOHio (199928)

• United States

3 Sep

That was quite a project.

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@TheHorse (230103)

• Walnut Creek, California

3 Sep

It "kept me busy."

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