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Archiver > Scotch-Irish > 2003-08 > 1059862149


From: "macbd1" <>
Subject: [Sc-Ir] Re: measurements, perch (log cabin construction)
Date: Sat, 2 Aug 2003 17:09:09 -0500
References: <20030801192608.91151.qmail@web40513.mail.yahoo.com> <002501c35928$bf9bf9a0$0100a8c0@neil>


Oh, I almost forgot a most important factor in wall length or the amount of
weight the host's neighbor-helpers could handle. That was the number of
jugs of whiskey the host provided. A log raisin' was a neighborhood party
where the neighbors lived considerable distances apart; some traveled 30 or
more miles for the 'frolic' that was to last several days depending on the
type of home to be built -- and the last day (and night) was 'all party.'
Neil McDonald

----- Original Message -----
From: "macbd1" <>
To: <>
Sent: Saturday, August 02, 2003 2:03 PM
Subject: [Sc-Ir] Re: measurements, perch (log cabin construction)


> >From my studies (and profession), the length and width of frontier log
> cabins or homes in the American colonies were not limited to 18 feet
length
> (nor were stone walls for that matter) and there was no magic used with
> perch measurements or any kind of dimensional limitations. The length of
a
> wall and size of a structure was simply a matter of preference. The size
of
> a 'one-room' cabin varied from square to rectangular, with possibly the
more
> common measuring (roughly) from 12' to 16' wide by 16' to 20' long -- but
> there were many other multi-room and inner-walled varieties of various
> larger sizes, some with open breezeways or 'dog-trots' between the
'cells.'
> The maximum length of a wall was primarily based on the straight-section
> height of nearby trees from which the logs were to be cut, how the
log-ends
> were to be finished for the corners, and the strength of and number of men
> available to handle the logs and help with construction -- so the kind of
> wood to be used and its density made a difference as well -- also whether
> the logs were to be hewn or the cabin was to be more quickly built of
> temporary nature, constructed of round-logs with the bark remaining. The
> number of shorter trees that were nearby, or the number that were more
> crooked with shorter straight-sections, dictated the length of the
> end-walls, along with the weight and handling considerations and building
> size preferences.
>
> While the Swedes and/or Germans are touted as initiating log-cabin
> construction in America (depending on the source-reference), the
> Scotch-Irish popularized it along the frontier or back-country of
tree-rich
> America, after having primarily used earth-stones, sandstone, limewash,
> thatched roofs, etc. in Ulster. Relative to the Germans who tended to
'stay
> put,' the Scotch-Irish were more apt to construct more temporary homes as
> many seemed to prefer being ready to move on short notice. The style of
> corner-notching the logs and the chimney location and its manner of
> construction could apparently identify a German vs. Scotch-Irish home as
> well.
>
> Neil McDonald
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "K Powell" <>
> To: <>
> Sent: Friday, August 01, 2003 2:26 PM
> Subject: [Sc-Ir] Re: measurements, perch
>
>
> > Just to toss in some more vague and likely useless trivia. I've found
> perch to
> > be used in another way, medieval building. Whether stone or log
> construction,
> > for some reason I either didn't quite understand or have forgotten, 18
> feet was
> > about the maximum length a wall could be built, and that would be the
> outer
> > dimension. Inner walls were probably about 16.5. That length was called
a
> > perch.
> >
> > Sorry to be so vague; I can't give a reference because that's so long
back
> I've
> > forgotten where I read that. It would have reference, I think probably,
to
> > technique and technology of stone masonry of the times. As memory serves
> that
> > was the case until the development of the gothic arch and expanded
> cathedrals.
> >
> > Kaye in Texas
> >
> >
> > __________________________________
> > Do you Yahoo!?
> > Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software
> > http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com
> >

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