HUN Chapter 124: Erecting Wooden Walls

The next morning, the sound of ATV engines came from the distance once again.

This time, it was Hank, Patton, and Cody arriving as agreed, along with Old George and Stan.

A construction crew of six tough men from Wiseman was now formed!

They didn't rush to start work, but instead conducted a crucial pre-construction inspection.

"Kid, come take a look."

Old George beckoned Lin Yu'an over. He pulled out a pistol-shaped instrument with two metal probes at the front from his toolbox.

"This is a wood moisture meter. Before we build a house, we need to make sure our lumber is up to standard."

He walked over to a processed log with flat top and bottom surfaces and forcefully inserted the two probes into the wood's cross-section. The LCD screen on the instrument immediately displayed a number.

"22.4%."

Old George read out the measurement, then tested several more times at the other end and middle of the lumber. The readings all fluctuated between 22% and 24%.

David asked curiously, "What does this number mean? Can we use this wood now?"

Old George patted the massive log with satisfaction and laughed, "This summer's sun has been harsh enough, plus you've planed them all flat and provided good ventilation."

"Getting the moisture content down from over 50% when freshly cut to below 25% means we've passed the most troublesome initial shrinkage period, so we can start building!"

He turned to explain to David, "We can't wait for it to completely dry out, that would take several years. In this current state, we can build while letting it continue to slowly air-dry naturally."

"We can handle the remaining settling by leaving enough allowance in the doors, windows, and all-thread rod systems. This is a common method in modern log home construction."

"Before we lift any piece of timber, we need to prepare all the bones first."

Old George announced the first task, "Lin, you and Cody will operate that bandsaw mill. Your job over the next three days is to process all the main beams and joists we need from the raw logs!"

Over the next three days, amid the roar of the bandsaw mill, Lin Yu'an and mechanic Cody formed a perfect combination.

Lin Yu'an handled the main operation, using his precise judgment to determine each cut's position and thickness.

Meanwhile, Cody used his mechanical knowledge to constantly tune, oil, and replace blades for this intensively operating machine, ensuring it remained in optimal condition.

Stan, Hank, and Patton used the XCMG loader to transport massive round logs to the bandsaw mill one by one, then move the cut heavy beams and joists to the other side, separating them with blocking wood and stacking them neatly in piles.

This process was filled with sweat and sawdust. Six men worked over ten hours daily under the polar daylight.

"Lin, down another half inch!" Cody steadied a log about to be cut, shouting to Lin Yu'an who was adjusting the saw head.

Lin Yu'an nodded and turned the dial, precisely lowering the blade's height.

"Good!"

He started the blade, and with a long "hum," the saw head slowly pushed forward while golden wood chips cascaded down like a waterfall.

"Hey! Patton! Don't slack off! Is the next one ready?" Stan commanded from nearby, directing hunter Patton to operate the loader and lift another log to the staging area.

After three full days of hard labor, they finally finished processing all the lumber needed to build the platform, including over a dozen massive main beams and hundreds of joists.

A new "lumber mountain" of standardized building materials appeared beside the camp.

"Everyone listen up!" Old George gathered everyone for a brief pre-battle meeting.

"Lifting the main beams, especially that twelve-meter monster, is one of the most dangerous parts of this entire project."

"It's heavy and very unstable! I need everyone to be one hundred percent focused and follow commands in unison. Understood?"

"Understood!" everyone replied in chorus.

Lin Yu'an operated the XCMG loader, using wide lifting straps to steadily hoist that longest twelve-meter main beam.

The massive main beam moved extremely slowly, inch by inch, toward its throne.

When the main beam was just a few centimeters from the steel bracket, Hank and Cody immediately used pry bars to lock the position.

"Lower!" Old George commanded.

Lin Yu'an slowly lowered the mechanical arm.

"Clang!"

Finally, after a dull sound of metal meeting wood, the first main beam settled firmly onto two "steel components"!

"Oh yeah!!!"

The tough guys simultaneously erupted in victorious roars! David behind the camera also excitedly pumped his fist.

This scene was filled with North American machismo and the supreme charm of teamwork!

They spent another full day and a half installing all the perimeter and centerline main beams, connecting them into place to form a massive hollow framework.

After completing the main beam framework, they didn't immediately lay the joists.

"Now it's time to install all the drain pipes," Old George said.

The next two days belonged to the detailed work of utility installation and insulation.

Lin Yu'an took out his design drawings and, together with Cody, began laying various utility lines between this wooden grid.

They installed the main sewage line, red and blue PEX water supply pipes, and wrapped all pipes with thick insulation sleeves.

Meanwhile, Old George, Stan, Hank, and Patton were responsible for filling all the gaps between beam frames with bundles of 30-centimeter-thick rock wool insulation, fitting them seamlessly.

Only after completing all this did they begin installing the joists.

Old George and Stan were responsible for fixing U-shaped joist hangers to the inside of the main beams at 40-centimeter intervals using impact drivers.

Lin Yu'an, Cody, and the other two were responsible for precisely placing the processed joists into the hangers one by one and securing them with structural screws.

The entire platform's skeleton became full and solid at a visible rate!

Soon all six men were kneeling on the beam framework, beginning to lay those heavy tongue-and-groove plywood sheets.

Lin Yu'an and Cody operated professional nail guns connected to air compressors.

"Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!..."

Accompanied by rhythmic, powerful nailing sounds, the other four men were responsible for moving, aligning, and tightening the plywood.

After two more polar daylight workdays lasting over ten hours each, when the last nail was driven in, a solid, level, completely elevated massive "L"-shaped platform was declared complete!

From beginning to process the first main beam to the platform's final completion, the entire process took over a full week.

Standing on this platform they had built with their own hands, although everyone was exhausted, their faces glowed with tremendous accomplishment!

Old George's voice echoed across the open construction site, "Guys, although we've tackled the first tough bone, there are still several more bones to chew."

"For the work ahead, before we lay any piece of timber, we have two preparations to make."

"First, platform waterproofing. Second, sill plate preservation treatment."

Everyone immediately sprang into action. Pilot Hank and mechanic Cody handled the more delicate work.

They opened a huge roll of black carpet-like waterproof membrane and cut it with sharp utility knives.

Then, under Old George's guidance, they used scrapers to evenly spread a bucket of viscous, pungent-smelling asphalt adhesive along the outer edges of the foundation platform.

Next, they carefully laid the waterproof membrane over it and repeatedly rolled it with rubber rollers, ensuring no air bubbles existed between the membrane and plywood, forming a roughly 40-centimeter-wide "waterproof isolation strip."

On the other side, Stan and hunter Patton, these two tough guys, were responsible for treating those heavy "sill plates."

They lifted the planed logs onto sawhorses, then used wide wool brushes dipped in another bucket of asphalt preservative coating to begin careful application.

They painted extremely carefully, penetrating and wrapping every inch of the wood grain with coating.

Lin Yu'an and Old George worked together on the most critical "layout" work.

They didn't draw lines directly on the waterproof membrane because those would easily rub off.

Old George took out a chalk line reel. After the chalk line was saturated with ink, he stood at one end of the platform while Lin Yu'an walked to the other end. They pulled the line taut, pressing it tight against the inner edge of the waterproof membrane.

"Good! Release!" Old George commanded.

Lin Yu'an's finger gave a light flick.

"Snap!" With a crisp sound, a straight, jet-black chalk line instantly appeared on the waterproof membrane.

This line was the lifeline ensuring the first wall layer would be absolutely square.

Half a day later, all preparatory work was complete, and lifting work could begin.

Lin Yu'an started the XCMG XC760K loader and steadily lifted the first treated twelve-meter sill plate.

At both ends of the platform, Old George and Stan handled guidance and positioning.

"Come left another half inch!... Good! Stop!... Forward just a little bit... just a little bit!"

Hank, Patton, and Cody assisted in the middle with pry bars and hands, preventing any unnecessary movement of this massive timber.

When the massive log's inner edge perfectly aligned with that jet-black chalk line through the coordination of all six men, Lin Yu'an slowly lowered it.

With a dull "thump," the entire platform seemed to tremble slightly.

The first sill plate had found its home!

With the first and longest sill plate perfectly secured, the entire team's morale soared.

"Good! The first timber is down!" Old George shouted, "Guys, don't stop! Use this standard and get all the sill plates laid for me!"

Over the next half day, they used the same method to lift and secure all sill plates in direct contact with the platform, forming a complete "L"-shaped bottom layer outline.

"Lin, second layer corner log!" Old George directed.

Lin Yu'an operated the XCMG loader to lift a processed wall log.

But before placing it in position, he first performed a precision operation: creating a saddle notch.

He steadily mounted the log on sawhorses, then took out that compass-like scribe tool and set its span to the length of the bottom sill plate's radius.

He first used the scribe to precisely draw a perfect semicircle at the bottom end of the log, then started up his Stihl chainsaw.

In an almost sculptural manner, he used the chainsaw's tip to carefully cut along the drawn line, creating the rough outline of the notch.

Next, he switched to a bent chisel specifically for woodworking shaping and a wooden mallet, beginning hand finishing.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

Accompanied by crisp striking sounds, curved wood chips were chiseled away. Under his skilled hands, that originally rough cut gradually became an extremely smooth and perfectly rounded notch.

When he lifted this processed corner log to the corner of the sill plate, it fit perfectly as expected!

That saddle notch made a light "click" sound as it perfectly straddled the perpendicular sill plate below, forming a strong and beautiful interlocking structure.

"Beautiful!"

Old George couldn't help but cheer loudly upon seeing this perfect joint, "Beautiful! Kid, your handiwork is just like a logger with several years of experience!"

"Good! The first corner is up! Patton, Cody! Second layer long wall timber, lift it over! Hank, lay the seal strips!"

Hunter Patton immediately jumped on the loader and, under Lin Yu'an's guidance, could now perform some simple lifting operations.

He lifted a twelve-meter log and slowly moved it toward the wall.

Below on the sill plate, Hank and Cody had already laid two parallel professional log seal strips along the chalk line.

"A little more left! Line it up!" Stan commanded loudly from the other end.

"Thump!"

With a dull crash, the second layer's long wall log settled firmly on the sill plate, compressing the soft seal strips!

Next, they began laying the second layer of wall logs.

Before placing each timber, Hank and Cody would first lay two parallel professional log seal strips on the lower log layer.

After the second layer log was positioned, David raised a key question, "George, I've always wondered, you say the wood will shrink, so after this house is built and the walls get shorter, won't there be gaps everywhere?"

Old George laughed and pointed to a massive threaded rod they were installing, "Good question, son! The secret lies in this thing: the all-thread rod system."

He picked up an uninstalled rod and showed David its special construction at the bottom.

"See, here there's a special washer with a powerful spring."

"We'll use this to string together all the wall logs from top to bottom."

"Over the coming years, when the lumber shrinks due to drying and the wall height might drop by over ten centimeters."

"At that time, the pressure from these springs will automatically and continuously compress the nuts above downward, ensuring the entire wall from top to bottom always remains compressed, never developing gaps."

"We only need to check and appropriately tighten these nuts annually to complete all settling maintenance."

This ingenious mechanical structure made David suddenly understand and once again be impressed by this professional construction technique.

"Alright! Stop chatting!" Old George's urging voice rang out, "Lin! Cody! Drill holes! Lock these two layers tight for me!"

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