Hands-on Log Building Training Needed in Alaska? (Anchorage, Juneau and: lofts, home)

[LogSmithy]

Is there any need/demand for a person to learn the craft of building with logs in Alaska? 2, 4, and 12 week hands-on Log Builder Training Programs.
We want to move to Prince of Wales Island and establish a log building yard to teach our basic, intermediate and advanced log builder programs.

Learn how to build handcrafted log structures from scratch using your personal -use logs. Intermediate and advanced courses include log truss and purlin roof systems and log floor joists for lofts.

[Barkingowl]

Do you have more photos of your work?

[LogSmithy]

BarkingOwl!

My heart is in AK too!! More pictures are located here How to Build a Log Cabin .
You can see some here too! Image hosting, free photo sharing & video sharing at Photobucket .

I have been so blessed to get to teach others this old traditional way of building and it has taken me to Alaska and have students travelhere from Alaska too. Hope you like the pics!

Bill Lasko

[Metlakatla]

Bill..I hope it works out for you. You'll have a better feel for it after your workshop in Thorne Bay. See what kind of response you get and go from there. My personal opinion is is that POW might not have sufficient population to sustain it. Your're also thinking of Sitka?

[LogSmithy]

Hi Metlakatla!

The population on POW isn't a concern though there will be some students from there. SE Alaska (there) has milder winters there than Indiana because of the ocean currents. Sitka,Juneau and Ketchikan are the locations of University of Alaska campuses - all in the SE. I can travel around Alaska to scheduled training sessions but prefer Thorne Bay as there is a cabin already there I can stay in. Anyway - I'm open to where ever it'll be best and need to find out. Thanks!!

Bill Lasko

[Metlakatla]

Don't underestimate the winters in SE. Don't let the relative warm temps fool you. Thorne Bay is very nice though.

But anyway, it looks like a good project.

[1stimestar]

I think that many people who are wanting to build a log home themselves are doing it due to lack of excess fundage. So buying an expensive plane ticket, then paying for a course to learn how would be out of their budget.

[LogSmithy]

Well, everything I read about regarding someone wanting to move to Alaska says that you either need to have a job lined up or to bring a business with you - and I understand and agree with that.

I wanted to ask if there was a need for something like what I do up there in Alaska.

[LogSmithy]

You may be right in that some may not be able to but then I have had several students from Alaska
come to Indiana and other Hosted workshops in the Rockies in the lower 48 too. Getting training will save a lot of time and cost in the long run for anyone wanting to build with logs. A lack of money or
desire to not go into debt are the hall mark of owner builders seeking to build with confidense and escape being tied to a mortgage. These are not shacks or stick lean-toos! : )

[Moose Whisperer]

Originally Posted by LogSmithy

I wanted to ask if there was a need for something like what I do up there in Alaska.

It's hard to say, particularly now with the economy the way it is. However, I will relate a story to you.

Years ago, when first contemplating moving to Alaska, I was also very interested in the log home route. So much so that I took a log building class. I remember it was exceedingly difficult to actually find log building "schools". I ended up at an outfit somewhere up around Redmond Washington. Maybe you know who I am referring to.

Anyway, If you are planning to run this as a business, you may actually have more of a client base from people down in the -48 who might be considering the "move to Alaska and build a log home experience" (particularly now given all of the recent media exposure Alaska is receiving), rather than a limited clentelle base from up here. In that case though, I think being out on POW may be a liability. You may be better off at one of the travel hubs reasonably accessible by flights from the -48 such as Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, etc.

Just my $0.02