Online Plant Tour
Honest Abe Log Homes receives Eastern white pine from various saw mills throughout the Eastern United States. Here you see timbers being stacked and sorted for seasoning. Sticks are placed between the logs to aid in proper drying.
The logs are then stored in the drying yard and remain there for some months so they can season and acclimate to their surroundings.
A dry kiln is then used to dry the lumber out to a specific moisture content so that lumber can be used in the construction of a log home. The kiln drying process allows for uniform drying of all logs so that settling and shrinkage are reduced.
A large amount of saw dust is produced during the milling process. This saw dust is used to power the dry kiln which saves energy and conserves natural resources.
Honest Abe operates 2 dry kilns that run continuously. This allows us to keep a steady supply of timber ready for use in your Honest Abe log home.
After timbers are removed from the dry kiln they are kept in a dry storage area awaiting the next phase of production.
Dry timbers are then moved to the molder/planer area for shaping into the desired profile. The automated infeed system supplies a constant flow of logs to the molder/planer.
To the right is the molder/planer machine. This machine uses 5 cutting heads to shape all sides of the log on one pass. This machine is computer controlled and operates with a high degree of precision to ensure that each log meets Honest Abe’s stringent standards.
Sharp and accurate blades are a necessity for a quality product. This machine allows us to custom produce blades for the molder planer with precision. By crafting our own blades we cut costs and ensure that each blade is of the highest quality possible.
After materials are shaped they are moved to another dry storage to await cutting into your home pattern.
After materials have been planed, great care is given so they are not damaged as the enter the main manufacturing facility.
Each home at Honest Abe is precut for your house plan before you receive it at your construction site. Here you see various machines that cut the logs to the exact length, and mill the ends to create the desired corner notches that are needed for your home plan.
The quality of each timber is of the utmost importance to Honest Abe. Each timber is inspected and graded by certified lumber graders before they are allowed to leave our plant. Honest Abe follows TPI (Timber Products Inspection) guidelines for grading all materials.
After materials have been cut into a particular house plan, they are carefully packaged and prepared for shipment. All materials are bundled together on skids to ensure that they do not sit on the ground once they reach your home site. The materials are also wrapped in a weather tight cover so they will be clean and dry when used for your home.
Here you see materials and log home packages being stored inside the warehouse awaiting shipment to your house site.
On your delivery day, your home is carefully loaded on the truck for shipment. The piggy back forklift is provided by Honest Abe free of charge within a specified distance from our production facility.
Thank you for taking the Honest Abe manufacturing plant tour. We hope that you have learned a little more about the production of your future log home. The staff at Honest Abe invites you to see for yourself through one of our many onsite events. Please view our calendar for the next Honest Abe log raising or seminar.
