Learn the skills necessary to construct your own handcrafted log cabin or home at the Great Lakes School of Log Building in northern Minnesota. Save money, get hands-on experience and gain personal satisfaction by attending one of our monthly workshops. The Great Lakes School has been promoting and teaching the craft of Scandinavian full-scribed log construction for 35 years. Our ten-day courses are designed to accommodate all skill levels, from novice on up, and we invite men and women of all ages to participate.

The school is a member of the International Log Builders' Association (ILBA) and teaching is in accordance with the Association's Log Building Standards, soon to be known as Effective Practices & Methods for Handcrafted Log Building.

Updates:

November participants (in another great workshop) were Aaron Mertes and Shawn Worden, Minnesota and Tom Sullivan from Michigan.

The October course included Matt Thompson, Liz Sanders, and John Koester from Minnesota and Brad Hansen of Wisconsin. Shown below is Liz deftly finishing off a notch with her Stihl saw:

Below are Marc and Sarah Julien of the recent September 2009 course. They will be building their log house of white pine near Colfax, Wisconsin during the next year and our best wishes go with them. Some images of the couple:

If you are thinking of sending a relative or friend on a log building course in 2010 - as a holiday, anniversary or birthday present, tuition gift certificates can be easily and quickly arranged. Call 218.365.2126 for information.

Very occasionally, partial bartering for courses could be a possibility. For instance, we currently have use for a clean camper trailer - 16-20' or a 16-20' open tandem utility trailer.

Finishing up a timber-truss on the July, 2009 course are (clockwise) Brett Adams, Ohio; Chris & Debra Page-O'Connell, Wisconsin; Paul Slocum, Minnesota; Rev. Robert Hurkmans & his daughter, Alina, from eastern Ontario.

The participants in the free three-day roof workshop May 30-June 1, 2008, are shown below after the ridgelog was fitted and placed. l to r: Mark Aufiery, PA; Jon Anderson, MN; Scott & Bruce Blacketter, MN.

Bruce Blacketter trims a kingpost to accommodate the ridgelog.

Jeff Garland of Indiana cuts a window on the April 2008 course. One of the most successful and enjoyable courses ever held (at least from the instructor's perspective), the group also included Colin Bourgouin of Manitoba, Marlon Davey of Tennessee and Pat Simeon from Ohio.

Former students Jim and Nancy Sauer of St. Louis, MO, holding their model in front of their almost completed home, done during 2007-07 of yellow pine with help from their son and a friend. See more pictures below.

During May 2007 Stonework Course, Jennifer James, Illinois, sifts mortar sand while Tony Chmiel, Wisconsin, mixes.

Jim and Nancy Sauer from Missouri brought to the June, 2006 class their model of the house they would build. After some modification, the house now well underway, the revised mockup of the house is shown below with their son, Mike, and Bruce Gibbar, who were participants on the June 2007 course.