Revised March 17, 2008. This list is updated from time to time. Please call 218.365.2126 or email courses@schooloflogbuilding.com if you have questions. Although the safety gear list is rigid, the tool list is somewhat flexible and negotiable, depending on your circumstances.

* Please pay attention to the listed sources for these very specialized tools. They often have only one source.

New information as of March 2008 is shown in green.

Log Building Tools (required)

1. Wood chisel. Two Cherries brand 20 mm with #3 curve. TS
2. Mortise or framing chisel. 1 or 2 inch. TSL. Make your own mallet on the course from white birch.
3. Drawknife. Gransfors-Bruks or Barr are best. TSL
4. Log cleats, 1 pr.     Log dogs, 1 pr. T.
5. Peavey. Peavey brand from Tamarack is superior. T
6. Log scriber.   9 inch Iowa scriber from Tamarack is best.
7. Indelible pencils. 1 dozen Eberhard Faber, and 6 lumber crayons, red or blue. T  Do not bring Veritas pencils. T
8. Axe. Scandinavian Forest axe by Gransfors-Bruks. T
9. Measuring tapes.  25-50 foot. Also small pocket tape with both metric & English TH
10. Flat Mill Bastard File and flat sharpening stone. TSLH
11. Chalkline with red and blue chalk, and a hank of mason's line with line level. TSLH
12. Empty spray bottle for enhancing scribe pencil lines. H
13. Two-foot level and small torpedo level. H
14. 4-5 inch Sander/Grinder with rubber sanding backer and #24 or #36 grit discs. H
15. Heavy 50-100 foot extension cord. H
16. Chainsaw and accompanying tools: scrench (screwdriver-wrench combo), files, 2 old toothbrushes for cleaning. Saw should have a 3 cu. in. motor, 16-18 inch bar with .325 pitch. Chain must be chipper or semi-chisel with rounded profile and must be an official green-linked safety chain with double or triple-humped rakers to prevent saw kickback. Stihl calls it guard-link semi-chisel green chain. Saw must also have the mechanical chainbrake as well as the invisible inertial chainbrake (all of the recommended saws below have this). Bring 2 or more gallons of gas, mixing oil, 1 gallon bar oil (viscosity appropriate to the season, and your owners' manual. Also extra clutch-cover nuts and a spark plug. You may wish to bring also a chisel safety chain, new or used, for the first day's firewood project. This last item is optional.
17. Stihl, Jonsereds, and Husqvarna brands are recommended. For safety reasons, your saw must be no more than 15 years old, i.e., post 1992.  Possibly the best saw for this course and your future log building - in terms of reliability, safety, noise, vibration reduction, parts/service availability, general usefulness and long life - is the Stihl ms 260, or the earlier 026. If you have access to a spare qualifying saw in case you have problems, bring it along. Unless you are uninterested in future service to your saw, stay clear of Menards, Home Depot, Lowes, and such. Purchase your saw from a bona fide chainsaw dealer in your home area.  For safety, noise, and reliability reasons, McCulloch, Homelite, Remington, Craftsman, Poulan are not allowed at the school.

         ps. A new development in some Stihl saws, including the MS250-C, is called Easy2Start and is an entirely different kind of starter that requires little arm & shoulder strength. Ron just purchased one because of a shoulder rotator- cuff operation in late 2007 from which he's not completely recovered. He finds this saw comfortable. He recommends it for anyone with less arm-pulling strength - for whatever reason.

         ps. 2. Stihl Co. has a new biodegradable chainsaw bar oil. Some dealers already have it and other don't. Bring it if you can. It will be required at Great Lakes School as of August 2008.

Log Building Tools (optional)

1. Tool box or pail with toolbucket attachment. H
2. Timber carrier TSL (strongly recommended)
3. Claw hammer H
4. Framing square H
5. Handlebar gouge T (a big favorite & only one source)
6. Curved adz with 18 inch handle. T has the only useful kind.
7. Old axe or splitting maul for firewood. H
8. Picaroon (hookaroon) TH

Safety Apparel (required)

1. Hardhat preferably with eye and ear protection. TS or any saw dealer. Warm liner for winter courses.
2. Leather gloves for all tool use and sharpening. Several pair. Also a pair of heavy rubber gloves for wet weather. H
3. First aid kit TH
4. Safety glasses or the face screen above. H. Disposable dust masks. H
5. Chainsaw-protective chaps or safety pants.  T, L, or saw dealer. Tamarack will soon be stocking light, comfortable safety pants known as "Timber Savage Three Seasons," or you may purchase direct from Ahlborn Equipment in Wisconsin - 800.472.7600. You need to purchase from Ahlborn (wholesale) through a business name.
6. Stabilicer boot-caulk slip-on (optional) winter courses only. T
7. Chainsaw-protective steel-toed Kevlar-lined boots. Steel-toes only protect 1/6 of the foot from an axe or chainsaw, so the boots must be chainsaw-resistant and Kevlar-lined as well as having a steel-toe. Husqvarna or Labonville are recommended, either rubber or leather. Labonville ( www.Labonville.com ) has extremely comfortable US made logging boots known as BOOTLAB9 KEVLAR SAFETY BOX TOE. Ser. no. is 24127 or 24128 (high or low heel). Husqvarna rubberor leather Kevlar-lined boots from a dealer are also acceptable. Ben Meadows Co. 800.241.6401 has the rubber type for $90. Do not bring calked (spiked) boots to the course.
8. Chainsaw-protective shirt. Special item made especially for our courses by Gransfors-Bruks (in Sweden & So. Carolina) to provide arm, shoulder, and frontal trunk protection. Washable blue denim. Available only at T or L. Caution: do not buy Stihl's orange shirt. It is not protective. Wash your Gransfors-Bruks chainsaw shirt twice (for extra comfort) prior to the course.
9. Kneepads. Any kind. H.

Reminder: shorts, leggings, or athletic pants are prohibited on all log building and stonework courses.

Required Personal Gear (strongly suggested items)

1. Raincoat or rainsuit. No long raincoats or ponchos.
2. Old clothes. Bring plenty. Insulated coveralls are good for winter. Denim trousers or Carharrt double-knee pants are good for any seasons. Long underwear is in fashion here Sept. to May. Athletic pants, leggings, sweatpants, tights or shorts are not allowed on the worksite.
3. Leather gloves must be worn when using all tools except the scriber. Bring several pair of insulated work gloves for winter. A pair of rubberized work gloves is required for all log and stone courses.
4. Soap, towels (extra for sauna), toothbrush.
5. One headlamp (that will fit over cap or hardhat) and two flashlights, supply of batteries, strike-on-box matches. Farmer matches are discouraged for safety reasons.
6. Large plastic bags for garbage.
7. Scrub pads (3) and paper towel rolls (5) for drying dishes.
8. Food. Easy-to-prepare items are best. Nothing for which a regular oven is needed, since there aren't any. Microwaves are provided. Outdoor barbecues are for evening use only. Bring charcoal if you plan to use.
9. Dishware utensils, and pots & pans are furnished if you are lodging in the cabins. Paper plates, bowls and cups are still handy, however.  If you are tenting, bring your own cookware. In any case, a good, durable, insulated coffee cup is handy. The cabin cups etc. are not for carrying to worksite.
10. Toilet paper. 2 to 4 rolls.
11. Alarm clock. Windup or battery. Lectures are scheduled for specific times. Don't leave your watch at home.
12. Pocket knife for sharpening pencils.
13. Notebooks and pens. Carry them with you all of the time. Good notes, sketches and photos will be invaluable later when you begin your log buildings.
14. Camera (regular or digital) with plenty of film or cards. Throwaway cameras work well also. However, no video or movie camera or sound tape recorders are permitted during courses.
15. Sleeping bag, blankets (bring extras), pillow. Mattresses are on the beds.
16. Cooler for extra beverages. Refrigerators are small and intended mainly for food, juice & milk. Ice and groceries are available in Ely and Two Harbors.

Supplementary Information

1. There are no tools or safety gear for sale at the school or in nearby towns. If it is more convenient for you to ship items to and from the school, or have a tool source ship directly to the school before the course, that's ok. However, UPS is the only carrier that comes here daily and with any degree of promptness. Please do not use FedEx, Speedy, or US Post Office for any parcels coming here.
2. Note that there is no regular telephone service here for student use. If you wish to stay in touch, bring your cellular phone and charger. All cabins have electricity. Verizon is the main brand that gets reception, albeit marginal. A $40. cell phone aerial for your vehicle helps greatly, but you still may have to go to Ely or Two Harbors to make a call. Piragis Northwoods Co. in Ely rents satellite phones by the week. You may, of course, leave the school number with relatives, so that, in case of emergency, they will be able to leave a message. If you have wireless capability on your laptop computer, we have an outdoor free wireless internet hotspot available for use in the evenings. It works most of the time.
3. If you have difficulty with your chainsaw dealer in regard to correct chain, pitch and files, have them call the school for clarification. A tiny minority of dealers (like some loggers) have a contrarian attitude about safety stuff, and some aren't aware of the special cutting needs of log builders. For safety and easier learning, it is extremely important to have the correct kind of chain, as outlined in the tool list.
4. Take another look at the tool and safety gear lists. The tools in the first list and all of the safety gear are required of nearly everyone. Things that are best not shared with a partner are scriber, all safety gear, drawknife, measuring tapes, and the Two-Cherries chisel. Sharing a saw with a partner works out sometimes. That, of course, is up to you. Neither a chainsaw nor a sander-grinder will be used by anyone under the age of 18.
5. The Camp Rules, which you have received a copy of, spells out things that are not allowed here, such as drinking any alcohol during working hours, on field trips, or while driving or riding in a vehicle anywhere. And the whole place is smoke-free, except within your vehicle in the parking lot. Be sure to check this information over, along with the Safety Rules for the Worksite.
6. Secure and read (& bring along) the following eight books: Allan Mackie, Building With Logs and The Owner-Built Log House, along with Vic Janzen, Your Log House, 4th edition, Dan Milne, Handbook of Canadian Log Building,   Robert Chambers, Log Construction Manual, Mackie's, Notches of All Kinds and Log Span Tables, and Tom Walker's, Building the Alaska Log Home.