I had no problem getting a company with a long load permit. Where I am, you can run 12' over the length of the back of the trailer (48' or bigger) plus 2 feet over in front. That gives you 62' right there, which was the length of most of my logs. If you can find a truck with a 52' deck, you're better still. Another option could be double RP's (but we'll save those details for when you hit the members section).

As Shark said, anything is possible, it's just how much time and money do you want to spend. Only you can answer that (I know I can't, I'm still building and still spending money).

Ragdump
Here's what a 65 ft. ridge pole looks like,I cut myself and moved it with an axel strapped to it and thats a hitch on the end

Ragdump

Now I have ridge pole envy

you are in the right place! LHBA loves long overhangs.

Another thing I have been fretting over is the size of the logs to use in my house. Here in MS, the southern yellow pine grows FAST in some species, and the rings per inch might not be ideal. I've been thinking about that issue, as well as my concept of scale and large logs.

A couple of weeks ago, I drove to an area where the pine trees were MASSIVE in diameter - probably some 4 or 5 feet in diameter. I still see these in isolated locations around the state (and in small numbers or single trees), but most of this kind of old growth has been cut down over the years. In the area I was in recently, those trees were quite common.

So, I started looking again at the houses in the student pictures gallery to see how the logs sized up there in terms of scale and diameter. Using the standard size door as a reference (6 feet, 8 inches), and counting the number of logs in the height of the front doors of many of the homes in the gallery, it seems that LHBA people are using 10- or 12-inch logs fairly regularly for wall logs (7 log heights per door is VERY common). Compare that to Rckclmbr's front door photo which shows 5 log heights for the door (appprox. 14-15 inch logs?). WWLivin's front door cutout shows roughly the same size logs (5 logs high for the front door).

So I've been thinking about the bigger logs and issues involved in using those. Would they be harder to use for the pinning (i.e., would they roll out more and bend the rebar)? Would it make more sense to use standard size (12-inch) logs because they are more common and easier to procure? Would larger logs (30-40 inchers) look "silly-big" in scale when stacked up?

The scale question is the one that seems to bother me most. Enter Punch! Home Design and some experimentation. I had laid out many electronic 15-foot, 12-inch diameter logs for my first effort at using Punch! to construct a butt-pass guesthouse. I wanted to see what the overall appearance of the building was in the software stage. While some of the logs were lying on the ground, I changed a few of them to 30-inch logs and left them lying next to the 12-inch logs - the difference was dramatic. The visual effect isn't just a matter of being 2.5 times bigger than the smaller logs. It's considerably different in appearance and scale. So, now I'm wondering if that would translate into a better visual appearance on 40-foot walls with larger logs, as opposed to using 12-inch logs.

Does anyone have any thoughts or experience on this? Anyone know of an LHBA home with pictures that uses those larger sized logs? Hopefully someone has some pictures for comparison. I'd like to see what 40-foot walls look like side by side, one with 12-inch logs and one with 30-inch logs. I just don't know if anyone (other than Skip!) has used large logs like that.

DGC

Thanks for that comment, Keith. Loblolly is so abundant here in MS, that I'm glad to hear others feeling comfortable with average diameter trees of that species. The BIG trees I saw really opened my eyes. I had been looking casually at trees along Highway 49 here in MS during my commutes and noting things about the roadside trees - "That won't work - too thin. That might work, but I don't know if it's long enough to be a ridgepole.", etc. Then, when I went on that recent drive and saw the monster trees, it reminded me of just how big some of the older growth pines got down here. It's been many years since I saw that number of trees in that size, and it made me start looking at the roadside trees a little differently.

I agree with you that the larger logs will make a substantially different look in the house. I plan to make mine 40x40 interior, so I'll be looking for 45-foot logs for the four walls. At that size, and planning to go up two stories (maybe a little more for a loft), the larger diameter trees start making more sense. But I still think there's a limit. Even at two- to three-stories tall, if I use 42-inch trees, it's going to look strange, I think. Plus, the number of those trees available will be smaller, and the costs of moving them to the site will go up quickly. Add to that the headache of trying to lift those monsters up in the air and drill rebar holes that deep, and it starts sounding more like an industrial construction site instead of a residential BNP home.

I like the idea of bigger logs to make the visual impact. But I think "bigger" for my house will probably have a limit of 24-inch logs. Any more than that, and I think we start running into those problems we've already mentioned.

DGC

No question about it, big logs weigh more and are tougher to move. They are harder to get next to the foundation and they take more work to hoist. They are also harder to roll with a cant hook for peeling or lining up on the wall before you pin em.

And they are so COOOOOOOOLLLL. I was married on the porch of a B&P log structure that I built out of logs that were small enough that I hoisted each on into place by myself. I wish I'da used 12"ers on that one. Don't be put off by the thought of 36" logs. You'll have to find a way to push them around and make them do what you want them to and you'll have to solve other problems like window bucks and door bucks. It'll all turn out fine if it doesn't kill you and the wow factor will be just fine. You'll beef up the foundation and use larger rebar and, by the way did anybody mention.... big chainsaws are really cool too.

I'm in the process of building a 30x40 (OC measure) and I definately wouldn't wan't logs any smaller than what I've got. Most of my tops are 14"-16" or bigger. 5 rows has me at the height of my second floor girders (100"). I have one smaller log on the wall (12" top) that was a partial mistake on my part, but also necessary to even out the walls (got me to within 1/4" on 3 of 4 corners) and it looks small against the rest of then. I've often lamented that I wish they were all the size of my RP (36" butt and 22" at 45') as it would make for way less stacking, pinning and chinking and look better too. I can't imagine a house looking weird with bigger logs, especially at that size.

That said, I think it's probably more important to have logs fairly uniform in size.

If I build another for resale, I would definately use logs as big, preferably bigger, like my RP. Getting the logs isn't a problem around here... paying the $$$ is.

As for moving these big monsters (I bought all my logs at 60' and cut them where I needed) I agree that heavy equipment helps emmensly, but I dont' agree that it's as simple some say. Picking up logs and balancing them takes some practice. You can't safely move the telehandler with a log at full extension (you will likely need the outriggers down to get up that high with a big log), especially if you are working on rough terrain, nor might you be able to lift your RP or even your last logs to the top, depending on your build site. And sometimes, it still takes forever to set a log in the right place) That said, I wouldn't want to build without one (or an excavator, which I used for the first 3 rows).

You definately need a big a$$ saw for big a$$ logs (especially if you cut every log like I am). I use a Stihl 660 Magnum with a 24" bar, just because I had one (for my mill). I wouldn't go lower than a Stihl 361 personnally.

See dgc..i told you others would rather use bigger logs....you will find that there are always multiple ways to doing things, multiple opinions and nothing wrong with any of them .. well most of the time... :)  In FL we don't have mountains, valleys or even hills for the most part so I won't have as much trouble with the tele fork because of terrain. A bulldozer just pushed over the trees to clear the pad for the the guest house and he leveled things out at the same time. But a telescoping forklift isn't a panacea. Just the easiest way to do it in my opinion. And you should always be safe. Don't forget that even a small log weighs enough to flatten you into a little greasy spot.  

After you head out for the class in October you can swing over my way if you would like for a day or two. I will hopefully be past the walls and working on the floors and roof at that point, but any help would be appreciated and its a great way to learn.

I know this from experience, I had about 400 questions answered when I helped Jay with some of his log courses. And bless his heart, he was patient with me beyond belief.

http://www.paragon-cs.com/shiloh

And that would be why I said "after the class". :)  

http://www.paragon-cs.com/shiloh