Our tour guide was one of the draftsmen that work for the company. He took the group into the office where blueprints are drawn and tweaked. He explained how they work with the sales people and the construction workers to get the cabin just right for the consumer. They must have everything laid out correctly and confirmed by the buyer before sending the plans off to the state for permits. He told us how this is the longest part of the whole process.
He showed the group how AutoCad worked. He explained to them the different educational paths they could take in order to work in the drafting department.
Our next stop on the tour was manufacturing. The large building was divided into different sections for the building process. It all starts with the foundation. We learned how they use an open web joist floor and the benefits of this design over a traditional joist floor. We saw the triangular construction that Mr. Jack has told them about for strength being implemented.
The next station was flooring. The flooring is placed and sealed on the subfloor. After it has been sealed, they place two protecting sheets of brown paper wrap over the floor. This will protect the hardwood floors during the remaining construction and transport.
After the flooring is done, they place a hoover board type jacking system on the foundation. The unit is then moved from station to station floating on a thin layer of air. We were able to see them moving an almost complete unit using this system. It was so cool! The kids were greatly impressed.
The unit is constructed the same as a normal stick and brick house with framing, plumbing, and electrical. The outer logs are placed and screwed according to wind code. Everything is checked and quality control happens after each major phase of the construction process.
The plant is very clean and organized. Our tour guide explained the levels of education needed for different jobs and stressed how on the job experience with a good work ethic could allow anyone to move up the ladder.
We toured the second part of the plant where they build the dormers for the cabins. It was the original manufacturing building that they outgrew. Business has definitely been good!
Finally, we were able to tour the completed cabins they have on display. The cabins they make range from a bit over six hundred square feet to over six thousand square feet. They are beautifully crafted and can be completely customized.
This was a wonderful tour! The boys loved seeing all the phases of construction and the thought of learning a trade really resonated with them.
