If all you want to do is captrue the output of the $make_cmd and send it to your log files why not just use backtics and do this:

my $output = `$make_cmd -v -f $makefile`;

print OUTLOG $output;
[download]

cheers

tachyon

s&&rsenoyhcatreve&&&s&n.+t&"$'$`$\"$\&"&ee&&y&srve&&d&&print