How To Build A Survival Cabin On A Shoestring Budget
91The Missouri River Ranch Experience
In June of 1999, my wife and I were desperate to get a place of our own. My long established business was fading, bankruptcy was being held off by nothing but a long stick and a lot of determination, and my sisters wanted us and our several cats out of Mom's house ASAP.
We understood. Mom was 86 at the time. We were only there for a week, but that was more than long enough under the circumstances. Every day, I left my little redheaded honey to visit, watch soap operas, and nap while I searched for somewhere we could settle. The first place was on Fish Creek near Butte, and that story may be told in a future Hub. We THOUGHT it would be good at first. But soon, oh so soon, we were looking again.
That time, we bought a 20 acre parcel of land near Craig, Montana. For $500 down, we were in business, But what we had purchased was bare land, limited by covenants that mostly forbade goats and pigs while offering nothing in the way of shelter. We had very little cash to spare and no available credit. We did have creditors galore, but that's hardly the same thing...although one certainly does lead to the other,.
Fortunately, we moved onto the land in midsummer, on July 12, so we could get by for a while in the tent I had purchased in Missoula, Montana, prior to moving to Fish Creek. Hm. Winter would be right along, but the money would not. Still, we knew what to do.
Pam had a plan.
Put A Tuff Shed On Skids, She Said
We Build A 12 X 16 Castle
Pam knew about Tuff Sheds from her many years in Arizona. There were covenants on our new property--no mobile homes permitted, for example--but rough-and-ready cabins "on the mountain" were more usual than not. She was quite ill already, but her knowledge remained intact. We planned on a 12 by 16 foot cabin, a palatial total of 192 square feet. On skids.
Looking around in a 200-mile radius for the best deal, we stumbled on a true treasure: A retired man named Al built sheds as a sideline. Our shed WOULD have cost around $2,200 from a commercial shed dealer, plus delivery charges. Al would build us one on site for $1,750 with a house type slider window at one end, plus two small holes cut into the sides (into which I would put window glass and screens.).
His part would be to erect the shell only. All finish work would be mine to do.
The day it was completed, Pam watched from a chair under a shade tree next to our tent, roughly 100 yards from the bench I'd selected as our homesite. Just at dusk, Al and his helper packed up their tools and headed out. I carried my lady from her seat to our new home. When we met, she had been homeless for 2 1/2 years. As I carried her over the threshhold into a secure, four-walled enclosure that was OURS, she looked up at the ceiling and exclaimed,
"It's like a dream come true!"
Which it was, even though the work had just begun. Our living room couch came out of storage in Deer Lodge, hauled all the way to Craig in the back of our 1984 Chevy Citation with the hatchback up and ropes keeping it from bouncing out. That became Pam's bed.
The county dump became a source of many treasures, including a three foot piece of counter top that flanked the toilet...which in turn was made up of a five gallon pail with Pine Sol water in the bottom and a perfectly fitting standard toilet seat snapped to the top.
We opted for R-11 insulation and cheap paneling to finish the interior. Friends we had met before even selecting our land parcel donated a four-burner propane stove top, and I built a stand for it out of 2 x 4 lumber. Similar wood produced two tables, one of them permanently resting next to Pam's bed-couch for her things and to give her something to hold onto while getting out of bed.
Eventually, I got around to building a long table that stood along the same wall as Pam's couch. Bingo! A bed-table, with my sleeping pads now up off the cold wooden floor. Our old 2 x 12 waterbed frame became skirting for the cabin. A coat of paint was applied.
And then the wildfire hit.
It would take too long to tell the entire "fire story" here. Maybe in another Hub, later. For now, suffice it to say we saved nearly everything, and did it with nothing but a single shovel and a whole lotta action. Neighbors and professional firefighters saved the rest of the mountain, but we saved our own residence single-handed. Okay, double-handed.
It came so close to "getting us" that the entire south wall of the cabin was bowed several inches out of line by the heat. But everything held.
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Despite The Fire, We Stayed Within Our Budget
With all of the finish work inside, including the purchase of a used propane refrigerator for $75 and a used propane furnace for $25, the money did add up. Still, Pam had managed to save every piece of new lumber when the fire encircled our place. We each did our part and, unbelievably, lost nothing other than a few less-than-essential things that were still in the tent at the time.
That did encourage me to finally take down the tent and roll it up for storage, though.
Our super-special Moe Key Man cat joined us as a young kitten just a few weeks after the fire. He loved the cabin as much as we did. As long as Pam and I are within a few feet of each other in a small, somewhat enclosed space, he is one happy camper.
Oh, you want to know how we cleaned up? During that first summer, we rigged a high framework attached to the front of the cabin, used the four-foot door and a mountain ridge for privacy, and showered under a ten gallon solar bag of sun-heated water.
By winter, however, I'd found a way-too-large bathtub--awfully big for the size of the cabin, but on sale in Great Falls for $79. Then after cutting a hole in the floor, I got some help from a neighboring teenager to dig a hole just east of the cabin into which we planted an old (free!) 55-gallon drum with many holes drilled through the sides and bottom. A drain pipe ran from the tub though the floor, out through a trench (which was then filled in with dirt) and into the drum.
To complete the drain field, we then simply lugged a LOT of round river rocks, dropping them into the drum until it was full to the brim. Replace the lid, and bingo! Instant gray water disposal. From that time forward, we could heat water on the stovetop and either fill dishpans in the tub for washing dishes...or fill the tub itself for a hot soak.
For a shower, we hung a solar bag full of toasty water from the ceiling. No chilly wind that way, and a WHOILE lot more privacy.
Pam and I have grandiose dreams for the future: We intend to build on 35 acres of land we're currently buying in southeastern Colorado, and we'd like to have around six thousand feet of workable space (counting garage and shop). But we lived in our 192 square foot cabin for three years, warm and cozy, with no complaints in heart or mind.
To wrap up, though: How did we do when it came to staying inside our original budget? In early July, before construction began, we had targeted a total of $3,000 and hoped we could have our new mountain cabin home all winter-ready for no more--or little more--than that. Despite the challenges of organizing paperwork in such a small space, we kept meticulous records.
We did more to the place as time went on and funds became available, but we were comfortable and ready to face cold weather by October 15. As of that date, our little cabin had cost us exactly $2,987.15. Thanks to several key treasures from area dumps and a few donations (like the stovetop) from new friends, we owned a survival cabin free and clear for under three thousand dollars.
Nor was it on skids by accident. Since it was not attached to the land, the developer who sold us the place could not claim it to be his when we left. Oh, he would have...except our neighbors on the next parcel helped me load our stuff out when the time came. In return, we gave them the cabin, which they promptly hooked up behind their pickup and towed over to their adjoining parcel.
Which made their survival cabin, obviously, an even better bargain than we had managed to obtain.
Thanks for reading,
Ghost32
And Of Course, There's Always The Traditional Log Cabin
Another Interesting Alternative
Update as of 10/05/09: My friend Red Elk, in addition to commenting regularly on this hub (see below), has for some time been involved in a fascinating experiment. He decided to build a Mini-Dome from scratch, using mostly salvaged materials and sweat equity. As of this writing, the project is close to completion and has received numerous compliments from those who've been fortunate to visit the little structure in person...and he's accomplished this with a total cash outlay of no more than $300!
Fortunately, Red Elk has been kind enough to give me permission to post a few of his photos here. He believes that the hard economic times we face today are nothing compared to hard times that are yet to come. With this in mind, he hopes that people will learn from both his successes and his mistakes. His overriding point is that you don't need a lot of money (or for that matter a lot of space) to produce a liveable structure in which to survive, that there are building materials available everywhere if we simply open our eyes and "see".
He began this endeavor with nothing but a single truckload of dirt dumped in a pile, added a good bit of hard work with a shovel, and went from there.
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Comments
That is so cool. I have a friend who lived in a teepee for years. His second wife finally talked him into getting a house, but he refused to air condition it. He's on wife #3 now. LOL
Thanks to both of you for your comments. Our 3 years in the cabin produced a LOT of material to write about. Outhouses, hand dug wells, Pam being able to literally SEE where to dig and how deep to find water, monster diamondback rattlesnakes, the seasonal creek we had to cross that froze nearly solid every winter, the beaver colony a quarter mile upstream, details of the wildfire that hit us, neigbors helping neighbors, bald eagles nesting on the property, more bald eagles migrating directly overhead.... Huh. Should not run out of material for a while!
That is useing your head instead of giving up.Good Job
Thanks for the comment...giving up isn't something that ever crossed our minds!
Wow, your story is truly inspirational, a true story of strength, love, determination, creativity (to say the least), and perseverance. I ran across this story while I was looking for a Tuff Shed cabin shell for my father to put on his property. I wish you all the best.
A Tuff Shed, Huh. I wonder if that will work when the hurricanes knock the house down. I can use it as an addition to the motorhome. Great idea.
Its wonderful hub and informative. I had visited your hub i got good information from this hub.
In reviewing the previous comments on this Hub, I realized I should add another one of my own.
To Jean: Thanks for your concern, but hurricanes are not a factor in high country Montana valleys. Blizzards, now, those are a whole 'nother thing! But even if there WERE hurricanes in the area, these Tuff Shed type structures are built strongly enough that they might well bounce before they broke...:D
Awesome Hub. This would be a fun expeirment.
Livelovecoffee, thanks for the Comment. Had to smile at your term, "experiment". We certainly did not think of it as an experiment, but as living a lifestyle we wanted to live and which we would still prefer. The need for significant income to care for my wife's medical needs...well, that keeps us in a house in town for now. But one day....
Fantastic. I just wrote a very similar email to my sister, outlining what WE will soon end up doing since we are jobless and i lost most of my savings in the 401K. K for krap. Oh, and my plumbing is fritzy, so i had a good laugh over the Pine Sol toilet. You got that right. And i wash up in pails of hot water, standing in the tub. I lost our childhood home to a developer - who took a backhoe to my septic, just for good measure. :( We grew up on a 'homestead' type arrangement - our grandparents lived down a dirt path - with no plumbing to start. There was still an outhouse when i was born. So, i may be going full circle! In MY DREAM tho, there are Wild Mustangs that we buy cheap, so we need no car, no repairs, no petrol, when that gets cut off....Just enuf grazing land for them. My Dream, anyway - i never got my horse. Maybe in the next life. The End Is Near I Fear. Thanks - LOVED this article. God Bless one and all.
Boy, did this hub bring back memories or what? I too have lived the wild life. Can actually say I have no worry over what the economy does. Survival mode will suit me fine if that is what it takes. It is great to hear from others who can make do. Great story and look forward to many more. C.S.
i could say so much after reading this inspirational story, but i'll keep it short...
first, you have a new fan
second, there oughta be more women like yours
third, the sun water thing...you should look up sun healing sounds
fourth, this reminds me of a story i read about a project where some students were building small shelters for the homeless in big cities...small but cozy and warm....and about the person who said i may be there soon...diddo on that
The joy of having some place to call your own even if it is under 200 square feet is great.
Rick
I have many intersts i surviving the wilds,food water and shelter,but how in the world did can you protect your self from mosquitos and animals?
Paul, you asked a REALLY good question! As to mosquitoes, they weren't a really big deal where we lived, because the only water in the area was running water. Mosquitoes will breed in STANDING water in a hurry, such as a swamp or even a mud puddle that's hung around for a while, but not in swift-moving streams.
Animals, though: Let's start with snakes, no problem in a Montana winter but a real hazard in summer months. I grew up around rattlers, and there are a few avoid-the-problem things to practice. For example, watch where you step, and if you tip over a rock or a board or ANYTHING that might have a snake under it, make sure whativer strikes OUT from that position is moving AWAY from you. Beyond that, I say it with regret, but I had to kill several. One bite would kill my wife for sure--she's only 92 pounds--and I didn't dare let them live too close to us. Some folks can do that safely; they live in harmony with the reptiles. But (sadly?) not me.
HOW did I kill them? Any old which way. Shotgun, shovel, even throwing rocks. One thing about a rattler, though: Dead or not, you need to get rid of the head. I buried them.
As to other animals, we had bears, cougars, even an emu that escaped from a neighbor's emu pen! Mostly, if they got too close, we got noisy, and they left rather than put up with our rude behavior. We never did have to hurt one of them, though we did have weapons on hand "just in case".
As it happens, we'll be moving in April of 2009 to ANOTHER off-grid survival cabin acreage, this time in southern Arizona...and we're looking forward to it eagerly. In that area, snakes are definitely a consideration, and so are javelinas (wild pigs). We can FENCE the pigs out...when we can afford the fencing.
it dosent cost 2700 to build a 12 12 room
eredy, thanks for your Comment. However, I do feel compelled to comment on your comment as follows: You did not use punctuation, which is of course your choice, but overlooking the details (like capitals, commas, apostrophes, periods, and the like) could indeed keep the cost down--and keep the quality down at the same time.
So: (1) The cabin was 12x16, not 12x12. (2) It was an entire residence, not simply a room. (3) We did not build the shell, but had it done, which did cost more than the materials alone would have cost. (4) A few of the items you may not have considered include: Paint, sliding insulated window, wall insulation, stovetop, propane furnace, propane refrigerator, bathtub, skirting around the bottom to keep out cold air, and a through-the-wall air conditioner.
That's not the entire list but will give you some idea. Final thought: If you can do all we did to produce a workable shelter and do it for less, good for you. AND, if you write a Hub about how you did it, I'd love to read it. Might learn something!
Hubby and I have talked a lot about downsizing when we retire. Strangely, that is what we have looked at in Lowe's and commenting that it was big enough to live in. Thanks for writing your story. It is much more enjoyed then some thing written today.
Thanks for the Comment! We'll be back to an off-grid lifestyle as of April 17, 2009, leaving my reduced-hours job in Colorado before we get a slow drain-down of our small amount of savings and CAN'T move. Have agreed to buy some land in southeast Arizona, near the Mexican border. It does have a well, but nothing else other than sand and mesquite. When we've been there a while, the experience will require an entirely new Hub, with a link to this one. Can't wait!
Hey Ghost,
Be careful down near that border, lots of turbulence that the US is afraid of spilling over. I have to say that this was a very interesting Hub to read and I'm very happy that you and your wife made it out of the fire safely!
Debris, thanks for the heads up. My wife spent over 20 years there, and her 23 year old son has never lived anywhere else, so we're quite aware of the potential dangers inherent in the area. In fact, if there were no mesquite in the way, you could stand on our property and SEE the border fence. But we appreciate your concern and the fact that you cared enough to pass on the warning. And, as reckless as some who've lived "conservative" lives might consider us, nothing could be farther from the truth: Both of us are careful, and "street-aware", 24/7, 365.
You have a great attitude -- I can't help but imagine you'd live like a king under any circumstances.
Friend, I have lived in veryious forms of "hoseing"...TiPis , Abandend bus. u name it. Ive enjoyed ur read. Rite now we have land n trailer house...n County "RULES"! So far weve won on every "rule" n am now doing ditto ; I had the County dump Ditch Dirt (n ROCKS) in2 2 piles. FREE. Now allmost finished with #1 pile; dug into its center to ABOVE grnd slope level (water passes UNDER). Dug dirt to one side of hole to hold a plywood base 4 2 sleepers. Dirt leveled n stoned to cook on...fireplace dug into back dirt wall...Kidny Shaped floor (5x9). Walls side og up-rite old fence rails (cemented in)...etc.. The top will b willow n LOW domed. Windows of colored bottles ("mudded" in). N much more. #2 pile 2 b "bd.rm.". Out House outside. Solor water bags as urs. So far cement n stove pipe the biggest cost...under $60.00. Mite spend $300.00 on both, all toll.
Ive designed this to stand in n set up in (bed area) N VERY LOW "Spred out" dome over all. Used chicken wire atop "roof" n insalated with 10 in. straw bale "pads" (will cover in cement). This will then have earth n plants atop. It is Low n "Wide" 4 a reason; TERRIFIC WINDS! 20 mph mostly. WELL over 30 MANY Times yrly. This wind will FLOW over instead of PUCH AGENST "ROOT CELLER"! No aw / tax as that! We call this r Mint GNOME HOME. a real HIDE Away place for guests / selves. Packed in ABOVE GROUND EARTH n Lava Stone in / around cooking/heating "pit"...SUPEER in winter n SUPER COOL in summer. (Weve n outside pit too).
To me a "home" is simply a place to sleep n get out of the weather. Dosnt need much rm 4 THAT! Pleanty of rm for ESENTULE storage,
To all; THINK "OUTSIDE THE BOX"...SEE as u drive about...ROCKS n WEEDS n SAND Etc. r BUILDING MATERIAL! Rd Sider sweep-off GRAVEL is FREE n USEABEL in pole footing , to FLOORING.
We use HAND SAW , Pick Ax , Shovel as r main tools. CHEAP n NON-ELECT / GAS.
YOU can "DO IT"...Use ur BRAINS! Ho. re
Great Post, Red Elk. Thanks a bunch; you've given me plenty of food for additional thought.
Ghoat 32; I apoligize on spelling. Im well known around r "mother" n a one finger typier with SHAKES. Have to typ as fast as oss to keep up n dont ck.. Sorry.
Building the unuseuel has been a PASSION 4 me sence 10. Im now 67. Started young. ( : Undergrnd first "go" n very exstensive, More a BUNKER for us kids. No cave-ins. We were lucky.I travel the N. Am. continent...USA/Canada. Ben in homes still being made by NA in the anchient ways. Soux / Navaho / Cree / Ojibwa / Etc.. FANTASTC NATUREL HOMES...tiny to ENOURMIOUS. Singel family to Multy...all mostly under One "Roof". Some Connected "singels". Aho?
I watch DAILY the "Build Green" tv shows...AND LAUGH! Thet advacate "Green" but DISTROY NATURE to "SAVE IT". Most of todays "Green" is WAY WAY T%O HI OF COST for the Average "wHITE cOLLOR" WORKER TO AFFORD...useless
OOPS, hit a wrong key n sent accidenly b4 done. Read on, pleae;
Today "Green" means HUGE Industreal Complex(s) n Nature RAPE to make a "helpfull" Co. MAKE MONEY. R "Mother" pays the price. THERE IS LITTLE NEED FOR THIS! It irratates me n saddens me deeply. Thus Ive decided to do something about it in my own small way. "SHOW"! EXAMPEL! Aho?
This MINY "GNOME HOME" is ONE of THREE I am building. One is a simuler 30 ft by 18 1/2 tall dome being built (slowly) up by Canada in Wa. State. With it a FAST Cabin of HIGH DOG KENNEL FENCEING...12 ft long n with curved roof (old trampolin frame(s) at 8 ft tall (in hi center). On this the side walls r pulled out on each side by a foot past "straight". This "lean" allows Non-Slip of 10 inch Straw Bale Pades that EACH will be SLID THROUGH a Cement "wash (lyme icluded in mix). ALL ENDS / SIES instently coverd n placed atop eash other (and side by side). It will then be FULLY a ONE PEICE WALL. Cyclone fenc dog pen makes 4 a STRONG STRUCTURE! AND a # of these can b ARRANGED to veryious designgs...even a LOFT if wanted. "T" shape EASY! Etc. Etc.. All u need to do is THINK! Dang it, THINK! (Out Side The BOX tho0ught).
We were GIVEN the pen ...so so far it has cost us O! Wired togather by my self n 13 yr old grandson in UNDER 25 MINITES!
Wer will TARP IT as a temp. "tent" to stay in up there as we work on the dome there...then PICK IT UP n put nxt to dome n incorporate the two into One...then earth cover (SHOVELS) all (Atop the straw bale pads).
R tarps r CAST OFF (FREE) Giant HAY TARPS. HEAVY VYNYLE! Wont rot for MANY MANY YRS!
Look up HAY TARPS on "Search"....u can buy New (WOW! EXSPENSIVE") or "2eds" (Quit resonabel) OR GET "HOLED ONES" F R E E !! HOLES EASILY REPAIRED...RIPS TOO! Rs r ALL these bad ones (HA!) so all were / r free. These can be HUGE Tarps. My wife uses the "scrap" to cover the garden. Keps the weeds out. Other scraps go to9 covering r wood supply n equpt. we have. One Scape surrounds r tolit / shower up there. DOZONS OF USES...n JUST FOR THE ASKING!
I see dead trees down all over. Most eill b firewood by thier owners...I ASKL FOR THE LIMBS! These I uses as WALLS...WATTEL N DAUB UM!
(Ck THAT out on SEARCH).
Firewood log ends I use as SEATS.
Recently the Elect Poles locoly were being replace. They were cut off (old ones) about 3 ft above grnd then "stumps" pulled out. MOST UNROTTED! FREE Frame Uprites!
I use STONES on many foundation work. Use 3. After #2 put on Heavy Ashphllt sq. n THEN add #3. WATER WONT PASS UP WARD TO #3! No $$ fot tar paper? Get FREE Roof Replacement "TARE OFFS ot cut a Toss Out car/truck INNERTUBE. FREE!
Cut innertubes, cut open, n OVERLAPED, make EXCELLENT "Gutters". FREE! CAN make ROOFING of these as well...but unless earth coverd, ..BURNABEL. Be WISE when "doing". Aho?
Ive done many things. Severl undone as yet by builders of today...n will continue doing till I cant go on.
When I build GREEN...its DAMN GREEN! PENNYS Green! n CAN B TOTOLY FREE Green as well. (Have done so).
i do NOT SAPPORT TODAYS "GREEN"...i DO saport thier KNOWING its NEEDED tho. For that Im THANKFULL. HO!
Now, to YOu, my brother, as well as to any readers: BUILD LOW try to build ROUND or NEAR SO, n USE, dont ABUSE, r "Mother".
Remember, ALL NATURE IS ROUND. FULLOW ITS WISDOM. Sq. = WIND DISSRUPTION. YOU CAHANGE WEATHER PATTRENS whit ANY SQUARE STICKING UP! A house. A city' WEATHER CHANGEING.
If u allready oen "square"...BUTM IT TO A SLOPE (will save on heat $$) or BUILD TILTED WIND DAMS (like u see in hoods of trucks / etc.). THESE CAN BE HOLLOW INSIDE to store equptment / etc.. LET THE WIND / BREEZES F L O W OVER....not create a WEATHER CHANGEING EDDY! (Go, study a creek / stream / etc.). Ull understand WIND by studying WATER. AHO???
Oh, b4 stoping; I use a BIG UMBRELLA...upside down, to collect water / snow. A hose to water container from small hole near base of center. A baby bo9ttol rubber tip glued into hole n hose connected to that. I allso use ditto on a small folding umbrealla n zip-loc bag for the same while on quests / etc..
MANY "unusuel" I do. MUCH NEVER THOUGHT OF.
THINK "OUTSIDE THE BOX"...b a CHILD again. USE UR IMAGINATION n DO! HO! Red Elk
Red Elk my Brother, thank you from the heart for the Comments you have made thus far. Please feel free to add to them at any time. Everything we have currently is "square" SO FAR, but you are obviously right. You have inspired me to "think round", to "think low" (which I was already doing), and to "think outside the box" (which I was already doing).
We are close to the same age, as I will turn 66 in November. My wife is 1/4 Choctaw. I have close friends among the Crow, Blackfeet, Cheyenne, Gros Ventre, and Assiniboine peoples, plus a very special Lakota lady in whom Wakan Tanka was a very strong presence (she left this world decades ago), and three of my cousins have Native American blood in them as well--Salish or Kootenai, I always forget which for some reason. Also, by far my favorite grandmother, my father's father's second wife, Sarah, was fullblood Mandan. The tattoos I wear on left and right forearms were done by Red Eagle, a Cherokee man.
Any time you find yourself in Cochise County, Arizona, you are welcome in our lodge.
JUST lost an exstensive reply 2 u / readers. HATE PCs n HATE TEC.!
Ok, will start again ; #1 ; This is UR Spot. Not MINE. I dont want to hog. Will do so only 4 the sake of any looking 4 a CHEAP WAY of haveing n abode. Aho?
AS LONG AS A PEICE OF LAND CAN BE GOTTEN TO, (parents back yrd. / frirnds / oen...or SQUAT% "hide"....WE CAN MAKE IT THROUGH THIS TIME! Its just a matter of DOWSIZEING UR THOUIGHTS ON WHAT "CONSTATUTES" A HOUSE! Think SMALL n live "HI"! A "house is ONLY A PLACE TO EXSCAPE THE WEATER n SLEEP...with a BIT of storage. LEARN the OUTDOORS IS UR PLAYRM. / PARK / LIVEING RM / Etc.
u do NOT NEED a STORAGE "BARN" with "liveing space" tucked in here-n-there. U may WANT that but u dont NEED THAT!
RETHINK n SEPERATE "NEEDS" from "WANTS".
For my Miny (n larger one) I have a portabel DVD Player. Car charged batt.. OWN a 52 in. Flat Screen...but in the Miny; USELESS!
I have a good Sterio Radio....n A WIND UP / SOLAR / BATT Powerd radio. GUESS WHAT I'LL USE IN THE MINY?!!!
Sky has MANY PC games. For the Miny; this Lap Top n CARDS / MARBELS/ BOARD / n PUZZELS.
Slingshot / Bow gun / Bow / Air gun / Bolo / Spear thrower / Snares / Throwing stick n other OLD "TEC" "tools".
Foi other (Wild) Place; BEACHCLOTHS N MOCCS r r main clothing.
The MOCCS r WHITE MAN "WATER SOCKS".
This saves clothing N WATER TO WASH UM.
GO TO THE PAST to LIVE IN THE FUTURE (n Now).
I use STRAINED Old Cooking Grease with a cotton strip WICK. Grease in can. LITE N HEAT. ESKAMO STYLE of old.
LEARN THE OLD WAYS n CONBINE WITH THE NEW.
Brother G; ud LOVE the DOG KENNEL "HOME". 10 to 12 ft panals, 8 to 10 of them will have yua GREAT HOXYGON CABIN in a few HOURS (Walls). Each panal can EASILY have space 4 a BIG Couch, a Bed , Etc.. N CLOSE TO ROUND!
Roof ur choice. Pole UpRites as Mandrian Lodge Way to hold that up.
So FAST so EASY n FAR CHEAPER then even a small "reg" cabin.
WHITES THINK THEY NEED MONEY! NA KNEW NATURE (Creator) PROVIDES.
Find n get the Paper Back book SHELTERS SHACKS and SHANTYS.
MANY OId NA styly building NA (n white) ways there. STUDY ALL Old Ways of Lodgeing; NA / African / Viking / Early (white) America / Etc.. This can b easily done on PC Search.
I have made n lived in a REALY Tiny SCOUT PIT..n on up. I try to make my "littles" FIT INTO THE LANDSCAPE. Even THIS Miny Gnome "homr" n the larger I intend to do ditto. Only SMOKE can give it away...n trail to them. (if no windows).
My brother stood some 6 - 8 feet from one of my STEALTH Abodes. Made DEAD CENTER in a large glean N COULDNT FIND IT. (Great for deer hunting).
I have made a LIVEING DOME in a Larg WILLOW Patch. Clearing willows (cut below grd level) for the floor space...then BENT THE SURROUNDING WILLOWS TO DOME SHAPE n tyed (used old Bike Inner Tubes so as not to harm the trees). WATTELED the liveing wall with the cut off branches of the cut willows. As far as I know, its still there n STILL GROWING. (Moved).
Mann has been HOOD WINKED into BELEIVEING they NEED Hi Tec "crap"...n the Laws / Codes) inforce this 4 thier coffers.ALL "WHITES" KNOW is GIVE GIVE GIVE. ($$ $$ $$).
Keep things LOW KEY n ur MOUTH SHUT n u will get away with MUCH!
Use there "Laws" AGENST THEM. My Miny is an OFFISHULE "ROOT CELLER". n UN TAXABEL! Aho?
Again, keep SMALL n keep NATUREL. Hard to Blend In a Sq. or big structure. My 30 Dia is as large as I can make N BLEND IN.
MAKE ANY WATER WELL INSIDE (n hidden). Make ANOTHER Out Side. THAT O.S. one a DECOY. (It is THAT "they" will ck. on). Aho
KNOW UR COUNTY BUILDING RULES! Here; CLOTH ROOF (even on a HUGE HOME) is UNTAXABEL. On SKIDS...UNTAXABELE. # of CLOSTS (here) = MORE TAX....HAVE NONE! (There r ways to have n "have not").
I was liveing in my 22 ft TiPi. Notiyfyed "ILLEGEL" n WIIL BE FINED.
I went n asked Y? "U r only allowed to camp on that land 6 m.s a yr.".
I told um "Ok. I moved in allmost 6 mounths ago (gave date) so I still have a few days left".
"as long as u r off after that date u r ok".
4 weeks later Another notice: "U HAVE OVERSATYED. FINE NOW STARTS FRON THAT DATE".
Went n saw um. "I thought u said I was allowed to stay ther 6 mouths a yr."!
(CORRECT n ur PAST THAT DATE!).
Looked her in the eye n calmly said "its a NEW YEAR!"
Left her with "lock jaw". Spent a full 12 Ms in it. ( :
KNOW THIER RULES u US UM AGENST THEM!. Aho?
Do ALL POSS to KEEP "LOW KEY". HIDDEN! Aho?
Thats enough. If u want me to share more please let me know.
Ur "blogg" HELPS THE "HELPLESS". WONDERFULL that UVE BEEN PUT THROUGH WHAT U HAVE. It was DESINGED to be...for OTHERS n 4 TODAY! Creator Bless. re
Red Elk, you have it exactly right about "needs" vs. "wants".
Aho. will get off my "soap box" now. Sure hope readers take ur / my reports on cheap doing searisly. We that do CAN "make it" without too much emotionel pain.
LOOK to NATURE n ull start seeing with "new eyes".
I spent a full nite in a "U CANT SEE THROUGH" Full n VERY COLD blizzerd. I ememberd SQURRILS Live through this so kicked deep snow about n collecteed fallen leaves. Made a "Squirrel Nest" rite there on the ground. Coverd with snow 'cept 4 the front. Crawled in n "swished" a pile of leaves into the opening. WET LEAVES! My body heat warmed them about me. SLEPT for OVER 10 HOURS n LIKE A BABY!!! Searchers thought Id b found Dead. SHOOT! Coulda stayed out for DAYS this way. REALY SORRTY I HAD TO LEAVE! (All thought I was nuts!).
Dureing this a deer awoke me...LEAPED OVER MY PILE! ( :
Ok, think n SEE...MANY cast offs in trash / side of rds /building sites / etc.. FREE. Wood Pallets can make WALLS...fill with dead weeds 4 insalation. THINK THINK THINK! We DONT NEED Hi Priced "green"...its ALL AROUND YOU! FREE! USE UR IMAGINATION folks. Think "Child Like" again. THEY HAVE NO "cants" "Bounderys" yet..
Youll be Far FREER for it. Aho? Good Luck. re
Love your "squirrel nest" post. Have for many years told people that if I was dropped off without clothing in remote mountains in subzero weather, if I made it through the first hour, I'd come out on my own two feet. Always "thinking ahead" of things like your nest. In the Black Hills my people stole for gold, I mapped over 200 mine shafts and caves one year. Still have the maps. Particularly remember one small cave--not really small, but about 30 feet back in, and a low side passage.
Smelled something rank. Figured out it was an old tom cougar's hangout. The low side branch belonged to a woodchuck. Didn't see him, just his scat. Believe that chuck had shared that house with tom for years. Fijgured if I ever needed that bolthole, I should be ready to talk nice to the kitty and the chuck both.
weve gotta get back to ur main topic. Pepole come to read that n we r doing "privit". Aho?
I'll say this tho; as a Med. Man Ive learned ALL Communicate. i LOVE seting nxt to a rattel snake n chat. Scares the daylites outta the wife n others. GOOD "people", snakes. My 13 yr old gradson often gos with me when on an Animal Call. He likes to listion in. HEARS what a horse / etc. n i r saying. "Floors" the animal owners tho. IE; EVERYTHING CAN (n dos) COMMUNICATE...Mind to Mind. Be it animal / trees / the weather / Mt. / Etc.. Just a matter of knowing how. Any can do this but we Med. People rarely teach it. Aho?
Ok, back to the issue of CHEAP BUILDING. R 30 ft dome being built is built on the Sweat Lodge way of r Plains NA...N Eskamo...N African hut. a COMBO of the 3. I take tghe best of all n incorperit. Thats y STUDY the OLD WAYS of ALL Couyntrys r imoportent. Know Tahite Huts to Stone Houses. Easy to locate on the internet. Then Pick n Choose 4 ur areas weather / building material / etc.. U r in DRY "desert" area...others r too. Not just "locole" NAs. Arabs / Tasmainians / Africans / Etc. r in simuler typ land situation as u. CK UM OUT! Aho? STAY AWAY FROM "HI" structuires...no matter WHAT the anchients made. BIG CHANGES AHEAD. Winds so HI n Fires so BAD, these will no longer b wise to "invest" in. Aho? Good Luck 2 U n 2 u READERS. re
Readers; many readeing r wanting a place of thier own. Just as "Ghoast" n his wife....n like they, "tight". Still, its doabel (given ur determination). As told in the above writtings, IS do-abel but ull need to re-think what is NEEDED...not WANTED. With this in tought, u r on ur way to OWNEING. BUT in SMALL (unless ur a better scrounger then me). SMALL means TWIGS, not LOGS, can heat ur abode...give lite N cook on. TWIGS! Alot easyer to come by,n at 0 exspence. Old pallets can make good firewood...so even city liveing can b used. Aho? (understand?).
Not many of u will b willing to go as TINY as I...even my wife wouldnt want to. So we r makeing a BIG "tiny". A 30 ft dia x 18 1/2 hi dome. This wshe CAN handel. Ive managed to keep this in n affordabel level. Trouble ios the cost of gas to get there. My ioncome is $610.00 a m. (SS $$)...n gas to get there n back eats up over half that. So I can only get there 1 or 2 times a yr.. Unless something happens, this one will take time. Aho?Alot of THAT dome is of cast off building materiel. By keepiong my eyes open Ive managed to get quit a bit of old Chicken Wire n other things needed. DO THE SAME. Yrd sales...Farm auctions, etc. = good CHEAP finds. U DONT NEED A FORTUN to HAVE UR OWNPLACE! LAND is the "bugga-Boo"! Even THAT is "reacabel"...look about, its there. PLACEMENT has to b consiterd. Is the EGRESS? Decent rds to? Water? Elect. close by? Schiool bus service? Etc.. do u NEED these things? On r Big dome we get snows to 14 ft hi. The "rd" more a TRAIL...ROCKS n MUD! No Eledct OR Water. School bus 2 1/2 mi away. No Rd Cleaning to. OK, HOME SCHOOLING...Snow Shoes...2 small generatores (used) for the OCC. Elect need..."Rain Cathers" for water....Hand Auger to dig a SHALLOW Well...a SHOULDER YOKE (internet) to lug buckets of water in...ALL AVAILABEL if u look N RE-THINK UR NEEDS. Aho? Im 67.. b 3 strokes n 1 heart attack n an amputation behind me. Im no "spring chicken"...but Im a DETERMIND M A N ! Ive lived this way b4. KNOW what i can do. Only diff now is I TAKE MY TIME. i do NOT over-tax myself. Shoot, even a KID can DO, like this...N DETERMINATION. I MEAN THIS! My 13 n 18 yr old grandsons R DOING LIKEWISE...each on the OWN. "Hidy Huts" by them here-n-there...MILES from each place. They n buddys go out to camp ... at a "camp" allready made. HIDDEN FROM VIEW. Hunters walk rite by, not knowing they r NOT alone! My boys have learned well. Aho I dont care if ur Man or Woman, Boy or Girl...U CAN DO IT!!! Ive been instramentel in geting a few AROUND THE EARTH, into doing simuler. A gal in her early 60s (Holland) has a FANTASTICT place. People come JUST TO DRIVE BY N LOOK. A "Brother" in Austraila..allmost done with his "Coffin Pit". He was one fightiig the resent Giant fires there. SEES THE NEED n prepairing for any other. DEEP down. Aho? His big enough to stand in n move about a bit...n sleep. Others (a FEW) too. See? what do u NEED...not what u WANT. Aho?
Take into account ur animals. WILL THEY HANDEL THE WILD ANIMALS that may b about? Can u afford GOOD Fully COVERD "pens". On both r places...couger / bear / wolverine r. More so on the other land then here at this house. KEEP THAT IN MIND! U may love um...to THIER DEATH! Further more , CAN U FEED THEM? Hard dewcesions mite b needed. Aho?
I wish qall "dreamers" will obtain thier dreams. Think OUT SIDE THE BOX...prepair to get Gov. "regs" interfearence. BY CAREFULL Be WISE. Aho? Best to u all. re
To all of my readers: Though Red Ellk and I've sprayed a lot of words onto the page in these Comments, it all boils down to a few key points:
1. A "survival cabin" CAN be built on a shoestring budget.
2. Whether you build a traditional log cabin, a Tuff Shed on skids, a tipi, a brush wikiup, or share a cave with a cougar and a woodchuck, it's really ALL still about the "survival cabin", i.e. (as Red Elk states it so well) a place to get out of the weather and sleep safely.
3. A final point, also well made by Red Elk, boils down to the old adage, "If you're onto a good thing, keep your mouth shut." If negative people (and there are many such) see you doing "too well", they will do all they can to drag you down. Red Elk and I have both chosen to share some of what we know to help others, but neither of us is unaware of the risk.
"But i dont WANT a "SERVIVAL" Cabin. I want a Privite HOME!"
This may b what some R after...n as cheaply as possabel. Right? OK, Think the DOG PEN Cabin. Even if u need to Buy a NEW "kennel" ITS STILL FAR CHEAPER...and FASTER, then a"reg" cabin. The # of panels = the SIZE u want. U can "6 prtrl" it (as nature flower petels) n have multi rms., erach to the size ud like. Or only 3....or with Loft. I n "Ghoast" know one needent have a HOME of SERVIVAL....but "just a HOME!",. Im willing to bet that nither gave a thought to thier lil' pkace as a HIDE place...but a HOME place. HOME is what YOU make of it, friends. What BIG...do so. What "AS CHEAP AS POSS.", then take my suggestions n cut ur building prices. Often by quit a bit. No matter "size"...OPEN ur BRAIN / OPEN ur EYES n LOOK ABOUT U as u drive about. FREE Material All OVER! in short; QUIT THINKING it "HAS: to be "This Way". U got $$ ? its ur right to spend it. Ur better off then We are! N if u DO...WHY R U HERE!?? Thanks 2 our Creator, "Ghoast" n I have lived as we have gone through TO GIVE Y O U H O P E! Use r exspearence. Its here for you!
DONT STOP "DREAMING"....u WILL (not "can") SUCCEED! Aho? Good Luck. re
TIPS TO HELP ; In Early America (Whites) they did NOT pound thier nails on roofing (Barns / Etc.) all the way down. This to STOP SNOW from NOT building up. SNOW INSALATES!
Today u pound / screw down to help snows slide off...then insalate the attic heavily to keep the below rooms warm!
In early America they had no DOUBEL HEADED NAILS. We DO tho, today. USE THEM...BUT...make SURE u have EXSTRA RAFTERS to carry the exstra snow load. Aho?
In Ealy Am. time they did NOT Plow off thier rds., they ROLLED them! COMPACTING the snow! Even today this can b a viabel way to get ur rd / driveway to a plwed rd.. USE A GRASS ROLLOR after each snow...pull or push with ur PU / Etc..
ALLWAYS SAVE UR WATER ROOF RUN-OFF! Gutters to Cystren tanks. WATER WILL BE AS GOLD in the days ahead.
Use ALL Fenceing lines to collectrwater as well. Easily done with plastic sheeting, tacked onto fence n slowly tilted downward to its end...there to drain to a water barrol / etc. Make a "V" in this plastic by nailing (?) "arms" to the other edge of sheeting...stones in thus made Vs bottom to keep it V in winds, etc.. Use BLACK sheeting. This helps melt snows. ALLSO "DRAWS" MORNEING DEW! At times that Dew is the ONLY wettness u will get for DAYS. CATCH IT!
No fenceing? MAKE A RAIN / DEW CATCHER....Cheap TRE E BIRD NETTING over a CLOTHS LINE ("Pup Tent" fashion)....steeper sides tho. A GUTTER below each edge of "tent" n into a barrol. This is a VERY GOOD "catcher" in HI COUNTRY (Clouds / Mists). Some Parovian n Brazzilion use these CLOUD CATHERS to get fresh water to LARGE TOWNS.
Get a HAND Water Pump. Do NOT rely on Elect OR SOLOR alone!
Press dirt agenst ur abodes' walls. BURM! But sheet the walls well 1st (HEAVY tar paper).
A "SHED" Roof, tilted n SODDED is attractive n insalative N U CAN GARDEN UP THERE...AWAY from Deer / Rabbits / Etc.. I built a small Trapper Cabin with this. WORKED N LOOKED GREAT! Love it.
On roof, make a VERY LARGE OVERHAND all around. Keeps off rains / snows from sides / ends. On the Entrencway MAKE BIGGER (coverd porch). No more SNOWS AT DOORWAY!
Have Outside Doors open INWARD. In snow country, u can OPEN UR DOOR. I have had one occ. when I had to Dig UP to get OUT! THE INWARD OPENED DOOR "SAVED" Us.
SNOW shoveled on RUGS n SWEPT OUT CLEANS THE RUGS! (Weve done so a # of times).
ALLWAYS (this is IMPORTENT) CLEAN UR CHIMNY(s). a WEEKLY CLEANING BEST....n CK UR Ash Box at base as well.
GET A CHIMNY "CAP". Open tops catch water n creat Creasote build-up quickly. CREASOTE IS DEADLY!
ALLWAS have n OPENING of air into the abode. CARBIN MONIXIDE IS DEADLY AS WELL! Allow AIR to COME IN!
The BEST Chimny Ive EVER used was of CEMENT SEWER PIPES! ALLWAYS cool...NOT hard to clean. PERMINIT! LOVE UM! Stack um UP{SIDE DOWN (Bell Ends DOWN).
TIRE CHAINS on strong rope make a Good Chimny "sweep".
If u have a steep roof angel, LADDER IT! From eve to ridge. OR FACE SLIDDING OFF when up there! (HAS saved injurys n LIVES).
NEVER wear SLICK BOTTOMED Footware when on ur roof!
A Mix of 50% WOOD ASH n 50% SAILY, wet to thick "past" with water, SEALSStove n Chimny holes. Use WIRE accross hole n "cement" over that. WARNING; WILL RUST THE METEL. Only a TEMP. "stop". Tree Barks R WHAT MAKES CREASOTE! Remove it n use in ur Meat Smoker (MAKE ONE!) instead. Aho?
To DRY Green Wood QUICKLY, cut bark strip off. Will allow inner wood moisture to exscape.
When HAND LUGGING Out Fire wood...cut PARTUALT through ur log n lug SECTIONS of these logs AS ONE. Cut into sections when at woods storage area.(Why make 3 trips...one per cut...when One will do for 3?).
If puting on a METEL ROOF make SURE it runs as VERTIGEL, NOT Horazontel IF U WANT A "CLEAN" RUN-OFF of water / snow. GUTTER THE EVES!
On metel roofing the MAIN MISSTAKE is SCREWING THE SCREWS TO T I G H T! Just make those rubber screw gaskits lightly SNUGED! "Force" screwing MAKES HOLES BELOW GASKIT. LEAKS / ROT!
"ROOF SOLOR "Lights" can be made with Large Dia. SILVER "ACCORDIAN" Dryer Hose. They STREACH n CAN BE AIMED! Cap ends with clear PlexAGlass. (I use SHOO GLUE ("Goo") to do this). The spiriling siver collects / sends sunlite.
"BACK" ur stove (n heat) with ALUMINUM FOIL behind. Reflects heat...OR USE STOVE (preferably LAVA stone).
Place LAVA STONE AGENST UR WOOD STOVE. Leave GAPS beteen stones. The open gaps allow the metels' heat into the rm. within min.s while the STNE COLLECTS THE HEAT n "GIVES OFF" thier STORED HEAT after the fire is out.
Save / Get SAWDUST! Dry iy n pack it into paper bags with wood CHILPS mixed in. Fold top of bag n place in wood stove at nite. As "dust" smolders to chips, chips keep the dust "going". We used 3 Grocery Bags (PAPER ONES) in r 55 gal drum stove. All 3 in at once. KEPT R SMALL 3 Bed Rm / 1 Bath home warm all nite. Save LOGS for the DAY! Ho
STOZE puts out a TREMENDUS Stove Kit! Ck um on on "Seach". We've bought 3 over the yrs. SOLD THE STOVES WHEN WE'D LEAVE.
"Pellet Stoves" r LOUSY Heater stoves. I DONT LIKE UM A BIT...n FUIEL is EXSPENSIVE! Uses elect. to "ffed" too. Up to U. Ho
COLMAN Propain LANTREND GIVE ALOT OF HEAT (n light). In my 22 ft tipi Id use this all nite with gas down...Kept the insid pleasent all nite n a miny-tank lasted 5 nites. Under $3.00 a tank. CHEAP HEAT!
STAY AWAY FROM "WHITE GAS" Camp Lites / Camp Stoves! I had one BLOW UP. ALLMOST BURNT MY CAMP TRAILOR DOWN! (Went to propane). White Gas HARD TO FIND today n VERY EXPENSIVE! ugh
KEEP "Bic "like lighters AWAY FROM HEAT (sun too). Had TWO blow up! One on my PUs' dashboard! EEYOOOOWWWW!!!
U mite consiter geting a LIGHTNING ROD.
Keep a BIG area of "yrd"....WEED N TREE N BUSH FREE. BIG! Ive fought severl rurul fires n was a forman of a forest fighter crew. IVE SEEN THE RESULTS OF NOT HAVEING A "BARE" AREA!
Allso, trees r perty...but the DO FALL! Seen the results of TREE FALL Wind Damagr too! Liveing "in the woods" is soothing n "nice". MASHED HOMES ARNT! Aho?
DONT HESITATE TO USE ANIMAL POWER. I used r Small "fixed" bull to olog firwood n my 5 (was 9...TOO MANY) Mallamutes as transpertation.
On dogs; KEEP SNOW"BALLS" OFF THIER FEET! Ran COCKER SPANIALS (3) n THEY R GREAT PULLERS, but MAGNECS to SNOW on PAWS! (Bootys did no good).
Enough for now. More later if wanted.
HAVE FUN! it CAN BE!!! Red Elk
Red Elk, you've missed one key suggestion: Get a friend who is a knowledgeable Native American. Not only will he (or she) come up with ideas you might otherwise miss, but the sense of humor is unique to y'all. I read your Comments aloud to Pam, and we LAUGH aloud every time you gleefully use your "Movie Indian Stereotype" wording. Ho! Ugh! Fix um! :D
A special underlining of one VERY helpful thing you mentioned: Placing aluminum foil behind a stove to reflect more heat back into your living space instead of into the walls where it does less good and can do harm like causing a fire if the stove is too close to the wall. AND make sure the more reflective side of the foil is facing away from the wall.
Throughout the winter of 1982-83, my 3rd wife, stepson, and I were living in a small mobile home in Chinook, Montana. The home came with a freestanding, hooded metal fireplace in one corner of the living room. I replaced that with an old cast iron stove found in a second hand store and (now that I think of it) will write a complete Hub about heating that home.
(Would love to see you writing full Hubs of your own on this website, Brother. You have too much knowledge to share for it to stay "hidden" in my Comments. Aho?)
One final note about the foil for now: That stove put out WAY too much heat for as close to the walls as it was placed. To make it safe, I put some cup hooks in the ceiling, hung wire clothes hangers from those, and hung a "corner wall" of foil from the hangers. This wall was only about 14 inches from the stove and three inches from the mobile home wall paneling. The stove then heated the entire home just fine for a winter that reached -46 degrees Fahrenheit while keeping the wall paneling cool to the touch.
Oh, and where did I come up with that idea about the foil? Yup. From a Native American friend who lived on the Fort Belknap Reservation and had done the same thing in his own home.
NA Movy Wording? Huh? So far Ive HAD TO TEACH THE FULL BLOODS! Even to put an AIR "PIPE" under thier Lodge Fires to quickly DE-SMOKE! Only Full Bloods that have tought me r my many Med. Teahers over the yrs.. So, ???
Got a Webb Site but dont know how to change / add / subtract, but would LOVE too. OK, will stop on this....got to involved n apoigize. So, after this; siltch. I DO THANK U 4 THE OPPERTRUNITY!
As 4 "to close" on stove, SHOULDA MEANTIAND. Figured its only SENSABEL n people SHOULD allready know. Ur rite tho n sure am glad u added this. 4get some r "as babys" n CAN Kill Themselves! THANK YOU!
Yes, alot to share. MUCH more then allready done (again, THANK YOU).
Ok, "signing off". KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK n GB re
I totally agree with you Ghost 32. Having a N.A. friend is a good thing! ;) We have known Red Elk for a few years now and he has really enriched our lives. This man has great widsom and people would do good to listen! Thank you for sharing!
Red Elk, you're welcome to add more any time you like. Please never mind my "movie wording" Comment; when we meet one day and can talk at length face to face, I'll explain in detail. I don't doubt you've had to teach even the Full Bloods.
As for we whites, survival tips from cabin building to surviving being lost are things so few of us ever learn these days. Growing up near Drummond, Montana, most young men hunted deer and elk...but when I told other guys that I could smell deer and offered to teach them the technique, they simply expressed disbelief and ignored my offering. I was nearly forty before encountering even one other man who admitted that he, too, could smell Bambi.
DDHughes, thanks SO much for your Comment. As far as I can see, the more who help reinforce the fact that Red Elk possesses important wisdom, the more likely readers will pay close attention to his Posts.
Gidday, i'm that crazy upside down Aussy buildin a 'coffin pit'....(Fire Bunker)....Red Elk is a very dear friend/brother to me...he sure can talk hey!...but i'm worse:)....fantastic reading/learning...thanks for sharin your story Ghost...no doubt could write a book on all your adventures/Earth Walk....google ECOSHELLS.....basically a 2 inch thick concrete dome (strongest shape known to humans) with steel rebar....can make any size or shape...its the dome shape that has the strength...only building to survive a direct hit at ground zero in Hiroshima was a steel rebar concrete dome shape....(now a monument)..these Ecoshells can be built for $1,500 or less for just the rebar & concrete....u can insulate them many different ways..including recycled polystene pellets for old bean bags...(add to render mix)....or u could use dog mesh offcuts to make a low dome & cover in cement dipped straw pads (like R.E. explained)...then hand render inside & out...these shelters are being build in the third world as low cost housing that is Fire proof, Hurricane proof & Earthquake proof...incredably strong...if they break...its only in one isolated spot that can be repaired...(think hitting a hard boiled egg with spoon)...if we loose this mudbrick house to fire in future (because i'll prob. be away on a fire truck somwhere)...i am going to build one to live in....right now i'm building a fire bunker to put my dogs in & anything else i want to be here when i get back...basically an 8ft x 8ft x 7ft room with 8ft long entrance passageway & earth cut stairs at 90 degs.( L ) to passageway....roof is treated pine poles covered in black builders plastic & earth covered...poles support roof in addition to ground level...bottom of stairs will have a door & top a metal hatch set down into & surrounded by mudbricks....got a bit more to dig out in main room & then put roof over passageway section & part of stair well.. to go...even this would be enough in a wild fire (think Wombats/goffers)...but i will make it with tight fitting doors to stop fire stealin air & keep smoke & embers out....this is only a temporay fire shelter but would be livable too with some editions...it will be there for me too as a safety backup if fire starts too close & no time to leave....the weather conditions we saw here on that Black Saturday were something else...118degs F (47degs C) & 60mph+ (100kph) winds....only got two options in those conditions....Be somewhere else, or be underground.....ok....thats all i can think of right now...hope it helps some....GB
Great post, Dave. Thanks, and welcome to HubPages. We all know certain connections are turning points in our lives, and Red Elk posting his first Comment on this Hub is obviously and definitely one of those points. Between his posts and yours, I'm already seeing light seeping in through the cracks in my previously somewhat closed mind. My NEXT survival cabin (on the Arizona land we now occupy via camp trailer) ought to be an exciting project indeed.
"G" JUST found out what a URL is. Please keep it privite. E me n we can "converse". Aho? re
With "Ghoasts" permission; Folks, one of the BIGIST n GREATES the USA (Canada?) faces VERY SOON, is WATER SHORTAGES. U would do well to do all u can NOW, for this. NOW because things may get so bad ECONOMILY u wont b abel to easily get ur needs later.
There is much I can tell on water collection, things weve used n DO use. But this, in the mean time, will help; Googel Search HOW TO SAVE ON WATER. This will lead 2 many sights. One worthy to read is "Gross and Not so Gross Water saveing". MUCH of what weve longh ago been into. At least, PLEASE READ IT.
Wether u beleive me or not....it Wont hurt to LOOK. Aho? Aho? re
No matter the times, water is always a first consideration--even before shelter and certainly before food. A human being can last indefinitely with very little in the way of housing and quite some time without food...but cut off the water supply and departure from this planet will occur within days.
My Hub on How To Dig A Hand Dug Well addresses this issue in certain homesteading situations.
Hey Dave, you may be a crazy upside down Aussy and wordy, but, we sure do enjoy reading your info. Keep it coming as it is good stuff! :)
Wow I love nature and animals as well you have a nice hubs, keep pourin' more of em... take care though
Thanks, General. For the next couple of months, all of my Hubs will (probably) be installments of The Seeder, but after that science fiction novel is "out there", hey, back to nature and critters for sure!
Thanks dhughses...just been postin on Ghosts hubs at this stage...the guys a prolific writer...some great info too....maybe these hubs are your book Ghost....re: survival....technically u can die on first night from exposure & no shelter...so it is No.1....cold or desert sun....can last 3 days or more without water...remember the three three's (3 x 3's)....3 minutes without air...3 days without water...& 3 weeks without food.....that last one/knowin sure took alot of pressure off me over the years....all the times i was broke with no food...GB
I have read Ghoasts Hub on WATER locateing. As his wife, i TOO "body dowse" but in a diff. way. Still, many may not know how to dowse in Any way...4 this The Creator has provided, by OBSERVEING.
ALL Willows r WATER "Eaters". Birtch Trees to. Willow TREES n Willow "Bush) (trees) tell "WATER". Then too; ANTS tell!
Ants that have homes within r "Mother" BUILD THERE, ABOVE A WATER SORCE, as they NEED water 4 thier "people". Just as we. LOOK FOR THIER HOMES. When one hill is found, do a CIRCLE WALK, looking 4 more. Generly there will b a "Line" of thier "villages"...these r BUILT ON AN UNDERGROUND Stream".
It may or may not be an ABUNDENT water "stream"...some mere INCHES wide, but THERE IS WATER that is PLATABEL.
The ants that build MOUNDS of twiges n tiny stones r over a GOOD n ABUNDENT water sorce.
WATCH n learn to UNDERSTAND NATURE. it CAN save ur Life.
Liook too to BIRDS. In the days heat they SEEK n HEAD 4 Water. This may b but a "Lip Sucker" Sorce only, but even THAT can save u.
ANIMALS need n KNOW where water is. DEER head 4 it early in the morneing. WATCH n FOLLOW.
No matter where, WATCH FOR SNAKES. They TOO like water N OFTEN REST BESIDE IT (to catch "Tic Tic (feild mice) ) who come to drink. BEWARE n BE AWARE. Aho?
Know the DEW collection ways.
Im not speaking of MASSES of water , tho it Can BE...but of enough to servive in a bad situation as well.
I carry a cotton cloth to "collect" when roamindg about. STILL ALIVE so I must be doing Something rite. Thus I can TEACH...from PERSONEL EXSPEARENCE! I allso get a marbel size roundish PEBBEL to suck on. This gives SALIVA n I go farther on less..
There r other ways but requires ways u dont know anymore. re
"Ghoast"; a # have asked me about TiPi Liveing. I LOVE UM...BUT; 4 TODAYS perminit abode...not that smart. till....#1, they r EASY TO MAKE. We've mad 5. 8 n 12 footers. I own an 8 ' 10 - 16 n 26. Bought through NOMAIC TIPI Co. out of Org. n Highly reccomend them. IF u buy...buy the BEST in Cloth (thickest) n ROT Resistent. ALLWAYS BUY / Get a LINER! A TiPi is a CHIMNY. LINER IS NEEDED TO CAUSE THE "DRAFT" NEEDED to De-Smoke the interier! GET IT..n MAKE SURE its FIRE RETARDENT!!!
When useing a fire pit...run a "tube" at base of pit to outside...n UP above snow level. This gives air under fire n smoke clears MUCH faster! A rock or shingle on the outside risen tube...this to allow AMOUNT OF AIR going into the tube. AIR "EATS" WOOD! adjust accordenly.
ALLWAYS run the Pole Tye Rope to a BURYED Cross-"T" pair of sticks in ground. N "Anchore" that holds the TiPi down in hi winds.
R 16 sleeps 7 with fire pit N ALL "GEAR" (Cloths/etc.). It has had 22 in it for a big goup party. WE HAD A BALL.
I recommend a "3 Pole" over a 4 Pole". (This the # of STARTING Poles to set the others in at top). NOT AS MANY POLES TO LUB n makes a Buityfull site atop. "4" looks like a "rats nest" n is NO STRONGER.
For a small family a 16 footer is great. 18 about the bigest Id go. My 26 is SO BIG i have YET to set it up. Ive owned a 22 n thats as Big as I can handle (set up) with 2 doing.
Remember; u r liveing in a CONE. Any TiPi is NOT LARGE when STANDING. HUGE when laying or setting nxt to the "skin". THE SLOPEING SIDES "Steal" WALK-ABOUT ROOM. Aho?
Get n READ THE INDIAN TIPI by RUBIN. b4 u buy / make. This will help u know if its the abode for you. THERE IS NONE BETTER to have.
Ive lived yr. rnd in my 22. Got to a USA Record LOW of 42 below 0 one yr..
Servive? HECK YES...n EASILY! I had fir brows betweenthe liner n "skin"...AS WELL AS A WIND BREAK aound all, outside. Brows there too.
That winte I'd take a broom n tap the snows down into this "break"...INSALATEING the "T" even more.
I let the fir go OUT dureing thesse cold nites..coverd up well N CALLED MY MALLAMUT TO BED WITH ME! a "1 dog" nite(s. (Had 9...ran sleds).
In the SUMMER Id roll up the skins' "sides" n have a sunshade n breezees.
Yes, n "critters". (U learn to live with feild mice n ghopors). A SMUGE "fire" easily handeled moskeetos / etc..
I used n OZAN dureing winter (a "Ceiling" that helps hold the heat in). a SMART BUY.
My wife dos NOT like TiPi life. To "city". 3 nites was all she could take n went to the sq. box we called "home". sigh
There is FAR more to share but this is the basics to get one going.
OH! DEEPLY TRENCH AROUND UR TiPi! at LEAST 2 shovel heads deep....OR RISK FLOODING INSIDE! ("Been there, Done that"!).
WINDS n FIRES r a hazzerd. REMEMBER THAT! Aho?
To any contaplateing this typ abode, I hope this has helped. Its a FINE Structure. BUITYFULL, but u need to learn the best way to use it. GOOD LUCK. re
A whole Hub's worth of information in a single Comment, Red Elk. Thanks.
After finding my trappers cabin had been 'found' (dope pipe left behind", i distroyed it. (Was 4 my little daughter n didnt want her n ? to cross paths). I then wenrt to a VERY BIG thickit of WILLOWS. Dead center. Cutting below the earth serfice i removed trees to a 10-12 ft Circle. Then BENY OVER surrounding trees, tyeing with old bycycle tubes (no harm to trees n allowed growth). Made a "DOME". I then took the cut trees n INSERTED the cut ends into r "Mother" (Earth). Bent n WEAVED these ("Wattle-Like") around the uncut "circle" trees. The buryed cut ends re-took n kept growing. Nature works wellif u use ur head. Ho
This small HIDDIN "Cabin" was NEVER found...even in winter.
COULDNT SEE THE "TREE" FOR THE "FOREST". Used it for better then 2 1/2 yrs b4 moveing. Daughter LOVED it...a LIVEING cabin.
As far as I know its still there. Built it in 1969.
I see n archatect is now advacateing setch a structure. ABOUT TIME! re
a FAST n EASY Log Cabin: This, my trappers cabin; 8x16 ft.. Cut n made a "BOX"...didnet even notch. LONG SPIKES n SMALL DIA. "Logs". Once BOX was done I used 2x4s to OUTLINE my WINDOW n DOOR. Nailed these on...INSIDE n OUTSIDE "frame". Then took a chainsaw n CUT OUT THE LOGS within these Framed places. I then nailed 2x4s as INNER Frame...nailed into each cut log end.
SIMPEL / FAST. Whole cabin DONE, Alone, in 3 DAYS!
LOW n VERY WIDE ROOF. WELL over-hang(ing) at sides / back n "exstra long at front. Top log STRONG n LONG (nothched in at cabins' top center). MANY Side "rafters"...LOW n SPRED OUT. Then used heavy tarp as roof...tossed on a # of "for n aft" small thick (cleaned of smaller out-growth) branches...then shoveled earth atop all ( Those top ones kept the earth from "exscapeing". Then dug up grass clumps n weeds n planted (all LOCOL n NATUREL to the area). By the end of the nxt summer i had a growing "sod" roof. NEVER LEAKED.
u dont Need BIG LOGS to build simuler. Thickest on "box" was only 6 in. at butt. Chinked (yrly) with WET MUD MIXED WITH dryed WEEDS. I put nails along up-down on each BOX log to hold the chinking. Aho? THINK i spent $9.00 on building this compleat cabin. NAILS! (ALL eles SALVAGED). Aho? have fun. HO! re
Know what you mean about someone "finding" your cabin. A survival cabin is one thing, but Pam and I know we have to be there to defend it or someone will find it and squat, even if only long enough to do drugs or whatever. Those types don't know much about survival, but the surely do know about moving in on other folks' hard work.
The willow thicket hideout, living survival cabin NOT likely to be found, sounds really good. We intend to eventually build our "big survival cabin" using as much local vegetation as possible for cover, though the mesquite and manzanita and brittle bush here don't grow as close together as we'd like. They seem to like a little elbow room. But our friends the trees and bushes are clearly happy to have us here and are growing as fast as they can to give us MORE cover, so the future looks bright.
We (3) spent m.s in n old city bus someone had pulled well off into the woods. Made 4 a comfy temp "home". Not 4 winter tho.
We have a small 2 door sedan here. No one willing 2 tow n scrap. This TOO can EASILY b a 1 person "hide-away". Remove the back seat n replacw with a sheet of plywood n theres the area 4 a sleeping bag. If the BACK of that is removed then the TRUNK is open 2 store things. All windows (non elect) r ok. Take out 1 front seat n keep one as "chair". Dasboard n glove box to set a wsmall camp stove n cooking gear. ALL CAR DIRTED OVER! All but the windows n ONE door. Then sodded. Hidden by dirt so not easily seen out in the boonys. Station Wagens / 4 door cars have more rm n can handel 2...MABY 2 n a kid...ok.
Drain the oil n gas n use steel brillo pads at any point rodents can get through. Screening inside at windows (taped on) n fresh air as u want.
Not a great "cabin" but n easy one. Mite do this 2 the car, just 4 fun. Hide it instead of setting as a "relic" thats n eyesore. ??? re (PS;can place tar paper on b4 sodding.rust n waterproof. cheap too).
not intending to hog, but: weve friends who r well of $$ wise. Live frugaly but WELL. They spend 6 m.s a yr traveling n 6 at thier "cabin" on a huge lake. They were talking to each other on buying n exspenive Motor Home or big camp traler 4 thier jonts...allso a poss boat. Both like the boat idia best but couldnt pull "all 3". They saw me smileing. "What?" "U can have all 3...in ONE . Uve a one ton PU. BUT A TRAILERD SMALL HOUSE BOAT! "Camper" ON n OFF the water N a rig 2 go 2 town in. Look into USED ones. Seen many 4 sale that sure looked nice n FAR cheaper then new".
(Hay...y not?....n option 4 some to consiter).
All good suggestions, Red Elk. Converting the old car to a hidden cabin, in particular, reminds me of the place my parents used to own west of Roundup, Montana. Back up past their large 2 story log home, there was a hidden hollow in the hills where Dad had a small shop and about 30 rusted out old cars just sitting around.
Could have easily dug one (or more) of those into the hillside for a hidden cabin. Not that my father and I could have tolerated living that close together long term, but otherwise it could have been a really good deal.
4 any wanting a small log cabin; give searous thought to much smaller "logs"...even 3 in. at butt. Build um UP-RITE.
"Stokade" walls have been used in the past N STILL R....n r VBERY Attractive! Not to meantion ALOT easyer to work with! BIG logs r EXSPENSIVE / HEAVY n many LITTLE trees r killed to get them out to YOU. (USELTY these r FREE too!). Think about it. re
Red Elk, I never thought about that one, but the advantages are obvious. The upright "stockade" walls ought to shed water really well, too, since they're vertical in the first place.
BLM (Burroe(?) of Land Manigment) has U CUT Free or VERY CHEAP)FIREWOOD/LOG Permits. If u live in a wooded area, have a truck n chainsaw, this is n ECCENT "cheap" sorce.
Yet another r small Log Mills. Here (at least) u can go there n get FREE "Log Slabs". These r the outter cut (with bark on) that r cast aside as the mill "Sq.s" the log into "usabel" lumber. Simply cut the edges straight n place side by side. Co.s r makeing small "cabin / sheds" n selling these locoly. VERY rustic.
Realy folks, theres more then one way "to skin a cat". Free to very Nearly so. Aho? I hope these postings help. re
Thanks again, Red Elk. Now that you mention it, I did see a cabin or two (in my youth) that had been made from sawmill slabs. Had simply forgotten all about them.
got n E from one who reads Ghosts' HUBS n knows me. My comment on a Houseboat/Cabin combo intreged them (man/wife). Asked 4 more info; If U r, then do a search under these names; DUCKWORKS BOAT PLANS
CLARKCRAFT BOAT PLANS
SHANTY BOATS
The San Francisco Peliican Sailboat
For one only, ck. out; PORTLAND PUDGY Dingy (This is NOT a "cabin" boat). Ive a gal in Holland who got hers to camp IN / Row n Sail (can motoer too). Fine for ONE...n easily hidden. Hers is Forest Green (sail too) n she uses the Hi Seas cover as the "cabin".
Thanks for the clues, Red Elk.
Just found your hub. My 11-year-old dog and I are about to head out on foot since we just ran out of money. I am trying to sell what I have. My truck was just stolen from me in my own apartment building because I forgot to move it from the loading area overnight. Now I can't get the truck back at $340 for the tow and $50 per day storage. I contacted an atty for AARP but nothing yet. My husband died last year, he was a veteran, and right after he died, the note holder on our home threatened to foreclose because we were behind. He won and I lost my house. I made the mistake of using the bit of profit I got to pay for an apartment. I had always been able to get work but had been out of the workforce for two years. I went back to California. What a mistake. This place is the worst. My husband's battle with cancer ended with me living in my truck for two months trying to get something going. Now my truck is gone too. I wanted to build a log cabin but I will have to learn everything from scratch on my own. I will be lucky to leave with $1,000 (probably less). I know I could do it but I have to figure out the smartest way to survive the winter. Any ideas where I could go to start over? I was buying land in Klamath Falls but couldn't keep making the payments but the guy gave me a $2,500 credit if I want to buy something else he has out that way. If I get my truck back, could I build a cabin by myself in two months. The winters there are quite cold. Any ideas, please share. Thanks,
Ajani, I just read your Comment to my wife. We don't envy your situation--as you well know, $1,000 can/will be gone in the blink of an eye.
You ask two questions: 1. Where to start over? and 2. Could you build a cabin by yourself in 2 months?
The number one problem, as you already understand, is land. We both know what the climate is like around Klamath Falls; Pam grew up an "Oregon girl", and I've driven truck through there in midwinter. If you are able to secure anything there, the one advantage might be having your own trees, which can translate to lumber.
If you don't have raw timber as a resource, no, truthfully, I don't believe you can build a cabin in two months--not because of your skill set (we haven't discussed that) but because you'll never be able to produce enough building materials before you run out of money.
Where we are now--in Arizona near the Mexican border--the climate is much easier to survive (if you don't cook to death during the summer)...but there's nothing much available in the area under $500 down and $500 per month.
In the Enquirer (strangely enough, but then that's a strange publication anyway), there is an ad running for Texas land: $16,900 for 20 acres near El Paso, $169 per month. That's a rough area for a woman and a dog alone, though, and nary a tree to be seen. Their phone # is 1-800-843-7537, for what it's worth.
There IS one thing you might do: If you can find a spot to plant it, you could possibly take a Rent To Own steel shed and turn THAT into a cabin. Doing so would be against every other paragraph in your rental contract (guaranteed), but right now we're talking survival, not picky-picky. I'm doing just that with one of the three we currently rent. In our case, we now discover we're going to have a little cash coming in and will be able to purchase the thing outright, but without that, here's the deal:
Each of these is 8 feet by 12 feet, rollup door (which is a pain), and very solidly built. Monthly rental is $69. Right now I sleep in that one. Green Eyes black kitty cat stays in the back one third (which I turned into a day cage for her), then gets to come hang with me after I'm in and secure the door so coyotes can't get her. We sleep on pallets right now.
When money permits, I'll build a bedframe, buy a regular mattress, dismount the rollup door, and replace that with a one-window frame wall/door combo (all self-built). Then punch a hole in the back wall, install a screened window for crossbreezes, and follow up with insulation everywhere but the floor.
In the meantime, I did one modification to the rollup door: drilled a hole through, which accommodates a bolt--screw that in when I go to bed. It keeps the door from rolling up all the way, but more importantly it keeps anyone from latching the door from the outside and locking me inside.
Then addition of a small lag bolt and a two inch metal strip, secured with a Phillips screwdriver, and we've got bad people and critters locked OUT.
But first you have to find a place to put the thing, and I sadly have to admit, wishing you well on your search is about all we have to offer. Maybe someone would be willing to rent you a little space for you, your shed, and your dog--on a ranch, maybe; we once rented a mobile home space from a rancher in South Dakota--but how do you pin down something like that?
Good luck, and we mean that with all our hearts.
Ajnai; As Ghost says; LAND n Avilabel Trees needed. OTHER Temp Opps. tho; Newspaper Adds; APT. MAnNIGER NEEDED.
Free apt/utilitys/elect/heat...n SMALL work needed. (Not sure on pets tho)).
LAND CARETAKER NEEDED....(Searh on Internet).
HOUSE (n or House N Animal) Caretaker needed.
Wife n I spent 11 yrs cartakeing 180 accers of woodland...house included.
Now, these only a TEMP (fill-in) place. Aho?
n it depends on what u want as a "Cabin". MOST want at least "Fancy". FANCY means Time n Money! GOOD TTO "SERVIVE" IN ANOTHER MATTER! (See my Trappers Cabin n "Dog Pen" Cabin.). Fast "U CAN DO" abodes.
I made a GIANT "A" Frame BARN. Boyscouts n cow LOVED it (me too)...all with fallen trees n coverd with feafy branches. IN SNOW N RAIN Country. Took me 3 or 4 days, aloone. Redid the leafs 2 times a yr, Lasted nearly 3 yrs..n WARM with small wood stove (n SPARK Arrester screen). Aho?
Searh out Native American Abodes (etc). MANY TYPS! Allso SERVIVIL SHELTERS. (Many can b exspanded, as i did the barn).
Unlike Ghoast I say YES U CAN! IF land n IF ur willing to go Small n Simpel. Otherwise, 4get it.
At this tome Im building a 2 adult/One child Miny Dome. VERY Tiny. Started with a PILE of DIRT n dug INTO IT. Even the stove is dug from/into the dirt wall. This, tho VERY TINY is a "Fancy". Mite cost $300.00...MABY. Can do simuler for $2.00 to $40.00 (Done so).
So, yes u CAN...IF u think "outside the box", ck out veryious "old ways" from around the world n GET LAND N GET TO BUILDING! Good Luck. re
Red Elk's mention of the A-frame as a combination barn and survival cabin reminds of one our neighbors on the mountain. He had the only A-frame in the area, a sizeable two story job he'd built himself, so naturally we all knew him as "A-frame Mike". Kept his goats in the larger, bottom "barn" portion, while he and his family lived in the smaller, upstairs "cabin" portion. Worked well for them, and while we ended up having to move elsewhere after a few years, we've no doubt he's still there.
Very cool hubpage! I did the same thing in Alaska for a fishing cabin. I even added some solar stuff. www.specialty-lumber.com
Thanks, Tom. We'll be building a low cost (labor intensive!) earthbag home here in Arizona very shortly and will do a series of Hubs on that process as it progresses. Much different building style but with the same goal: Get something done that works...without spending numerous arms and legs.
Can't leave people homeless. Not many in those straights will find this book pricy to buy, but librayerys may have it. SHELTER
Amazon has it. About $30.00.
This book holds ALL KINDS of homes WORLD WIDE. Tahiti Africa Eskamo Achient to Ultra Modren.
In my work as a Med. Man / Wakian (Spirituel adviser) I have traveld all over the USA n Canda. Ud b surprised out how many of r N.A. still live in the achent abodes. I yern to do so b4 to long myself.
My faverit is the Ojiba / Cree Oblong Supptle trees (willow / etc.) WIGWAM. Ive been in them n LOVE UM!
I'd do a BIT different then the "old" tho. I'd make sure the center top is a tiny bit taller there. That to allow smoke to collect n exit without build-up. Id allso add a "snow / rain shed entryway (porch cover) at the doorway.
Id allso add an airline to under the fire from outside...makeing sure the outside pipeing was tall enough to not get snow coverd.
If i had no spare cash Id do as i did my "A" Barn/cabin ; branches with leaves layerd bottom to top on the structures horazontel willows...2 - 3 thik. This makes 4 a VERY warm inside! Rain n Snow dosnt go threw, ither.
Otherwise id overlap decent tarps.
At the "chimny" hole Id make sure i had a fine screen spark stopper accros the hole N have a raised LARGER TGHE HOLE cover as well. At the fire itself i ALLWAYS put a simuler screen. FIRE IS NOT TO BE A FORCE ONE IGNORES! Please, REMEMBER THIS!
If ur concerned about water entering the abode...TRECH IT! Make SURE that rench has a Down Slop "exit". Again, 2 shovel heads deep!
At the end of the run-off trench u can easily catch water in a below ground container. A smart thing to do.
Filtering water is easy with grasses n clean gravel. Boiling the finil H2O if u feel safer (I purify by prayed only).Or let the sun cleans it (see SOLOR STILL BULDING).
Ive lived rather "wild" now n then. Know the Ins n Outs of old buses, culverts, TiPis, Tents , Lean Tos , n on n on.
I live in a 14x70 trailor house now n YEAR for the other!
"Whiteman" has some SUPER good "things"...yet most r NOT "needed" things. Youll find SIMPLE has ALOT GOING FOR IT!
So MUCH people r miossing. Snowmobiles over Snowshoes or sled dogs. Fancy summer wear over a FANTASTICLY COMFORTABEL Loin Cloth (dont laugh! Easy to wash, easy to make). Yeah, i miss it.
I hope I have been of help to someong who reads this Hub n I thank Ghost 4 allowing me "on".
Dont FRET, Folks...SIMPEL is a SHOCK (at first) but uill SOON BEGIN TO ENJOY IT! n NOT "Breaking the Bank" n becomeing Inslaved to veryious Co.s at the same time. Good Luck n Creator b with u all. re
The "SHELTER" book sounds worth having. Will have to check it out.
Haven't been in survival mode for 50 years now, but I appreciate the philosophy expressed here and can apply much of it. Not embarassed to take my neighbors' castoffs and always recycle by reusing whenever possible. I have started conversations with builders on homesites and have talked some into leaving some of their scrap wood next to the dumpster for me to collect after they finish each day duiring the "rough framing" stage. Also,You can straighten bent nails easily with a hammer. I say I do it to be green, but it's also fun...especially when you don't have to. Good luck to all you who have to for survival. I think in the long run all efforts even by people like me will make the resources available to the general populice last longer and make life a little easier for generations that follow us.
Good points, Charlie. Straightened a few bent nails today, as it happens. Felt a touch nostalgic, actually--my late father had me straightening nails by the gross, after pulling them out of piles of old timbers on the ranch, by the time I was old enough to cause trouble but too young to assign to power machinery.
'Course, today's nail straightening occurred while building a water tank support tower which will double as a shower shed, but that will become (when the tower is finished and the water tank installed) another hub entirely.
I too have bent many nails. Shakes dont allow now tho.
I beleive Ghoast n I "laugh" at todays "Green" Movement. At least these folks r thinking of betering the envierment...but how CAN they with all the BIG $$ needed? How many CAN spend thousends n thousends to "save the earth". Seems no one dosnt think on ALL IT TAKES to MAKE these "Savers". MILLIONS on a Factory / Elect. to run equpt. / n on n on. KILLING Nature to SAVE it! Realize that to buy EVEN A BUTTON that EACH SINGEL ONE takes THOUSENDS to make! These selling r generly Lineing thier Pocket at Mother Earths' exspense, seems to me.
The only "GREEN" I see today has a Presidents Face on it.
Ghoast (N I) know it DOS take $$, but CAN BE FRUGELY DONE.
Thus his Servivile Cabin(s) n my 'doings'.
Folks , do as Charlie tells: Go, BEND A NAIL. Aho? HO! re
In truth, I look to our own survival first and limiting damage to Mother Nature second. If I can manage to do both in one maneuver, that's a really good thing, of course.
For the water supply to the home I'm building in Arizona (2009-2010), our excavation contractor today used the narrow bucket for his backhoe to dig more than 400 feet of trench for the piping I'll need to do. And by curving around here and there, he did all that without wiping out a single native mesquite bush.
Probably better do a separate hub on that, too....
What a wonderful narrative. I often get the urge to abandon my comfortable home in exchange for a little cabin in the North Georgia mountains!
Habee, neither Pam nor I would have it any other way.
Ive had a # telling me "Id do it THIS / THAT Way!". Readers: dont set n TELL....get off ur duffs n DO! To many "couch Archatects" 'out there'. D O IT n
Y O U R WAY!
Ghost n I do so....not as UD like, but isent FOR "YOU". Just shareing WHAT CAN BE DONE. Exampeling. Aho? re
Red Elk touches on a key point in that last comment. I'm a firm believer that anyone who listens to his or her "Inner Self" can and will, when building:
A. Learn from others.
B. Take what is useful and ignore the rest.
C. Produce a product (cabin, mini-dome, hang glider, whatever!) that is unique but that also
C. Gets the job done in the right way FOR THAT PERSON.
To all; in building the Miny Dome, i have done so WITHOUT an Elect. tool. All HAND POWERD, easy to buy or salvage or borrow. ONCE i used n elect. chain saw. After 5 "cuts" decided "not fare" n set it aside...never to use it again. TRYING to PROVE things CAN BE DONE with vry littel exspence.
Furthermore, with little building knowlege. Most u can learn from books n internet search.
Ghost n I have shard alot here. Should b enough to get those intrusted the incuragement needed to "go on ur own".
In this, LAND use is the majer factor (unless "going boating").
Sorta "off the cuff" is Transpertation. I USE FOOT SCOOTERS! FAR less then REPAIREING Bikes. CAN use ur foot to STOP (if brake gos out). FASTER then walking OR running. Can be easily CARRYED n Stored. We have 2 "folders" (tiny wheels useless "off rd.") n a Reg.. HIDEABEL. CHEAP....n FUN! Let others laugh! DARE TO BE DIFFERENT! Life is too short to spend so much of it straped to the "systum". Be FREE 4 a change. you CAN do it! (: Aho? re
reader(s); in building the miny dome, i did so with ONLY hand powerd tools. This to example one needs no elect. or exspense tools to do simuler.
Nothing that one can't borrow, buy at "cheap shops" or allready on hand.
The one requirement will b a place to build...(unless useing a boat as home).
Off the "cuff" a bit; Of all transpertaiton to "go cheap" it will not be a bycycle / etc., but a simpel FOOT POwERD SCOOTER (we have 2 "folders n 1 "reg."). These need very little up-keep, can b carryd/stored and gets one around faster then feet. Ho re
love this hub I have 40 ac in northern arizona close it peach springs own it over 30 years had trailer on it till someone needed it more then me,God blee them.hope to live there full time soon family thinks me to be nut. I've none my homework and I'm sure I can build small cabin around 16x24 for under $10,000 I'm going to also put another trailer on it.I own it but I think God just lets me us it.after reading your hub and reading Ajani story made me hurt being a Vet myself Ajani your welcome to use my land if you fine yourself in Az.contact via this hub. Peace/love dbigsac
"Dg"; dont 4get CODES...septic / etc. the Locol Gov. will INSIST on. This will eat into ur $$. I got a $75.00 OUTHOUSE Permit n saved MUCH. Good "4ever".
U meantion only size. Not TYP or STYLE...or WANTED Exspatations. SURE u can, IF WISE. A Nice place too.
GOOD LUCK n GB! re
red elk can build up to 500sq ft w/out permet on 40 acres tell me more about outhouse permit was going to use compost
type maybe a shed type roof or gable not sure shed roof 20x20 gable type 16x24 got bids for for 16x24 w/loft $3900 for all lumber dry in not pier foundation or floor I have built one or two houses in the past been in the trade for over 30. I'm surly not into thr gov regulations.
Hummm...this is not a forom n belongs to Ghost. Allready gone "overboard". Aho? Seek Ghost 4 my E address then write. Aho? I Dont dare give it out "openly". n DONT U!
Id opt 4 a SHED Roof...GREAT with GUTTERs to Cystren Tanks n FASTER / CHEAPER. Certin Angeling allows safe roof Earth covering / gardening atop as well. If u DO b SURE u have EXSTRA LONG Overhang. Shade n Weather pertection...allso rains/snows dont pile at side of cabin walls. But thats ME. This is UR cabin. Aho? (Oh; extra rafters to handel the load...n this adds some more wall uprites to hold the exstra rafters. STILL cheaper n Faster).
Go to the County n ask where to get O.H. Permit n amount. PUT UR PERMIT IN O.H. so "they" can see!
We bought a DOUBEL ("handycap") Porta-Pot O.H., USED; $300.00 deliverd. Rm to shower (+) inside. To get "tended" was "35.00 each time. About once every 2 1/2 (+) mounths n SURE WORTH IT. Aho? re
thanks red elk I thought u ment a hole in the ground o/h
with a shed over it. I'll contact ghost. I was leaning to the shed roof because of the easy build. gardening on top no leaks?
Red Elk, your comments are on target for low budget shelter as usual.
Dbigsac, I deleted the shortest of your comments--have no doubt you meant well, but it was in the nature of a (no doubt heartfelt) prayer that added nothing concrete to the discussion of budget survival shelter which is the sole focus of this hub.
All of your longer comments were fine and did contribute to the store of knowledge on this topic. One point: You mention not needing a permit for a building under 500 square feet. That is no doubt true where you live, but every jurisdiction is different. Here in Cochise county, we even had to pay for a permit to live in our own RV on our own land while building the permanent home--and then once the home is built, we are legally forbidden to live in it any longer!
I know severl who want to "build a cabin". Probaly u too.
Seems tho "Cabin" is ofter "Log". Id like readers to think on this...they r NOT the ONLY "Cabin" Materil around! Im 67. Been into building lil "cabins" sence perhaps 13 or 14. In my youth it was ok to "cut down a tree" n often used for cabins. Today tho, things r changeing. Most land owners use what trees they have, for privit firewood use, etc.. Not allways easy to get. Aho?
There r many PLYWOOD Plans (free) on internet...still, these Pre-Made kits can hit a pocketbook hard.
Ghost has something going useing sand bag constructin. Basicly, 'cept 4 the bags; DIRT CHEAP. I, my "Dig into a dirt pile" (2 adults/ a baby n a young child) is FOR SERVIVIE. Mind u; this is a PLACE to get out of the weather, sleep / cook and feel safe in, a VERY ASTUTE servivil "cabin". Not many could think of this as a "house...or b able to "take it". I CAN..U mite NOT.
Still, the idia is LOOK at what u have that u CAN build of.
Nature things, like Rocks or Willows or Sand (Ghosts' sand bag cabin) or Grasses/weeds n MUD (mix, n have an exstended roof). ANYTHING U HAVE R I G H T T H E R E! Then too, keep ur eyes open...MUCH blown off Pick Ups / etc. LAYING at the SIDE OF THE RD.. Shoot, Im useing TOSSED OUT BEER BOTTLES in my Miny as my WINDOW! Old Pallets / Cardboard (insalation or fast / lightwt./cheap inner "walls")...etc..
In short; think; FREE think; CHEAP think; FAST, n, if poss.; think, DARN SMALL.
If u r thinking "2 (+) Bd. Rms n a Bath.".."me sorta thinks uz reading in the wrong place". Still, with DIFFERNT Thinking, even a "mansion" can b made...CHEAPER. Aho? Good luck to u all. u CAN DO IT! Ho re
The earthbag home construction is not covered in this hub but will be in a series of hubs yet to come...as well as a few already in place which discuss the preparatory stages.
I am a big fan of yurts and gers as well. They are medium cost, but a little more permanent than the tents there.
Thaninja, thanks for forcing me to educate myself. Had to do a Search to figure out that "ger" was the Mongolian version of the yurt.
Am now in the finile stages of my "Hobbit Hut / "Gnome Home". Just in time. Winter's setting in. Started takeing dirt from #2 dirt pile to cover at least Some of #1. This allows Wind Flow to be less Wind/Weather "dissturbeing", keeps the miny warmer AND means #2 (bathroom / storage) is started.
I've been looking at a direrlic Green House Shed I payed $10.00 for (+ $10.00 to get deliverd). Wont b hard to repair, CHEAPLY. Going to turn this over 2 my 14 yr. ols ggrandson as HIS cabin project. This shed has short sidewalls n a rounded "A: Frame top. Cant b more then 10 ft. long x 8 ft. wide. A good Stand / Walk floor space but not rm. for about more then that. Will shoe Sky (grandson) how to "hinge" a drop-out side-wall bed on one side n simuler on the other to hold camp stove / gear. But other then Phy. help it will need b all up to him. HIS "cheap cabin...HIS way. Giveing him self confidence and training to use his imagination. IE; MATURITY. Aho? Think he's old enough to "do" now.
Allso have a decent bodyed 2 door auto that, given time, I'll mostly earth cover (Up to windows n on roof)...take out one front n the back bench seat. Only one door will remain unearthed (enter/exit). A 4x8 plywood sheet will b put behind the the singel front seat (n through into the trunk). The windows work (roll-by-hand). Fuiel tank n oil out. Wont hurt the envirement. All holes will be stuffed Steel Wool to keep out rodents. Dash the gen. cooking area. With a batt. the raido works. Realy will b the tinyest servivil cabin I've come up with. Earth bermed (as my miny dome) will help temp. summer n winter. 'Skeeter Netting at windows = good ventalation. A cheap tin chimny place in top n sticking out, n ud have a "get-away" for basicly Pennys.
Do u see what I mean by "makeing do" with things on hand? re
The auto conversion to cabin sounds highly workable. Not government-friendly, but most true survival situations aren't. Having even a tiny place to sleep secure, with the windows rolled up when the coyotes crank up after dark, can mean not only physical survival, but emotional survival as well.
My dear COWBOY :)...I very much have and do enjoy this hub you have started..you know I am a fan of Mother earth and Living the best ways I can off the Earth and in harmony of the Pure NATURE around me..I would survive well with you and your wife, My family could come and we could have a traditional homestead of sorts :)..anyway, keep up the great work you ol'Bronc Buster :) :)
Thanks, B.C. Before you get too enamoured of the Arizona desert concept, though, you might want to read my hub titled Snake Stories: The Mojave Green Rattlesnake.
if any want thier own "space"...id advise SEARHing for TINY DIGGS as a start. These places people made / make that has info on some FANCY...but LITTLE..."homes" AND SPACE SAVEING Idias N FURNITURE.
Personely, many to narrow 4 my tastes...but not ALL. Fasinateing what folks do.
This n other Sights (Tiny Cabins / etc.). Lots of info out there.
I have spent alot of time looking at boats and veryious RVs. Not to BUY, but to get IDIAS. Time well spent.U mite want to do likewise. ??
My miny dome will NOT b everyons "cup o tea"...few could "take it". Im not advacateing U have 2 follow MY lead. Just Exampeling what one CAN do.
I see BUITYFULL Homes on tv...n sure wish I were ritch enough 4 the same...just for fun! But at the same time, i see "white" houses as a STORGE BARNS, with a "bed"! GREAT Heating costs due to size ; Matinance...Taxes...Payments...Insurence...etc. N i think "is it REALY Worth it?" "Why must i feel i must 'Impress'?"
Things u too should think about. IS it NEEDED??? "Is "my" EGO That INFLATED".
to me, easyer to own outrite...PAYED IN FULL, then to have n worry "Where will this go if I lose my job?" and in todays economy...U JUST MITE! Aho? think about it....re
Red Elk, as usual, has a point. I admit to liking a bit of square footage, but the earthbag home I'm currently building (late 2009, to be finished an occupied sometime in 2010) will be at least slightly downsized by simply keeping the ceiling as low as possible. We all grew up with 8 feet being the "standard" ceiling height, but this new place will "level off" as soon as possible after clearing the top of the door framing. As long as I can walk around inside without bumping my head, I'm good to go.
At least in r county, theres a gov. move about. Trying o make it ill-legel to save "Dads" rain in catchment containers of any sort.
We live in sage country. DEEP n BIG BUCK WELLS! WAY beyound R $$...so we have a cytren set-up...AND if they pass this law ; a GRANDFATHER CLUSE!
I travel coast top copast in USA n Canada. Wks n Mounths away from home. See ALOT of RAIN going straight into the soil. EVEN IN R "4 CORNERS" States! Water going into STONES n SAND! To poor a soil to grown anything but "scrub". What a WASTE!
This Hub is on SERVILE cabins! THINK AHEAD! Put on GUTTERS n direct the down sprots to a BARROL if thats all u can afford!
We have many open "contaioners"...Stok Tanks , etc.. 2 set at hi ground in r garden areas. GRAVITY FED to raise bed produce. When ness. we spray from r main tanks, To combat 'Skeeter" problems, a cap of cooking oil in each "tank". We allso COVER these "cathers" to save from evaperation.
No "law" to have THESE containers about. Aho?
We dont get water enough for a yr., but DO trade things to get Well Water from neighbores. Id say perhaps 70 + % a yr. we get "naturel" tho. Aho?
For MOBILE servivilist (RVs / Etc.)u can "catch" in a large "Pic-Nic" tabel umbrella...turned up-side down. Folds 4 travel. Got rs at Goodwill for $6.00.
Syphen it out if u want to stay "low Key Cheap".
WHAT EVER U LIVE IN n build ; DO SO WITH NATURE(l) IN MIND!
A Shed Roof (flat) BUILT ENEN N INCH LOWER at one side...DRAINS WATER to that side...gutter n barrol dos the rest.
COLOR is imported on roofing too. We have Dark Green. MELTS SNOW faster then less dark roofs.
By the way, SNOW INSALATES. Today homes FIGHT it! In Early America the farmers / etc. keep roof NAILS sticking UP. CATCHING the snow. Animals n man stayed warmer useing this "way". Today man insalates the beegeebers in thier attacts (MONEY MONEY MONEY...n ISPECTION Cost...Dang LAWS to "inslave" u). THEN the HEAT has to CIRCULATE in the attic (if a sleeping space / etc.). MORE $$!
USE NATURE. dont FIGHT it! Aho? re
All good points on "catching" water. Pam our cats don't do that well on our well water, so we've gone back to buying drinking water from town (five gallon bottles) for our present (2009) home in Arizona. The well water never bothered me, but people and critters vary greatly in sensitivity to such things.
However, we don't have any problem whatsoever in using it for washing dishes or even potatoes before peeling. Point being, if your "roof water" is not perfectly safe for human consumption, there are still plenty of high volume uses for which it IS useful.
Many reading this hub n wanting to build, have alot to think about. Things NOT thouraly THOGHT on. HOW TO BUILD On Site n LIVE, as building. "HOUSEING"!
Some mite be "Street People" who HAVE "touffed out" n can do so fairly easily. Most HERE arnt quit that "trained" yet. So....CONSITER THESE FACTERS: R u ALONE? Do u have a "Like Minded" Helper / Mate? R CHILDREN WITH YOU? PETS?
R u n NOVICE BUILDER? What TOOLS will be needed AND U HAVE?
Elect. tools n POWER 4 them? Strickly HAND Tool building? A way to DEPENDABLY get to Parts / Etc. needed, When needed?
R the rds. allways "passabel"? These but a few to give thought to BEFOR seting out!
I have "Tarped It", "Tented It" (from a 2 "man" tent to larg TiPi). "Camp Trailerd" it, n built rite "outside r house".
The last by FAR the easyest.
CHILDERN NEED MORE SPACE! PETS tend to want UR Space inside ur "while building" Abode. PREPAIR FOR THIS! If not Alone, THINK "I'll Need BIGER, while building"! Otherwise, think "Cabin FEVER"! CABIN FEVER IS REAL! Frienships n marrages BREAK UP due to this. KILLINGS, TOO (tho rare).
GI'D GIVE ALL THIS FULL THOUGHT!!!
Now ANOTHER; HOW LONG DO U FIGURE IT WILL TAKE TO FINISH N MOVE IN? WONT HAPPEN! DOUBEL IT! This "doubeling" probably will never b "forfilled", but u can BET IT WILL TAKE LONGER THEN U THINK! Even when useing CONTRACTORS!
We orderd a metel Lean-To..."Garenteed to b up n ready in 10 days from receiveing. A simple structure. TOOK OVER A FULL YEAR! IE; DONT COUNT ON IT!!!
Meanwhile, what do u Live In while building?
Well, options include renting a temp place around the closest town to ur site ; tent(s); Camp Trailer ; Tarp...OR PER BUILD AT HOME, Dissmantel n take sections up on wk.ends n reassebel.
I know two who have donr this. WORKED LIKE A CHARM! Each wk.nd. became a "Vacation" n they had ALLREADY (pre)BUILT THE ABODE...so a "peice o cake" to re-do on site.
Of coures ull need to plan in gas n time to get to / from.
Id recommend This "way" over all the rest.
Meanwhile, give heavy thought to all above this "way". Aho? LOTS of thought!
TENTS RATTEL n Occ. LEAK In Wind / Rain. GET AGOOD ("exspensive") ONE! n BIGGER then u THINK ull need. U NEED GOOD SLEEP TO DO A GOOD JOB!
Campers have all the uminitys...but ULL BE BWTTWE OFF WITH A LARGER / ROOMYER ONE. (But make SURE its not so BIG u cant make it up muddy / etc. rds AND THE SHARP TURNES some rds have).
Again, consiter those with u. ROOM for ALL. Or MORE Tents n ANOTHER Camper. Aho?
Its not my intent to frighten a builder off. This is ment to help u MAKE SURE U GET UR "DREAM" DONE and withouit alot of fustratons. Aho? GOOD LUCK! re
to all readers of my comments: I apoligize 4 my many miss-spellings. Im not n "ignorent" "idiot". i AM tho one who has bad shakes n typ only with one figer AND a PC "dah". Im allso one who receivs VERY Many E Mailes daily..7 days a wk.. Thus "pushed" for time. My days begin far earlyer then most ...useualy at 3:00 AM n often even earlyer. I get n average of 5 1/2 hrs sleep out of very 24.
My "work" ("job") requires this.
As a PC Dah n the time i spend on my PC, well, , i dont do "Spell Ck.s". (Wich is obveous). Shakes , that n One Finger = many wrong hit keys. Time dosnt permit "Ck.s".
I hope u understand n r able to "wade" through. I qapoligize. re
Red Elk, feel free to keep on commenting without worries regarding your shakes, etc. Since you've been adding your insights to my original article, viewership (daily/monthly) has roughly doubled. I'm guessing there's a connection.
Also, you raise a very good point about Cabin Fever. My wife and I've been together for 13 years now, still hooked at the hip, but still do best with either plenty of room to "get away" from each other as needed. So...how could we do that now (in 2009) as we've been in nothing but a fairly small camp trailer for the past 7 months and still have several more months to go before the new earthbag house I'm building will be liveable?
Simple enough: When it's my bedtime, I head for an 8' x 12' steel storage shed (Rent To Own) sitting 30 feet from the camper. Got a mattress in there I stole from the camper, 3 super-warm blankets from Wal-Mart, and a black kitty cat who doesn't mind snuggling on the colder nights.
Which is good, because Pam can't sleep well until my keyboard shuts up.
Point being: If a space is too small to prevent you and your partner from "going nuts", there are ways to come up with "separate bedrooms"...which can for sure save a relationship.
!st off, Tnk U brother. 2ed; ur hub may have close 2 doubeld but only because it THERE. UR Doing! Aho?
If u / readers would search "Shoestring Budget cabins...LOTS on BUDGETS / Etc. but so far Ive found nothing BUT URS on Budget CABINS. Uniqe as U r my friend. HO
THIS WILL / IS CHANGEING...im SURE. "Y?" well, to live / do CHEAPER has, to so many, become NESSACERY. U ? I n now OTHERS r WANTING a "normol life"...SOMEHOW. Economy is NOT Allowing this. Thus, "along comes John". IE "Ghoast". The "light in the darkness", so to speak.
Ur/ My EXAMPELING that "Life dosnt END", it just CHANGES. N folks 2day r FINILY SEEING this. Gotta give Them Credit!
"Bend like a green weed" Ive told. A reed that REFUSES TO BEND will be SNAPED! People r realizeimng this. THANK YOU, FOLKS!!
Life is tough enough without one Clinging to the ways that have put the World in this situation. GO WITH THE BREEZE...BEND! BEND! BEND!
U n I have found that "secreat". We live Cheaper, We live FREER n WE LOVE LIFE! "Hardships" WE find as CHANGE ADVANTAGE(s)..IF one THINKS...n Seeks the "way" to DO without "stop of breath". WE, Ghost, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT!
Now, perhaps we can help the Other "reeds" to "Loosen Up" n BEND n ENJOYS This WILD WIND "RIDE"! YAHOOOO!
Ok, nuff said. Now more on "that" BUDGET CABIN; As weve both pointed out, there r Alternitives. One needent have
"The Jones' House" to be comfortabel. NORE the Big Pay (or ANT pay) Job, to "servive". IT IS BUT A CHANGE OF MIND-SET now. THAT, Alone, will "save" you. Add to that: RESEARCH! IE, what CAN be done, for NOTHING?
Excuse my lauguage, but: a HELL of ALOT!!!
NOW is not the time to be stuck in reading
FASHION Magazines, but HOW magazines! Aho?
R u away theres PASSIVE ways THAT CAN B BUILT FOR NXT TO FREE (scroung!) that set rite at ur windowsill and "PUMPS" IN SOLOR HEAT? $$ Saved on HEATING BILLS! By now u r aware EARTH Heats N Cools. DIG IN or BURM. My Miny Dome "root celler" is deirt dumped ON THE SLOPD LAND i wanted to build. I took a shovel n went to the piles TOP. STOPED DIGGING DOWN when 5 inches from the "top" of the slope...n leveled this new floor from that. 5 inches + ABOVE this slope means WATER DOSNT STAND A CHANCH TO SOAK UP TO THE TOP Of OF THAT 5 INCHES. Rd Gravel, FREE, then placed qatop my floor, then FREE sand atop THAT, then FREE heavy clear plastic (found at dump) n atop All this; a BUITYFULL...n FREE (dump) NEW Rug Rainment. This covers the WHOLE lil Floor n Cut to Fit. "Custum". Windows? BEER BOTTOLS WINE BOTTLOLS of diff colors N some salvaged Clear window glass. "Hippy"? no; GNOMEy! n HOMEy, at the same time. I could have built a Stick n Mud Chimny (STUDY, Folks) but got tired n went out n BOUGHT one. My big exspence is CEMENT and MORTOR. Wanted it to last. Mud mixed with dead weeds would do..N Last..but, again; tired. My "rafters" r WILLOWS, FREE. "Sweat Lodge" makeing "way". STUDY, FOLKS, STUDY!
See? u dont NEED MONEY, u NEED KNOWLEGE! n u WONT find it in a "FASHIN" Magazine!
Wind CAN be ur water pump, Elect. sorce, even used to WASH CLOTHS! n CAN BE MADE BY Y O U, FREE! A creek can b used for this as well. STUDY! BUCKS found FREE on sides of rd. hold water..good to mix cement in (trowel).
U DONT "NEED" HI PAY "Things" to MAKE. u need KNOWLEGE! OLD Ways. Ways of different CULTURES around the WORLD. UTILIZE! Include Elect. if u want. Ur building so CHEAPLY u can now AFFORD a Generator (USED, if wise).
U can build (DIRT) a WIND "Tunnel" to STEER the winds. Channel it to ur Wind Washing Machine or Home Made Windmill, To cool a wet cloth FOOD COOLER, or simply Into the Home, etc.. STUDY, THINK n UTILIZE!
I once made a doubel (55 n 30 gal) Drum Stove. HUGE Heat. On the pipe going up n out, I bought a "heat exchanger: n ABOVE THAT made a SMOKER! A home made 5 gal. insalated (all free) OVEN cookd MANY cakes n cookies...a steel plate between the 2 barrols heated water N allowed Food Frying. Left it when we moved. USEING ONE HEAT SORCE (wood) FOR SEVERL "DOINGS"! THINK! THINK! THINK!!!
Ok, time to quit whineing n start LIVEING again! In r Creator...re
The Jones' house" to b comfortabel.
by now u r aware im FULL of idias...n i wanna make Every Singel one of um!
As told, ive made a tiny "hidy cabin" of liveing bent togather willows. On r other property, we have about 1/2 n accer of near full growth birch trees at one side of the 30 ft dome we r building. Each tree perhaps 35 ft hi. Wouldnt mind geting some climeing spurs n get towards the top of 3 or 4 of um. With sliced "open" old truck tubes. Wrapping n tyeing, then ropeing...then, over a perioed of time, slowly bend the tops toward each other. SLOW meaning a few ft. at a time...say a wk. per "pull". The rubber wont cut in n doing slow wont overly strees these liveing beings. Eventualy the tops will cross, then be ready to unite as one up there. The cleard open space inside this cicrle will then become the main floor...Above; LOFT to sleep. No nails into these beings. Walls? a Summer Place...tarp wrap-around....shigeld all the way up with um.
Dreaming maby...im not young anymore, but Gee, sure would b uniqe. Hidden in the thick grove. Unseen but by air, i guess. (:
Again ; think OUTSIDE THE BOX. "DREAM". "PLAY". Use ur imagination n DONT THINK "C A N T"!
Mite mean a 'fight' with the Burocrisy...so mite REALY need to b Hidden. But this is SERVIVAL 4 U n URS. TUFF! a
SEARIS of Miny Hide-A-ways. "GO" mite be the "order"...well, UR READY! Just go 2 ANOTHER Prepaired place! (Probably needed a change of scienary anyway). (:
Of course Im thinking "radicle liveing". Mite never come to that, but at least u have the DO Thought now. Aho? re
Red Elk, you're correct (of course) that knowledge can be more crucial than money. Equally important (also of course) is the factor of determination. If a builder is stubborn enough, quite a lot can be accomplished with quite little.
It also hit me just today that the earthbag home walls I'm currently building (and about which I'm writing another series of Hubs as I build) will eventually allow us to live not just ON the land but literally IN the land--that is, our walls will consist primarily of dirt taken directly from the pile left by excavation for the septic system, about 80,000 pounds worth...and not a lick of waste in the process.
(: I too have thought on simuler lines. Useing a dug "moat" around a structure being buil n useing the dirt to build the structure. "Moat" as water holding collector n raiseing fish or being a "water feature". That tho ALOT of money! Just "Big Thinking". Fun, for me.
Ur Hub is geard more for those like US...Low to No in the $$ area.
The big BuggaBoo for most is HAVEING LAND To Build, let alone BUILDING. THAT is the majure need!
I've sugested a realitives back yrd., Wilderness Hiden "squatting", Buying. Cant buy on UnEmployment...THAT income 'peters out'. SS $$ can handel it if payments r low n one Realy "tightens theyre belt". 2 on SS have a better chanch, combineing. Then too ; Severl "in like mind"...Co-Owners of a small section of land. Yet another ; Trade!
I, personely, know Folks that have / are in these ways (all but the "back Yrd." one). One brother (now passed on) i WATCHED take a CHEAP FISHING POLE/Reel, go on a "Tradio Show" some raidio stations have, N END UP OWNING A HOUSE by "wheeling n dealing". Even MORE I have seen this guy Trade for TWO Houses, a Big Trailer House and a Near New Comm. FISHING BOAT (WITH its fishing permit AND its Docking Area)! I swear this FULLY TRUE! He was a MASTER at this!
I n mine tradeing ON SITE Land Care-Takeing. Lived 11 yrs. there. Had an old house, Trees we were permitted to "firewood" n basicly the "run of the place". 180 accers. The owners rarely came to thier "Land Investment". Liked that I cut only "Weed" n Dead trees..."Park-Like" thinning thier forest, while protecting from Gypo Loggers , Etc.. Was a No Pay deal but I would get locol work to take care of r family needs. It was there my Trappers Cabin was built...the Large "Fowlage" Barn n the Liveing Willow cabin...and had full Hunting Priveleges. NO TRASSPASSING allowed me to get Game, but ONLY me! (Owners didnt hunt).
OPPERTUNITYS R "OUT THERE", folks. Theres even ADS on "Caretaker wanted"...IF u search for them! There r "APT. MANIGER WANTED" in locol papers. THINK ABOUT IT!
Ull EARN Money while saveing to BUY ur land...AND have NO Utilitys (cept UR phone calls)"eating" into ur SAVEINGS. I used that 11 yrs to LEARN TO BUILD n "SERVIVE" while on that land.
DONT BE SO "TUNNELED VISIONED" that u MISS OPPERTUNITYS that can help u OBTAIN UR GOAL!
Ghost, do U have any advice that can help the readers get THIER property? How did U go about getting Urs? HOW TO "HAVE" is the KEY to HAVEING thier dreams. Aho?
I hesitate to tell how we got THIS 9.10 accers N House..AND the OTHER 10 Accers we have...many wouldnt beleive it...but, well, it IS an option............WE PRAYED. and PRAYED AND P R A Y E D! YRS of asking "Where" / "How"...and ALL the time TRUSTED the Great One was WORKING ON IT. We ALLSO gave PRAISE, as we KNEW "He" WAS DOING JUST THAT. We knew TOO that This One had "His" timeing n went by "HIS" clock, not ours.
We now live IN as well as ON those results. 14x70 traler home on 9.10 accers...BOTH COST US NOT A PENNY! (Not even to Deliver and Set Up the trailer).v We r building (slowly) on the 10 other accers THAT WAS G I V E N ! to us.
Anyway, thats how We "got". GB re
Three thoughts on your most recent comment, Red Elk:
1. I've heard of that man, the master trader. Don't think I'd care to try swapping ponies with that fellow.
2. Combining incomes (such as Social Security checks) would certainly increase the ability to buy land...but I'd rather go hide under a rock in the forest than partner with anyone other than my wife. Not sociable enough and don't trust partnerships.
3. Unfortunately, I don't have many suggestions for buying land on the cheap. Both times we've gone homesteading--as described in this Hub (Montana, 1999-2002) and as BEING described in a newer series of Hubs (Arizona, 2009-??), we paid a seller $500 down and signed up for payments of $500 (or thereabouts) per month. The ads for these acreages were found in the classifieds, one in a daily newspaper and one in a free shopping paper. In Montana, we got 20 acres for that--and in Arizona, just 4 acres.
We figured we could handle that, if barely, but it's hardly cheap. Your method of praying and trusting the Creator seems to be a lot more economical!
Agreed on Combineing. Was thinking a retired COUPLE. Should have said so.
B4 we get off this subject ; I have been invited severl times to "come, join us" etc.. ALL turnred down. Y ? I have found "commuel liveing" to b rather dangerous. Too often someone wants to b boss...or group(s) LOOKING for a boss. "Shoot", MARRAGES of LONG STANDING even break up l. n r. 2day...let alone "friends". FEW people able to "fit"...n striffs occer. ANGER n Hurt Feelings....THIER GOS THE GROUP! Ends up a waste of time / money / energy.
So, BE VERY CAREFULL with ANY one u may b consitering teaming up with.
Best to go it with marryed couples, then "friends".
No, "Thanks, but; No Thanks!".
Nuff said on this subject. (Good Luck folks). re
On building a Budget Cabin, consiter a COMPLETLY OPEN Floor Plan. ALL open but ur Tolitry Area. Then, to devide into seperit areas, give thought to FOLDING (accodian) WALLS. Open to make ur place much bigger. This wall(s) can be costly, OR U MAKE. U can use Quilts / Bamboo Porch Shades, or even the "Paper Wall Deviders" that the Japonise used (n still use). On these foldeing / curtin walls, they can be be "hung n run" like on a shower curtin rod. Metel Conduit Pipes r cheap n can be bent for intrusting shape walls. Aho?
This typ makeing will drop inner wall building cost BUT ; make SURE inner STRUCTURE BAREING SAPPORTS r in place Or NOT NEEDED. Without NEEDED ones, ur roof CAN COLLAPS.
In my 22 ft tipi I had DOUBELED-UP Bamboo as a wall with tolit n utility itimes behind. This Doubeling could only b seen through if ones EyeBall was nearly pressed agenst it.
Thus quit "privit".
Cloth / Etc. walls DO have draw-backs....Noise being a big one. Easy to hear or be heard....Next would b No Place to hang things on, THAT R HEAVY.
Most "tiny homes" dwellers learn MANY "things" realy arnt nessacery. U will too, evntualy. A seperit Storeage shed (?) can b made / had for those, tho. KEEP UR LIL' LIVEING SPACE AS CLEAR N UNCLUTTERD AS POSSIBEL!
This is all ADVICE...from one who "HAS", Many times. Up 2 YOU what u do. Just; THINK AHEAD! re
All good points. In our Arizona earthbag home (under construction as of November 2009), we're not thinking all that small--living space total is in excess of 1,000 square feet--but it's not a mansion, either. As a compromise between space and other considerations, walls do break the interior into 4 equal square spaces. The east-west center wall does double duty as a bearing wall, after which the north-south wall separates our two bedrooms (in the southern half) and the office from the kitchen (in the northern half).
However, even with all that, we ARE leaving the northeast square "open" to accommodate a full sized kitchen, laundry facilities, and a bit of "living room" space...all in one.
I've told of "catching roof water"...(turneing ur place into an H2O collector). Ghost N i like gravity use over pumps. Yet not all have water above thier abode. Hauling in from lower. Many then resort to Elect. Pumps 4 this. Please; THINK! Fuiel N PARTS r majer consiterations.
"Servival" CAN mean "Hard Core". NO Fuiel , NO Parts ... both far off or perhaps impossabel to get.
In my exspearamenting (n, at times, NEEDED)Ive had enough exspearence to use many options. The most dependabel (other then Roof Collecting) ALLWAS was the Old Stand By ; BUCKET LUGGING. Yet even that can b difficult. Steepness of climb back to cabin...N the PATH to well / back. Rocks? Moss n Wet? Snow? u get the idia.
After severl YEARS of ALL the above, I finily wised up. Went to r Early "White" American AND CHINISE way ; A SHOULDER YOKE!
With it, 2 buckets per trip. WITH hands free to use a staff / etc..
NEVER BEEN SORRY ABOUT INVESTING IN THIS (its in my closit rite here, now).
Its not limited to buckets ither. Ive used it to carry building material / etc. as well. MANY "Back n Forth" foot trips saved!
If this intrusts u, I bought mine On Line. Go to BEAVER BUCKETS.COM re
geting to "hoggy" on this hub, but much HELP Things to share.
Id advise "Small" livers to searcdh / read internet 'tellings' under places like "Liveing on a boat" and AR liveing". The people who R liveing in small spaces.
Tho U may have a cabin over n RV / Boat, theres much to learn from these sights. The gen. How Tos will b the same as a Small dwelling. re
Reckon those shoulder yokes work as well as you say, Red Elk, but they flat give me the shudders. Hard times from past lives, maybe.
We've lives with Cycstrens for many yrs.. Learned alot that may benifit u.
Here on this prop. r water tabel is quite hi. This negated burying the tanks (2). Had to put it above ground. In this a friend n knowlegabil builder decided on a wood stand to hold them off the ground. NOT MY idia of a "good stand" but we went along with him. This has "cost" us dearly over the yrs.. I wanted cement blocks with RR Tyes on them. 3 to 5 lines of them n good "beding" below (2 ft. on trenced in stone). Well, shoulda gone my way. Have had to prop up his 'stand' 3 times now. Each time the 2 tanks were bending toward each other n about to break the pvc pipe between the 2...as well as the UPLIFTING pvc put thar ran to the under house pump.
I had wanted Hi Pressure rubber Hydrolic hoses...he, the pvc. Wife wanted it his way as well. "Cheaper / Faster".
Shes sence been Very Sorry.
Tho he rocked the wood up-rites to the plywood stand, n SWORE that "This will NEVER Sink"...has. My way wouldnt have N more saport below the tanks. Lower to the earth line too. LESS EXSPOSE WATER LINE to insalate.
MY "NXT" I'll do MY way. Ho
The OTHER land has a heavy slope (we cut in a building site). Thus WILL have GRAVITY FED to house. Even if we need to fill from a well far below! (We'll GAS Pump water to the tanks. NO Elect. pumping. We have a large water tank on r old (but good) farm truck...pump to that n there to tanks). Yes, gas / parts may not b availabel in time...so plan for THAT eventuality as well. HAND PUMP to a searious of Stock Tanks going up the slope from well to tanks. Yes, it WILL b a "pain in the rear" but better then hand hauling. Mite not b ur "cup o tea" but WILL WORK. (Not good enough wind to put up a water pump wind mill).
I am looking at SEARIOUS Elect. / Gas / Parts problems ahead. Maby only 3-5 yrs off, but truely beleive this will become a fact. I'M BUILDING TO MEET THAT SITUATION.
Ok, MORE "Above Ground" tank info; WINTER FREEZE! BIG TIME Insalateing MANDINTORY! No surrounding earth to protect that BELOW grnd has.
This insalateing INCLUDES ALL UR WATER LINES TO THE PUMP!
Dont have to PUMP into house with gravity feed BUT STILL NEEDS INSALATION. Got That? GOT IT!!?
Here we spent mucho $$ with elect heat tapes. JUNK! All it took was a 3 day elect. outage to freeze r lines. DONT COUNT ON THEM! Aho?
Sence, ive dug deep below lower lines, graveld the trench n PACKED WITH LOOSE STRAW (dry leafs will do as well). Deep n WIDE n HIGH over these pipes. Closed um off from "outside" with cheap roll of plastic. INCLUDEING IN THE "BED" OF THE TRENCH.
Did this from tanks to pump, pump to house lines.
In broken pvc pipeing (WILL happen. COUNT ON IT!) Ive replaced with the Hydrolic hose. Thick as THAT hose is, I STILL INSALATED AS WELL. Aho?
To help insalate the tanks themselves, we've just finished puting on 2 layers of CORRAGATED CARBOARD BOXES. Old Cheap Shop quilts draped over n plastic over all.
This is the 1st time weve used the cardboard. Not sure its of its results yet but SHOULD at least HELP.
HAD house insaltion b4...n tanks over-filled, weting everything. FROZE n BOTH TANKS OF WATER DID TOO!
WATCH UR WATER LEVEL! To HI n To LOW can CAUSE PROBLEMS! (Low = easyer to FREEZE).
Allso, if u r useing IN GROUND waterlines(s), make DARN SURE they r BELOW the lands Frost Depth. DONT SKIMP ON THE TRENCHING! The Creator Knows how MANY frozen pipes Ive had to dowse for folks who DID Skimp! Aho?
There's less problems in many ways of liveing in a cabin, SIMPLER ways. This tho covers One. Just shareing. Aho?
Good Luck. re
OOPS! FORGOT TO PUT THIS IMPORTENT "Help" in;
HAVE a SHUT OFF VALVE Rite Off EXIT PIPE at tank(s)!
WE DONT! (listioned to that builder again..."wont EVER need that, red elk").
Only EASY way to keep water IN UR TANK when / if doing repaires! (I shoulda "over-ruled" Mr. 'know-it-all'). ): re
Red Elk, your comment(s) on above ground water lines are definitely valid. Here in southern Arizona (where we've been since April 2009), the freezing is not such an issue--we do get below-freezing nights now and then, but seldom the "hard freeze" (below zero for days or even weeks at a time) you see in the northern states. So far, we've had a few overnight lows in the 20s, but by midday the sun had brought things back up into the 50s and thawed out lines before they could rupture. We'll see how deep winter goes.
I am a bit curious about the "wooden stand SAG" (or "sink") you describe, especially since the little water tower (only 9 feet tall) I build for our storage tank is both above ground and made of wood. Are you saying yours is built with the uprights just sort of sitting ON the ground? Ours is built without any concrete, but the 4 upright posts are of the chemically treated type and have the bottom ends (of 12 foot timbers) stuck 3 feet into the ground. Haven't seen any sign of sinking or sagging yet, but then again, the structure was only completed about two months ago....
Most of the above ground water tanks in this area (and there are many) appear to be mounted on towers made of steel, not wood. I would think most if not all of those do in fact rest on, or in, concrete bases.
This is an amazing resource, Red Elk you are truly legend. Many thanks
Sage due to not enough depth in base rock. R 2 tanks r big (cant recall gal.s per). One tho about 9 ft hi...the SMALL one. Other 12 or so. Thats ALOT OF WEIGHT when full!
Builder put in stone, then solid "foundation" cement blocks. 6x6 treated uprights on those. 3 per side. Built frame around that. Stand hi enough to crawl under, comfortably. Aho?
Just NOT Enough totol SAPORT! MORE saport...perhaps 5 "lifters" per side instead of 3, would probably "do". Would better "spred out the wt." n give more saport.
As told, i wanted foundation wall cement blocks on MUCH more base rock...with rr tyes atop. Then the platform. 5 "lines" running 4 n aft (NOT accross side-2-side) but over-ruled by my "better half" n builder. Wife to "save money"....Builder "It will NEVER cause problems". Actualy the COST would have been the same...Now FAR MORE costly Builders way, due to repaires 3 times. But what do I know...Im just n old man thats ignorent on just about everything................
I tell u true; BEST TO GO BY UR OWN ITGNORENCE THEN BY SOMEONE ELESES! Chanchers r, ull make misstakes, but thier Y O U R' Misstakes AND ULL LEARN BETTER FROM THEM! (Besides, unless u have an artaficil leg, u cant kick urself in ur rear...n to kick someone eles just makes an enemy).
Both wife n builder ment well.......... Just not as "smart" as THEY thought. THEY LEARNED FROM THIS FEASCO TOO! aho?
"Awsome"? I CANT SPELL I CANT TUNE A CAR I CANT "Do" Hundreds of things MOST CAN. No, COMBIND as ONE, each takeing thier "Forta' " = "AWSOME".
TOGATHER Man STANDS, APART Man is DEFEATED. Learn from MY misstakes...AND SHARE YOURS!
That way there is no "bad", instead the "bad" becomes a TEACHING LESSION for the generations ahead. (Tnx 4 the saying, tho). Aho? re
Just re-read 2 ck how badly I spelled n if i had answered correctly.
Well, now i / u can add "CANT READ ITHER"!
See u DIDNT WRITE "AWSOME" at ALL! DAH
Oh well, "no misstakes"..."reason for all".
Learn from me n dont become n "Old 'Red Elk' idiot". sigh
Building Tip ; I took the enjine hood off an old car. Drilled 2 holes in its front while was up-side-down. Then placed heavy metel "washers" n bolted in 2 Eye Bolts.
Tyeing a strong rope through n looping at center of the "V".
With this rig I had a STONEBOAT. Would drage it behind the PU n load EASILY (rolled on) VERY Big Stones, Building supplys, etc.. Pull to site n unload as easy as i put on.
In winter snow I have a childrens' plastic tobbogen to do water bucket carrying. On this i have a rope at back too. Got tired of being run down going down hill. Aho?
Over my life ive used sled dogs....oxon...Tri Pod "walking Poles"...Chinise "come-along"...Spanish wench...Mormon derick. Want to know what / how...Do a SEARCH. Cant teach one to Learn by giveing the answeres. I wont b here someday. Time to learn to stand on ur own "2 feet". Aho? re
Okay, Red Elk--I now understand your "sag factor" completely. You've got some humongous tanks there, a whole lot more weight to consider than my little 500 gallon storage unit.
Your use of an old vehicle's hood as a stoneboat sounds extremely familiar. I'd swear I've seen one (or more) done that way. Probably in my childhood, though, as the memory of exactly where and when doesn't want to surface....
Sounds lIKE UR TANK IS JUST A BIT LARGER THEN THE ONE WE USE ON R FAITHFULL OLD FLATBEdD. Use it to get well water from nighbor when nature peters out.Trade with her. Talk to her horses / dog when sick. They tell me the poblem...i tell her. Dos as told n all's well again.
Ever use a "CAMPERS' COOLER"? A handy n simpel thing to make till u get better. Gen. hung from tree to catch cool air. A series of shelves coiverd with cotton cloth. Top of cloth laying in pan of water. Cloth soaks up the water n evaperates as it works it way down...keeping the shelved contents at least 10 degrees cooler (some say 20). Many use a creek to set thier things in. Both work.
Seen Water Coolers down in Ark.. Stone "house" over a spring...springs water dirrected into a damed holding "box". Overflows to the naturel water bed on grnd..
No water "loss" n constently cold as water emerges from spring. Wish we had THAT cooling sorce on r land. ICE COLD MILK, Etc.. An simple option to those that do have. re
Ive had one cabin builder from way up in Vermont (or ? up that way). SLOW BUILDING. INSECTS DRIVES HIM OUT! Ticks n 'Skeeters. Asked "is there ANYTHING Naturel that can stop um?"
Perhaps others r in "the same boat". ??? YES THERE IS!
Many. And Ive THORGHLY USED UM ALL! Even had to tech the Canadian Crees thier anchesters "oldf ways" (long 4gotten by todays' "whitenizeing").
VINIGER (yup, we made that back then too) is a GREAT One! Any ticks that get on u r ALL looking 4 a way to GET OFF! (:
Comb ur hair in it...Soak ur cloths in it...WASH um in it...Even DRINK IT (if u can "take it"). Even HORSE Flys buzz u, at a SAFE DISTENCE. Ditto Skeeters!
"We" have r "Sacred" Smudge Bundels. EVERY AREA THIER OWN. Made up of Sweet Grass / Sage / Ceder / Wild Mint. What todays' NA Dont KNOW is these plants REPELL THESE INSECTS! "Sacred" today but NOT WHEN FIRST USED....was used Way Back as INDIAN "BUG OFF"! Lite the mixed bundel a n "wash" the smoke over ur body. I find a 3 times a day ap[placation works best. At5 nite i allways HEAVILY do so. Add to these plants THE SMOKE! Even BUGS fear FIRE n they shy away from its SMELL!
Ive allso introuced an anchient AFRAICAN way to the Crees. Dangel string / threa on head band or hat. TYEING ON SMALL FEATHERS (etc.) all around. ALL AROUND! As u move about, these r constently "swishing" the face / neck. "DANGER" to the lil' Flyers.
These r but a few of "Naturel".
Cant build a Servival Cabin IF U CANT SERVIVE WHILE DOING SO! (: re (PS; got a letter thanking me from this builder. Cabin DONE!).
That's pretty interesting, the part about Native American "Bug Off" now being the sacred sage bundle, etc. Sounds about right, though!
Vinegar ought to work, all right. Though Pam figures it would trash her hair (of which there's not a lot left).
Haven't used a "camper cooler" as you describe. Grew up using the old water bags, though. Canvas bag with a cork and a rope handle. Hang 'em on the front of the tractor and head to the hayfield. Slow evaporation through the cloth kept the water somewhat cool and got you through a nasty not summer day dusty haying conditions.
my lil' dome home on hold. to cold to do needed bit of cement work wanted. wont "set" rite. Time to think. it dawned on me that tho this lil' structure was / is being made to be THE "cabin" (minis the tolit faciltys), its a good "starter" "home". Build n use to live as one adds even larger...makeing #1 as only a bed room. Larger one can then b more "livabel" for a family, with it being the Liveing / Eating / Relaxing area. Yet another (as allready started on #2) as bath rm.. Aho? can easily build another bed rm as would b #1, too.
All this would mean more time n $$ tho.
Think i'll stay with what is tho...#1 n #2. We have a house, this cheap "cabin" basicly, just to show what one Can do, cheaply. Besides, i'm runing outta Free "finds". Cleaned up alot of "junk" around the area on drives...and things i've "collected" over the yrs.. (Yrd looking more LIKE a yrd. now). Wifes' happy, Countys happy n all who see the results of this useing r inspired. Thatis part of the "aim" n i'm succeeding. Aho? re
If you can make the wife happy by doing a project you enjoy doing--now that's a REAL win-win situation!
My wife n I have lived in veryious odd ball "sheltes". Most couldnt come close to be called a House, but we made do. One of the Biggest problems was CRITTERS N 'FLYERS'.
a CONSTENT battle. DeCon n trps helped, but have draw-backs. With DeCon the eaters die where they crawl off to. This creats oders that arnt easy to trace down...so they stay where they are. In this that allso draws flys. Maby U cant find the dead but THEY can! DeCon allso r dangerious to pets n children. MUST BE PLACED IN SAFE AREAS.
Traps at least you ck. regularly. Again tho; Pets n Kids!
To combat entry of flyers and critters we (still) go about with STEEL WOOL. Pluging even the TINYEST of holes. This helps enorrmisly we've found.
For Biger critters (Racoons / "Porkys" / Skunks / Moles, Etc.) we find wetting CHEW spots with TOBBASCO SAUCE (stops horses from "cribbibg" too). Allso MOTH BALLS. Human Urin dos well too, but best to pour AWAY from walls / home. CAN "build up" n u end up with its oder.
Ive used buckets with a few inches of water withing...newspaper strached over the top n sliced "pizza" like. Placeing bait in center. (Penut butter good 4 this). As they approch they slide in n drown. Often an 11 mouse kill totol a nite. I put a stick "ramp" from ground to top. This "getter" both easy / cheap / fast.
Ground Hogs easily stoped useing human urin. Dig into thier runs at thier Push Up Mounds n pour in.
All these things Ive PERSOELY done. Aho?
When building or "moveimng in"....do all poss. to make the abode as TIGHT ASNPOSSIBEL. Cap of cooking oil in rain "cathers" to kill 'Skeeter Lava (ANY standing water). LIDS on ALL Garbag Containers...etc..
U can build Bat Houses n Swallow homes as well. USE NATURE...Use NATUREL.
Perhaps Ghost can give adice on these "stoppers" as well. ??? re
Good list, Red Elk. Pam & I can vouch for steel wool, and just about any bucket or open barrel of water will catch (and drown) a rodent or two even without bait and a ramp.
We've tried one anti-fly trick that a friend emailed us, which was hanging a ziploc bag with water and shiny pennies in it. Supposedly the flies would stay out if you hung those around doors and windows, etc. Tried one in the storage shed where I'm sleeping at the moment. DID NOT WORK!! Never saw one land right on the bag, but they continued to buzz past it and around it with nary a care.
One "helper" (not a total stopper, but catches some of the flies) is a supply of those glue ribbons, not expensive, unwind them and hang them where flies tend to gather. Ugly, but any fly they catch is a fly you don't have to swat.
Then of course there's the old fashioned fly swatter. If you have a family with children of various ages, you might try my Mom's trick. Our ranch house was really buzzing with flies one Sunday afternoon when I was about ten or eleven. Mom put a bounty of a penny per fly on their little heads. I became determined to earn a whole dollar--100 flies--and actually accomplished this in less than an hour. Fantastic wages at the time, since my monthly allowance was only $3.25.
She didn't keep the bounty going, though. Afraid she'd go broke, or maybe that I'd sneak the back door open on purpose to let in more flies so I could make more money.
readers; as u should know by now, building a cabin requires alot of thought u DONT think of.
R u building on a WIND SWEPT area? PREPAIR FOR IT!
R u building on a HI WATER (flood possability) area? STILT Cabin MAY help. PREPAIR FOR IT!
In Trees? OREST FIRES! Much I hate to say it...CUT UM DOWN. N do so so TALL trees r SAFELY AWAY. PREPAIR FOR IT!
Grassland? CLEAR A BIG SWATH AROUND THE CABIN. PREPAIR FOR IT!
Etc. / Etc..
Dangerious Snakes / Scorpions / Etc.? PREPAIR FOR IT!
NOW is the time to THINK AHEAD! Befor u build; PREPAIR UR PLANS A H E A D and PREPAIR FOR The POSABILITY of the UN-THOUGHT things!
Its one thing to buildf a "run" cabin...THEN u do as u must. But if just a "Get Away" or "Live In" u r planing...THINK IN ADVANCE!
NOW's the time to plan...while still "on the board". B4 THE FIRST NAIL IS DRIVEN!
That way, YOUR' CABIN HAS A BETTER CHANCH To be a fqamily usefull Hairloom for yrs ahead....while others r but a chimny of rocks standing bare in a nuded feild. Aho? re
Wasnt going to add this till after my brother Ghost had he say. Hasnt yet so decided i should; The BIGIST DANGER to Wilderness Cabin Owners isnt Nature. Its MAN!
Bear THIS in mind in ur plans. In this consiter thiefs can hit at ANY time. This INCLUDES UR "Left To Later 'Doing' SUPPLYS. Wood , Wire, PVC Pipe , Tools , etc.. THEN the cabin egress to think about!
A simple Pad Lock is EASILY "by passed". DONT GIVE THEM JUST THAT TO 'UnDo'.
Windows can be broken. PUT ON STRON CLOSEABEL SHUTTERS.
Ur door(s) should be SUPER THICK / STRONG. Not easy to kick in.
Keep ALL Tools (lawn mowers too) in SECURED (WELL!) Shed.
See what I mean : THINK AHEAD!???
Ok, outta here...but with these words in mind...AGAIN ; THINK AHEAD!
Aho? GB re
Actually, I HAD made a comment, but for whatever reason it didn't "take".
Anyway: My "missing comment" basically said yes, think ahead if you can, prepare as much as practical, but don't overthink the process so much you become "paralyzed" and do NOTHING. Any shelter, even a leaky one, can be better than no shelter at all.
As to Red Elk's statement that MAN is the greatest danger, he's (as usual) got that exactly right. Our experience (as well as our in-depth study) has shown that padlocks, shutters, etc., won't do that much unless the would-be thief (or worse) fears getting caught in the act.
In other words, bad people are most strongly deterred by someone being HOME to DEFEND the property. A great defense is being totally invisible so that evil types don't even realize you exist, but that's hard to count on long term.
Our Lines of Defense are Passive as much as possible, with only the Last Line being Active.
Huh?
#1. Appearance. Despite the fact that we have no garage, you can't tell by looking whether someone's home or not. Pam is nearly always here, and we make sure people in the area know that. (Passive Defense.)
#2: Reputation. Despite the known fact that almost everyone who lives in remote areas like ours possess firearms and know how to use them, we also let it be known-- quietly--that Pam might not only be home...but that she is the "crazy one". Don't test her. (Passive Defense.)
#3: Locks and shutters and such: We don't expect them to keep out a really bad person. We expect them to SLOW DOWN such...to give whoever's home plenty of time to take good cover with a loaded weapon. (Passive Defense.)
#4: Arrangement of buildings: We have at present a house in progress, a camp trailer, a small cargo trailer, and three steel storage sheds. Two of the sheds are in fact used for storing household goods, but for the moment I sleep in one of them. Though it would be laughable to term our place a "military compound", arrangement of all these buildings is in a rough "L" which allows Pam (from the camper) to see all other front doors, and me (from the sleeping shed's front door) to see all other front doors...which means that any actually violent attackers could well find themselves in a crossfire if it came down to that. (Arrangement = Passive Defense.)
5. The will to combat. When I was in the Army, we fresh recruits were told in training that during the Korean War, studies by the military learned that 43% of new soldiers would not shoot to kill the first time in combat. (Until, I suppose, they saw friends being killed to either side of them.) Do we want to shoot anybody? Of course not. Will we do so, rather than lie down to be abused or killed ourselves? Absolutely. Once again referring back to popular sayings we used while in service: Better be tried by twelve than carried by six. (Actual Combat=Active Defense.)
The best defense of all, it should be pointed out, does seem to being a place that is known to be well defended in the first place...thus encouraging would-be criminals to seek easier targets elsewhere. The same is true, obviously, whether the "place" is a simple family homestead or an entire country.
HEAR HEAR! (:
Folks, ANYTHING can be broken into (I sapose even Ft. Knox as well). Deterents I meantion r to SLOW DOWN Thieves ONLY.
A Thief DOSNT WANT TO TAKE ALOT OF TIME TO GET THE "GOODYS".
"Hit n Run" twits, these. N to KNOW ur "reputation", well, THEYLL GO TO SOME ONE ELESES Place if "safer" n BY-PASS YOU! (: re
Exactly.
In The Doghouse says:
2 years ago
If the economy keeps going the way it is, we might all be in survival cabins soon. Thanks for the information.