Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm in the Appalachians, so this will affect my opinion.
I'd never pack a tent. It's too much weight. On rare occasions when three of us go out, we can all carry a larger variety of tools, but a tent's never one of them.
If I had to make a semi-permanent shelter in the bush, I'd make one of those stick and mud affairs. I wouldn't need a lot of tools to do it. I'm pretty sure I could knock one up only using my Mora knife whose blade is less than 4".
If I were seeking something a bit more comfy and permanent, with a scotch eye auger, collapsible bow saw, and a hatchet, I could make a small log cabin using the rudimentary carpentry skills I've picked up and the stones that Pennsylvania is famous for along the Appalachian Trail. Making dowel pins, wooden fasteners, shingle shakes, and utilizing Nail free construction isn't difficult, it's just time consuming.
Since this is a survival related thread, I'll have a lot of time on my hands, so building a shelter will help while away the hours. I don't find the dog shelter a viable idea because it's too cumbersome and if it were small enough to carry, yet big enough to shelter in it, that would mean that I couldn't carry anything but the shelter. Having no kit in a wilderness survival situation is deadly to me because I lack caveman skills. I can't knap out stone age tools, I have to carry modern hand tools.
As far as packing a dog box... It's too big, too heavy, and too little for me to comfortably sleep in. Moreover, in my climb, there's no safe place to build a fire in it.
As far as you cats mentioning how your wife's got you in the dog box enough so as it is, be glad she didn't take off and put you in the poor haus. The dog box is always better than the poor haus! You know I've always got to one up you lot...
Just my thoughts. Cheers and thanks for reading,
bolillo
Last edited by bolillo_loco; 11-01-2013 at 06:42 PM..
Reason: No Rhodes scholar here
Be careful with dog houses. Eustace Conway at his Turtle Island Preserve (watch this guy on YouTube...really interesting) is in a heap of trouble with the code people who think his dog house should have electricity and indoor plumbing! Damn building codes, anyway...
Be careful with dog houses. Eustace Conway at his Turtle Island Preserve (watch this guy on YouTube...really interesting) is in a heap of trouble with the code people who think his dog house should have electricity and indoor plumbing! Damn building codes, anyway...
His structures had a permanent foundation and were larger than 12' in any dimension and were used as living space. 3 things in NC that requires a permit. A dog house though dodges all of the above. And if you're on rural land no one should notice or care. My 12' cabin sits on a foundation all above ground and is located off a bank of the dirt road. No reason for anyone to drive up it unless they live here or want an adrenaline rush.
The dog house concept would just be for sleeping. Or maybe sitting up on the floor and watching tv. It's too small to notice. You can set this up in Soho NY and no one would notice, lol.
I don't think an 4x8 - 8x8 shed would be any more difficult to construct or transport than a doghouse, especially if it's built modular for breakdown. Big benefit to a shed is that you could at least stand most of the way up which you couldn't really do in a pooch pad. Never underestimate the importance of being able to stand up, it makes getting in and out of cold/wet/muddy gear exponentially easier.
I don't think an 4x8 - 8x8 shed would be any more difficult to construct or transport than a doghouse, especially if it's built modular for breakdown. Big benefit to a shed is that you could at least stand most of the way up which you couldn't really do in a pooch pad. Never underestimate the importance of being able to stand up, it makes getting in and out of cold/wet/muddy gear exponentially easier.
In Alaska getting undressed indoors is probably important, but where I am I can stand 20 degrees for a couple minutes or long enough to wash if I had to. It really sucks though and is pushing it.
I like the modular concept. Especially for a small shed. The benefit of a wooden dog house or such is if it had a floor and solid roof and was able to take in one piece it would be quicker.
I think I may make a modular dog house. I'm only concerned about where the pieces connect leaving a cracks for a draft. Any ideas on that?
Be careful with dog houses. Eustace Conway at his Turtle Island Preserve (watch this guy on YouTube...really interesting) is in a heap of trouble with the code people who think his dog house should have electricity and indoor plumbing! Damn building codes, anyway...
This, of course, could be an entirely new topic, but what is the reason for forcing (through codes) homes to have electricity in your state/county/etc? I think some of the codes around here are ridiculous... but that one takes the cake. My guess is it's all about money (you MUST "chose" our service). Sound familiar in these days?
This, of course, could be an entirely new topic, but what is the reason for forcing (through codes) homes to have electricity in your state/county/etc? I think some of the codes around here are ridiculous... but that one takes the cake. My guess is it's all about money (you MUST "chose" our service). Sound familiar in these days?
Is electricity really mandatory? I was under the impression that only the structure itself/ septic permit, etc must follow the codes. That would mean the poor old timers who had their electricity cut off because they can't afford it would have to move out of their house. Many old houses from the 40s,50s or before weren't initially built with electricity.
I think so long as someone is paying their basic taxes, there shouldn't be any question about if or how they get electricity.
Don't know about other places, but the small town I live in has a requirement all homes must be hooked up to the grid.
Nothing says you have to use the power, just be connected.
I designed a new system for myself and I'm in the process of getting the components to put it together, and once I do I will drop a secondary box from the primary with a cut off so I can just shut off the grid feed, (completely dissconnect) and operate off of the alternate feed. If necessary though, I could just flip the switch and be back on mainline power if I have to.
If they inspect the house for insurance or whatever, I am "hooked up" to the grid, I just won't be using their power
Don't know about other places, but the small town I live in has a requirement all homes must be hooked up to the grid.
Nothing says you have to use the power, just be connected.
I designed a new system for myself and I'm in the process of getting the components to put it together, and once I do I will drop a secondary box from the primary with a cut off so I can just shut off the grid feed, (completely dissconnect) and operate off of the alternate feed. If necessary though, I could just flip the switch and be back on mainline power if I have to.
If they inspect the house for insurance or whatever, I am "hooked up" to the grid, I just won't be using their power
I guess I'll have to watch for that dictate in the future. I plan on using very little, if any electricity. What I may use would be easily powered by today's solar technology, or even the appliance itself (solar lights, etc) being self contained. Right now, I've been using my oil lamps (and candles) almost exclusively. So I haven't been using the house lights much. I plan to just sort of continue in this direction and ween myself away from (at least) grid electricity.
It's hit and miss, from what I've found in my state (Utah). Some counties do indeed mandate electricity. Others don't--especially the counties to the west of the state that are fairly isolated and very friendly to alternative building technology. From what I can find, the county in North Dakota where my little plot of land is does not require grid power, per se--although I can't imagine the topic comes up much for new construction.
My problem is not so much having a house wired (that's easy to do, and I've done it over the years several times), but the mandate that you must be connected to the grid/power company. There is often a minimum fee whether you use power or not. I'd sooner not even wire my future home (although I won't throw a fit if I must wire it), but I will have a tantrum about being "hooked up." If I have any house-wide power, it would probably be 12V solar/wind anyway... and like I said, I doubt I'll even do that.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
