tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post5409439674186070081..comments2023-08-15T06:33:53.114-07:00Comments on Bison Prepper: guest article- post 2 of 2 todayJames M Dakinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01382139289994087931noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-28486168015444783092018-09-07T06:54:30.285-07:002018-09-07T06:54:30.285-07:00Long ago I suggested a van with engine pulled as t...Long ago I suggested a van with engine pulled as the towed BOV, in a similar role of home and hauler of material. A cab over in a truck bed would be much nicer and better designed living space.James M Dakinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01382139289994087931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-49882724277004209562018-09-07T04:22:07.205-07:002018-09-07T04:22:07.205-07:00Or a low boy trailer as the platform. Anything th...Or a low boy trailer as the platform. Anything that gets the floor off grade and out of the dirt - mud. Much easier to level too.<br /><br />A pickup bed trailer camper could work too. Install it on a pickup bed trailer to your vehicle does not carry it all the time. Not a bad bug-out vehicle option, use the carry vehicle to carry out extra materials AND your shelter.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-80270516578534578342018-09-06T11:49:44.253-07:002018-09-06T11:49:44.253-07:00Duh! Why didn't I think of rebar? Nothing to...Duh! Why didn't I think of rebar? Nothing to see here, move along.James M Dakinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01382139289994087931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-69708146348035706972018-09-06T10:42:16.634-07:002018-09-06T10:42:16.634-07:00If you switch out the PVC support for 1/4" re...If you switch out the PVC support for 1/4" rebar - very possible. I'm not a structural engineer, but those round hoop structures support themselves very well. I don't think it would last on top of the platform though.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-16696864202945051672018-09-06T06:24:00.217-07:002018-09-06T06:24:00.217-07:00Thanks to everyone for all the replies. I almost m...Thanks to everyone for all the replies. I almost missed a few of the later posts, not taking into account that some of the minions are a few days behind in reading the articles. <br /><br />If you’re one of those lucky individuals that doesn’t have a bladder such as mine, and can just climb into a good sleeping bag and sleep uninterrupted, shelter options become much less critical. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-88538060131397905032018-09-06T06:06:49.085-07:002018-09-06T06:06:49.085-07:00I wonder if you could use that covered frame to do...I wonder if you could use that covered frame to do a ferrocement structure? Starting at the bottom would seem to strengthen it enough if you do it over several days. Course, no experience here.James M Dakinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01382139289994087931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-77026414058422134602018-09-06T03:46:29.332-07:002018-09-06T03:46:29.332-07:00We once built a backyard garden cover that might w...We once built a backyard garden cover that might work for a DIY shelter. About 8' x 12' footprint. Drive 1" steel pipe into the ground. Insert 3/4" PVC into one of the sleeves and the opposite end across the way to another sleeve, forming a hoop frame. Repeat every 3 feet. You end up with a quonset hut shape.<br /><br />So I was thinking doing the same but on a platform about same dimensions. Install a short plywood wall around bottom perimeter. Install same pipe along the plywood wall, using conduit straps to hold it in place. Then place cover over the hoops - you end up with a 'covered wagon' sort of shelter.<br /><br />If high enough, a wooden picnic table can be used as a ladder to climb into this. Net material for dry warm weather. Switch to a closed tarp for colder or wet times. Use the bottom framing for off ground storage.<br /><br />For a larger budget, building this under an aluminum carport would be even better for permanent sun and rain protection.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-24800384826587868012018-09-05T10:46:22.213-07:002018-09-05T10:46:22.213-07:00That tree tent is pretty neat and would work in wa...That tree tent is pretty neat and would work in warm weather. I'm guessing in cold weather, you had better have a good sleeping bag w/ sleeping pad, as the contact with floor would be damn cold.<br /><br />I'm sure others have seen that trampoline with teepee structure on top in somebody's backyard. That was very cool.<br /><br />Thanks for those links to Coroplast DIY - pretty inventive stuff.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-72551082179497495372018-09-04T06:32:56.596-07:002018-09-04T06:32:56.596-07:00RSL/WI,thanks for the heads up. I was actually thi...RSL/WI,thanks for the heads up. I was actually thinking of using an additional cover if I went with the tent option, but it was mostly to keep the sun from destroying it, since I deal with intense sunlight and heat where I live, in the summer. But I would have removed it by winter.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-14329265962816573312018-09-04T06:31:51.688-07:002018-09-04T06:31:51.688-07:00“Can you imagine how much seclusion you could have...“Can you imagine how much seclusion you could have with the nearest water source four miles away?”<br /><br /><br />Thanks for the input; much appreciated. I believe that our good blog host has mentioned that my junk land (I haven’t actually been there yet) is about 5 miles of rough 4x4 roads from water and power. Most would see it as a disadvantage, but I don’t, and found comfort in your comment.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-30037545385692688662018-09-04T03:49:40.354-07:002018-09-04T03:49:40.354-07:00We don’t use any additional cover over our canvas ...We don’t use any additional cover over our canvas tents, canvas needs to breathe or it soaks up moisture and then you have condensation problems. Especially in cold climates. Imagine it raining in your tent when the soaked canvas thaws out and it starts dripping everywhere. RSL/WIAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-75951460021214990712018-09-03T19:00:49.718-07:002018-09-03T19:00:49.718-07:00That is a darn good idea! I'm a bit jealous.That is a darn good idea! I'm a bit jealous. James M Dakinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01382139289994087931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-89596767665416777612018-09-03T16:37:00.672-07:002018-09-03T16:37:00.672-07:00I remember watching that video when you posted it....I remember watching that video when you posted it. The geology of the area that he was in has large stone uplifts (earthquake activity) that are easily eroded by wind and water. That's why it wasn't too hard (relatively speaking-for rock) for that dugout to be built. There are naturally formed caves and habitable hollows all through that area. Can you imagine how much seclusion you could have with the nearest water source four miles away? Nobody would ever find you unless you left a trail.<br /><br />Here's an idea I've had about not freezing to death in an uninsulated shelter. You'll need a hard/smooth floor that casters can roll on. Build a plywood bed frame with caster wheels as low as possible to the ground. Then you build a super-insulated box, about the size of a coffin, that you could roll your plywood bed frame in. Only one of the narrow ends is open, so you roll yourself in, and only your head sticks out, with the opening sealed by wool blankets. There's just enough room inside to turn over from your back to side if necessary, and when you want to get out in the morning, bring your fingers up by your head, pull/push, and roll yourself out from the coffin like pulling yourself out from under your vehicle with a creeper. This way, if you're freezing, you don't have the awkward problem of loading up wool blankets on yourself until you're suffocating and your feet are torqued with pain. Just have a normal amount of blankets, the heat that escapes the blankets is caught within the coffin which is much warmer than the rest of your shelter, and only your head is exposed (neck gaiter and beanie cap) so you have enough oxygen to breath. The only possible drawback would be if you were claustrophobic, or you had trouble creating a smooth floor for the caster wheels, or you didn't have 12' of floor space to operate the bed system. Of course the top of the coffin can be used as a warm-weather bed, or a table, or work space or storage space.<br /><br />Whatever you end up with for shelter, you must have a strict mouse-control plan so they don't get in your shelter and leave their hantavirus-laced poo and pee behind for you to breathe.<br />Peace outAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-62144502707728169222018-09-03T12:43:07.283-07:002018-09-03T12:43:07.283-07:00Yeah, I have the PDF already Jim. Ultimately, what...Yeah, I have the PDF already Jim. Ultimately, whatever I go with will have to be butt simple (such as partially burying my Plymouth Voyager, or similar existing object) or it will be a strong, simple box, that I will bury. <br /><br />That dugout that the crazy dude stayed in, whose video that I posted here once before, looked pretty nice. So if I can produce something like that, that would be the goal. But again, whatever it is, it’s main criteria will have to be simplicity.<br /><br />My life as a Mojave Desert hermit (The above mentioned crazy dude. The dugout is featured at the 0:56 mark. 7 minutes total).<br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxpUc8lj-CY&feature=youtu.beAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-52284936846947262342018-09-03T10:04:15.495-07:002018-09-03T10:04:15.495-07:00Do you need a copy of the $50 & Up Underground...Do you need a copy of the $50 & Up Underground home? It has to be an e-book, but really a resource you should have. Without it I wouldn't have brainstormed mine. James M Dakinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01382139289994087931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-5372239370495417062018-09-03T06:54:35.855-07:002018-09-03T06:54:35.855-07:00Yeah, that’s what I was thinking Jim, and you alre...Yeah, that’s what I was thinking Jim, and you already know the area. I know that regardless of whether I build something above ground or not, earth sheltered is a given. I’m not financially well off enough to be able to afford to heat a conventional abode all winter long, and I have no reason to believe that fuel or energy costs will not go up significantly in the upcoming years. <br /><br />So I will have to pay the price in blood sweat and tears on my end, to come up with an affordable earth sheltered option.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-63323409555528556772018-09-03T06:22:43.559-07:002018-09-03T06:22:43.559-07:00My operation is based on shipping containers, from...My operation is based on shipping containers, from 20 to 40 foot. I have four: living quarters, workshop, and two storage; all on a couple of hundred acres, easily observable by Google Earth, but far from any paved road. It was the best I could do.<br /><br />Your observations coincide with my experience. Drilling holes in the things was a revelation. Luckly, my wife can weld. Investiment in a good TIG (?) welder was well spent.<br /><br />I would add one comment: Don't try to bury them more than a few inches below ground. I have one so buried and the top is dangerously stressed. They are not built to handle the distribution of weight of an earthen cover. Maybe a light coat, but not enough to get below ground cooling. The corner posts will take tremendous weight, but not the roof.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-92008254006104989972018-09-03T06:17:59.007-07:002018-09-03T06:17:59.007-07:00Just my two cents. High desert, temps well below ...Just my two cents. High desert, temps well below freezing is a warm day. Get set up for temps under zero. Not all the time, but often enough. One good thing-you rarely have to worry about wind chill. Seems to be non stop wind the rest of the year, not as much in the winter. James M Dakinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01382139289994087931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-88793152131469804442018-09-03T05:37:42.778-07:002018-09-03T05:37:42.778-07:00Thanks for the input gents.
@peace out. Great mi...Thanks for the input gents. <br /><br />@peace out. Great minds think alike. I’ve had pretty much the same thought with regards to your tent set up. I was thinking an outfitters tent with a stove pipe port. I was also thinking that it would be nice to build a deck to get it off the ground a little, but your pallet suggestion would be far easier and cheaper. This would be affordable and easy. My only concern would be the constant source of heat to stay warm in the winter, though the stoves sold for these tents are really small, and don’t consume much wood, so this idea is something to consider on a more temporary level. <br /><br />@Dingo. Thanks for the suggestion on the Anderson bomb shelter; I had not heard of them. This is right up my alley; cheap and simple! I was thinking of something along similar lines; meaning something pre-existing that can be modified slightly, and simply buried, or partially buried. I was considering partially burying my Plymouth Voyager (now dead) nose first into the side of a hill. But ultimately, earth sheltered will be a must over the long term, at my high desert retreat, where temps can drop down well below freezing. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-15943228854857711542018-09-02T18:31:49.102-07:002018-09-02T18:31:49.102-07:00Good article. Thanks for reminding me about that c...Good article. Thanks for reminding me about that corflute shelter. Somewhat Like yourself I'm no handy man. <br /><br />Have a look at the British WWII Anderson Bomb shelter for some inspiration. basically half a water tank on its side covered in earth. That'd fit on your truck by the sounds of it. It'd also be stealthy. It also allows for you to dig yourself out in the event of a really bad day<br />Dingonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-35621442050684813832018-09-02T17:37:07.555-07:002018-09-02T17:37:07.555-07:00Not sure about how much you can spend for shelter,...Not sure about how much you can spend for shelter, but how about a mil surplus canvas tent? Maybe using pallets for the floor, Reflectix bubble insulation inside, plus an extra tarp over the top outside for an extra layer of weatherproofing, if you wanted something quick and portable. Maybe top it with a desert-pattern leaf camo equipment net?<br /><br />If you get a free shipping container, it'll be trashed most likely. Since it'd be a high-profile shelter, you might as well put a metal roof on it and collect rainwater. Use Simpson Strong Ties on the edges for your 2x4 roof supports. The steel on the top where you would mount your brackets is tough. I used to think you could pre-drill the holes with a drill bit so screws would go in easier. Not so much, you need to weld the supports on. Also, they treat the flooring in the shipping containers with pesticides to keep bugs out while stuff is being transported. You'll want to seal the floor somehow so the pesticide off-gassing doesn't go into your lungs.<br />Peace outAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com