I did wonder, especially with the heat of a fire or stove inside the bender. I could totally see that the curved roof would make you wonder about using it as a coracle though 
M
M
optimum one person natural shelter
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bambodoggy
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Could you soak them back to suppleness Mary? Few days in a pond or bathtub etc? Whatta ya think?
I doesn't seem to work. No idea why, and we have tried, but if you soak the hazel or willow once it's dried out for keeping, you get one shot at it, after that it goes brittle, it handles differently, harder, snappier.
It's why basket makers keep their work damp while they are working, and why second soak willow and hazel is considered very much inferior stuff. It cracks.
I've worked with a lot of people who demo, and if materials could be saved to be reused, then they would do it. For just letting kids have hands on and doing those little stick hurdle things about a foot long, or cutting them up to make tension trays, then you get away with it, but for baskets or something large like a coracle ? I'd be very surprised.
atb,
M
It's why basket makers keep their work damp while they are working, and why second soak willow and hazel is considered very much inferior stuff. It cracks.
I've worked with a lot of people who demo, and if materials could be saved to be reused, then they would do it. For just letting kids have hands on and doing those little stick hurdle things about a foot long, or cutting them up to make tension trays, then you get away with it, but for baskets or something large like a coracle ? I'd be very surprised.
atb,
M
Of course a steamy sweat lodge might have had a different effect. I have known, on another occasion willow to be resoaked, in fact in primary school we did this when we did basket making.
The coracle along with me and our Bronze Age kayak
The coracle along with me and our Bronze Age kayak
It's not as good or as workable though. If you do any basketry at all you can really, really, feel the difference. It cracks and splits rather than bends and twists. If you can avoid it, then it's much for the best. Buffs are slightly more forgiving, but not by much.
It's why we've developed so many ideas for using up 'scrap' willow and hazel for public hands on type days.
Everything from bird feeders to candle lantern carriers, tension trays to support things for climbing pot plants, ojos de dios to star wands. Wee fishes and christmas ornaments and dreamcatchers.
M
It's why we've developed so many ideas for using up 'scrap' willow and hazel for public hands on type days.
Everything from bird feeders to candle lantern carriers, tension trays to support things for climbing pot plants, ojos de dios to star wands. Wee fishes and christmas ornaments and dreamcatchers.
M
Silly questions, but I'm new to this: I was wondering how you have a fire in a bender? Presumably, the fire's kept small. How low could the bender roof safely be? Do you site the fire towards the back of the bender so escape is possible? And does the smoke get out through the door?
Silly questions, but I'm new to this: I was wondering how you have a fire in a bender? Presumably, the fire's kept small. How low could the bender roof safely be? Do you site the fire towards the back of the bender so escape is possible? And does the smoke get out through the door?
The best way is to use a small burner - cut a rectangular hole in your outer tarp, and sandwich the hole with 2 slightly larger pices of wood (or aluminium) glue and bolt together - then use a hole saw to make the flue hole. Ive even seen tarps with windows fitted in this way....
but for an open fire, smaller is better.... or even best not at all. Use the trick of heating stones in a fire and bring them into the bender and drop into a pit in the center of the tent.
you can make a trench(from the pit to the outside of the tent) and a pit in the ground, and cover the trench with stones, and set the fire in the pit. make the pit fairly deep (1.5 foot) and the trench will become your chimney (kind of )
Dry dry wood, and as much ventalation are also key
i've seen replicas of noongar (name for the ABORIGINES of southwestern australia ) benders where they had the fire in front of it (-the heat reflecting inwards)....
We find loads of evidence for similar structures in Western Europe too. They used to be called hunting hides….until someone out two and two together and realised that there's no reason for a fire in front of a hunting hide.
Arcs of small post holes, no thicker than about 5cm and usually smaller.
M
Arcs of small post holes, no thicker than about 5cm and usually smaller.
M
Thanks Matt. I think bringing in the hot rocks looks simplest.
How do people consider Carbon monoxide with fires in shelters?
bambodoggy
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
It's easy in the modern world....just nip down to your local DIY store and buy a carbon monoxide alarm for about the 20 quid mark and have that in your shelter with you....it might seem a steep price for a camping trip but it can be used agan and again (subject to changing batteries of course) and its cheaper than a funeral
Good air flow and plenty of ventilation are your friends here
Hope that helps,
Bam.
Thanks for the link Mary, picture paints a thousands words.
good info, thanks. Would love to know more about your experiences bender living. I met a few crusties (who were doing the whole bender living thing) when I was at a few roads protests in the 90's, but I got a haircut and a job and went back to the "real world".
