Video Journal - Camp Construction Begins (and a bit of bowl carving!)

[Braidsta]

Afternoon all,

Another video I'd like to share, and after such lovely feedback on my efforts so far there'll be more to come!

[video=youtube;WhOVeyhBxcM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhOVeyhBxcM[/video]

Inspired by a youtube guy - Carlisle195, check him out! - I've started on improving my camp. I'm down with Leave No Trace, but seeing his debris shelter VILLAGE, I've begun to see I can make things a bit more homely, barely breaking a twig in the process.

My skills in this area are basic so I doubt there's much to be learned from me, but I'm going to document every step of my camp construction efforts. I also did a bit of bowl carving and spoon knife sharpening while I was there. Also my first bit of forest management(?) haha - killing some of the ivy to hopefully save some trees and shed more light on my camp. Whether ivy actually chokes trees or not is something I've been swinging back on forth on, but I've come to believe it does. I'd more than welcome any advice on this, I like ivy and feel it's a shame when folk clear it off their houses etc, but in my camp it's mental and a few dead vines make little impact!

Hope it's enjoyed, have a good day

Brady

 

[boatman]

The debris village is a good idea. I thought of this as an alternative to a roundhouse as the effect of, say, five debris shelters grouped in a horseshoe round a firepit would be similar to the feel of a roundhouse interior at a fraction of the effort of building a proper one. Perhaps the shelters would be flat topped rather than the teppe shapes he has.

 

[dewi]

Great video and I ain't half hungry after seeing that last couple of minutes.

You know when you were saying about the lashing for the debris shelter... there is a brilliant video by Lofty Wiseman (I presume from either the 70's or 80's) that is on YouTube and he builds a shelter, showing how he uses cordage to tie it all together.

 

[Braidsta]

Thanks guys! I hope to get down there again soon but life is starting to get busy! I'll find some quiet time the next couple weeks.

Dewi thanks for that, I haven't seen or heard much of Lofty, just never looked into his stuff though I know he's a king in the game. I'll have a look tonight and hopefully get those beams lashed properly.

 

[Macaroon]

Good stuff again, Brady........Lashing is really easy to get the hang of and the only knot you need for it is the clove hitch, which is also a simple one to learn. The only problem with it is that it takes a lot of cordage if you go along and lash each pole individually like that, so you may want to use something a lot cheaper than paracord which also tends to stretch and loosen when wet, cheapo cotton stuff will shrink down tight after getting wet.

Maybe think about a weaving of some of the poles so they hold without tying at all? or run two ridge poles with the uprights wedged in between them? Loads of options available.............

Looking forward to the next one

 

[User3326]

Lashing can be done with cable ties. Quick, strong and they hold well. Nip down to screwfix and buy a big pack.
There's a web series on youtube of someone building a shelter using them. Might give you some tips too.
Part 1 of 7

[video=youtube;q-xxmNzlCdc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-xxmNzlCdc[/video]

 

[rorymax]

Cheap Lashings:
Might have been on here I came across this, can't remember exactly.

[video=youtube;F9PuGmbq6jU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9PuGmbq6jU[/video]

 

[Braidsta]

Thanks for the links and info, I'm back in supply of 100ft paracord (Wild Elk brand - I've gone right off The Bushcraft Store stuff), but I'll try to bring some cable ties with me too.
I did consider them but opted for paracord as I was relutant to use plastic, but realised paracord isn't ideal for leaving in the woods either - whatever material, I'll keep track best I can of the bits I use so I can take it all with me should I dismantle the structures / someone kicks it down.

It's driving me mad now as I just can't get down there this week, nor the next. Progress will be slow but will happen!