# Self Sufficiency/Living off the Land or Off the Grid > General Homesteading >  Our Tiny Cabin Build

## Gary O

I s’pose this s/be some sorta blog.
I’m not into blogs.
I’m more fond of some relaxed back and forth.


Hoookaaay, let’s get started with the beginning of our latest cabin build experience.
Around the turn of the century we bought a piece of land in the high desert of south central Oregon.

Back in 2009 we built a modified A frame with what I’ll call pony walls. 
Since I enjoy the romance and ownership of building from my own design, I build models beforehand to prove my fractured theories, and ferret out things that I hadn't quite figured out, such as a bird's mouth in relationship to the roof pitch and the angles/depths involved.
These models are scale duplicates down to the thickness of the wood (I ripped some 1 x 8 pine down to size) in order to replicate the scene of potential issues. This has proven to save a ton of angst and precious cash.
Here's a few pix. Note; I opted to build without the ridge board due to the severe pitch and choice to use 2 x 6 planks as initial roofing (eave stability).
modelcabinfront.jpg

the following pics contain the progress of our initial (main cabin) build;

remove crushed camper (bad winter)
rottencampermeetscrowbar.jpg

Well, apparently, I’m only allowed two pics per post.


Lovely.

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## Gary O

Built the floor on the ground.
Skids on bricks.
Cabinfloor.jpg

Framing
cabin walls.jpg

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## Gary O

framing (cont)
frame.jpg

initial siding (T1-11, quick)
cabin siding rough in.jpg

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## Gary O

oopsy, more framing
moreframing.jpg

roofing
cabinsubroof.jpg

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## Gary O

final product
Cabin 2.jpg

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## randyt

nice, nothing like a cozy cabin.

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## crashdive123

Beautiful work.  Love the model idea as well.

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## BENESSE

That's so inspiring!
Great job, looks wonderful.

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## alaskabushman

Very nice work!

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## hunter63

> oopsy, more framing
> moreframing.jpg
> 
> You know the ladder is up side down right?........LOL 
> 
> roofing
> cabinsubroof.jpg


Sorry just giving you a bad time.

Thanks for posting this....look like a very well thought out project.
Nice job.

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## alaskabushman

South central Oregon? May I ask what part? My grandparents own a cabin in Prineville so I have spent some time in that area.

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## Solar Geek

Beautiful!

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## Rick

> _You know the ladder is up side down right?_


_

_That's 'cause he built it from the top down. 

You did a great job on both the model and the real McCoy.

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## hunter63

I just love post from folks that are "Doin"......

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## Gary O

> Sorry just giving you a bad time.
> 
> Thanks for posting this....look like a very well thought out project.
> Nice job.


Well now, how in heck do you think Id get back down???duh (back attcha, thanks fer playin, Hunter)

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## Gary O

> South central Oregon? May I ask what part? My grandparents own a cabin in Prineville so I have spent some time in that area.


15 mi due east of Crater Lake off hwy 97 (I really dont know if that particular area is called south central, or the co-ordinatesjust happy to find my way there)

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## alaskabushman

> 15 mi due east of Crater Lake off hwy 97 (I really dont know if that particular area is called south central, or the co-ordinatesjust happy to find my way there)


I see, pretty country down there! Sounds like you found your corner of the world.

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## Gary O

well now, I just learned to double post..........

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## hunter63

> Well now, how in heck do you think Id get back down???duh (back attcha, thanks fer playin, Hunter)


Nice....well played.

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## cabingal4

Crater_Lake_in_Winter_Oregonwp.jpg
we are about a mile up on  the meadow  of mt.scott.
sure pretty area.we have found our home there.we are in the high desert.

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## Canoetripper

That's nice lookin country up that way. 
good looking cabin also.................

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## Highhawk1948

Great work.  I could live in it year around if it had a franklin stove.

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## Gary O

> Nice....well played.


Ill forgive you only if you send me several pounds of Wisconsin cheese (we just think we know how to make cheese over here). I share an office with a guy from WI, but I would welcome more of the good stuff (Im somewhat of a cheese slut, actually). Last nip was of baby swissit made me moist.


Hoookay, back to a bit of our cabin history;

camp kitchen.jpg
We added a summer kitchen a year or so after we finished the cabin (cabins are never really finished by the way).

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## Gary O

A couple years later, after cabi darn near froze to death one winter just trying to make coffee, we added on a little indoor kitchen to the back end of the cabin.
I made the windows and dutch door.
kitchen frame up.jpg

windows are in.jpg

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## Gary O

kitchen window.jpg

window build.jpg

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## Gary O

Door build

2x2 half door build.jpg

screwed and glued half door.jpg

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## Gary O

hung..it fits! (happy)
kitchen door.jpg

finished kitchen
cabin kitchen.jpg

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## Gary O

kitchen exterior
kitchen add on.jpg

shaked kitchen.jpg

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## Gary O

last of the kitchen pics (I think)

screens are on.jpg

kitchen daytime.jpg

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## Gary O

Tomorrow, the front room add on.

Thank you everyone for the wonderful comments (you too, Hunter)

cheers

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## hunter63

I'm a big Lean-to guy my self.......
The Tja ma shed........now has two.....we used this as a bath/shower house, storage and potty room.....back when "The Place" was a 16' Shasta Travel trailer.

Again nicely done.

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## crashdive123

Beautiful work.  Love seeing the pictures.

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## Rick

Cabin porn good. Nice job.

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## BENESSE

I can't imagine too many things more satisfying than building your home with your own two hands and then living in it.
Log cabin building should be a mandatory, (hands on) course in any high school. One can learn so much that's beyond just making something.

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## Gary O

> I can't imagine too many things more satisfying than building your home with your own two hands and then living in it.


Words of experience, of a truth for sure.

I wrote some words in a book somewhere.
Words that come from deep within.
From this rhythmic thing in my chest.
Rather tribal.

They go something like this;

_Very few deeds mark one’s existence better than creating something.
And that something can be a cozy structure. 
The value is not monetary, but a form of fulfillment of one’s innermost being. 


For me, most everything else is a void, 
a bottomless abyss of pursuing elusive things with money, 
instead of applying my own hands to the tangible, 
of which remains so untouched these days.

The musician creates a song. 
The poet creates prose. 
The scientist makes discoveries. 
Joe average slogs to work, making a living. 
But building a simple cabin has a romance about it that beckons the soul._

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## BENESSE

> Words of experience, of a truth for sure.
> 
> I wrote some words in a book somewhere.
> Words that come from deep within.
> From this rhythmic thing in my chest.
> Rather tribal.
> 
> They go something like this;
> 
> ...


Amen to that, well put.

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## hunter63

Y'all must like the Shelter Book series.......
http://www.abebooks.com/Shelter-2e-t...mc-_-PLA-_-v01

...and Lloyd Kahn's books....

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## 1stimestar

Oh man, that does look homey.

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## Gary O

After months of trudging to the edge of the woods, TP and shovel in hand, we gathered some building scraps and built our poophaus. 
Not a hole, but a five gallon bucket.
open air loo.jpg

loo 2.jpg

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## Gary O

the fun part is scaring the beheysoos outta whoever is comin' outta there (sorry woman)

out house stalker.jpg

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## Rick

One might then say you scarred them chitless.

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## Gary O

Or the reverse

Hey, I seem to be struggling in the pic post depttheres gotta be a better way (little help here)

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## Gary O

inching along....

snapped a pic or two in winter;
WINTERTABLE.jpg

post card pic.jpg

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## hunter63

I use photobucket and lets me do 5 at a time....they are full sized though, not thumb nails.

Have you tricke the sawuse in the bucket?....refer "The Humanure Handbook"
Free down load.
http://humanurehandbook.com/contents.html

5 gal bucket in box and a compost bin.

I still have ours down in the shed, in case I don't make it back up the hill.
Used it in the log cabin for a year till the plumbing got done.

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## Gary O

more winter (or spring, or fall, or autumn) pics;

to the meadow

meadow's edge.jpg

slash burn (burn baby burn)

slash burn.jpg

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## Gary O

more winter (or spring, or fall, or autumn) pics;

ye olde slash fire tender
SLASHBURNING.jpg

my lady frets about my attentive abilities



no worries, baby, I got this
SLASHTENDER.jpg

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## Gary O

> I use photobucket and lets me do 5 at a time....they are full sized though, not thumb nails.
> 
> Have you tricke the sawuse in the bucket?....refer "The Humanure Handbook"
> Free down load.
> http://humanurehandbook.com/contents.html
> 
> 5 gal bucket in box and a compost bin.
> 
> I still have ours down in the shed, in case I don't make it back up the hill.
> Used it in the log cabin for a year till the plumbing got done.



Yup, sawdust....but, man...luuuuv the video....I do bleeve we'll be upgrading.

Last time we emptied 5 gal of poop darn near did me in.
Cabi was just sloshing away, watching the slurry plopping into the hole, shaking the bucket, yammering away about how beautiful the day was, while I was all bent over dry heaving my guts out.

Now to experiment with photobucket (I owe you, Hunter dude)

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## hunter63

The sawdust toilet worked so well in "in the cabin" we used it up stairs in the loft till winter time.
Really nothing to see when you dump it.....start out with a same sawdust in the bottom, then add some after use ...(I cheat a pee outside)...last about 4 days.
Have a spare buck ready and swap out when needed.

Actually use some dry sawdust and peat moss mix...1/2 and 1/2.

Some pic's .....not mine, that's 200 miles away right now.

https://www.google.com/search?q=huma...w=1093&bih=498

My neighbor up the hill has a straw bale house....very nice....no well or septic....collects water and keep in a 2000 gal. cistern....and still use his sawdust toilet in the bathroom in the house.....been 10 + years.

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## Gary O

Yup, I'm definitely upgrading

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## Gary O

I see in my profile that there's a limit to posting pics, and I'm around half way to the max usage

now I'm sad

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## hunter63

You are posting good stuff....been there done that stuff....you will get there.

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## Gary O

zzat mean if I'm gud I'll get more room????

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## Gary O

'tween slash burning and skittering thru the snow, one must do the important stuff;
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## Gary O

Years later, we added a mud (tea) room to the front;
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## Gary O

I luv (hate) shakes
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just used fence boards for the interior...and another homemade door
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(Hunter, I could plant a wet one on yer mug for pointing the way to photobucket)

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## Gary O

tired now

the pillowtop beckons

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## cabingal4

hey mister.
u cant forget the outhouse and how its decorated.
1269555_10201892377180193_1896202744_o.jpg

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## 1stimestar

Yay for photobucket.  Those pictures are much easier to see and doesn't take up all your photo space.

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## randyt

awesome, love the cabin and especially the shakes.

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## hunter63

> I luv (hate) shakes
> Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.
> Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.
> 
> just used fence boards for the interior...and another homemade door
> Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.
> Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.
> 
> (Hunter, I could plant a wet one on yer mug for pointing the way to photobucket)


Lets not get weird....LOL....but yeah I actually hate going back and forth on thumbnails.......

Really super pic's and an inspiration for some one that want to start on their dream.

Shows that you can "get a start'....enjoy *that* while you research, build and pay for stuff as you go along....the journey become part of the fun more tnan the end.

Too many times you see or hare about a "I want to have my place in the woods", and just get nuts trying to do everything at once....loose interest.

Our "Place" started in 1989, and continues to this day.....and by paying for each stage while we are going along....is completely paid for.....or I should say "was" .....we just got back from having (yeah ,I know had them installed,... long story) new windows all the way around....so we will be paying those off in 6 months, (I hope).

Then it's time to maybe build (or have built) an "Ag building"......taxed better or lower than a garage......another local tip.

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## Gary O

Good thoughts

I made a poster for a group Im with;


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unfortunately, making posters has become a bit of an obsession for me;

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## hunter63

Good ones.....

Here is a pic of the old Shasta, Taj ma shed, blue room....land '89, Shasta 1990, shed '91, and blue room '92
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Amish built cabin....on the road....
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Cabin "The Place" 2005

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## cabingal4

hunter63 -u have a wonderful place.
love it all.
very nice.

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## hunter63

Thanks.....Never done....LOL
Interesting to note, cabin came by truck....makes it a mobile home, so building codes don't apply.
Meaning, no permit, (got one anyway for a 16'X40" building)....and ....I can and did all my own electrical (inspected and OK'd) and plumbing, and interior work.

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## cabingal4

the cabins never done.
well i love the one little cabin ...its the one that is first on the first photo.
its blue and is sooo cute.
no permit for that cabin?the log cabin?wow.
love this.our cabin is on skids .
gosh.u have done really well.to do your own electrical,plumbing and interior work.its a beautiful place.

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## hunter63

That's a pop up camper, roof cranks up folds and lock in...then the side wall tip up....and latch.
Bought it for $200 bucks, roof was bad.....so set it up permanent, and roofed it with plywood and rolled roofing...actually twice now, stuff doesn't last long.

Figured where could I find a shed, .....that had bunks, stove, sink, furnace, ice box   and wired for electric ....and portable...(on wheels)...for $200 bucks.

Used it as a guest house,..... then shed and still used for storage........

The old Shasta trailer has been hauled off ...I gave it away to a sorta homeless guy, ....that was living in a blue bus, that got flooded...then a yurt made of blue tarps and large billboard canvas.
I needed the room for a tractor shed.

The shed with lean-to's was built by the local high school kids.....school is about a mile away....but across the river...that was quite a story as well.

Gary O....I betting you have many stories and adventures as well........and that is half the fun

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## Gary O

Stories? 

Moi?


*Dawgs*

I have some fond thoughts of our beagle, Joey.
Gotta say, he was my dog, even though he was meant for the boys.
Yeah, he was my deer dog.
Man, he could flush ‘em out.
The only thing is, I could never get him to run ‘em to me.
Oh, he could run ‘em by me.
On the dead run, hopping, leaping galloping.
So, we mostly just got our exercise. All three of us.

We had this neighbor lady, my wife’s friend.
Smug.
She was the neighborhood pre-google era self-proclaimed font of all info ever known.
Had that all knowing, smirky smug smile when you argued with her, even when she was obviously in over her head.

I may have actually hated her.

She was a churchy.
Always pressing my lady to ‘come, enjoy the wonderfulness of salvation’.

Yeah, that lady irritated the hell outta me.

There was that one time, however, that I most enjoyed.

She was in our front yard, all hunkered down, lettin’ Joey lick her face.
Man, he was goin’ at it, didn’t miss a spot.

‘Uh, that dog has some peculiar habits, you might reconsider him licking yer face.’

‘Oh, dogs have the cleanest of mouths, and he loves me.’

(OK, I won’t mention him just now gobbling up his own vomit from over indulging in yer compost pile, then crapping and dining on that).
‘Yeah, he really likes you. Boy, you sure have a way with animals.’

‘ I was raised on a farm.’

‘Yes, I can see that. Surely can.’

Joey was probably the smartest dog I ever had.
Not bring me my slippers smart, but he had a logic about him.

I’ve never really had a dumb dog.
Just some that didn’t seem to have much of a plan.



I have writ a passel of short stories, some in books.




* Mac and Velma’s*

Back in the ‘70s, 
….before ‘coffee shops’, 
before anyone knew what a Starbucks was, 
a little cafe sat at the edge of hwy 30, between Linnton and St Johns, smack dab in the middle of Portland’s northwest industrial section of mostly huge tanks of gas, diesel and oil.
They just opened for breakfast, closing at around 11 AM.

Mac was a long retired Marine. 
Grey hair in a crew cut, high and tight.
A tattoo on his forearm, not ones like today, just a simple anchor.
Velma was the chief cook and bottle washer. 
Didn’t see her much, just heard her, bangin’ pots and pans, flippin’ hotcakes.
Mac was the entertainer and pourer of coffee.
Always wiping his hands on the little bar towel tied to the front of his white apron.
White short sleeve shirt.
Stiff collar.
The tiny place was always spick and span.
Simple.
Mostly white and chrome.
A dozen red stools at the wooden counter.
Three padded booths.

‘There he is, last of the all time greats!’ was his typical greeting of a trucker that pulled his tanker rig into the gravel parking lot.

Of a cold morning, after working all night, I’d stop there, needing a shot of joe for the 30 bleary miles to the house.

The coffee was always good. 
Back when coffee was just coffee.
They call it ‘house brew’ now.

Mac would yard a plain cake donut outta the glass lidded pedestal container for me with his dinner plate sized hand.
‘How ya doin’ kid?’ 
I was not an all time great.
Truckers, gnarly truckers, with gravel for voices, and road maps for faces, they were the all time greats.

The donut was not sweet, but a saccharine contrast to the java.
I’d listen to Mac’s snappy patter with the truckers.
Sardonic retorts to Mac’s rhetoric was pure entertainment.
Everyone looked forward to the upbeat boost Mac would give them.
It was a good start to another day.

I drove by that spot not long ago.

The little café is gone.

Mac and Velma may very well have taken it with them.

Last of the all time greats.





.....wait, you might mean cabin stories.......I got summa those too.
Maybe after my little pictorial is finished

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## 1stimestar

> Stories? 
> 
> Moi?
> 
> 
> *Dawgs*
> 
> I have some fond thoughts of our beagle, Joey.
> Gotta say, he was my dog, even though he was meant for the boys.
> ...


Oh definite reps for that one.

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## Gary O

> Oh definite reps for that one.


Forgive me, but not quite followin ya, 1sti.
Im old, I dont get let out much.
Youll hafta explain (please)

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## Gary O

continuing the pics to present

Penned a few weeks ago;



Back from the cabin.
Got the floor down.
Tired
Sore
Hurt
Old
I hurt myself in so many places, I got no more places that don't.

But.....my juices are gacked.

Can't wait to get back there.

Man, when we got done leveling, truing, layin' down timbers, and I stepped back; a rush of design ideas went berserk in my head.

I really can't wait to get back there.

I'll tell ya'll one thing.
My woman is either as much of a man as I, or I'm as much of a woman as she, 'cause she worked just as hard...maybe harder...OK..OK...she worked harder.
But
She couldn't match me in the ***** and moan dept.

It snowed a bit one night.


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Heh, around midnight a bobcat jumped onto our front room roof from a tree, and musta had a peek or two thru the big window. 
Heard it plop on the ground outside the door and scamper off. 
Asked my woman if she'd just come back from the poophaus....no.
In the dim of the early morn I took a bleary gander out the kitchen window, and there it was....just slowly walkin' away.
Purdy in the snow.
Wish I'd had the camera handy just then.
Wunner if it watched me from the roof at least one of the three times I stumbled out in my undies to pee that night.
If so, I prolly gave it indigestion.

Saw five mighty nice deer when we were drivin' in.
And on the way home, 'bout 2-3 miles from the cabin, we watched a badger scurry across the road. My first badger sighting, ever.

I really can't wait to get back there.


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## Gary O

We get morning sunrise shots.
I like this one a lot. Kinda Kinkade -ish
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## hunter63

> We get morning sunrise shots.
> I like this one a lot. Kinda Kinkade -ish
> Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.


Absolutely  gorgeous....Thanks for posting.

I knew there was a story of two in this thread........
You can't do a project like this with out the people, the up and downs and everything else that makes it worth while.

Some time my comfort in those hurts are just, "if it hurts, it still works"

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## hunter63

> Forgive me, but not quite followin’ ya, 1sti.
> I’m old, I don’t get let out much.
> You’ll hafta explain (please)


Little star down by the "Blog this post" is a "Reputation trigger"....enough people give you Rep on any post...you will end up with more green marks under your name.

Gave you one for the last winter pic.

When you see a notification  at the top of the page under settings will tell you how many.....

This thread explains it.
http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...out-Reputation

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## Gary O

OK, progress;

The 2nd cabin is gonna be our bedroom.
I plan to lay down a deck between the cabins.
And maybe put in a homebuilt hot tub in the middle of the deck.

And once everything is up, I’ll run an alley roof from the kitchen to the back of the bedroom.

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(I built the French doors our of 2x2 cedar)
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camo tarp makes it kinda cool inside
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## Gary O

Moving the bed to the new shack sure cleared out the main cabin;
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and that brings us up to the present

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## Gary O

a note

Making the French doors.

Subtle suggestion; *DO NOT MAKE FRENCH DOORS!!!!*

Seemed like a simple enough project.......heh heh heh.

For, oh, say 60 of the 65 years I've been in existence, I've whittled/butchered/cobbled/hewn/chopped/gouged/disfigured and outright mutilated wood.

I tend to turn most my projects into timed weekend warrior events. 
These races typically start when I pull in the drive Friday afternoon and end late Sunday evening...prone, weeping, cutting myself.
I figger that's why there are five week days. 
Convalescence.
On any given Saturday morning, at 3AM, I can be found stumbling around, holding a 17th cup of coffee in my quavering hand, looking for.....something....oh, yeah, my try square......oh well, I'll jus zip a shade off the ol' edge.
......well, crap. 
Oh, heeeeere's my try square.
No worries, Home Dopey opens in three hours. 
Think I'll make another pot of coffee.

Note to readers; if one maintains hurry mode, one can gain much experience in repair mode, which comes directly after scurry mode, but only after the WTF!!??? (discovery) and wailing modes. 
But I do love French doors, and my imagination puts me and cabi waking up every morning to a glorious forested vista, with shards of sun rays beaming into the cabin.

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## hunter63

I can relate.....The Friday afternoon, beat feet 200 miles and try to get a start, days...

Being in "retired mode" now, and in retrospect, I look back to the plumbing days...(worked for a Mechanical Contractor, but as a HVAC Tech) so it was too much of a stretch...and the Master Plumber would look over my plans and make suggestions....I may very well be farther ahead....having a local (out there) friend just do it for me...... 

When I consider the time, materials, crawling around under the house.......and the re-do's.....for several weekends....making sure you didn't have to go to town for some forgotten items....yeah a toss up.
But when a turd floats.... I know every angle fitting and vent....have the scratch's and sore spots and invented cuss words....to prove it......I know it's MINE>

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## Gary O

> Little star down by the "Blog this post" is a "Reputation trigger"....enough people give you Rep on any post...you will end up with more green marks under your name.
> 
> Gave you one for the last winter pic.
> 
> When you see a notification  at the top of the page under settings will tell you how many.....
> 
> This thread explains it.
> http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...out-Reputation


 Hunter, you are rapidly becoming my personal font of info in regard to my ability to get around this forum, aaand in regard to my plans for our little patch of pumice.
Now, Id really like to see more pics of that gorgeous cabin, and a bit more verbiage in regard to square footage and amenities..

Soon (no pressure)

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## hunter63

Can do.....didn't want to steal your thunder....your cabin, Your thread.
I will just start a thread with details.....and more pic's.....as I have kinda saved them over the years....and have psoted some of the pic's but not all together, hear, I don't think.

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## Gary O

Excellent
I'm on it

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## cabingal4

heading to the cabin today.
going a different route so its easier on the truck.
gonna put the roof on the second cabin build.
looking forward to getting out of town.
plus sort of worried.put a 5 gallon bucket in the kitchen at the cabin.i tied a string across and one going down with a clump of peanut butter on it.
water in less than half full in the bucket.sure would hate to have 6 mice floating in there sitting there festering for 3 weeks.
glad if i get them.not glad if its stinky and rotting in all the high temps.
so cant wait to get to the cabin and check that one out.
getting ready for an adventure.

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## hunter63

Good luck .....that's always part of it....wondering about stuff when you aren't there.

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## cabingal4

ha ha.it sure is hunter63.
u are lucky.u are already there.
soon we shall be too.thank u.

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## hunter63

We are at the "city house" for a few more days....dog had surgery so waiting on stitches being removed.
Always something...........

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## crashdive123

The good thing about dead mice (other than being dead) is that they are small and won't stink for too long.  If they died a week or more ago the odor should be gone.

I'd still not inhale deeply as I walked inside.

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## Gary O

We arrived at the cabin around 9pm last Tuesday. 
Usually we get out, walk the cabin area, looking for signs of break in, or wildlife events.
Usually we go; LOOK! What’s this?!...discovering later that they are our own tracks from last time.

This time cabi made a beeline to the poophaus.
Considerable coffee intake on the way down was more than ready to outgo.

Note;
I built our loo in the strict style of the (I really don’t know what to do here) ancient culture of early ignoramusism, religiously adhering to the ‘I’ve gotta poop now’ method. 
One of the unique features is having to insert and outsert a board from the back of our facility in order to cover and uncover the 5 gal poopail.

In Cabi’s scurry to the back of our poophaus to remove the board, she suddenly got real quiet, trying, in the dark, to focus on and fathom what her mind was trying to explain to her.

‘Gar, come here….quick!’

‘What?’

‘JUST….COME…..!......‘NOWWWWW!’

My mind registered that my dear woman of 45 years, mother of my children, grandmother of my grandchildren, might be in trouble, and most definitely is facing down some sorta wild animal, most likely a hungry puma (of which, by the way, would make a really cool name of a rock band…’The Hungry Pumas’)…..

…..where was I……ah, yes….screaming woman.


I immediately went into rapid dawdle, tearing myself away from starring at the load in the pickup, breaking into a speedy saunter. 
I mean since it’s obviously a large heaving drooling ravenous wild mountain lion, why confuse everyone by rushing in and suddenly becoming the other white meat?
(this tactic learned from many years of astute survivalist training)



As I came around the cabin, here is what I saw, that cabi was trying to explain to me in great detail (in as few stunned, stupefied words as possible); 
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beginning of our 'root cellar'
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## hunter63

Alright....can't make out the ???????....maybe a clue?....Tree down?

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## Gary O

However, the main event, the one that was our main purpose of this trip, the putting on of the roof, was somewhat of an adventure all by itself.

Wednesday morning clouds formed. 

Ah.

Not gonna be so hot.

Nice.

Mosey.

Tear off sagging roof tarp.

Gaze, with frozen stupification, at waterfall from sagging tarp gush directly onto bed, camera, pistol, and other important things, like me.

Haul tools and organize things while cabi swabs out bedroom cabin and hangs things out to dry.

Mosey.

Rest from mosey.

Work, grunt, work.

Rest.

Sip coffee.

Ponder next thing to do and how to do it.

Get the 2x6s three fourths on and suddenly realize my arm, hand and thumb are no longer functioning, deciding instead to compete with my back for spasm count.

Rest.

Sip coffee.

Ponder.

Watch strange birds.

Go ‘Whazzat?’ several times in repetition.

Consider nap.

Tell each other to slow down, ‘we’ve got three days’.

Rain happens.

Rather suddenly.

Lots and lots of rain.

We discover 2x6s, tightly nailed, leak like sieves.
We gaze at the tarp shreds now on the ground.

We commence to mutually scream out pointed nouns and adjectives; 
‘THE (effing) BED!
 ‘THE (effing) FLOOR!’

‘EFF EFF EFF EFF!!!’
….all the while waving our arms in the air, running to and fro, banging into each other like berserk windup toys.

Eventually, I scurry up and down the ladder, with the agility of a wounded rhinoceros, throwing tarp shreds and OSB scraps onto the roof.
Ever see a wounded rhinoceros scurry up and down a ladder? 
I-I-I-I think not.

It’s not pretty. 

By the time I ran outta crap to throw on the roof, it‘s done raining…..for the week, it turns out.

It’s now close to 8pm.
I have no idea it will never ever ever rain again.
I just want to sleep in a bed….a dry bed….from the dry bedding from the main cabin.

An old fat man pulled up his trousers and tore all the wood scraps and tarp rags back off and doggedly finished the subroof…including the tar paper.....then drove 20 miles for a new tarp.

Tired?

I hadn’t known that kinda tired since….well….I don’t know.
My back spasms had spasms.

Ever OD on naproxen?
I only took two, before bed.
Only I couldn’t lie down.
Too much pressure in the chest.
I actually couldn’t move.
Considered the possibility of having a heart attack, and death.
Started welcoming the possibility of death.
I could feel cabi’s quiet concern, momentarily asking pertinent questions like, does your left arm hurt?
Why are you sweating?

After a lengthy Q&A, she handed me two Tums.
Bingo.
I’m ready to put on the roll roofing.

Thursday and Friday we did menial things and took lots of moments to enjoy our little patch of pumice.

Life is good.

Horrifically good.

Next rip, the siding, roll roofing, and other stuff.

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## Gary O

> Alright....can't make out the ???????....maybe a clue?....Tree down?


funny how one just can't form the words...sometimes

trees down...four of them in one root clump

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## hunter63

Quote>
EFF EFF EFF EFF!!!
 .all the while waving our arms in the air, running to and fro, banging into each other like berserk windup toys.
<quote

Around here it uff da, uff da  uff da....LOL. (old Viking saying....When in anger and in doubt, run in circles scream and shout....) 
Sounds like you had a good time.
Isn't having a "Place" fun?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uff_da

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## Gary O

more fun than one should be allowed to have
yessir

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## hunter63

> funny how one just can't form the words...sometimes


When I first saw the post...only the first picture showed up (?)....and was expecting something the do with shushousen...LOL
Now then a tree down like that, is an event.

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## crashdive123

Ah - the humble beginnings of a root cellar and piles of fire wood.

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## cabingal4

yes.we lost about 30 trees in that storm.i am sure glad we were gone.
i have worried about those trees hitting our cabin.
gary always told me they would never fall on our cabin.
did i believe him?nope.now i told him i will always listen to whatever he says.
jesus laid those trees down in the forest and they hit the wires but did not break them.
i was so so shocked.
once someones tree went down and they landed on the power lines.the tree stayed there forever and the line and the tree were so 
stretched way down almost to the ground.
soo.i worried for nothing.ha haa ha.

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## cabingal4

no mice in the cabin but what the heck?
a mouse stuck on a fence by his teeth.gar tried and tried to shake him off.nope.he would not come off.so
i guess i need to put wire fencing in the kitchen to catch mice.DSC_0367.jpg

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## hunter63

> no mice in the cabin but what the heck?
> a mouse stuck on a fence by his teeth.gar tried and tried to shake him off.nope.he would not come off.so
> i guess i need to put wire fencing in the kitchen to catch mice.DSC_0367.jpg


Now that is funny.....

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## cabingal4

hunter63.hope your dogs alright.

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## Gary O

I see that my photobucket effort was for naught. Changed pix to imgur

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## hunter63

> hunter63.hope your dogs alright.


Just had her neutered...she fine now.....

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## Tokwan

Awesome sight..if I make the decision to migrate there, I will need you guys to build a cabin for me...

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## crashdive123

> Just had her neutered...she fine now.....


I'll bet she may hold a different opinion.

Dog listening to conversation between H63 and vet......

Dog:  YOU'RE GOING TO WHAT?!?!?

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## hunter63

> I'll bet she may hold a different opinion.
> 
> Dog listening to conversation between H63 and vet......
> 
> Dog:  YOU'RE GOING TO WHAT?!?!?


We had to spell it.......and she knows when we pass the turn off to the vet, on our way out of town.....I think she holds her breath till we pass the road.

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## cabingal4

hunter63.
Just had her neutered...she fine now.....
so glad doggy is alright.

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## cabingal4

went to our cabin this weekend.
got alot done considering we were there only from friday nite to sunday morning.
we got the siding on the new cabin,got it stained and got the roofing on.
hubby forgot the paint brush.so i went 20 miles to get one.
he was so funny.he gave me his cell phone.all the phone numbers i could ever want.worried cause i had not gone alone out and about at our cabin before .
soo i tell him cause he is on the roof.u are the one who needs the phone,in case u fall.
no.he makes me take the phone.
soo i come back.had a nice time out and about on my own.getting a paint brush.
come back to see him on the roof.he has scaffolding with boards across the scaffolding boards and a ladder on top of the scaffolding on top of other boards.
and another ladder resting up against the cabin roof.it seems he would climb the one ladder.
then get onto the next ladder on top of the scaffolding.thats how he was getting up.
i was so horrified.typical though.
he sure did get the roofing on.
i drove thru the mountains.scared him too death.scared me more.
how do people whip thru the mountain passes going 65?i was going 50 and everyone hated me.i had to pull over and let them pass.
i think the law should be u have to go 45 thru the mountains.lol.
we had a good time.got our stuff done.got out.
found out the scalawags out there are in law trouble.they are either in jail,going to jail or in court.
there is some new person.i thought aw.look.they are doing the american dream.
got green houses up.no house.no real place to live.i think they got a green house to live in.and some green houses with plants
i said aw.they brought their plants with them dreaming of planting it out in the ground.
well silly me.they are potgrowers.thats whats in the green houses.so sad.soo i guess they have the proper permits to grow medical
pot.only thing to me is..how scary.someone could come rob them.so always something new out at the woods.

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## hunter63

Sounds like a fun week end....and yeah....some....ah, farming?...is maybe not really, well...you know....Best leave them be.

This is all part of the adventure.

I don't like using the chain saw when I'm the only one at "The Place"....need someone of to drive to ER if needed.

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## cabingal4

yeah.hunter63.i sure agree to your statement of best leaving the pot farmers alone.hmm.
dont think they are gonna last long out there.
yeah.i agree on the chainsaw statement too.
u have a great day.

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## Gary O

So we whipped down to the cabin(s) to lay the 2x6 floor and nail on the exterior trim and finish staining/sealing.

Love to find places that have cheaper stuff than the Home Dopies of the world.
Found this obscure place that has all kinds of salvaged building materials and unusual wood pieces.
I was like a kid in a candy store.


Settled on some rough cut 1x6 fir.

I have this vision.
My woman shares the same vision.

Give the place a rustic lookyeah, rustic


Heres where things got complicated.

rough cut is not necessarily 1x6
It can be 1x6in places
Other places it can be 1x5or 1x3..



Thusly, getting things level and plum dont work out so well.
If you try to match 45° cuts (like a picture frame), you end up searching thru the pile for same widthsthere are no same widths.

And 1x tends to split when pummeled with a 7d ring-shank nailespecially when on tippy toes on the uppermost THIS IS NOT A STEP part of the ladder.leaning far to the right, one centimeter past the colossal misfortune zone, clinging to the wall like a morbidly obese batgrampa.

Our neighbor Greg, down the road, must think I am the most abusive husband ever, because these lovely rustic trim boards absorbed every guttural loudly uttered moniker I could sputter, beginning with the pronoun you. 

Buuut, as usual, we had fun, rested in places, enjoyed our meals outside, and mustered a sense of pride in what two aged wheezing overfed almost retirees could accomplish in one day.

Oh, and we had a little visitor Saturday night.


Sometime after total dark set in, while we were still relaxing (plopping, heaving, gasping, slumped) in our camp chairs, sipping ice tea, admiring our work, we both saw something flutter in front of the cabin.

Whazzat?

Dunno

Huh

We got up, stumbled around putting the rest of the tools away, tripping over the little sapling stump (cleverly positioned between the two cabins) for the 27th time, and trudged into our new rustic boudoir.

Gotta say, it was nice to lie there on the bed, gazing at our handiwork.

My woman zonked out immediately.

I heard a noise.

A nibbling or skittering, mouse like noise.

I was thankful she didnt hear it (let the little guy enjoy his evening), cause shed be up and searching for it all nightwith a hammer.

Read my book till I got sleepy, and twisted off the lantern.

Laid there in the dark, barely making out the ceiling beams.

Saw something rather dark flutter.

Twisted on the lantern.

A bat was zooming around the cabin.

.......huha bat....huh......scratchfart

A BAT??!!

Nudged the little woman.

Hey....hey.....HEYYYY!

WE GOT A BAT!!

Covers fly.

Were up.

I wish I had a video of us flailing away at that critter with the only things available..foam cushions.

Gave the shotgun a thought. 

We opened both doors, but the little sucker just wanted to go up. 

It would stop, cling to a high corner, panting (I imagineor maybe that was just us), then, after we threw shoes and books at it, commence to fly around and around, deftly dodging slabs of foam.

I jumped up on the bed, strategically teetering, making pathetic circles with my arms while falling backwards onto the floor.

My woman didnt miss a beat, stepping over me, remaining a non-stop foam whisk machine. 

I figger we got about 47 minutes of aerobic flailing until we finally got it out the door.

Next trip Ill put the screens on.


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## crashdive123

Great pics.  Sure do wish there was a video of the great bat aerobics dance.

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## Rick

Great job on the cabin. Ya gotta love bats. Well, maybe not inside the house at midnight but still........

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## Wildthang

That is a neat place you guys have there! I have about 3 acres in the back of my property with trees, weeds and little mowed trails. It is my very own little wilderness and I have always wanted to build a little rustic cabin back there. It would be a nice place to go to just get away from conventional life.
If you don't mind my asking, what did it cost to build just the A frame cabin! 
I want to insulate it fairly well, and put a very small wood heater in it and just use candles for lighting! I will also use used windows if I can find them, or just make them using plexiglass.

This is what the area looks like.

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I know it isn't much, but it is where i go to practice my skills, and camp out occasionally, also shoot my guns back there as well.
So I think it would be nice to have a small cabin back there just to hang out in when I'm tired of hanging out in the house, and especially in the winter when cabin fever sets in. It would be a little getaway and allow me to get a sample of rustic life when I really need it!

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## hunter63

Wildthang...can't see your pic's....

Gary-o Glad the see you are back.....great pic's...of a great little place......

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## Wildthang

> Wildthang...can't see your pic's....
> 
> Gary-o Glad the see you are back.....great pic's...of a great little place......


Hunter,

When I click on them they go right to Photobucket and theres the picture. Are you holding your mouth right?..........LOL

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## hunter63

> Hunter,
> 
> When I click on them they go right to Photobucket and theres the picture. Are you holding your mouth right?..........LOL


Cup hand to your ear....(Pissssst.....That means there is something wrong....)

Besides ..Do you want everyone caving around in your photo bucket?

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## Rick

Pics are fixed.

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## Wildthang

> Pics are fixed.


I attached those pics using the same method as I always have, so what did i do wrong Rickster?

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## crashdive123

There's a software glitch where sometime the pictures kind of disappear.  We have a work around that works most of the time.  Hopefully the glitch is fixed in the next forum upgrade.

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## hunter63

> I attached those pics using the same method as I always have, so what did i do wrong Rickster?


Ya,see?...ya didn't do it right, holding your mouth wrong.........(hehehe wasn't your fault, forum tech problem......)

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## Wildthang

> Ya,see?...ya didn't do it right, holding your mouth wrong.........(hehehe wasn't your fault, forum tech problem......)


Ya just gotta be a smartazz dont ya...........LOL

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## hunter63

> Ya just gotta be a smartazz dont ya...........LOL


You seem to be on a roll today....so yeah......I do.

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## Wildthang

> You seem to be on a roll today....so yeah......I do.


Just trying to keep you company buddy!

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## wildlearner

thats a cool cabin.

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## Adventure Wolf

That's pretty cool. I like the idea.

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## Gary O

> That is a neat place you guys have there! I have about 3 acres in the back of my property with trees, weeds and little mowed trails. It is my very own little wilderness and I have always wanted to build a little rustic cabin back there. It would be a nice place to go to just get away from conventional life.
> If you don't mind my asking, what did it cost to build just the A frame cabin! 
> I want to insulate it fairly well, and put a very small wood heater in it and just use candles for lighting! I will also use used windows if I can find them, or just make them using plexiglass.
> 
> This is what the area looks like.
> 
> Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.
> 
> 
> ...


Hey Guys
Sorry for the late reply.

Thang, the cost of materials was a bit less back then, but figger 60 2x6x14s, 40 2x6x12s and 12 4x4x12s, along with 6 shts of T1-11and timbers and blocks for the foundation. Then theres roofing materials and sealants.and scrounged windows/doors.
Too lazy to get up and rifle thru the file cabinet, but seems $1500 will get you dried in.

I really like the thought of your little get-a-way spot. Everone should have that.

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## Gary O

> Wildthang...can't see your pic's....
> 
> Gary-o Glad the see you are back.....great pic's...of a great little place......


I really gotta make reglar visits.

Thanx Hunter.

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