Man Builds Off Grid Log Cabin Alone in the Canadian Wilderness

Jan 20, 2018 4:39 PM

Thund3rbolt

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Man builds a cabin in the Canadian wilderness

Note: This was built with the use of hand tools only.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rgGEkI510Q

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

8 years ago | Likes 12 Dislikes 1

Unabomber?

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

I’m trying find me some of them square trees

8 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 1

So cozy!

8 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 0

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

That kids is the true definition of a BadAss!! BadAssery if you may.

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

I was pretty good with Lincoln Logs as a kid...

8 years ago | Likes 19 Dislikes 0

Gets eaten by a bear in the night.

8 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 0

He actually got some footage of bears right by the cabin at the small lake/stream that the cabin looks out to :-)

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

but where did all the lovely lumber come from?

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Part from his own property, part from a friend who had seasoned logs, part bought (and machined) wood if I remember correctly.

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

prob not to code

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

He intentionally bought land that was not in a township, so he didn't have to meet code.

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

These perfectly stacked, precisely cut, smoothly round logs are very satisfying. They are as satisfying as that progress bar. Nice @op. :)

8 years ago | Likes 11 Dislikes 1

Adult Lincoln logs!

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Building a cabin even with power tools is pretty damn hard work. I have first hand experience. This dude is a beast.

8 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

He also did it reasonably quickly for 1 person.

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Ya, in like two minutes it appears.

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Was expecting a unabomber type hut. This is actually a beautiful house!

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

But where does he poop....

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

An outhouse... Its located out his door and then to the left. Visible here: https://youtu.be/9yjXC3Im4RQ?t=22m46s

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Thanks, I can sleep now

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

I can’t believe I needed to scroll to find this...

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

In 9th grade I made a chest board and my teacher only had to help me with 90% of it.

8 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

I remember that woodshop project.

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

You wood wouldn't you!!

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Also I'm drunk and sassy

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Shawn James is an awesome man. How dare you no link to his channel and his whole series on this cabin.

8 years ago | Likes 18 Dislikes 0

The link to the video is there (now at least) so thats his channel. He is awesome indeed. Cool to see one of my fav channels pop up on imgur

8 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

so glad he included mud - people always forget that mud/leaves give good insulation

8 years ago | Likes 45 Dislikes 3

Is it called chinking?

8 years ago | Likes 13 Dislikes 0

Yes, it is.

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

It is. Usually use mud/moss. Source: did it numerous times at fly-in fishing camps in the middle of bfe Canada. Mainly for the mosquitos.

8 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

So did he cut all those perfect flat/straight roof boards by hand too...? methinks not...

8 years ago | Likes 63 Dislikes 2

Plus that site prep didn't look like by hand, either. Methinks a bobcat was involved - those require your feet to use. CHECK MATE NATURE!

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

h haha I was thinking this exact same thing

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

No he definitely brought in some dimensional lumber and other construction materials with him. Still cool though.

8 years ago | Likes 21 Dislikes 0

Nope. But it is true he didnt use petrol or electricity(generator) on the property. He did get materials for building it that are machined.

8 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

He also used a ladder which isn't a hand tool. CHECKMATE SCIENTOLOGISTS

8 years ago | Likes 25 Dislikes 0

Best part about this comment is that if you watch the video he actually builds the ladder by hand.

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Did he build the 2 different aluminum ones , also?

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Did yall miss the metal chimney?

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 1

You can split wood quite evenly with "big nails" (I forget the English word here) and a hammer/blunt end of the axe.

8 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

Splitting wedge?

8 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

Yes! They work really well, and I would not be surprised if he has used that, together with the... uhm. Sharp cake spatula thing.

8 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

A chisel?

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

No.... those are more stabbystabby... I am thinking of more like a huge carrot peeler? on steroids.

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Sure would like to see how he got all that foundation rock in there.

8 years ago | Likes 40 Dislikes 3

There was foundation rock? Looks like a direct wood to dirt connection to me. Would last like 3x as long if it wasn't.

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

You can watch it on his channel

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Probably back filled with a dump truck and a tractor

8 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 1

Really there’s just a crew out of view doing all the work and handing him shit

8 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 2

Hand tools

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

The better question is how he got such cleanly cut piece of wood.

8 years ago | Likes 15 Dislikes 0

Rough cut lumber Mills are everywhere

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

^ THIS. I was wondering the same thing! Those perfect 2x4s and 4x4s are damn near impossible to cut by hand.

8 years ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 0

What about those perfectly "carved" logs? Imagine carving every single massive log into such perfect cylinders. That would take weeks.

8 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

It would only take me 4 days in Minecraft to do this.

8 years ago | Likes 289 Dislikes 5

I can do it in a minute with a pack of Lincoln Logs

8 years ago | Likes 61 Dislikes 1

Look at the frikkin architect with the lincoln logs here, what about the rest of us stuck with toothpicks and elmers?

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I built a city with a running subway in a few hundred hours in MC :) Cant believe I spent that much time.

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Nice!

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Thanks :) Ive made two or so topics on my town. I think I mightve reposted or included more detail the second time.

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

You can do this in Minecraft in less than 40 minutes. And that's starting with nothing

8 years ago | Likes 16 Dislikes 13

He means 4 days Minecraft time

8 years ago | Likes 31 Dislikes 0

That's still a long time, I wouldn't go over 10 min. which is a day and half the night

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

80 minutes is still a rather long time to build a house.

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

8 years ago | Likes 13 Dislikes 0

“There goes the neighborhood.” -bears, probably

8 years ago | Likes 936 Dislikes 3

Damn gentrification

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Well those logs look like they were cured and quite possibly cut down elsewhere. Those planks looks they were cut at a mill too.

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

"Bears are so stupid. They must think ALL humans walk around with shit in their pants B/C every one they ever met did." -Dana Gould

8 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

There goes the neighborhood.

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

He got footage of bears on the property very close to the cabin. One of the reasons he didnt want to use power tools is for the wildlife.

8 years ago | Likes 79 Dislikes 0

All the time i was thinking "at least he should have a nail gun" and between a hammer and a nail gun, the hammer makes more noise

8 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

Would the wildlife ask to borrow his power tools and not return them?

8 years ago | Likes 101 Dislikes 0

Those bears make worse neighbors than Homer Simpson

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

They would sell his tools to buy drugs... but really it is about keeping the louder and mechanical noises out to not scare the wildlife away

8 years ago | Likes 39 Dislikes 1

Was literally working out on some lands a few hours ago and there were 6 deer nearby as I used my battery operated tools. They didn’t gaf.

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Did he soak the logs in wood first?

8 years ago | Likes 35 Dislikes 5

Thats only for hot logs and not homey logs

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 1

Well this is going to consume the next hour of my life

8 years ago | Likes 382 Dislikes 3

I think it's going to take you more than an hour to build a cabin like that.

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

From the comfort of my chair in my heated house with my snacks.

8 years ago | Likes 63 Dislikes 0

While he builds his own chair, enjoys the heat from wood he’s chopped and snacks on jerky he’s made from an animal he’s hunted. ;)

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 2

...while building a cabin in my head.

8 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

Are you stuck in a Vietnamese POW-camp?

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

It is going to be a lot more than 1hour if you watch the whole series. Really cool channel if you are into offgridd/bushcraft/outdoors stuff

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

I just watched the whole thing. Then some of his other videos. I'm hooked!

8 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

What's the concrete lined box with lid for?

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Yeah then the plot twist that he's a millionaire.

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

It's been 5 hours.. are you still alive?

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Gif was so long that I could've built a house in that time

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Richard Proenneke did in 1968 in his 50s in Alaska with just hand tools.

8 years ago | Likes 81 Dislikes 1

.

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

I watch that at least once a year.

8 years ago | Likes 15 Dislikes 0

Me too! Then I start thinking about doing the same thing. for about 1/2hour. then I turn on Netflix and remember that I'm too lazy

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Hand tools that he carved the handles for himself before being able to use them. Lighter to carry just the steel parts until you settle down

8 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

An absolute classic.

8 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

Literally everyone moving west did this in the 1850s with just hand tools.

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

Dick Proenneke was THE MAN!

8 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 1

The book "One Man's Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey" is based on his journals and a wonderful read. The man is an Alaskan legend.

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

The impressive part is that he did it alone using camera technology back then too and took just a massive amount of film to sort through.

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

This guy also only used hand tools (no petrol, so no chainsaw) however there were some "cheats".

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start ?

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Overflow calls for PBS, we hated that show... the phones would be non-stop for a solid hour after it aired.

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

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8 years ago (deleted Sep 30, 2018 5:04 PM) | Likes 0 Dislikes 0

Oh yeah. That show sold more than anything else they aired during the funding campaigns.

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Check out "One Man's Wilderness", they made a couple of documentaries.

8 years ago | Likes 20 Dislikes 0

The book is a good read as well.

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Thought it was "Alone In The Wilderness"

8 years ago | Likes 11 Dislikes 0

Alone in the Wilderness is the movie. One Man's Wilderness is the book.

8 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

Off grid. But with good upload speeds.

8 years ago | Likes 1517 Dislikes 10

Something tells me he edits and uploads his videos from his home in the city with a good WiFi connection

8 years ago | Likes 38 Dislikes 1

The best kind of off the grid is on the grid.

8 years ago | Likes 10 Dislikes 0

As that one dude said in Dr Strange, "We're not savages"

8 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

Maybe it took him 6 months to upload, looks like summer to me

8 years ago | Likes 40 Dislikes 1

Very first shot has June/July 2017 in the bottom right corner.

8 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

There was a film crew that followed him up and recorded almost everything. One scene where he's passed by a moose while he's in a canoe

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 2

Unless this is a different person than the one I'm thinking of - I'm at work and can't watch it right now

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

He most likely has a house in the city, uploads there and does his laundry then does this shit in his off time.

8 years ago | Likes 30 Dislikes 2

It seems he splits his time building shit and being on social media.

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

And what appears to be well milled 4x4s.

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

The future is now people!!

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Record off grid. Upload on grid. It is known.

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

That's the dream.

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

This is actually 10 years old. It took that long to upload.

8 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

He got the plans on encarta

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

You don't know that until you see his logs.

8 years ago | Likes 320 Dislikes 0

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

8 years ago | Likes 30 Dislikes 0

8 years ago | Likes 10 Dislikes 0

I can smell the pixels D: Ima steal this.

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

What are they, soaked in wood?

8 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 3

SOAKED IN WOOD

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 1

And square cut timber.

8 years ago | Likes 14 Dislikes 0

He squares them by hand.

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

Nobody hand hews wood any more. Not even amish.

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

did you watch the full 1 hr video? he uses only hand tools, yes, but he uses machined timbers and boards for the roofing and flooring

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0