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Crake
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# Posted: 9 Nov 2021 09:17am - Edited by: Crake
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Hi all! Wanted to share some photos from my 2021 cabin build.
I started this project during the 2020/2021 winter. I'd been recycling pallets from a local lumber supplier over the course of several years and had made a few simple woodworking projects before moving onto something a bit more ambitious.
In November 2020 I learned of a quarter section of land for sale through a family friend in Central SK. I'd been planning to buy some recreational property for a few years, dreaming of putting a small off-grid cabin on it for overnight hunting and camping trips. This land is sited in the heart of farmland Saskatchewan about a 2.5 hr drive from my residence in the city. The quarter is fully treed and several miles from the nearest highway.
In July 2021, the sale of the land was finalized. I surveyed the property with my 12 year old daughter and picked a nice clearing near the center of the quarter. We set up a simple campsite and spent a night hammock camping on the edge of the clearing.
More to follow... "Crake"
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 9 Nov 2021 09:25am
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Yes, lets see more! 
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Crake
Member
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# Posted: 9 Nov 2021 09:31am - Edited by: Crake
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August 2021
Time for the build! With the help of my older brother, a good buddy from the city and my battle-scarred quad, we headed into the quarter for a weekend of camping and cabin building.
The morning of the second day we skidded in floor, walls and tin roofing. By noon we had the basic structure up. That afternoon we retrieved some tin roofing from my parent's farm (about a 45 min drive to the west) and returned to put the roof up.
For those of you familiar with TA Outdoors' pallet cabin build on YouTube, my cabin is of a similar design with a few modifications. I peaked the roof at a steeper angle in anticipation of heavier snows. I also ship-lapped the pallet board siding to make a neat and tight fitting between boards.
That night I spent inside the cabin while my hired help hammock-camped outside. I had a hard time getting to sleep, just enjoying the peace and quiet ambience inside.
More to follow - "Crake"
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Crake
Member
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# Posted: 9 Nov 2021 09:39am
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Not sure why my photos keep uploaded inverted... argh...
"Crake"
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Crake
Member
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# Posted: 9 Nov 2021 09:45am - Edited by: Crake
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August 2021
I returned a few weeks later with my daughter to install the deck, the cot, the chair and folding table. Originally she'd planned to spend the night on an inflatable mattress next to my cot, but it predictably sprung a leak. I rigged her an impromptu hammock inside the cabin out of a tarp and some paracord. She slept like a baby...
"Crake"
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Alaskajohn
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# Posted: 9 Nov 2021 09:49am
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Very nice! Sounds like a nice place to get away!
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Crake
Member
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# Posted: 9 Nov 2021 09:54am - Edited by: Crake
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September 2021
My father-in-law was dying to see the place so I brought him in for a night. We trucked in some leftover vinyl plank flooring, my brand new G-Stove, and a folding cot frame to install over the bunk (as I was getting unanticipated guests)….
We pulled everything out and glued the flooring down on the USB. Makes for a nicer sweeping surface. I tacked together a simple frame out of leftover pallet wood to hold the G-Stove. That night we had a boiling hot fire - the small space in the cabin heats up fast!
"Crake"
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 9 Nov 2021 10:52am
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Sweet little build
It will make a nice guest cabin or tool shed, etc when you build the Big One 
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Crake
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# Posted: 9 Nov 2021 11:55am - Edited by: Crake
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Regrettably, I'm unable to build too big... the land has crown conservation easements on it which do not permit "permanent" structures. I was able to get away with building on skids.
"Crake"
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Crake
Member
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# Posted: 9 Nov 2021 12:03pm - Edited by: Crake
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October 2021
Hunting season! Daughter and I came up for a couple days. I took the folding cot out and resized it (too wide for my liking) and reinstalled it. The kid finds it super comfortable and its rugged enough to support my weight (190lbs). Sleeping the night is definitely not an issue!
As luck would have it, I was drawn for moose in this zone this year. We spent a windy day calling bulls without too much luck and poking around the quarter for ruffed grouse. My quarter borders an Acres for Wildlife (hunting on foot only) quarter so there's plenty of area to explore.
The following morning I called in a nice bull on the SE corner of the quarter. We had a busy day getting him out and off to the meat shop.
The cabin is pretty well established at this point - I mounted a folding sink on the outside back wall, a small solar panel and a 12-volt battery for the occasional cell phone recharging and the like. Still debating if I want to wire it for 12-volt lighting - I kinda like the candle/lantern lit feel.
The evenings are definitely getting cooler and the stove pretty much has to burn all night to keep things warm. I'm planning on putting some 3/4" styrofoam insulation inside and maybe sheet the interior with panelling. Maybe when the snow flies.
I'm going to explore some water solutions in the spring - the closest fresh water source is a small lake about 1/2 a mile away. Might trailer in a barrel or possibly set up a rain-water capture system.
The cabin itself is sited about 500 meters in from the edge of the quarter section. Its a nice twisty trail through the woods - enough room to transverse with a quad or sled. Already planning snowshoeing trips for the winter.....
"Crake"
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fiftyfifty
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# Posted: 10 Nov 2021 08:37am
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This is really lovely. What are the dimensions? Congrats on this great build.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 10 Nov 2021 09:25am
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It would be a shame to lose that interior! Well, Im partial, ours is rough cut sawmill boards inside, a similar look for sure and love it.
Maybe consider putting 1" styro on the outside and re-cover it with more skid lumber? I did that on my first build in '83-'84, styro outside the sheathing covered by recycled barn boards.
Btw, 1" styro isnt that much more than 3/4", especially for a cabin your size; mo' betta
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Aklogcabin
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# Posted: 10 Nov 2021 10:07am
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Looks great man. And your out harvesting moose with your daughter hunting from your cabin. Perfect I would say.
I called in a bull for our son. Daughters turn is coming though.
For water at our remote cabin we use a MSR water purifying pump. About 350 bucks but never have to worry about pure water again.
Lot of great memories coming
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Nate R
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# Posted: 10 Nov 2021 10:17am
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Nice! Thanks for sharing the pics and stories! And congrats on the Moose!
How big is a quarter section?
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Crake
Member
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# Posted: 10 Nov 2021 10:17am
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fiftyfifty
Dimensions are about 8' x 5'. I have to duck a little to get through the door (I'm 6') but with the peaked roof I find I have ample head room moving around inside. The cot functions well as a bench and with the fold-down table it really feels more spacious than it is. I have plastic storage bins that slide underneath the cot that hold all my camping gear and tools.
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Crake
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# Posted: 10 Nov 2021 10:28am - Edited by: Crake
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gcrank1
I love the interior look too. I used a natural tint Verathane wood stain to bring out the various colors of all those pallet boards. Once spring rolls around I'll finish the exterior with a clear-coat.
There is space between the vertical uprights (I don't want to call them "studs" - they're just pallet boards running perpendicular to the exterior siding boards to hold the structure together). I figured I'd fill the recesses between the uprights with 3/4" styrofoam sheets cut to fit and adhered to the inside surface of the siding. Then either panel the entire interior or another layer of more pallet wood (I'd hate the look of exposed styro). I'd only lose 1.5" of interior length and width.
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Crake
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# Posted: 10 Nov 2021 10:32am
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Aklogcabin
First time successfully calling in a bull moose, for me! Been hunting them a few years now without any success. There's a fairly big beaver pond on the south end of the property (mostly dried up this year) and we sat and called for about an hour on top of a beaver lodge. This fella came creeping in like a ghost from the neighbouring fields just as I was about head back for second breakfast haha...
This was River's first hunt (just passed her hunter safety this summer) so she was pretty thrilled.
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Crake
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# Posted: 10 Nov 2021 10:40am
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Nate R
Thanks Nate! A quarter section is 1/2 mile by 1/2 mile (160 acres). Or 800 meters x 800 meters. This quarter is original Saskatchewan poplar forest. It was at one time Crown-owned forest and was fenced for pasturing cattle. It borders an Acres for Wildlife quarter (land purchased by the SK government and set aside for public hunting - on foot only).
Learned a lot about Crown Conservation Easements when deciding to purchase this land. Govt of Sask will occasionally auction off Crown land, and when they do, they slap an easement on it which follows the land forever, regardless of who purchases it. These easements are binding legal documents which set forth what can and can't be done with the land. In short - hunting, camping, trapping, pasturing cattle - all ok. Permanent structures of any kind - NOT ok. Live timber cannot be harvested but deadfall is fine. No excavation or dumping permitted. Basically its the same rules as public use of Provincial Forests. The land is essentially purely recreational - the only commercial gain you can expect is income from pasturing of cattle.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 10 Nov 2021 08:52pm
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We have been using a diy rain barrel (black plastic pickle barrel) for utility water successfully for 2 years now. Make a '1st flush' diverter to get the roof crud out of the pipe then it automatically switches to the barrel.
You can build your own from pvc.
LOTs of good info online about 'rain barrels'.
We have an old stainless steel 2.5 gal upright tank c/w lid and dipper in the cabin and often take a 2.5gal Coleman jug of fresh spring water each trip. We always have enough water for the two of us.
The simple 'solar bag' showers work pretty good tossed 3/4 full of water on the metal roof of a sunny morning. The bags last longer if not hung by the handle with full water weight for any length of time. A black plastic 5gal bucket can get fair warm sitting in the sun all day. An old kettle kept at the firepit can keep you in utility hot water too. Its always nice to have at least warm water 'on demand' with a little forethought.
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fiftyfifty
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# Posted: 11 Nov 2021 10:01am
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I agree that it would be a real shame to lose the current interior appearance. I love the rustic wood, especially how you can still see some of the stamp markings on the pallet wood. It is unique and very charming. If this cabin was mine (and I wish it were!) I would personally not insulate the inside. It would lose the appearance, and also losing 1.5 inches is more than you think in a structure that small. Instead I would focus on insulating the roof, which is where you will make the most difference in heat loss. So next summer, I would remove the tin and then cover the rafters with more of your milled pallet wood. Then maybe a layer of Ice and Water shield or just tar paper. Then cover with at least 2 inches of polyiso or styrofoam. Then put the tin back on using long screws. I would be in no rush to insulate the walls. If I did insulate them, I would insulate them from the outside as gcrank1 indicates. In the meantime, I might just have some wool blankets that I hang on some nails along the insides of the walls (except not by the stove of course.) Cutting down on drafts in this way can make a big difference in how a building feels, and they are easy enough to hang up and take down. In any case, let me repeat that I love this build.
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fiftyfifty
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# Posted: 11 Nov 2021 10:01am
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Oh, and I love those owl drawings I am seeing in one of the pictures.
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Crake
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# Posted: 13 Nov 2021 12:31pm
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Good input all, I really appreciate it. I gotta do something to insulate it- the first hunting trip night we had a pretty windy -1c evening and I could feel the heat getting stripped out of the shack. I like the idea of simply insulating the roof - I imagine the heat is probably radiating straight up and through the tin. I'd considered cutting 2" styro sheets for between the rafters and finishing the interior ceiling with more ship-lapped pallet board to cover the insulation.
I have a line on a rain barrel and will get my rainwater system put together over the winter. We just got our first dump of snow so I imagine I'll have plenty to melt this winter for the time being. Almost time to fire up the Tundra!
Owls... I had to sift through my pictures to find them haha. Thats an old door mat my wifey didn't want anymore.
"Crake"
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 13 Nov 2021 12:44pm
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About 50yrs ago I could have easily and happily lived in that with my motorcycle parked outside. Well not in the winter but 3 seasons anyway
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Crake
Member
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# Posted: 15 Nov 2021 02:41pm - Edited by: Crake
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November 2021
I was able to score 3 x 4'x4'x8" Styrofoam blocks from a buddy for free. I figure if I can split them in half, I'll have enough to fit them between the 2x4 rafters. I have more than enough pallet board left over to do a nice finished ceiling to cover the Styrofoam.
Today I experimented with hot-wire Styrofoam cutting. Tried running 15-18 volts DC through a solid core wire stretched tight across my work bench. Seems to cut through smaller blocks like hot butter - just not sure how its going to handle a full 4' block. I guess we'll see. I'll at least be able to get the blocks cut to the right thickness and cut them to fit once I'm back in the bush.
I will have to get making some more beeswax candles this winter - I've burned through about half of my supply. They add a wonderful smell to the cabin.
"Crake"
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bugs
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# Posted: 15 Nov 2021 05:10pm
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Hi Crake: Great story. Nice build!!!
We are also in central SK. We started with a 240 acre purchase in 2009 and have bought another 240 over the years. Kind of did about what you are doing.
Wish you all the best with your new adventure.
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Crake
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# Posted: 16 Nov 2021 01:57pm
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Build Photos
Here's a few snapshots of the build. I'd forgotten how quickly the structure went up. We were done breakfast by 8am, had trucked in the materials by 10am, and had the structure ready for roof tin by noon. Pre-fab is the way to go...
"Crake"
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Crake
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# Posted: 16 Nov 2021 02:01pm
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Drone Photos
Once we had packed up for the trip home, I took some aerial photos with my Mavic Mini. I had originally found the clearing from an old Google Earth satellite photo and was curious how the the cabin would show up on future images.
"Crake"
UAV 1 - 5m
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UAV 2 - 15m
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UAV 3 - 120m
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Ol Slim
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# Posted: 20 Nov 2021 01:20pm
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Super cool set up , I love it . Enjoy !
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Crake
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# Posted: 23 Nov 2021 09:04am
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November 2021 continued
Great news on the Styrofoam project. I cobbled together a hot-wire cutter out of some scrap lumber I had lying around. I stretched 5' of solid steel welding wire between two eyelets and mounted them 3.5" horizontally above two 2x4 runners. I ran about 14.5 volts through the wire with an AD/DC power supply I had lying around my shop, and dropped a block on the runners so it would slide down against the hot wire.
Apparently the MK1 version worked perfectly with no refinement needed. I watched in dumbfounded amazement as the cutter sliced the 4'x4'x8" blocks effortlessly into 3.5" slabs in less than 4 minutes a slab. No fumes, no mess, no effort...
Buoyed by this success, I put together a hand-held version of the cutter out of PVC tubing, wired to run off a 12-volt car battery. This portable tool will be used to cut the slabs to fit in the ceiling on-site, as I don't have the precise measurements on hand to cut the pieces in advance.
"Crake"
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 23 Nov 2021 09:40am
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Great cutter!
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