We will show you our journey of the building constructing a small rustic live-edge off grid cedar sided log cabin built by a group of friends by hand. This is how we built a small cabin in the woods on a small budget. We will show you how we hand dug our post holes to hold the cabin up, right up to installation of the custom built front door, all using a portable saw mill. You can see the whole built including full commentary here: https://youtu.be/jipME-yoUO0
This cabin build is something my brother and I really wanted to do ever since we were kids, playing around in the forest, coupled with whatever materials we had from the local infill to build all sorts of forts. Now we build a full habitable cabin
First we start by digging in reclaimed pressure treated posts by hand using a shovel.
Next we cut and harvest dead-standing cedar and pine trees for the structure including the 2x4's, ridge beams, and sidding.
We must use battery powered hand tools because there is now power at this location in the forest.
We use reclaimed windows from a house demolition and install a used fireplace.
The roof is supplied by Vic West and goes up quickly with screws that have rubber gaskets.
The door is custom build using cedar.
The deck is held up by pine logs (dead standing) and covered with cedar.
Season 2 will cover more of the build including the interior and outbuildings for things like off grid power.
As always we are using our HD36 Norwood Portable Sawmill.
Whenever we run out of lumber, we just mill more wood from trees that are right on the property. We'll use handtools like hammers, axes, saw, shovels and prybars, but will also use power tools including chainsaws, winches, atv's, and a chopped up SUV whenever it is convenient.
We will be using cedar and spruce trees that are standing dead so we don't have to kiln dry the wood or let it season.
Please follow along with the full playlist in order to understand the full construction of the tiny cabin.
In this series we use materials around us to construct a small forest cabin.
We'll use cedar, pine, ash, maple, and whatever else we can scrounge up from the 30 acres around us. The aim is to avoid using as much store bought material as possible and keep the budget reasonably low.
Originally we set a budget of $1000, but that included the use of a frame from an old camper trailer. As we build, the budget will remain flexible in effort to produce a cabin that we are proud of and one that will last a long while, be comfortable, and sleep real human beings.
