I just like the picture from the net

tools

A small prayer to the king of tool makers.

Thank you for:- cordless drills, tech screws,chainsaws, and hammers.

Amen

Shantyhut philosophy

I have lived in shanty houses over the years and they seem to be the best times of my life. We lived, and I was stronger then.  Respect for others and there property was instilled in us then. Respect for ones elders was something to be cherished and they cherished the respect and there wisdom shone forth, guiding the young and leaving there indelible impressions on my soul for the years that followed and which are still there. I saw old people who were thrown to the scrap heaps of society and wondered how they got there. these were wonderful and colorful caricatures.   The building materials used to create there shanty houses was rudimental to say the least. I was not encouraged to visit these people by this time we lived in a "normal" house. I have never forgot where I have come from and this makes me stronger than the other people who lived a sheltered life. My friends lived in much the same conditions as I in there early years. I must admit that I live in a "normal" house now in a normal street in a rough area of town and there is no respect for children and no respect for the elderly or property. I think my days in this area are numbered as the bush is calling me. I have just read an account of an ocean traveler in a tiny boat without contact with the world doing gigantic feats knowing they were on there own in all respects. This is living and the dream of a shanty house or hut in the bush is the call of the bush that not all people can aspire to, it is bread into some people and others it is not. I worked in the mines and didn't see anyone for up to sixteen hours a day and to me this was heaven, total solitary confinement and on several occasions this included being buried to my waist and having to dig myself out.Then there was the fire fight and the trouble I got into for that. Basically what happened is I stumbled onto a fire in the mine and put it out with a fire extinguisher and the paper work that followed was immense. If you think you are going to get a pat on the back you are wrong In the last ten months I was in the mines there averaged one fire a month . Where is this going,  I wouldn't have a clue. I guess what I am saying is you are only as good as your last job make a schitter and that's what you are and no one wants to know you. So I guess I now can talk to all in computer land and you read on.

Post hole digger

So you want to build a shanty hut you will need foundations The old house at Gundagai has posts sunk in the ground and has been there for over 100 years. I recons that's OK for a hut  so how to dig the holes.
Post hole diggers are about 80 dollars in this neck of the woods so I made my own in about 10 minutes that's quicker than going to buy one I have changes the design from the normal post hole diggers as you will see from the photo below. It has less drag than the bought ones so it is easier to turn,  but you have to get down on all fours to get the spoils from the hole...Its just a big drill bit if you get one of those big industrial drills you could turn this one it is about 3" diameter..

I am building a wicking garden bed and this is the start in the photo below.

 

Some times

I went round to a mates place and he was working on a water pump for a car.  He wasn't actually working on the pump he was fabricating a new one out of brass and bronze pieces he cut out with a hacksaw.  I asked him what he was doing and he told me,  I thought for a while and said its only $10.00 for a new one,  he looked at me in amazement and then said what the heck am I doing.  I gave him a lift to get a new one total cost $10.00 The price to make the pump was going to cost heaps of time and a lot more than $10.00 for the gas and silver solder. Sometimes  we make work for ourselves but that's what I do,  just sometimes. Writing this blog is one of those sometimes but I do.

The plan

Before you start you need a design and a plan of what you intend to build. I have built as things materialized and it makes for some wonderful  shapes and you don't know what is going to happen and what it is going to look like. Its out of control building and cheep, Saying so doesn't mean its not built right or strong quite the contrary it is built stronger, as you join timbers and bolt  screw and glue  them together they become inherently stronger than if you used one piece of timber. My favorite joining method is the lap with tech screws in conjunction with glue. Just sometimes you get preassembled parts to order,  It happens more times than I can think of. It is like someone is helping you in the background. I think it happens more when you need rather than want. If you want you pay the want tax. Before asking or buying ask this simple question "Do I need it or do I want it?" if the answer is I need it I get it cheaper and don't pay the tax. If you don't have a plan it takes twice as long to produce the article. Do you like the no bolt scaffolding. Just have fun.

Shanty hut building materials

If you are going to live in a hut shack or shanty you need building materials and the best re sauce is the local rubbish tip. From the photo above there is a small sheet of alsinite. Top left there is some round posts, If you click the photo you will see some chairs in there as well. I won't remove any thing that is dirty in any way what so ever.

These palings could be used for shingles.
This photo shows garden soil long lengths of timber to the upper left and chicken wire to the right of the photo. There is a round post about 6 foot long and a half a plastic tub.