Click to View the Full Thread

Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Listening Point - General Discussion :: Bushcraft
 
Author Message Text
Goldenbadger
02/24/2017 05:05PM
 
I'm thinking about sharpening my bushcraft skills. I found a couple great videos on building camp chairs. I would love to see and hear about things you folks have built. And if there's enough interest, I would like to start a bushcraft group on this site. Chair

Poncho chair
 
butthead
02/24/2017 05:18PM
 
I'm not against bushcrafting and do my share. Just do not think it a responsible act/project/way to spend time in a park oriented, usage controlled setting, such as BWCA and Quetico. They may be described as "wilderness" but need tight controls to keep them that way.
I have come across improvised fire pits, windbreaks, shelters, furniture, fields of pointed green spruce punji stumps, left behind by selfstyled bushcrafters.


If I do any crafting it's in state/national forests where the next camper will not be along in a day or a week. And I break up the improvements and disperse them to reduce impact.


That said, and I'm done preaching, a bushcraft forum is something I would enjoy.
"Build it they will come!" seems I've heard that line before.


butthead
 
Goldenbadger
02/24/2017 05:36PM
 
I don't see a problem practicing it in the BWCA as long as no trace is left when you leave. I didn't mean to imply that I would leave my creations up after I left a BWCA campsite. And certainly would not leave any lashings or cordage from my projects. Or that the BWCA would be the sole place I would practice the craft. I think bushcraft is fascinating and a great skill to have. I think it would be a fun thing to do around camp to pass the time, BWCA or not.

And I would NEVER cut standing and/or live trees.

That being said, I'm glad you would be interested in a bush crafting group. I value your experience and would love to learn some of your skills.
 
overthehill
02/25/2017 06:31AM
 
Agree. Cool chairs. Reminds me of the "Coffee Sack Chair" video someone posted a few years ago ( Cowdoc or Portage Keeper ? I forget) I now carry one for basecamp. Butthead posted a pic of his a few years ago. Not really bush craft, but comfy easy adjustable chair. Made mine big and wide out of nylon oxford material.
 
overthehill
02/25/2017 06:57AM
 
Found it. Called 'amazing wilderness chair' Savage Voyager posted a pic on an old thread.
 
Savage Voyageur
02/25/2017 07:38AM
 
Nothing wrong with doing this if you use dead and down wood. I made my chairs out of a piece of rip stop nylon 2' x3' simple and very comfortable. I found these logs on the ground after a storm, a large tree fell and snapped the tree I used. A ranger came by and said no problem, just take it apart and throw the logs in the woods.
 
Goldenbadger
02/25/2017 08:17AM
 
quote Savage Voyageur: "Nothing wrong with doing this if you use dead and down wood. I made my chairs out of a piece of rip stop nylon 2' x3' simple and very comfortable. I found these logs on the ground after a storm, a large tree fell and snapped the tree I used. A ranger came by and said no problem, just take it apart and throw the logs in the woods. "


Very cool, Savage! How is the bottom cross log attached to the legs? I don't see any lashings.
 
cowdoc
02/25/2017 08:29AM
 
It's not.....bottom cross piece is attached to/within seat webbing and gravity and seat pressure hold it in place. It's essentially free floating.
 
Goldenbadger
02/25/2017 08:35AM
 
quote cowdoc: "It's not.....bottom cross piece is attached to/within seat webbing and gravity and seat pressure hold it in place. It's essentially free floating."


Well, that makes sense. How is it attached above?
 
cowdoc
02/25/2017 08:47AM
 
I think you just tie some lashing around a knot/wad in the top of the seat webbing and then lash that around the top intersection of the the 3 support logs. It's a simple idea.
 
cowdoc
02/25/2017 08:52AM
 
pre-made form
 
nctry
02/25/2017 02:19PM
 
quote butthead: "I'm not against bushcrafting and do my share. Just do not think it a responsible act/project/way to spend time in a park oriented, usage controlled setting, such as BWCA and Quetico. They may be described as "wilderness" but need tight controls to keep them that way.
I have come across improvised fire pits, windbreaks, shelters, furniture, fields of pointed green spruce punji stumps, left behind by selfstyled bushcrafters.



If I do any crafting it's in state/national forests where the next camper will not be along in a day or a week. And I break up the improvements and disperse them to reduce impact.



That said, and I'm done preaching, a bushcraft forum is something I would enjoy.
"Build it they will come!" seems I've heard that line before.



butthead"





I know what Ken is saying, and I think it's a good thing to add. There are a lot of people besides us that read these forums and when you say bushcrafting we need to be careful to let people know the what's ok and not ok. As typical outdoors people there are those that do get carried away. Knowing the people responding including goldenbadger, I don't see anything getting out of hand. Back in the '70's boy scout troops were notorious I think as this was part of their merit badge stuff. I'm talking the one's that were up doing their own thing. I don't think the base up there ever condoned the practice to the extremes that were done. These scouts would build things like picnic tables and come and brag about it to Dorothy on knife lake. The one I witnessed she immediately radioed it in and gave a description of the group. She was not happy.