Building a Saxon House in the Forest with Hand Tools: Clay Walls Bushcraft Project (Part 7)
video description
Date: 2019-09-10
Related videos
Comments and reviews: 10
Amy
So I came back into the series late, as life happened Some of my comments might be too late to help, but some should still be useful (I hope. You are right to tarp out the clay, as you DO want it to dry slowly to minimize cracking. You will get some, and usually there is a final layer put on after the main is dried, that will have finer grasses/smaller cut, as a finish layer. (This is the place that horse or cow manure would be brilliant, as the organic matter is pre-chewed: -D) Then, once those layers are dry, a layer of lime to protect the mud from rain washing it away. (Natural stucco) Best way I have found to mix cob (daub in this case) is to put all materials in a big tarp, and walk on it, then sort of roll it back together with the tarp, and start over again until well mixed. then drag the tarp over to where you are applying it, and use it straight from the tarp. Hard on the tarp, but much easier on your backsThe part that is likely too late to help, is that you might want to build a bodger's bench to peel bark. Its easy to build, and portable, and you could easily build it with a combo of pallet wood and dried logs. It makes it MUCH easier to use the drawknife. Drawknife also works really well to hog off wood, when used with the bevel up. Great series, all of them
reply
So I came back into the series late, as life happened Some of my comments might be too late to help, but some should still be useful (I hope. You are right to tarp out the clay, as you DO want it to dry slowly to minimize cracking. You will get some, and usually there is a final layer put on after the main is dried, that will have finer grasses/smaller cut, as a finish layer. (This is the place that horse or cow manure would be brilliant, as the organic matter is pre-chewed: -D) Then, once those layers are dry, a layer of lime to protect the mud from rain washing it away. (Natural stucco) Best way I have found to mix cob (daub in this case) is to put all materials in a big tarp, and walk on it, then sort of roll it back together with the tarp, and start over again until well mixed. then drag the tarp over to where you are applying it, and use it straight from the tarp. Hard on the tarp, but much easier on your backsThe part that is likely too late to help, is that you might want to build a bodger's bench to peel bark. Its easy to build, and portable, and you could easily build it with a combo of pallet wood and dried logs. It makes it MUCH easier to use the drawknife. Drawknife also works really well to hog off wood, when used with the bevel up. Great series, all of them
reply
Jake L. Hyde
Cracks are easily patched brother, but I would consider tarping it. Something I'd like to see, though it doesn't have to be part of the Saxon build. I'd like to see you make a charcoal mound (or making charcoal in earthen mounds, would be more precise, and would quite like to see if you could cook meat/veg under the mound while the timber chars, in an underground oven style. (possibly using large stones to raise the oven and the mound, so you can access the food if needed while the charcoal mound cools) Just a thought. I'd also quite like to see you refine some clay from your dads garden, try make some pots for the Saxon house. Maybe a make a kiln to fire them in. P. s. I'd still like you and Sir Dustin James to make a dugout canoe. lol
reply
Cracks are easily patched brother, but I would consider tarping it. Something I'd like to see, though it doesn't have to be part of the Saxon build. I'd like to see you make a charcoal mound (or making charcoal in earthen mounds, would be more precise, and would quite like to see if you could cook meat/veg under the mound while the timber chars, in an underground oven style. (possibly using large stones to raise the oven and the mound, so you can access the food if needed while the charcoal mound cools) Just a thought. I'd also quite like to see you refine some clay from your dads garden, try make some pots for the Saxon house. Maybe a make a kiln to fire them in. P. s. I'd still like you and Sir Dustin James to make a dugout canoe. lol
reply
Edward Seth
The best way to mix hay n mud together is to stand in it barefoot. N use ur feet. stomp stomp. Wiggle wiggle them toes. Technically speaking. In a hot climate. Mixing water hay n clay. By ur feet. By the end of the day. After ur out of the mud n feet cleaned in a stream, u get a nice sleepA suggestion. After ur done. just like cement fine plaster polishing. With a sculpt tool. When u complete a wall or ur car park flooring. u wet the area n throw powdered cement on the wall or floor use the flat fine sculpt tool to give it a bit more shine. Do the same here wet the area with water sprinkled by hand and the throw powered clay onto the cracks. N use ur hands to fill the gaps. Gives it more stability and looks fine.
reply
The best way to mix hay n mud together is to stand in it barefoot. N use ur feet. stomp stomp. Wiggle wiggle them toes. Technically speaking. In a hot climate. Mixing water hay n clay. By ur feet. By the end of the day. After ur out of the mud n feet cleaned in a stream, u get a nice sleepA suggestion. After ur done. just like cement fine plaster polishing. With a sculpt tool. When u complete a wall or ur car park flooring. u wet the area n throw powdered cement on the wall or floor use the flat fine sculpt tool to give it a bit more shine. Do the same here wet the area with water sprinkled by hand and the throw powered clay onto the cracks. N use ur hands to fill the gaps. Gives it more stability and looks fine.
reply
Michael Dean
Great vid gents. When I saw the first batch of daub I thought, it's gonna be a looooong day. Doing it slowly is probably the best way to slow the dying, as you discovered. I thought also, did the Saxons time the building with the seasons so they could have slow drying) If they had clay, might they have done clay L-tile roofs? I suspect they did any roof that was available - L-tiles, thatch, bark, etc. Great work and I look forward to more vids. Love that it's an intergeneration endeavor. Family is forever but the time we have with them is a precious commodity.
reply
Great vid gents. When I saw the first batch of daub I thought, it's gonna be a looooong day. Doing it slowly is probably the best way to slow the dying, as you discovered. I thought also, did the Saxons time the building with the seasons so they could have slow drying) If they had clay, might they have done clay L-tile roofs? I suspect they did any roof that was available - L-tiles, thatch, bark, etc. Great work and I look forward to more vids. Love that it's an intergeneration endeavor. Family is forever but the time we have with them is a precious commodity.
reply
Danny Woo
Been waiting on pins and needles for the next video of the Saxon House. I wish that you would bring in your other camping friend also, the gentleman that created the helicopter type of spinning roast. All three of you make a very interesting team. The meal he creates makes my mouth water. The light hearted comedy your father brings is also so endearing, not to mention his dedicated hard work. Your love of the outdoors definitely translates through the media, I get so much enjoyment watching all your projects, please keep up your wonderful videos.
reply
Been waiting on pins and needles for the next video of the Saxon House. I wish that you would bring in your other camping friend also, the gentleman that created the helicopter type of spinning roast. All three of you make a very interesting team. The meal he creates makes my mouth water. The light hearted comedy your father brings is also so endearing, not to mention his dedicated hard work. Your love of the outdoors definitely translates through the media, I get so much enjoyment watching all your projects, please keep up your wonderful videos.
reply
Robert Weldon
If you leave the traditional, there are a multitude of ways to bring fire inside your structure. A 35 US gallon drum with one end open, a 4 inch dia hole in the bottom near the top and a 4 inch dia. duct work chimney would be the quickest. Just be sure to line the bottom with stones packed with mud, no straw. This keeps the drum from burning out. It will give off a great deal of heat. Make sure that your chimney goes at least 3 feet above the roof peak.
reply
If you leave the traditional, there are a multitude of ways to bring fire inside your structure. A 35 US gallon drum with one end open, a 4 inch dia hole in the bottom near the top and a 4 inch dia. duct work chimney would be the quickest. Just be sure to line the bottom with stones packed with mud, no straw. This keeps the drum from burning out. It will give off a great deal of heat. Make sure that your chimney goes at least 3 feet above the roof peak.
reply
LARP Gear
I have a question; after its all done, would you be worried about bugs inside the cabin? I live in Japan and am creating a little medieval village for LARP, and I would like to build a smaller version of your Saxon cabin. We have issues with ground bugs in my forest, but I haven't dug into the ground to see if there is any action below the surface. Will bugs be an issue for you guys?
reply
I have a question; after its all done, would you be worried about bugs inside the cabin? I live in Japan and am creating a little medieval village for LARP, and I would like to build a smaller version of your Saxon cabin. We have issues with ground bugs in my forest, but I haven't dug into the ground to see if there is any action below the surface. Will bugs be an issue for you guys?
reply
wizardofkozz
Mike, I know it's been said before, but some of my very favorite bits of your video is your interaction with your dad. THANKS for including the real bits in the last few minutes (I hope his fingers are okay) as the spontaneous video is great stuff. Remember to set up the camera tripod and help him out now and then. He's busting his hump, and you're lucky to have him. :)
reply
Mike, I know it's been said before, but some of my very favorite bits of your video is your interaction with your dad. THANKS for including the real bits in the last few minutes (I hope his fingers are okay) as the spontaneous video is great stuff. Remember to set up the camera tripod and help him out now and then. He's busting his hump, and you're lucky to have him. :)
reply
Magnus Persson
Looking great, pretty envious to not have that kind of lodge in the forest Really like that you do this kind of a thing together with your father. I have that same thing with fishing with my father, we always have a good time and I love that bond that we get from it. Will follow this build for sure, awesome content. Thumbs up from Sweden
reply
Looking great, pretty envious to not have that kind of lodge in the forest Really like that you do this kind of a thing together with your father. I have that same thing with fishing with my father, we always have a good time and I love that bond that we get from it. Will follow this build for sure, awesome content. Thumbs up from Sweden
reply
Lars Knudsen
As for wood wedges, I have 5 wedges - the youngest is from 1968. Fantastic swedish quality, reallysimplyfies the work when cleaving logs. Largest I've bested was 240 cm in diameter. Worst kind of tree to cleave in my opinion would without a doubt be elm tree. Cedar, chestnut, ash, oak, beech, birch, pine, all easy compared to elm.
reply
As for wood wedges, I have 5 wedges - the youngest is from 1968. Fantastic swedish quality, reallysimplyfies the work when cleaving logs. Largest I've bested was 240 cm in diameter. Worst kind of tree to cleave in my opinion would without a doubt be elm tree. Cedar, chestnut, ash, oak, beech, birch, pine, all easy compared to elm.
reply
Add a review, comment
Other channel videos
