Tag: camping

How to Setup a Camping Tarp in the Woods

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I needed a semi-permanent shelter out on the land as James and I went about clearing the trash from the land. I did not want to spend any money. Additionally, I did not want to take a lot of time messing around as time on the property is limited. Since Tarps are cheap and plentiful we decided on a tarp setup.

All we did was string a taut center-line between two trees,. Next, we spread the tarp over the line. Then we created cord tie-outs from the corners out to other trees to finish the tarp setup.

I set up the tarp so that the 4 corners are pretty high when it is in use. However, when I leave to go back to work, I can take two corners and drop them much lower so that rain does not collect.

This setup works pretty well, and we have had a couple of good thunderstorms over the past month and I am very pleased.

In conclusion, I would say a trap and a length of rope are bush craft essentials and you can build a shelter anywhere. A tarp setup is extremely adjustable you can adjust to almost any situation. One tree, two trees, no trees, it can all work with a little thought and some rope.

February 5, 2015
How to Build a Coffee Can Toilet Paper Dispenser
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I don’t drink coffee, so this took me a while to get a plastic coffee container, but once I did I made a very quick Coffee Can Toilet Paper Hanger to take when we go visit the property.

This is a pretty simple little DIY camping hack that makes life so much easier.

Being a prepper, and working on a piece of land that is an hour away from my home means I like to keep a roll of Toilet paper in the car, in the truck, in the job box on the property, in my Bug out bag, and anywhere else I can think of.

The problem is that if just thrown in the back of a car the paper gets ripped, or wet, or nasty.

This simple coffee can toilet paper hanger for camping makes life much easier as well as more hygienic.
1. First cut a slit long enough for toilet paper. (If you put the slit opposite of the handles so you can hold and pull)
2. Then thread the TP in the slit and put roll of TP in container.
3. Put the lid back on and once again.
4. Now you have a TP holder for camping!
September 17, 2013
How to Make a Milk Crate Camping Toilet

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As the wife and I go to the farm we will have to rough it until I get some infrastructure built. For me, natural morning tasks can be done behind a tree. However, not only is Genny more civilized, she does not have a camping background.

To be nice to her I decided to make her a camping toilet. Hopefully, that would make her feel a little more comfortable. Note, I don;t want her TOO comfortable or it would take a longer time to get her to let spend money to build.

When I was in the Marines, we has a metal folding chair that our welder cut a hole in the seat before mounting a toilet seat to. We kept on the back deck of out M88A1 and when out in the field it was easy to set up.

I don’t want to cut up my folding chairs. However, I do have some milk crates.

Milk crates, incidentally, fit over a 5 gallon bucket.

By using a bucket under the toilet it allows me to pack the waste home and dispose of in our septic system. However, in a grid down situation, I could empty it into a deep hole away from any water sources.

How I Made a Milk Crate Toilet Seat

I bought a new wooden toilet seat for $5.00.

The angle of the brackets did not allow me to mount it directly to the milk crate without modification. I unscrewed the brackets from the seat.

I screwed a 1×2 wood strip to one side of the bottom (soon to be top) of the crate. This will eventually be were the bracket is screwed to.

I placed the seat on the crate and adjusted it to where I wanted. Next, I drilled and countersunk 4 holes in the seat. Then I used my reciprocating saw to cut out a hole.

Using some large washers and the bolts, I bolted the seat to the crate.

I then reattached the bracket to the seat lid, and screwed the bracket into the wood strip I attached to the crate earlier.

The plan is to set the crate on some bricks to both raise it to a comfortable level, as well as to keep the crate from completely covering the bucket, as that would make it more difficult to remove (last thing I want is to fight with a sloshing bucket of poop)…

Hopefully this little project will make my wife’s camping experience a little easier, and that you can find a way to adapt this idea to you bug out/SHTF/Camping needs.

August 7, 2013