has anyone really built a lean-to?

I think I have to see 2 more then I have seen them all.

I have watched some a few times. I really want to thank you and hope you are as happy with the trade as I am.
thanks
chris


Vshrake, I built my lean-to as a semi-permanent shelter in my back yard. once I have camped out in it, I will store my wife's gardening tools in it.
my next shelter will be more of a hangout type place deep in the woods. my in-laws have a lot of land and I used to get bored while I was visiting until god slapped me in the head and said you dumba$$ there is all this land waiting for you to have a good time so get off your brains and be creative with it. now I can't wait to visit again, and build a hangout in the woods.
 
instead of cutting the side branches off of a log with a hatchet that is too light use a club to just break them off.

instead of weaving horizontal branches in and out of the vertical ones, just hang them on at 45 degrees, using the offshoots of each branch as barbs to hold them together.

you can thatch the shelter just using leaves and debris, instead of the wheel barrow, just lay a poncho on the floor and kick all the leaves along onto the poncho. then pick up the four corners and dump the whole lot on to the leanto, don't worry about the stuff that falls through coz you'll want a load of insulation in your bed anyway. use a long log either side of the bed to stop the "matress" spreading out too far.

obviously if you can find materials or sites where nature has done some of the work for you, take advantage. but don't stick with a crappy north facing site that doesn't see the sun till lunch time longer than you have to, it might be worth transplanting the whole lot if you're going to be there a while.

i think the greatest crimes against the humble leanto shelters are films (man in the wilderness) and books (the commando survival handbook) that show the hero resting under a small leanto that has about 25 leaves on twigs as thatching, with sunlight streaming through the gaps, like that's gonna help anybody.


cheers, sargey.
 
great suggestions sargey,

obviously you have lean-to experience this was my first. I still think it is a tough chore even when nature helps a bit!

thanks

chris
 
quick and easy shelter can be had under pine trees that are low to the ground ever notice how the needles are dry under the tree around the base after it rains.
If you are going to stay a night or two. A shelter can be made like those described by others. I have built several two of them for awards qualifications as a boy. a decent teepee style shelter can be made by tying a few saplings together as high as you can reach (no digging) you can use a bootlace , 550 cord ect. I always carry a lightweight G.I. poncho. with me. so I would cover it with that. but if you had nothing you could thatch it with foilage starting from the bottom and working up.The advantage of the conical shape is that It will reflect your body heat from all directions. I usually carry a Victoronix huntsman and a Ka-Bar In the field. These would be more than enough tools to build a propper shelter. What the Ka-Bar cant do the saw on the sak usually dose. If neither work, well I just wasnt meant to have that particular peice of material. I made my first one when I was 13 and it took me 2 1/2 hours to figure out what I was doing and all I had was a Boy Scout folder.
 
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