Lean-to, How-to ?

K

Kevin the grey

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Aug 26, 2005
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I want to build a lean-to shelter . I will be using poplar sapplings unless not reccomended . I would like to see a couple of designs. one using standing trees as part of the structure and one using all cut tree,s . Is there someone
who can tell me about campfire placement for even heating of the lean-to and smoke free cooking ?
 
Kevin the grey said:
I want to build a lean-to shelter . I will be using poplar sapplings unless not reccomended . I would like to see a couple of designs. one using standing trees as part of the structure and one using all cut tree,s . Is there someone
who can tell me about campfire placement for even heating of the lean-to and smoke free cooking ?
Click to expand...

Nope, After nearly being burned alive in a lean-to years ago I never have a fire closer than 20 feet of it.
Matter of fact I don't even teach lean-to structures in my suvival course anymore out side of a snow covered one in winter. They are too ineffecient comparred to other shelters.

Skam
 
O:K: Skam you don,t reccomend the lean-to idea . Could you propose a couple of simple yet superior designs ? They can bae a little more permanent than a lean-to . They have to be fairly low impact as they are not being built on my land .
Thanks
 
Just play around with a few designs, I find lean-to's to be somewhat crappy. I usually dont go be any particular design when building shelters.
 
Here's a site that offers some photos of the debris hut which are the best for retaining warmth and repelling wind and water that I've been in. I wouldn't recommend fire in any of them.
 
I like the debris hut for a quick overnight emergency shelter . As a semi-permanent camp it just doesn,t make it . I realise lean-to might not be the way to go . Do you guys have other suggestion of a more permanent structure ? Think of it as more of a couple of buddies get together hunting camp . I,m trying to avoid tent use and If I have to go with a tarpaulin over saplings I will . I would rather go with some type of a semi natural structure .
 
As others have said the debris hut is the quickest and most efficient shelter.

The lean-to is appealing but offers no heat retention and lets in the elements and takes as much or more effort to build.

Debris huts are shockingly small if constructed correctly.


Hound
 
I have used a dome type of shelter, based on the traditional sweat lodge. I use river willow that's about 1"-1 1/2" in diameter at the base. I suppose that you could use small diameter sapplings, but for this shelter, it takes about 30 lengths to construct it correctly. Again, you could use more or less depending on the length of the saplings and the diameter of the hut.

I start by gathering the willow or saplings. Then make a circle in the area where I want to put it. I place a stake in the center of where the lodge/hut will stand, tie a 3-4' piece of line to it and tie a stick to the other end. Then I walk it in a circle, marking out the circle. Then I devide it into 16 even spaces, making a mark in each place. I sharpen the base of 16 willows and stick them into the ground on the marks that I just made and start bending the willow, tying each vertical to the vertical on the other side of the circle from it. Crossing them as I work my way around. Then I start at the base and start tying in the horizontals, four rows. Once it's all tied together, I cut out the door and start covering. I use a tarp and ponchos to cover it so that it's more or less waterproof. It's a tough and very sturdy shelter that will last for many years. All you would have to do is recover it when you want to use it. If you use mud and other natural materials and leave a smoke hole, you might be able to get away with a small fire using a dakota hole, but my choice would be to build a fire away from the hut.
 
skammer said:
As others have said the debris hut is the quickest and most efficient shelter.
Click to expand...

A lot of this depends on the enviroment.

The lean-to is appealing but offers no heat retention and lets in the elements and takes as much or more effort to build.
Click to expand...

It is mainly a low to moderate temperature/weather shelter. A pure branch one can work well against snow and sleet (keeping them out), decent against rain, but the raw insulative value is fairly low.

If you have a decent supply of fir trees you can mock one up really quickly (10-15 minutes) which will break the wind/rain/snow and then pile on material as necessary to raise its ability to trap heat.

I don't tend to go for the formal frame up as in two support poles, a ridge pole, and all that, I just adapt them to some natural existing deadfall or tree usually and will use anything available to pad the walls.

They are probably more like a debris hut than a leanto, we call them bough caves locally.

-Cliff
 
Thanks guys , I have a lot clearer picture though anyone who has additional input is welcome . I think I will work on the willow structure and also build one similar to a lean-to using a deadfall or standing trees as well like someone suggested . I do remember a lean-to that has the fire a few feet in front of the lean-to with a natural reflector to pass some heat into the open structure . This may make it a little safer as far as accidents are concerned . I will have to see how much poplar will bend .
 
I forgot to add that when you start tying the verts into the dome shape, start with two right next to each other and tie them to their opposites in an X, so that the 4 verts cross in the center. From there, snake the others underneath of the first ones.

The height is usually so a man can sit up inside with headroom, so roughly 4'-4 1/2'.
 
Kevin the grey said:
I do remember a lean-to that has the fire a few feet in front of the lean-to with a natural reflector to pass some heat into the open structure . This may make it a little safer as far as accidents are concerned .
Click to expand...

This is exactly how I nearly became a crispy critter. It was a lean-to set up and was by the book in every sense, reflector and all. A stray spark caught the roof material on fire while I slept. :thumbdn: :o

Be carefull.

Skam
 
I like the debris shelter and I think in an emergency It might be the quickest to construct . It does not look like it loans itself to quick ingress or egress , especially for a big man like myself . I,m going to make one to gain the experience and prove myself right or wrong . The dome shelter sounds like a good idea as long as terrain and trees loan themselves to it . There is one thing I want to clear up. All the vertical trees are still rooted in the ground ? Could you take cut saplings and stake/bury the ends in the ground ? If not then the terrain is crucial . You must have a ring of trees with not too many in the center of this ring or you would have to clear out most of the stumps in the cleared center of the ring .
 
Kevin the grey said:
IIt does not look like it loans itself to quick ingress or egress ...
Click to expand...

The fundamental idea is using debris for the insulation/cover, the enterance can be customized to the individual.

Could you take cut saplings and stake/bury the ends in the ground ?
Click to expand...

You can always make your own frame, it is better to use existing ones if possible as it is faster and more efficient. The shelter doesn't need to be perfectly square or round, just protect you from the elements.

-Cliff
 
If you eventually decide to go the tarp route, here is a good link with a lot of ideas:

http://www.equipped.com/tarp-shelters.htm

I like the Adirondack Wind Shed, Diamond Fly, Forrester, Bivvy Bag, Low Tetra, C-Fly and Mountain Pod. Depends on the weather and how fancy you want to get.

IMO it makes the most sense, especially if you want to be low-impact on the site. Think of how many trees/saplings/boughs you'll have to cut the other way for a shelter big enough for you and your crew.
 
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