Arnold, CA…The Chainsaw Cabin is a small 120 square foot cabin that is being built for under $1,000. It is built in the spirit of Henry David Thoreau’s historic 10×15-foot cabin at Walden Pond cost him just $28.12½ to build in 1845 (equivalent to about $1,000 to $1,200 today).

In this episode we are spreading wood chips in our outdoor living area around the fire pit. It really is a nice place to spend an evening around the fire.

A few months ago we were lucky enough to pickup and gas powered wood chipper that needed work for $100. We go it running and started making wood chips.

For around the cabin we are using chips from branches where we have taken off any pine needles, leaves or green vegetation. This helps create chips that are more uniform in size and lighter in color.

They are a gamechanger in the look and feel of the area. They are nice enough that it really feels like infrastructure. Instead of Adirondack chairs just sitting outside {which they are} it now feels like a patio area.

They will also act as dust control in the dry season. They hold moisture well so a light water spray every day or so keeps it dust free and also keeps them moist enough to make them fire resistant.

As of right now we have only about $500 into the actual structure and with roofing & glass costs it will be right around the projected $1,000 budget.

Not window costs but just the glass costs as to keep it under budget we can’t buy the windows. We have to build them. They will be in an upcoming episode.

Yes, this project has taken waaaaaaay too long. When I started I was single and now I am not. My wife sad she would not live in such a small home and basically discouraged the entire experiment.

Thankfully she has come around with some stipulations. I have to put in an outdoor kitchen. So the plan to make it female friendly is to put a small outdoor kitchen behind the cabin.

Our hope is to design it so it will have removable, temporary fabric walls and doors we can put up when it is stormy weather to keep the elements off us as we cook in winter.

The goal is to actually put up a small livable structure that literally anyone can afford. If your budget is zero you are in the right place.

If your idea of tool shopping is free on the side of the road, garage sales are considered a high end & cruising FB marketplace for deals is a normal thing then you have come to the right cabin build.

About Hewn Hill & The Chainsaw Cabin
The Chainsaw Cabin is our first building, a small 120 square feet shed/cabin on Hewn Hill. Most of the lumber was hand milled with a small inexpensive electric chainsaw. This is to see if anyone can build a small functional building with literally tools you can find at a garage sale and our only costs will be roofing, fasteners & glass for windows.

The Chainsaw Cabin is single wall construction where the wallboards are a structural component of the build. Many of our primitive and pioneer building were constructed this way. The outside wallboard is also the interior board as well.

Henry David Thoreau’s cabin was only 10 x 15 and not much bigger than you can legally build today without a permit in most counties. For the Chainsaw cabin while it is only 10 x 12 with a sleeping/storage loft. So if you are staying for a night or two at least you will have separate work, living & sleep areas.

In 1845 is cost the tiny home pioneer $28.12 to build his modest abode. With inflation that comes in at $962.80 in todays shrinking dollars. That is our goal to build our small structure with doors, windows and roofing for less adjusting for inflation than Henry did many years ago.

We are starting with outbuildings to get the property functional. Places to store tools, a solar shed & a place to sleep if need be. This is phase one and we hope to get that done this year starting with the Chainsaw Cabin then learning how to build a log structure on our next shed.

Next year, Lord willing we will start on our main two story, traditional log cabin built with logs from the property and probably a few other locally sourced ones as well.

About hewn.co
At Hewn we are going take you on a journey to see if it is still possible to build a functional, small homestead that anyone, even someone making minimum wage can build and own. We are going to try this in California no less. Join us as we attempt to build an off grid, solar powered, rustic, pioneer style homestead.

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