I Felt Forced to Kuksa... #20 

I recently discovered your channel and I'm doing pretty much the same thing in Victoria, Australia. Virgin ground, lots of hardwood (eucylipts/redgum/acacia (blackwood)), and some sundry sheds. Lifestyle wise, I'm on a veteran's disability pension which pays for my fuel and food, I've installed a decent solar system and have a 9.5kva generator for when i need to use my machine tools. I guess the only difference between our lifestyles is that i have made the decision to live here permanently (and it's a damn sight warmer), and I'm able to harvest rainwater for most of my water needs. I've just finished raising some bobby calves (from 3 days old) and that was really rewarding. They were really fun to hang around with. Might be a bit difficult for you because you need a fairly easy method of getting hot water to make their milk substitute up. I have a wood chip hot water service which is a pain, but it does work well. My place has its own challenges although my temperature challenge is from the other direction ... too bloody hot sometimes (46c), on an island in a swamp, totally reliant on rainfall for drinking/washing water as well as stock water. I can pump from the swamp for irrigation (thanks to seeing your well setup), and need to grow some vegetables. Also, the soil has bugger all organics so is a bit desertified. Plenty of deer for food and I've put some perch into my pond, so I'm pretty set for protein. Chickens won't last out here with all the foxes though. I also bought myself a mini-smoker which i would highly recommend you get or make. The food is delicious and it's so simple, cooks low and slow, so you can be cooking while you're editing :) Anyway, love your channel, sorry i can't support you through patreon due to my pension, but I'm there in spirit! Oh yeah, I'm 60 and spent the last 20+ years being a wage slave dreaming of doing this. When my wife passed away it was time to sell the house and live the dream.

Nice cup.

Is that water, or tea?

Maybe dig a root cellar to keep you water containers in so they dont freeze? Line it with planks to make it solid...

Love the day to day stuff just as much as the builds. Your channel's great man.

I like how you start and end your videos with a quote (could stay up a little longer for us old folk who read a lot slower) and your easy-going dialog, explaining to us the facts of life back in the woods far from the insanity of the rest of the world. I grew up in the "north" with no heat in our bedrooms and swore that I'd never endured that again and so far, I haven't. Nothing like a fire crackling away in the space heater all night or rain on a tin roof to give one a feeling of "well-being". You might get a kick out of a book called "Flash Back", which kind of reminds me of how you live - well, for the most part. Irrespective, you do amaze me with your problem-solving skills, which are basically an instinctive reflex, at least when it comes to you. This brings me to the Tree House Platform. Now I'd build a "skyhook", which is a large tripod outfitted with pullies and rope used to lift heavy logs or lumber and swing them to where needed. I've seen it used on several other far north builds where the lone builder cleverly makes due in raising heavy objects to otherwise seemingly impossible to reach places. I have been binge-watching your past videos and thoroughly enjoy them. Thanks for all the extra work setting up your cameras, etc.. to get those great shots. Your extra work doing it is well appreciated by all your fans. Sincerely, p.r.morehouse

You are what RU-vid should be about. I've been loving your videos! Just looking through the comments it's a little sad how many people would love to do this but can't, so it's almost like you're the people's champ in that way 🥇stay warm! And thank you for the awesome content!

so I just subbed! I watched you build the treehouse and then decided that i would sub cause I like your personality and sense of humor!

You, my friend are a lunatic!!! love it, thank you. Hurry up and hang the rest of my m&ms!!!!!

Have you thought about solar? Harbor Freight has a 100 watt system priced under $200 that I use in my off grid cabin.

"In hind sight, of course it's going to happen!" Thank you for the chuckle! (reference the bear stealing your candy)

Yup, that bear will be back-I don’t know how you would keep big bear out of something like that-they are pretty strong beast 🤗

with all the sawdust you have from your chainsaw, you can build a box to put the water jugs in and then build a bigger box to put the one with the water in and pack between the boxes with the sawdust from the chainsaw. You will need 5 to 6inchs of sawdust . I know that it sounds dumb but that is what I would do in Canada when I use to go there. I never had a problem of things freezing. For got you will need a top. LOL Love seeing your videos wish I could do that be I am a little old to do that now (73) Danny Mabry

Don’t let anyone tell you different your living the dream . Stay in the woods as long as you need to the crazy city life will all way be there I am going to do the same . Love the show

Just hang it over a pallet with nails nailed up. Sharpen them. Dancing bears ...make a video. I think it a wolverine. Bear wood have eaten everything.

Great looking cup. Also saw the video when you hung the gum ball machine up. My first thought was I bet that doesn’t make it a week! LOL good thing you have two

The Kuksa came out great. I would love to try the life style you are currently living, but my wife is not up to it. I have done some camping and a little bush crafting. I just discovered your channel this morning and watched a couple of your videos, including this one. I really enjoyed it and hope I have an opportunity to do some of what you are doing, before I am too old. - Jeremy

that worked awesome I'll remember that toilet wax torch/fire starter. 😎

Hello from British Columbia, Canada (West coast). I found your channel a day ago and have been binging on your uploads, I really enjoy everything you share. Thank you. In the native culture of past generations, they would have their summer camps & their winter camps. You are such a great builder, it surprises that you haven't built a tiny winterized off grid cabin so that you can be better protected from the cold. The insulation wouldn't cost that much. I suspect most of your subscribers would love to see you build a tiny off grid winterized cabin with a wood stove for heat & cooking. Just a thought. Keep up the great videos, really enjoying them. Sincerely

hang it from a chain/where to bear can not reach it-an a hidden camera-have some fun watching that bear trying to get it/he will be back/thanks much

Beautiful Kuksa. One of the many things I miss about Michigan. The beautiful trees. Birch is one of my favorite. Thanks for the great videos!! John here, from the back-roads of Tennessee.

There's no need to use resin in kuksa. You need salt, water and coffee. After carving you have to boil kuksa in salty water. Let it dry. Then you fill kuksa with strong coffee. After two minutes throw coffee away and "sand" kuksa with coffee grounds. Let it dry and it is ready to use! Coffee includes fat and it works like resin. Salt premeating keeps your kuksa well moisturized so it won't split in two pieces. Never wash your kuksa with soap or other chemicals, only clean water is needed. You have done wonderful work with your chainsaw! Keep going! Greetings from cold snowy Finland! :)

That is an awesome Kuksa, i love it thank you for your videos... stay safe

Why don't you keep your water in containers you can heat rather than pouring it back and forth? Just a thought. Or, dig a pit, and make a cooler below freeze line to keep the jugs in so they don't freeze. Heat the toilet ring wax and dip the cardboard in it for fire starters. Passive solar heater for your clothes dryer?

Put it inside the cabin or your tree house that way those two-legged bears won't get away with it....🐻🎅🌲😂🤣😅

I don’t have any ability remotely close to you, but since I been scavenging RU-vid for camping ideas or anything to learn how to do, you are quite the entertainer. Keep it up. 🤙

I watched you build the deer blind video and enjoyed your endeavors and witty repartee, so I decided to catch up on all the videos. Perfect length videos to watch back to back, enjoyed your content - keep up the good work. Enjoyed the quotes at the beginning of each video, good stuff.

I cant hold back...subbed man that Rupert Hughes quote was a winner. Thanks for your awesome content here.

Your videos are really awesome please keep them coming. It’s inspiring to see people do things that are different. Nice job👍

Hang your gumball machine in the air at night. Lower it during the day. Might need a pulley. You could even mount it to the same screws, just raise it up in the air at night. Keep it tied to a rope. Love the cup

SWEET-coffee too/thanks much

100w Solar Panel Kit, Controller, Charger, Marine Deep Cycle Battery, 1000w Inverter from Harbor Freight/inexpensive and ideal for recharging Camera/Cell Phones, Laptops etc. Get Solar Lights for lighting instead of the Oil Lamps, Get a 500w Ceramic Heater it will heat your treehouse quick, use your propane and propane heater for Emergencies only. Use an Electric Hot plate for cooking your food. You can also install a Wind Generator to your Treehouse to keep your Battery charged at all times. The less you are dependent on the outside the easier life is at camp.

you need to make like a ringworm totem pole with your chainsaw skills

New subscriber, you are master of carpentry and outdoor man. Really enjoy your videos .

Any else think how does this bear 🐻 have 25 cents 😂

Thanks for another awesome video. Stay safe and stay thawed!!

Helô friend... Very good..

Working my way through the vids.. Nice work on the cup. Now I've got to make one for myself!

Your Coke so looks good but as far as your battery's concern you can always get some that flat foam board and build you a box to go around your battery to keep it warm in the battery of warm it up as you go but you going to have to put a little exhaust little exhaust for the hydrogen to cost of the outside but also if you go by Harbor Freight and get one of those like four panel Harbor Freight solar panel sets they'll keep a charge believe me and if less than $200

If you build a route seller type room underground it should keep the temperature at a plus 0°c state and you should worry about food and water freezing

I've never seen anyone make a coffee cup with a chainsaw but I am thoroughly impressed. However im pretty disappointed that the title of this video is not Amazon Prime Toilet Torches.

just found your channel , watched a few videos and subscribed! you are living the way i want to! great videos!

Question why not clean bottom of jug off and put some water in pan and set jugs in pan of water to melt?

New subscriber here...I just love watching people build things....especially from their own milled trees etc....Have watched a few of your videos and I really am awed at what you do....Keep on having fun and I will keep on having fun~~~~

Good hand skills and control on the carving tools

Love your videos.... all so different and entertaining. It’s as if you are having an easy conversation with a good friend. Sometimes you pose a question and I find myself answering it...out loud! Keep them coming!

The grain of that birch is something right!! Don't get them down here in South Africa.. not to say we don't get good wood down here.. just different is all... You guys up North have tall trees, lovely wooded areas.. we got bush!! Thick thorny bush!!! Mango, guava, lichies and avocado we got stax of guava and lichie have good wood.. made my self bow from guava!!

ubiquitous poptart

Beautiful cup. I’ve noticed that your following is growing! I’m enjoying everyone’s comments.

Life in the forest can be a ton of fun. Pleas keep making videos for this old man. your building skis are fun to watch....

Beautful job!!

I know the feeling , I do have a tree house almost done . I can wait to be there drinking a cup of coffee. I’m from New Jersey’ . USA 🇺🇸

Funny interesting intelligent comment

If you.dont mind the marks being permanent a paint stick might work For Marking!

The product that I seen on another channel is for hauling your chain saw on your tractor . U slide the saw blade and it holds the saw in place. It's called a saw hauler right down the side of it it's mounted on his tractor. Have a great Christmas week 🎄🎄🎄✝️

Surviving ringworn? can you explain what that is all about?

You could keep your drinking water in some kind of a bowl with a lid. Then you could drop the ice block out of it and into a pot. Also, keep the drinking water inside a styrofoam or straw insulated pantry. Or in the deer castle attic

Love the show but I have to inform you that the rapper stage name Ubiquitous Pop-Tart (UPT) is taken. Are you down with UPT?

IDEA FOR CANDY DISPENSER: something like a glitter bomb- and use pavlovian training: make a fake candy dispenser- nothing but enough peanut butter 'smell'- no reward. but put a dead man trigger to a can of bear spary inside the birdhouse. after they take out a few, they may be trained to avoid them?

Maybe you can make a box for the gum ball machine that can be hoisted up high and a rope or cable hooked up with some pulleys that you can lowered when you want some candy. Screw a cleat to a tree to tie off the rope, or maybe use a cheap boat winch.

I would like to see you eat a bear steak. Hope the bear doesn't have a peanut allergy. ;)

Put Some Cameras up and get pics of the Bear! Need to know the dangers out there! TY

Thats one incredibly gorgeous Kuksa‼️👌🏼♥️

I joyed your shingle video and your birthday video and liked your coffee cup seeyou soon

Please don't take God's name in vain😢.I love your hard work & viedo,s.but why?

A Teepee , man. A mostly wood teepee could house all of your incidentals, tools and water, 4 wheeler, shower, give you a place to sleep year 'round while keeping safe, warm and comfy. But, a two story teepee to get you and everything in it would require quantum thinking and planning. And, best of all, you have the wood. I had ringworm on my foot as a kid. Required freezing three times a day for a week to kill it.

Just thought of a project for you. Build a giant wooden chain attached to a sundial that looks like a huge pocket watch. You can make a wooden snap for the other end of the chain. The wooden chain should be pretty quick to build with a chainsaw and a knife, at least rough. You could even put a lid for the pocket watch on the northern side of the sundial/pocket watch. Just need a small open space with southern exposure for the Sundial to work. Or you could go authentic and have a compass inside with the cover being the sundial.

Are you sure that water is drinkable, kinda looks like a urine sample. 🤷🏼‍♂️just sayin.

Love the U.P.....love your videos. Keep living your dream.

Love the "repurposing" I see on your channel. Definitely jealous that you get to be on your own everyday in the woods. How can/do you afford it?...being away from work?

your videos are very interesting and your explanations are also and teach me a lot, that is to say they're very instructive, but I find it much more interesting, but much more the things you teach in practice is to say their creations that I find very clever, so I say in my particular that speaks a lot but not because what I say or explain doesn't stop being super interesting. I'm a big fan of videos like the ones you do, I love cabin building. thank you and don't bother with my opinion.

That came out great.

Dude I just found yur channel a few days ago, that cup is sick, so r u a gander, anyway luv the channel yur skills r wicked keep up the good work 😊

Did you know you can make syrup out of birch trees? Also, just in case you didn't know, Birch bark is the bomb for fire starter. I'm going to get a toilet wax ring and make some fire starter. Great idea!!

Dig a trench around that lean-to. Layb plastic on the floor, and cover that with gravel. Or something similar.

Lol. "In hindsight". Bear was the very first thing i thought of when you put that up. Rofl!

Another good one man! I sub’d for the chainsaw mill stuff but I dig your camp so much I stayed to see what else you’ll get into this winter. Might be cool to make a bowl and plate to go with your kuksa. Maybe some cooking utensils.

How about video of your actual house. Since you only spend one day a week there which is what your day off from your job?

I’m the guy at this moment on a couch who thinks Dallas 40-55 degrees is cold however I have the same need as yourself and only fell right in nature

I have a large Springbar canvas tent, 10x14 that has a wood stove option. LP heat creates condensation where a wood stove will dry it all out plus you can cook on it. Would really expand your ability to keep water liquid and be a good compromise to your issue with building a cabin. A plus is the wood is free for heat.

I've really enjoyed all of your videos. You have a good spirit and usually a comical word to say about most things. I wish I had the land to go play on like you. Where I live, I have trees, but not enough to fell any for playing with. Keep up the good work! I can't wait to see what else you come up with!

Great job on the "KUSKA". Beautiful wood choice.

What a beautiful job,from northeast Missouri

I think the whole point of a kuksa is to let it season with use. Resin will prevent that....I could be wrong.

How about building a Drying room . loving the videos

Love watching you just get out there and tackle a project. Figure it out as you go! Always worked for me. Keep it up

Thats one beautiful wooden cup you got....

Maybe a sheet of soft flooring from the Habitat reuse store would solve the moisture in the shed.

Wow !! Putting the resin on the cup made it look totally different and so gorgeous. I just looked up Kuksa cup and it said they are traditionally made out of Birch wood. I don't know what wood you used but the fact it turned out so beautiful is more than enough.

Why don't you have snow shoes out there at ringworm? Does it not get that deep?

Why not just set your jugs in the boiling water, it'll thaw that way without all the farting around.

Love the videos just found your channel pretty cool stuff

Definitely need that 200sq foot cabin cant wait to see you build it

FYI, it takes as much heat to melt ice as it does to heat water from 0C to 100C.

U give me hope and I enjoy your optimism and genuineness

Its been bugging me that something is missing out there with you, and I finally figured out what it is. You don't have a dog! You are missing man's best friend! I bet if you had a dog, that gumball machine would still be with you.

First of all - due to winter coming on quickly , the Wooden dice are going to be tricky to use (especially with the Fourwheeler troubles) so I suggest that all winter decisions should be made by means of spin the Kuksa. As for the gum ball machine, what about a box like before but on a cord that can take it up about 20’ Great job on the cup! Survival is no small job. It’s always interesting to see how it is going, I think we have all tried to imagine what it would be like , but you are living it. Bravo! What did you decide to do about Christmas? I know that you said that Santa was originally from wringworm but who knows if he remembers how to find it? Excellent choice on the cup interior by the way. For a positive note, tomorrow the days get longer every day! The septic torch business will be an instant hit!! Now you need to make a wooden handle that accepts a torch (it can be a wringworm saber) with sound and all! Thanks for the effort and the video! Merry Christmas! Stay safe looking forward to the next update

"In hindsight, of course that was going to happen." 😆

Living the dream life, koodos to you man. I hope do the same soon, here in alaska

Hopefully you have plans to build a cabin next summer and are you in northern Michigan or the UP?