Instant 'Folding' Tiny Cabin with Skylight and Wood Burner 

Watch PART 2 here where I make modifications and spent the first night in it: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-1_ei86oK1Lg.htmlsi=ryUfweOSeKDIb-av

If you are planning on keeping this mini cabin, I would personally treat it with a good dollop of wood preserver and cover the roof with some roofing felt. Otherwise you will probably find over a short time, your mini cabin will turn into a giant sponge! Just a thought...

Really love this. A couple of ideas: For the clear roof panel, use "Lexan". It is more expensive but even thin sheets are near unbreakable. Second thing, I'm sure with a little creativity, you can add handles and wheels to the base to make the base itself a transport. If you want to still make it flat when unassembled, you can make the wheels removable. Would love to see this variation.

Excellent! I would also put another vent in the door for cross ventilation, and add a bit of screen over your vents to keep the midgies out. 😊

You should put wheels on the sides with a handle on the end. Then you wouldn't need a wheelbarrow to set it on. Great video. I can't wait to see you go camping with your new cabin.

Front door idea: Have the hinge at the top, that way it won't allow rain in when open, and it can act as a sort of porch.

You are my hero! I was looking for a project which can help the homeless while giving teens something meaningful to occupy their time. This is perfect!

One of these days, I think it would be absolutely amazing if you made a treehouse cabin, like, a structure suspended between multiple trees

I love to see projects like this where people are thinking "outside the box" and not being limited by the usual ways of doing things. I really like the little cabin!

You need a strip of rubber to cover the top ridge hinges to keep it from leaking. That way you don't need a separate ridge piece. If you really want to lower weight, use foam board for the walls and roof with 2.5cm x 2.5 cm wood for corner and edge support.

Here in the states we have something called blueboard. It’s a product that’s used in really damp environments like a basement or cellar. It’s pressure treated and designed to resist mold growth. I found out about it during a DIY basement that had mold everywhere after hurricane Katrina. I also heard about epoxy based paints. Not only does it resist moisture but it also soaks into the material making it harder and stronger as it sets up.

This is magnificent! Also my goofy brain said "Oh! He made a treat chest for Big Foot!" And .. Did he just create a beginer level Magician's Chest? I think it would make a wonderful temporary greenhouse that can be stored away too. Chicken coop? Such a wonderful and variable use structure. Well done!!! ❤❤❤

"I'm just a Husband and Dad" if both those responsibilities are taken seriously (sadly not all do these days) then you are a formidable force.

You remind me of dad and uncle George, you could with a "Would it be possible to?" They would go away and soon you would be called to come and see what they had built. They would have loved your videos as much as i do.

It's all fun and games until someone sticks a consignment note on the side and you wake up to find you're in transit to darkest Peru.

Hey Mike! The cabin is great. I'd suggest using small spacers to keep the aluminum plates off of the walls by half an inch or so - it wouldn't cost much or take up a lot of time, and would give the wood better protection from the heat of the stove. You might also want to add some eave extensions to the roof - I'm betting you'll get some rain in, one end or the other, through the gaps. You could use very light material for this, maybe even testing coverage with varnished cardboard clamped on as a test run. To keep your cabin flat packable, the eaves could be a removable item. Just a few thoughts to keep you even more safe and dry. Hope the test run goes well!

My Dad made his fishing shanty like that. He mounted skis on the side so he could transport it on the lake. When he got the hole cut in the ice he would unfold it and set it over the hole. He even had a small propane stove for heat. Two could fish and it would get warm enough inside that you could take off your coat. Those hung on folding coat hooks inside. The inside was painted flat black so you could see the fish easier through the ice hole.

Wow, what a contrast to what we were expecting for the new upload!! Cheers 'TA Outdoors' for bringing to film a new type of camping vessel. 👍👍👍

Having made a tiny house for my son under a pine tree I was absolutely captured by your video. Enjoyed every minute. Thank you.

Great idea and design! The only thing I would criticize is your choice for the sunroof. Acrylic sheet is more scratch resistant, but poly-carbonate sheet, think Lexan or bulletproof glass, is much more resistant to cracking. A falling "widow maker" could shower you with knife like plastic shards. It's also used for shooting glasses. Breaking before you even got into the woods could be seen as an omen. In the future, if you want to lighten this design up, I think that you'll find that Lauan (over here, it's a thin plywood used as an underlayment for flooring) will be lighter and plenty strong, as well as nicer looking, but at a greater cost. Depends on your priorities. I, for instance, have much more money than I do strength and stamina! Your final thoughts at the end of the video made me think. If you plan to prop open the wooden side of the roof, make the props such that the roof still has some pitch to let rain run off (You guys do get rain on that side of the pond, don't you?) and you could staple a sheet of screen or mosquito netting over the opening to keep biting bugs out (If you tell me you don't have biting bugs over there in the spring and summer, you're gonna have a house guest come March, Mate. LOL Great video!

Great idea, perhaps for a mk2 you could even make it out of aluminium section and sheets, also incorporate the wheel and some handles into the frame so you don't need a separate wheelbarrow.

Genius initial design love it love the concept and execution

Waiting for the "instant" part of the cabin, but then having my mind blown by the fact that you actually did design and build it (and tbf, it's also a prototype). I find myself impressed. You're welcome at a BBQ anytime mate.

The lifting roof is a fantastic idea! I'd probably build a single flat angled roof that lifts from one side of the tiny cabin. Then make a latch system for it or a swing arm to keep it up. When it's not raining it would let you stand up and still keep some cover over your head. Add a little tarp on top so it drapes over and it's a small tent. Not to mention perfect heat management.

Very cool! Minor safety suggestion. A buddy and I (back in the day) built a structure out of the same material you used, with the intention of creating a low budget sauna. Cue the laughter! We used an old "Sears Parlour Stove" and it heated up quite nicely-until the off-gassing from the glue in the OSB board drove us out. Takeaway is even with a tiny stove.....just produce a little heat to stay safe.

Just wanted to say that I literally just discovered your channel yesterday when looking for stealth camping videos and I am HOOKED 😂 You're absolutely so cool to watch. So much so that my husband had to stop me from starting mini fires in various ways in the middle of our livingroom haha Especially loving the survival tip videos 👏🏻

Youve thought of stuff i wouldnt have dreamed of Mike. The velcro idea by leaving the backing on so you can use again for something else at another time, buying two stove jack squares just in case of rain if not using it. Fab mate! A great idea for a video mate! The vent was an ace touch too man. Loved it and cant wait for the overnighter

For the base...instead of using a wheelbarrow, what would you think about two wheelbarrow sized wheels on an axle, mounted at one end, and your folding legs at the other? With a sturdy handle at the other end, it would eliminate need for the wheelbarrow.

I think its brilliant! Love these kind of things. Some people use bicycle wheels at the back and handles at front to walk their "cabin" where they want.

That's a great start on a fun idea, Mike. Like Fowler's Ice Glamper Camper, or The Outsider's insulated, hot water heated cabin on snow skids, but simpler, and easy to transport in a variety of ways in cold or warm weather. I realize this would make the assembly a bit more complicated in the woods, but as you were putting it together, it struck me that someone could come up on you and disassemble it while you were inside. I would want to have those vertical boards on the end walls. and all the latches on the inside, with only a lockable closure on the door outside. As a side note, on this side of the pond we call them 'two by fours', not 'four by twos'.

I used to take a Roll of 6' wide thick black plastic and some clear thick plastic for the roof, black nylon trot-line string and duct tape to the hunting woods to make a camp cabin I used for a week sometimes 2 weeks. I used my limb saw to cut about 1/2 inch round limbs the length I needed to frame up the cabin using the nylon string to secure the framing together and make a door. Covered the frame and door in plastic using the clear for the roof for light and duct taped the plastic from the inside to secure it to the limb framing and keeping it in the dry. I used a piece of thin 3'x3' sheet metal with duct tape to make my smoke pipe hole out the roof and that plastic held the heat inside. Made a couple cabins using the same method less the duct tape using cheap tarps.

Oh my that is so cool the way you assembled your tiny camper..and with no tool..that's just awesome...thanks for sharing your project ..I love it💞

As a prototype it's a great idea. Research, development and testing should be fun content. Any waterproofing ideas yet?

This looks like a fun project. I like the idea of being able to move camp and set it up anywhere you desire in the woods. Thanks for sharing!

You could take a look at bicycle caravans, fahrradwohnwagen in German (they are the most active builders). Transporting your cabin on a wheel barrow must be tough. It would probably be a lot nicer if it had its own wheels and you could pull it (by hand as well). Obviously this is not meant as a caravan, but if you turn the base into a bicycle trailer, it would be very similar to a bicycle caravan. Lots of good ideas on materials and construction as well. They often build with insulation foam. It's rigid and lightweight, easy to glue and from what I hear, an insulated tiny caravan/cabin easily heats with just body heat. A candle for extreme weather. I have some interest in a bicycle caravan, but wouldn't want to ride with such a big thing behind my bicycle. Making it collapsible like yours would be the way to go. Very nice!

Corrugated fiberglass roofing may be a better option than the acrylic. Love the flat pack pop up cabin concept 🙂

If you have a piece of rope tied to the inside top of the door and thread it through the top wall above the door you can raise ans lower the door much easier from the insie like a draw bridge

I think this was a cool idea. Especially if the weather is bad at least you will be protected by the elements.

Good ideas and quite thought provoking. If I made one and wanted to transport it often, I would take two of the fencepost legs off and replace them with two wheel barrow type wheels... two handles on the other end. All the weight would be closer to the ground and a wider stance of 2 wheels for stability.

That's a pretty sturdy base you've got there. You could just attach detachable wheels directly to it and eliminate the wheelbarrow.

Absolutely love the idea and it looks great. Just a couple of thoughts. You could secure the cabin down with paracord, some eye bolts and tent pegs. And might want to cover the outside with something waterproof, or at least something to block the draughts. After all, Britain is a very wet and windy group of islands. :)

Nice! If I may, how about fitting a couple wheels on one end of the base and some handles on the other. Boom! No need for a wheelbarrow.

I love things like this. As I was watching the build, it struck me that it's similar to the pre-fab homes that transform from a box on a trailer to a large home. To that end, maybe instead of the flat pack design, make a box. Each side could be two pieces hinged together, then made rigid unfolded with gate latches. Then slot them in place with the leg/hole system you have on your end pieces. When folded down, you'd have a box for the extra pieces. Could maybe even add wheels and handles so instead of carting it with a wheelbarrow, the cabin would BE the wheelbarrow. Would be easier to cart the woodstove this way. Plus food, bedding, lights and power.

Ive used some free secondhand double wall polycarbonate on my shed roof, its done a brilliant job, much sturdier than the stuff you have used there. It came from a neighbours conservatory, they were taking it down to built a propper extension.

you could create french folding doors with several smaller door hinges, but like you said its work in progress.

Use a hot nail to make holes in the acrylic. Use washers in the fasteners to help prevent cracking the acrylic.

Pukka the best make it video i have seen in an age. That covers this form of camping out .

A relative of ours builds a similar type structure for use as deer hunting blinds on his hunting leases. But they are a bit bigger, sturdier and he uses screws to secure it. Since it is semi-permanent and sits up in the humid Louisiana woods for months even years at a time. It packs down on to a four wheel ATV trailer. Not as neatly as yours but pretty similar

I want to design a traveling foldout camper trailer that can be pulled by a bicycle since I don't drive. I love seeing all of the people who have decided to move into buses and cans and travel through as much of their life as possible, vut that lifestyle is inaccessible to those who dont or xant drive. I also thought it would be helpful for those who are unsheltered. This gave me great ideas, so thank you.

Such an awesome idea. Great video!

Great video and project. You should build another one but try using 2x2s and one quarter inch plywood. Imagine the weight savings. As small as the shed is , it will still be very strong for whatever you need. Btw, I suggest you put some spacers between the wall and heat shield. Just a few washers on each screw. Bon voyage !!!

On the gable ends, place the two upright 3x2s on the inside through holes in the floor, with the "sockets" under the floor. Less things "sticking out." Also 3x2s for the floor would be enough. 4x2s are overkill. I agree the whole piece of acrylic is to much, to flexible, and it doesn't need to be the entire half roof. Better "portholes" than a huge skylight. Be sure to paint everything, both sides, for waterproofing the OSB. Great idea for a prototype. Thanks for the video. Jon

"Glorified Doghouse." Consider adding a steel bracket and two legs longer than rest with extra bolt holes so you can adjust for sloping ground. Also, if you had a net or some way to hold roof material, you could pile moss or leaves over the glass roof, to help retain heat in coldest winters. But I digress. OSB is terrible idea as it will quickly disintegrate once wet. I like the Bushcraft Holding Pins. Nice Touch! 😅

HI, GREAT JOB!!! SUGGESTION: I was thinking about the hinge issue (time stamp 26:28) when I remembered a type of offset hinge we use in the states to increase the width of door openings typically to retrofit homes for the disabled needing wheelchairs. Since the hinge is offset, usually by 3 inches, it swings the door completely out & away, making room for the wheelchair. Obviously, the size and scale of your Tiny Cabin hinges will be smaller etc but once that's been established you'll be all set. The ONLY other thought may be to mount your 'trolly' wheeĵl directly to the exterior of the flat pack and use the side roof/rafters as the handles thus no waisted weight or redundant pieces. Again FANTASTIC JOB!!! Tari

This is absolutely genius. Thanks for sharing 😀

Your kids are going to have the best childhoods.

Brilliant...love it Of course, you will add up some improvements to this nice cabin. . ..great work! Congrats from Spain!

Brilliant. Absolutely wonderful. Thank you.

IDK why but I was transfixed watching this. Amusingly narrated, fun and useful too. 👏👏

Thanks for the video Mike!

Reminds me of all those homemade bicyclecampers you can all over youtube.

Awesome concept! I'm sure everyone will be sharing how they'd to do it, the possibilities are endless!

Wow!!! Amazing!!! Great job. It’s a puzzle home. Only a few pieces to make a home. Great beginning for a safe haven.

Thank You for sharing the directions too. I love your idea😊

Hey there! So happy to see you still creating. Hope you & your family are well!👍🏼😎

That thing is awesome! I want to build one now. 🙂

Few design ideas: 2x4 subfloor is durable but like you said you could of totally used smaller like 1x2. The pointed roof adds another board, a slanted roof would be a single piece and less cuts. Also a few windows wouldnt hurt n would lighten the weight

This is a great concept! I like the way you pulled it all together, nicely done! The thing about something like this is that you add things as time goes on. I think you're off to a great start!

Nice build but personally i would add a cocktail bar so that you could have friends over to entertain and play games in the evening,sipping cocktails and nibbling canapes and vol au vent.Also air conditioning would be a nice little extra.

I was planning to do something similar but on a car trailer since all the places I camp I can get by car. I just want a box that will hold all my camping gear and will fold out to a cabin. All those changes you mentions could still easily be made to your current cabin.

Love to see it for winter camping.

That opening scene is uh... intense and weird haha, just staring us down 😂 Give me a little vsauce vibes lol

That,s pretty awesome what you came up with there. No tools needed to set up. Smart thinking bud. Loved it.

This is such a fun and cool project! Very versatile. Thought (though I'm sure I'm not going to be the first to suggest it): what if you attached wheels to the base so you roll it without a wheel barrel?

This is a cool idea. I'd like to see wheels built into the base and maybe handle system. He could then leave the wheelbarrow at home and drag it like a litter.

I used to work at a frame shop that had acrylic as a glass option for you frames. It is definitely a pain in the butt to work with.

Thank you Mike for another great invention.

A great idea and very well constructed. 😊

Perfect for truck camping. Great episode.

Love it! I'd personally make one of the long sides either flip up or down for the door, also you could put handles on end of the base and wheel barrow/ kids bike wheels the other. You could even make the base insulated with foam if you wanted it a bit fancier. Very adaptable design, look forward to the sleep in

You are a Genius, Mike! So simple and so brilliant build. Thanks for sharing this!

The Outsider would be proud. He too made several portable cabins on this channel.

Very cool! I love this idea! Thanks for sharing the build and the set up.

Mike, you always hit us with some really fun projects. I love creativity and hard work that goes into these builds. Can't wait to see this one put through its paces! Great upload!

This is ingenious!! Love it!!

Well done Mike thats a great idea and project. So it's basically a tent made out of wood. When i buy a wood I was planning on just using a tent for a while but now i might build a quick simple structure like yours instead. One thing i might add to the design is 2 barrow type wheels to one end and maybe handles to the other then you can push or pull the whole thing making the flat pack the trolley.

I love this! What a great idea! Thank you for sharing!

Ace. You could always completely hinge one side so oi drops down on legs & becomes like a porch in warmer weather therefore leaving one side open but still with a bit of overhead cover. Nice vid.

Love the design, quick and simple to set up, could out that in my pick up great for travelling maybe even on a flat bar trailer for truck or side by side

Thanks for sharing! Very creative.

Love it! I love camping but hate tents. I have some ideas to make it lighter. It may be a project for this fall.

Need to place a bit of flashing above the two layers of stove jack material. Water can run in the velcro top edge. Pretty nice over all.

A couple unsolicited suggestions: 1) You'll need to put a heat resistant material behind the aluminum plating, such as a welding cloth or something similar. Aluminum can still get hot and that heat will build up behind it and catch your wooden wall on fire. 2) a wooden frame with smaller acrylic windows for that half of the roof would be stronger and still yield a similar skylight result. Other than that, really neat build.

That is pretty nifty. I'd put the skylight in a frame personally.

Eagerly looking forward to seeing this first camp out in the "Mike-Motel" :)

Interesting build, thanks for showing it to us. I'd be inclined to use a couple of sheets of 3 ply on a baton frame for each side so I could add some insulation in the middle without too much weight and polycarbonate roofing for the top as it's a lot easier to work with than acrylic as well as being insulated but that's just me. Then again, I tend to over engineer things just a smidge :)

Good fun stuff, love it. I think I'd have put the acrylic side inside an OSB frame for stability, you're right, acrylic can be a major pain with cracks and pressure fractures

Absolutely brilliant!

If wind is an issue with the acrylic you could always add a wood frames around it and use the latches to secure it from the inside, it would be beneficial to latch both sides of the roof especially when using the stove.

Brilliant project