Help with a "one-holer"

[CUB44]

I am in the planning stages of digging the hole and building the structure for a outhouse on my property in Alpena County. I know I need to put Lye in the hole , but how much?and how deep?, how wide? etc. I've never done this before and thought I would give a shout out on this forum for any advice. I'm sure there's a best way to do this and also some things to avoid. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance, Cub

[stick bow]

Pay mind to your well and district regulations. Just a thought.

[HemlockNailer]

My friend purchased a deer camp which has a nice cabin, bathroom, toilet but no electric or running water. The toilet is hooked up to a septic tank and can be flushed with water from a pail. If we install a water tank can we use a 12 volt RV pump to pressurize the system enough to flush the toilet ?

[Luv2hunteup]

If you're in the planning stage here's a helpful link:

http://www.lifewater.org/resources/privies.html#PR

[FishTales]

I am in the planning stages of digging the hole and building the structure for a outhouse on my property in Alpena County.
Thanks in advance, Cub

Check the county regulations.
My sister bought a house up there and it had a two holer out back.
They were told they could keep it, because it was "grandfathered in"
My other sister built a place up there and brother in law wanted an outhouse and he was told "You can no longer put one up", if it was already there you can keep it, but no new ones.
Good Luck
Rich

[alex-v]

Lye was often used to cut the odor in mass graves; both human and animal. We have tried it in our 1 Hole House with no noticeable effects. It did not help.

If it is a deer camp the bureaucratic snoops might not be concerned, at least not as much as they would be if you were building a large multi room cabin that you would be staying in every weekend, etc. Remember, I said might not be concern. A lot depends on how much you are going to use it.

There are deer camps set up each fall in the national and state forests and those camps have latrines and I have not heard of any DEQ people showing up. Again, I think it will depend on the final level of use.

[Cpt.Chaos]

Toilets work off of gravity to flush and carry waste away. You only will need some way to keep a supply of water to the inlet. A simple storage tank located above the level of the water in the tank with a line running to the tank will work.

[eddiejohn4]

fifty gallon drums can be used to make a septic tank. along with some pvc drain lines for the effluent.

[Black Lake]

Okay after you check with the township, county and State, and still need a place to POOP... You need a simple 2x2 hole that is about a shovel handle deep. I use lime (Spelling) White powder, you don't want on your skin or eyes (You can buy it from the hardware for like $5-8.00 a 25lb bag) depending on how much your up there that should go bad before you need more. I take a couple scoops from a small old coffee can and put it down the hole, nice and fresh for the next time you head up. We also move our single holer about once a year, two times if we get up for a couple long weeks aside from deer camp, we just move it a few yards. This system works well enough my wife doesn't mind staying for a week at a time. Just remember to bring the TP in the mice and chipmunks love to chew it up... PM me with any questions, I have become a pro at outhouses, helped a few friends get camp rolling... Rick

[Backwoods-Savage]

Yes, lime is what you want, not lye.

[Radar420]

Just remember to bring the TP in the mice and chipmunks love to chew it up...

We've found that an old metal coffee can will suffice in keeping your TP safe from the weather and critters.

[Backwoods-Savage]

There’s been a lot of landmarks victimized by passing years,
For one, though nearly obsolete, there’s been no rash of tears.
It played it’s part in history and was a friend in need
To all mankind, both rich and poor who did his daily deed.
For an endangered specie there has been a woeful lack
To save it for posterity-that little house in back.
They were alike in some respects. Yet different one and all.
Construction didn’t matter much at times when Nature’d call.
Though some were fancy, some were plain, some painted red or white,
All had a well used beaten trail that led there day or night.
Though some were open to the wind, of privacy a lack,
It served its useful purpose-did that little house in back.
Now some were built with just one seat, and others three or four
Of different sizes-Some for kids were built close to the floor.
It was a place to smoke or think or dream at close of day
While looking through the catalog at what was on display.
But icy winds of winter that would whistle through a crack
Discouraged one to loiter in that little house in back.
Preserved now in museums you will find there on display
The artifacts the pioneers used in an early day.
From furniture to farming tools and rigs for thrashing grain.
And shoes of oxen pulling covered wagons ‘cross the plains.
And logging gear and ancient locomotives on the track.
How often have you seen preserved that little house out back.

[tdduckman]

Here is our newest land improvement project!

Secret location so that all of those outhouse cops don't issue a ticket!


http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/One_holer.jpg

[Welchman]

I built an outhouse for use while building my cabin in Newaygo County a few years ago. Local authorities gave us no problem, as long as the distance from the proposed well was adequate. I would recommend taking a look at J. wayne Fears' book _How to build your Dream Cabin in the Woods_, in particular his chapter titled "The World's Best Outhouse." I followed his design, and have been very pleased with it. It's clean, almost odor-free, and easy to maintain.