View topic - The Thunder box challenge!

I thought this would be a cause many members here would get on to...
errr into
I know many of us have encountered the problems of campsites/locations being abused.
I will be taking this beauty to the my first campsite on my Agawa Trip



It cost less than $35.oo to make and I am sure some of you would be able to scrape up some donations.

Maybe those members that are various "Friends of Parks" could entice park management for some free backwoods camping for this service.

This one is 16 x 16 x 16 and it could be built modular for easier transport.

We will need some notes to explain the rules of use in these unregulated areas.
I will put it on the inside of the lid on this one.
And simply state when hole is full dig a new one.

I think I will have some fun on the drive up too the Sault with this though....
We all like a challenge and we want to keep our areas neat as we can for the next time.
Jeff
(and no you don't have to put it on your head.... )

Link to album
https://picasaweb.google.com/1142241160 ... directlink

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Choosing to save a river is more often an act of passion than of careful calculation. You make the choice because the river has touched your life in an intimate and irreversible way, because you are unwilling to accept its loss. — (David Bolling, Ho

Good idea!! There is a small well-used lake on the Mattawa river with TWO VERY full boxes, the camp sites are nice and the lake is nice so its a shame.. I might do the same next spring/summer!

Nicely done. Just a note to anyone else thinking of making a Thunder Box, you don't necessarily need to provide a toilet seat - you could simply go with the hole and a hinged wooden lid tethered by a short chain.

Great work Jeffi!

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www.mikemonaghan.ca

Great idea! Placement of your Thunder Box will certainly go a long way to protect the campsite where it is located.

May I suggest a panel of galvanized tin or plastic be place on the interior of the front panel to protect the woodwork from urine splash.

I agree with Mike (aka 'canoeguitar') that would be more attractive and possibly cheaper than using a store-bought toilet seat. But, be sure to use a router to round the edges of the 'hole'.

Thanks I will add the metal before I go!

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Choosing to save a river is more often an act of passion than of careful calculation. You make the choice because the river has touched your life in an intimate and irreversible way, because you are unwilling to accept its loss. — (David Bolling, Ho

Great idea Jeff,
Years ago -1994 or 95,we did the same thing at the camp I worked at for a campsite on the Dumoine River. Can't remember now if it was above Lac Dumoine or below.

That is a great idea. I know a few places out here that could benefit from one.

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-Jim-

"Paddle faster, I hear banjos!"

I believe that the toilet in your picture is called a "P3" (Pre-fab, Portage-able,P?). A Thunderbox is the toilet with the hinged lid (when it drops, it makes a sound like a crack of thunder) and no toilet seat.

P3s are used in Lake Superior PP, Killarney PP, and ? other parks.

I have a 2 page blueprint (courtesy of Lake Superior PP) if anyone wants to know how to build a P3. My plans are for boxes 24"x24". They are designed to be a bundle of 5 flat pieces and assembled at the campsite.

I have 10 P3's along the Lake Superior shoreline (Crown Land/public land) between Pukaskwa National Park and Lake Superior Provincial Park. I check the toilets a couple of times a season (I travel by powerboat doing other tasks like Peregrine Falcon monitoring) and move them when they are full. I can gauge the popularity of campsites by how often I have to move the toilets (for example, I have only had to move the Dog Harbour P3 once in 10+ years whereas the Dog River P3s are moved every second year).

Dave at Naturally Superior Adventures gets some of their clients to donate some $ to help cover my gas costs.

I prefer black toilet seats and not white seats. They do not show the (natural) dirt and grime. I also prefer solid plastic seats - they resist the chewing of animals better than the vinyl covered wood seats. Solid black plastic seats are not widely available in stores.

When I have canoe/kayak camped, I don't carry a shovel. Therefore, I would not be able to dig a new hole for a toilet. Maintenance may require some system where a toilets needing new holes would be known to paddlers going to that area. They could bring a shovel with them. Maybe there could be a P3/Thunderbox page on MYCCR?

The Seat I chose is all plastic no wood for the reason you mentioned.
Will look for brown the next time.
Post your plans here and invite paddlers/visitors to donate.
Most users don't understand (especially in crown land sites) why it isn't taken care of.
or the restrictions of budgets within Provincial parks.
The idea is to address some of the "issues" that some of the trippers have encountered the last couple of years with camp sites that are mistreated. (nicest word I could think of)
Especially in the more well used areas.
I do have one of those collapsable camp shovels that I carry on some trips and I know others that carry smaller garden trowels to make their cat holes.
The more we educate and get trippers (new and old) involved the better.
It is simple and doable for most people.

Joel thank you for doing the maintenance of those areas.
I had no idea and I am sure those that used them didn't either.
I am sure the users of these facilities would be shocked ( I am) that you are that dedicated.
And would more than willing to help out to keep those areas in pristine shape.
Jeff

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Choosing to save a river is more often an act of passion than of careful calculation. You make the choice because the river has touched your life in an intimate and irreversible way, because you are unwilling to accept its loss. — (David Bolling, Ho

Seeing as there is no UV or any real stress to the material after installation, would a sheet of 6 mil poly do the trick?

Kijiji or the Re Store might be good places to scrounge cheap or free plastic seats w/lids.

Re-store seat....$5

14 inches square 1/4 inch ply for sides

1/2 inch ply for top

1/2 inch pre drilled hardwood re-enforcers in the corners

12 Robinson screws...

1thunderbox...priceless!

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Dave

"The way of a canoe is the way of the wilderness, and of a freedom almost forgotten." Sigurd Olson, 1956

14 inches seems a little small. Most community cat-holes are quite large in diameter. We've all sat on some smaller boxes with larger holes.

Good work to all of you who are working on this.

For those of you in Alberta, and perhaps elsewhere, Paddle Alberta sponsors "thrones" in various high use campsites along Alberta's Rivers. Individuals can get involved by contacting Paddle Alberta.

http://www.paddlealberta.org/environmen ... rogram.asp

Got that measurement from a toilet.....it also comes apart and fits easily in the bottom of a canoe.

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Dave

"The way of a canoe is the way of the wilderness, and of a freedom almost forgotten." Sigurd Olson, 1956

I have dug a few holes, some in the woods, and the deeper one digs the larger the diameter becomes. Throw in some nasty roots and a few big stones and what you wanted to be 12 inches ends up being 18. I always swear when I hit stone larger than the desired hole diameter. Won't be the last time I hit planet.