Living Cube cabin design by Lester Walker

[ChrisH]

I lived in a 12x14 cabin w/ loft with my partner and two indoor cats for a few months. It was tight, and probably would not have worked for a long term solution. It was water proof though, and better than the tents  the WOOFERs on the farm with us were living in. Small cabins can be done long term though, one of our neighbors on the other side of the mountain lived in a solar powered 12x12 cabin and had been there for about five years. He seemed to get one just fine.

That said, yes little cabins are not the most practical things and it isn't that much more expensive to make them twice or three times as large. But darn are they cute and easy to build.

[kyounge1956]

What is this WOOFERS?  I saw the definition in the first post on the thread, but where did the word come from, is it an acronym or what? How come they're not just called volunteers, or interns if they're getting credit in school?

[glenn kangiser]

Just funnin ya, really, Robbo. 

Here's my place.  Mostly underground but pops out in a few places.  I think I'll get a bit of cover on them too -- maybe even this year. http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

John, I haven't been to Coober Pedy, but our member, Jonesy from Hay NSW has.  I read up on it a bit though.

kyounge1956, woofers is an Aussie speak word for dog.  Robbo is from Australia.  We have several great members from Australia.  Interesting to see the opposite seasons down there as opposed to what most of us are used to here.

[Robbo]

No worries Glen. 

You place looks great BTW.  And I know how much hard work goes into it.

I will post some pics of mine just a soon as I get Photobcket to work.  Mine is above ground, but adobe brick, post and beam style of thing.

Cheers

Robbo

[glenn kangiser]

I am rather lazy Robbo - Took a break from working on it this year to prospect but still get the occasional thing done on it.

Looking forward to seeing your place too.

[rural]

I recently came across Lester Walker's Cube House in Tiny Tiny Houses, authored by the designer. In searching for information on the design I came across this thread and wanted to add some information and correct some mistakes.

First, Google Books has the full 1974 Popular Science article, and has done a better job of the scan than the original poster. You can find it by searching or here:

http://books.google.ca/books?id=BQEMDqBjzHwC&lpg=PA84&ots=SmdiU1bwKB&dq=Cube%20House%20Lester%20Walker&pg=PA86#v=onepage&q=Cube%20House%20Lester%20Walker&f=true

Also, there was a misunderstanding in the following:

[...]
#2 It's a cube. The pdf shows a dimension of 7'1" from the top of floor to the bottom of the ceiling.
[...]

Actually, from the top of the floor to the bottom of the ceiling ranges from 7'7" to 8'1". Still pretty low for a loft bed but higher than the basement ceiling in my last modern home.

The same commenter also says:

And I'd only consider it in the summer or a very mild climate (which may be all you need it for). I can't read the dimension on the section view of the solid panel, but ISTM it would be impossible to insulate the full width of the panel due to the solid vertical pieces at each edge, and also I think impossible to insulate the joint between the panels, which is just a strip of wood bolted over the edges of both. Maybe it would be possible to put some weatherstripping in the joints but otherwise I bet it would be pretty drafty.

The solid columns at the corners are an issue, but the joints between panels are pretty easy to improve upon. I'd just forgo the rabbets for the center side of each panel, butt the panels up against each other (perhaps with a couple layers of sill gasket between) and put a strip of wood on both sides. I think that Walker went for the rabbeted design because it eliminated the need for left and right wall panels.

I'm tossing around building a 12'x8' version for a place to rest/thaw before/while we're building our home on our rural property and for storage later on. The fact that the whole thing could be taken apart and put in the back of a pick-up (to be moved or sold) is really attractive. I've already got too many structures sitting around that are too big to move. I'm also tossing around something vaguely similar for livestock shelters, because a damaged panel (and these panels would be much simpler than in Mr. Walker's design) could be easily replaced.

[wjabsco]

Hi Chris -

I can't testify to the workability of this panelized design, but I know the gent at www.tinyhousedesign.com has been working on an expandable panel-based structure for some time and has just completed his work.  I believe the idea is to put together pre-constructed panels that can be transported in the bed of a pickup and quickly assembled.  Check it out here:

http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/2009/10/04/tiny-prefab-ebook/

Good luck

-Mark