! In the quiet hours of the bootcamp grind, I found myself: Esteban's Bootcamp Experience

B.E.L. Post # 115

Today had that satisfying “build it and see it stand” kind of energy.

After the morning meeting, Stephen and I gathered up the necessary tools from the shop for the Ant Village gate install. We strapped the gate frame to the top of the Rav4 and made our way out to the Abbey, rolling in ready to get after it. Once we arrived, Stephen handled feeding the cats while I took a quick lap with my little pup before settling him back into the vehicle.

With everything unloaded and the gate frame staged, we got right to work. Stephen cut the log for the threshold, and I set it in place with a gravel sock to help with drainage and longevity. I drilled out the hole for the wooden hinge while Stephen shaped the tenon—both of us moving in that nice, unspoken rhythm of shared effort. Before we knew it, we had the gate upright and in place just before lunch—a great milestone to hit.

After lunch, we kept the momentum going by installing a deadweight pulley system for the gate closure. Simple, effective, and satisfying to see it function as intended.

We wrapped up the Abbey work and headed back to basecamp, where I finished out the day by planting some potatoes in the berms—tucking a bit of future harvest into the soil.

A solid day of building, teamwork, and planting seeds—both literal and otherwise.

Good work gentlemen!  If that pulley is attached to the top corner of the gate, I think, over time, it will put a lot of twisting load on that door.  Not when it's closed, just every time you open it there will be a twist applied to it which would likely shorten it's life.  Could the rope be attached closer to the handle where you're pushing/pulling on the gate?  Then there'd be much less twist...

B.E.L. Post # 116

Today was one of those “learn cool stuff and try not to mess it up” kind of days.

I kicked things off working alongside Stephen, building a trough for the deadweight pulley system for the Ant Village gate. My high commander was dropping knowledge bombs left and right about the why behind the build, and I did my best to absorb it all while also contributing in a way that wouldn’t get me fired from imaginary duty. We even did a little experimenting… which is just a polite way of saying “let’s see if this works before we commit to it.”

Once that was done, we pulled the gate out so we could drill the bottom hinge hole all the way through. Not just for looks — this one doubles as a drain so water doesn’t sit inside and slowly plot its revenge. Future us will be grateful.

After that, I headed to the tipi site to fire up the RMH and bring some life (and heat) back into the space. Nothing like a good fire to make you feel like you’ve got at least one thing figured out.

After lunch, we went back to the tipi site and hauled in horizontal pieces I had felled and delimbed earlier in the year and staged at the Abbey. Past me really came through for present me — always appreciate that guy.

Later on, I switched gears and planted mixed ground cover along the berms. Felt very wholesome… like I should’ve had a bird land on my shoulder at some point, but no such luck.

Back at basecamp, Stephen was doing the responsible thing—putting tools away and tidying the shop—while I took on the noble task of debarking woody bits for future projects. It’s oddly satisfying work… plus it makes me feel like I’m preparing for something important, even if I don’t yet know what that is.

Wrapped up the day by kicking back and watching Rogue One with Paul. Solid ending to a productive day — no blisters, no disasters, and the Empire still loses.

Mike Haasl wrote:Good work gentlemen!  If that pulley is attached to the top corner of the gate, I think, over time, it will put a lot of twisting load on that door.  Not when it's closed, just every time you open it there will be a twist applied to it which would likely shorten it's life.  Could the rope be attached closer to the handle where you're pushing/pulling on the gate?  Then there'd be much less twist...

Hi Mike,

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts—I really appreciate you pointing that out. That makes a lot of sense regarding the twisting load over time, especially with repeated use. It’s definitely something worth considering as we refine the setup.

We’re still in the experimenting phase with the gate and pulley system, so your input comes at a perfect time. I like your suggestion about moving the rope closer to the handle to reduce that stress, and it’s something we’ll take a closer look at as we continue dialing things in.

Thanks again for the insight and for looking out for the longevity of the build—it’s much appreciated.