Going to be posting about projects that we are doing. Post all the comments yall want. I know some of them will be along the lines "holy shit you didn't get blown up?" But that's ok. One that are the planning stage now are a bio-gas digester to make method for a gas cook range and oven. Another maybe and outdoor wood boiler is I can come up with the materials cheaply if not then we will most likely be buying one. And last on the list at the time is a soil cement block form and press. Soil cements block are blocks that use only soil and portland cement to make a block no added sand or anything. Our soil requires about a 6:1 ratio of soil to portland since it is 99.9% red clay. The cement just stabilizes the soil and holds it in it shape. The compressive strength is above that of a regular 8 inch cinder block but has a lower tensile strength. Going to use these for the raised garden beds if everything works out that is. The press ensures that there are not any air bubbles which could make the whole thing just crumble. So once I get started on one of them I will be posting pics and stuff plus some pics of a couple of thing that are finished or about finish that I have start already.
Monday 07
Going to have to skip the block press for now. Got to figuring how many I would need and how much portland that would take just can't spend that much right. Even though it worked out to .11 cents a block we just need to put money else where at the moment so going to be doing the garden with earth bags that hopefully get coated in a cement stucco. At least that it the plan. If not for sun light hitting the bag and making them rot I would just leave them like they are but need to cover them a little.
Look around the place to see what all I had to do the furnace with and I think that I have the stuff to do a outdoor boiler. Only thing with it though is that I am not will to drink the water that would come out if I used it to heat the domestic hot water in the has the way most furnaces do today. So I figure that I will have to build a hot water heater myself with a water to water heat exchanger into. Nothing hard there really just need to figure if I want to use food grade metal for the heater or food grade plastic for the inside tank. The water to water heat exchanger is easy just a 1/2 copper coil in the tank will heat the domestic water with out contamination. From the prices that I have been seeing I should be able to build one for around 250 to 300. Including pumps and install and welding rods. The upside to this design would be that I will not have to top of the boiler water the often or plump it to the water line with an auto fill system just one less thing that could tear up. I hope that the whole closed loop system of about 250-300 gallon size. Being completely close loop means no air which mean very slow rusting. Only thing money will really go out for is the pump,some pex tubing to run the heated water to the heat exchange in my duct work and the water heater then back to the boiler, an aqua stat to control a little blower that will fan the fire so to speak when the water drop to a certain temp it kicks on a fan to get the fire rolling then when it is hot enough shut off and lets the fire just smolder. That helps with the amount of time you have to fill the fire box through out the day. Also I am not sure if I am going to use sand around the boiler to insulate it like a hasha furnace or fiberglass batts like the commercial one use. I would say which ever is going to be cheaper. The whole thing will have a little building built around it to protect it from the elements and make it just look better sitting in my back yard. If it was not for the size and shape of the house I would just put a reg. wood stove inside but it would not heat the house right in my oppnion (areas really warm and then those that would be to cool). Plus this gets rid of the mess in the house and lets me get ride of the electric water heater. Making things greener is a good thing since a lot of the fuel for the furnace will come from slabs off the mill.
April 05 2011
Got a couple more projects now. I am going to have to break down and re deck the trailer that I share with my Mom and Dad. We been dealing with a big hole in the center for about a year now and it is just getting worse. I figured while I had it down I would put a new jack on it also and cut that center jack out before we rip it off in use. I am also gonna give the thing a new set of side boards. I am also gonna get the measurements and run figures on building a set of stock racks with a small tack room on the front for hauling animals also but just depends on the price of metal. Going to start work on my farm truck. Be glad to have something that I drive around get beat up and not have to worry about it so much and also something that I know will be able to pull about anything that I will need it to with out being hard on it. A 360 big block and bull dog 4 speed trany in a ton truck will be just right for me. I will only use it to pull trailers for hay and to go get feed on since it has a flat bed. Other then that it will be not used that much due to the wonders of gas prices. That is about it at the moment once I get started on either I will give you all an up date.
April 06 2011
Started redecking the trailer yesterday and got it almost done. I figure that I got another half days work for today and it will be done. Nice to see something get finished and be right in front of you. Sawing lumber and working on house is taking time and some times seems like a lot of work and nothing getting done even though I know that it is.
Well didn't get to work on it that much to much stuff came up and had to do some other things but I got some of it done. All I like is putting down the center steel piece and I am done. Be a good thing to as I am going to have to go get hay Friday at the latest. I normally try not to move off one thing and do another till I am done with the first as it usually keeps me from ever go back to the first and it is driving me crazy that I can't be like that right now.
April 10 2011
Got the trailer back together today and all is well. It has a nice new deck and new jack the swivels up out of the way. I hope that dad and I can keep from ripping this one off at least that is the plan. My bother inlaw Micheal came up this weekend and we got my old truck up to the barn so that I can get the motor out to be put in the ton truck. I was going to keep the frame and make a wagon out of it but decided that it would be better if I just junked the thing. I have 3 wagon frames now that I have to put back together and that is all that our little farm will need.
April 15 2011
Got the motor and tranny out of the truck and getting ready to move the ton truck in there now and get the 302 out of it and put that 360 big block and bull dog 4 speed in it. Will make a much better farm truck for us. I water proofed the trailer deck yesterday also hope that it will last. Been helping my mom and granny get rid of some scrap iron around the homestead so not really had a whole lot of time to do much else. But it is helping clean the place up and helping Nanny since she is on a fixed income. Plus it was on of my Paps lasts wishes so all in all it is worth doing and it is almost done.
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