This is the day to look back on what was accomplished in the previous year.
Er, not much.
I made a visit in February, stayed for a few hours, and left.
Perhaps a few plans got more firm than before. A building plan seems to have been finalized. Maybe.
In two years, I'll be at the halfway point in the payment schedule. This is an accomplishment, but it would be better if something was actually out there. Once the financial situation improves, then that excuse will go away.
Lately, I've figured out a way to align my trailer perfectly along the east-west line. Just wait until the midpoint of the day, when the sun is directly south. This will be true in any season. The shadow will make a perfect north-south line, and a perpendicular line makes east-west.
Therefore, I have a building plan, a location decided, and it's orientation on the property. As for building the thing, there isn't much else to do, besides getting out there and doing it.
One thing to wait on is a better financial position. This could take up to two years.
But I could go sooner if I wanted to. Or not at all.
Tuesday, December 31, 2019
Saturday, December 28, 2019
Tuesday, December 24, 2019
A few remarks
Things continue to move, although very slowly.
Today, I filled up the fresh-water tank from the well. I could have done this all along, but today was finally the day to try it out. It acted a little squirrely when I took a shower. At least it works, for now.
A few days ago, I was perusing YouTube when I found some crafts that utilized concrete cloth. This gave me an idea to use that to make another Quonset hut. Maybe one of these days. It would take a lot of fabric to cover the cattle panels. It would be messy to dip the fabric into the concrete, and then hang it on the cattle panel.
I was wondering if there was a way to rig it so that I wouldn't have to get my hands in it and on my clothes. What a mess that would be.
Here's a rig: there would be a container that I would make with plywood. It will be large enough to run a large piece through it a one time. There would be rollers positioned so that the cloth would have to pass through the rollers and the concrete and out of the container. From the container, it would be stretched out on to the cattle panel immediately to dry.
Maybe bed sheets would work the best. Those would be long enough so that one cut in half would cover the entire cattle panel ( or come close ).
The trouble with this is that it may take more than one person to do the job. If I end up doing this, I think I could find somebody who could help.
As for any other topic, I still haven't made my ladder yet. Still thinking about it.
Today, I filled up the fresh-water tank from the well. I could have done this all along, but today was finally the day to try it out. It acted a little squirrely when I took a shower. At least it works, for now.
A few days ago, I was perusing YouTube when I found some crafts that utilized concrete cloth. This gave me an idea to use that to make another Quonset hut. Maybe one of these days. It would take a lot of fabric to cover the cattle panels. It would be messy to dip the fabric into the concrete, and then hang it on the cattle panel.
I was wondering if there was a way to rig it so that I wouldn't have to get my hands in it and on my clothes. What a mess that would be.
Here's a rig: there would be a container that I would make with plywood. It will be large enough to run a large piece through it a one time. There would be rollers positioned so that the cloth would have to pass through the rollers and the concrete and out of the container. From the container, it would be stretched out on to the cattle panel immediately to dry.
Maybe bed sheets would work the best. Those would be long enough so that one cut in half would cover the entire cattle panel ( or come close ).
The trouble with this is that it may take more than one person to do the job. If I end up doing this, I think I could find somebody who could help.
As for any other topic, I still haven't made my ladder yet. Still thinking about it.
Monday, December 16, 2019
Blogging continues here
The other blog is on hold for now.
I took down the link to the other blog from this blog. But not from there to here. I may do that later. As for now, the folks who did go to the other blog may be able to come here from the link over there.
This blog hasn't received much attention lately. It seems that the writing habit is very much still with me. But I am a little rusty having spent most of my time over there.
As for a little content to post about, here is a link to a map of the water ice on Mars.
You know, Mars is so far away, it will need its own government. What do you suppose the new government on Mars will be like?
I took down the link to the other blog from this blog. But not from there to here. I may do that later. As for now, the folks who did go to the other blog may be able to come here from the link over there.
This blog hasn't received much attention lately. It seems that the writing habit is very much still with me. But I am a little rusty having spent most of my time over there.
As for a little content to post about, here is a link to a map of the water ice on Mars.
You know, Mars is so far away, it will need its own government. What do you suppose the new government on Mars will be like?
Monday, December 9, 2019
The Lost Ways
A review of the survivalist book. It is advertised in some places. I wanted a bit more information about it. I haven't bought it myself.
As with any book, it won't do it for you. If only it was that easy.
As with any book, it won't do it for you. If only it was that easy.
Sunday, December 8, 2019
Projects
Update:
12.8.19:
A ladder may not be necessary, but it may be desirable. There are downsides to making one. It will cost money. It may break, especially with me on it. On the other hand, it may not be useful enough to make it worthwhile.
Still scoping out how to proceed.
Instead of make a screen for an incinerator, I just used my washtub. I burned a few pieces of paper in order to try it out. This is a poor man's way of getting rid of some trash.
12.5.19:
A ladder may not be necessary. Nor the other project. An alternative to a ladder would be some type of seal for the leak that would not require that I get on top of the trailer. Perhaps the seal could be slid into place. A piece of plastic might do the job. Some Flex-seal around the seams would finish it off.
A small metal container may be all that is necessary for burning small amounts of paper. No need to make the thing I was considering.
12.4.19:
I am leaning towards making the ladder. It can be mounted on the bumper. It will need bracing to keep it steady. In addition, I can pour some concrete to make it virtually immovable.
The ladder that is available is too short. There is another, but it is so large that I hesitate to use it.
Still considering the options.
12.4.19:
Now there may be a couple.
The second project is to build a ladder so that I can get on the roof of the RV trailer. There's a leaky area up there I'd like to access, and there may be other reasons that I can think up later.
It doesn't have a built-in roof, so either I use a ladder or I build one against the RV. I choose the latter because the ground is not level around here, and a ladder might not be as safe as I'd like. Come to think of it, a ladder might work after all. I need to look at that again before I start doing anything.
The rest is a bit of speculation about building it.
The tarp project involved putting a 2x4 stud with a brace on the rear bumper. The tarp shred to pieces long ago, so it isn't necessary anymore.
This setup can be adapted rather easily, I think towards making one side of the ladder. The other side could be attached either to a wall or to the bumper. The RV is parked against the wall of a building, so the building is very stable.
The wall option would not be as easy to mount the trailer. The bumper side does not match up easily, so it may take some creativity to get it to line up.
More on this later.
12.8.19:
A ladder may not be necessary, but it may be desirable. There are downsides to making one. It will cost money. It may break, especially with me on it. On the other hand, it may not be useful enough to make it worthwhile.
Still scoping out how to proceed.
Instead of make a screen for an incinerator, I just used my washtub. I burned a few pieces of paper in order to try it out. This is a poor man's way of getting rid of some trash.
12.5.19:
A ladder may not be necessary. Nor the other project. An alternative to a ladder would be some type of seal for the leak that would not require that I get on top of the trailer. Perhaps the seal could be slid into place. A piece of plastic might do the job. Some Flex-seal around the seams would finish it off.
A small metal container may be all that is necessary for burning small amounts of paper. No need to make the thing I was considering.
12.4.19:
I am leaning towards making the ladder. It can be mounted on the bumper. It will need bracing to keep it steady. In addition, I can pour some concrete to make it virtually immovable.
The ladder that is available is too short. There is another, but it is so large that I hesitate to use it.
Still considering the options.
12.4.19:
Now there may be a couple.
The second project is to build a ladder so that I can get on the roof of the RV trailer. There's a leaky area up there I'd like to access, and there may be other reasons that I can think up later.
It doesn't have a built-in roof, so either I use a ladder or I build one against the RV. I choose the latter because the ground is not level around here, and a ladder might not be as safe as I'd like. Come to think of it, a ladder might work after all. I need to look at that again before I start doing anything.
The rest is a bit of speculation about building it.
The tarp project involved putting a 2x4 stud with a brace on the rear bumper. The tarp shred to pieces long ago, so it isn't necessary anymore.
This setup can be adapted rather easily, I think towards making one side of the ladder. The other side could be attached either to a wall or to the bumper. The RV is parked against the wall of a building, so the building is very stable.
The wall option would not be as easy to mount the trailer. The bumper side does not match up easily, so it may take some creativity to get it to line up.
Wednesday, December 4, 2019
Starship landing sites on Mars
A map, if you please, of Mars.
The areas are numbered 1-9. Olympus Mons is in the "tropical zone". That means these areas are to the north of that, and maybe well to the north.
 |
| Olympus Mons is the large mountain on Mars, which covers an area roughly the size of France. |
The areas are numbered 1-9. Olympus Mons is in the "tropical zone". That means these areas are to the north of that, and maybe well to the north.
Further explorations at candidate Starship Mars landing site https://t.co/ZUYxs3PgaW— Greg Meadows (@BootsandOilBlog) December 3, 2019
Monday, December 2, 2019
If carbon dioxide is captured, then what?
Comment:
5:32 pm:
I've posted on this in connection to molten-salt reactors. You might get fuel from a process derived from captured carbon dioxide, but it will cost $25 a gallon. In other words, not economical, except in war zones.
Unless this process brings that price down, it won't make economic sense.
12:04 pm:
The obvious question is what do you do with the gas? Any gas can escape, so "sequestration" isn't of much value.
According to the article, it requires 1 gigajoule of electricity to capture 1 ton of the gas. But the processing isn't finished with the mere capture. You have to do something with it. From there, it might be processed back into fuels, but at a cost. If it takes 1 gigajoule, that's about 278 kilowatt-hours per ton.
5:32 pm:
I've posted on this in connection to molten-salt reactors. You might get fuel from a process derived from captured carbon dioxide, but it will cost $25 a gallon. In other words, not economical, except in war zones.
Unless this process brings that price down, it won't make economic sense.
12:04 pm:
The obvious question is what do you do with the gas? Any gas can escape, so "sequestration" isn't of much value.
According to the article, it requires 1 gigajoule of electricity to capture 1 ton of the gas. But the processing isn't finished with the mere capture. You have to do something with it. From there, it might be processed back into fuels, but at a cost. If it takes 1 gigajoule, that's about 278 kilowatt-hours per ton.
1 gigajoule power per ton captured: MIT engineers made a cheaper and more efficient device to trap carbon dioxide https://t.co/fqr7jE1DX5 via @thenextweb— Greg Meadows (@BootsandOilBlog) December 2, 2019
Sunday, December 1, 2019
Some ideas
An idea for a waste burner:
This would be for paper waste. It is designed for catching embers so that they won't catch anything on fire.
It is simple really. Just use a terra cotta planter as the receptacle for the waste. Build a small table like thing with a metal screen on top of it in order to catch the embers.
Use it as follows: fill up with waste and set it on fire. Push the table into position, which will allow the waste to have air to burn, but catch the embers. Simple idea, really.
This gave me an idea to use the same kind of set up to filter rainwater. Instead of a wire mesh screen, use a cloth instead. The cloth will stop some of the dirt and larger objects. The terra cotta planter would be replaced by a water jug or something to hold the water.
In order to save time and money, just reuse the same device as for the burning of waste. Place the cloth on top of the screen.
This would be for paper waste. It is designed for catching embers so that they won't catch anything on fire.
It is simple really. Just use a terra cotta planter as the receptacle for the waste. Build a small table like thing with a metal screen on top of it in order to catch the embers.
Use it as follows: fill up with waste and set it on fire. Push the table into position, which will allow the waste to have air to burn, but catch the embers. Simple idea, really.
This gave me an idea to use the same kind of set up to filter rainwater. Instead of a wire mesh screen, use a cloth instead. The cloth will stop some of the dirt and larger objects. The terra cotta planter would be replaced by a water jug or something to hold the water.
In order to save time and money, just reuse the same device as for the burning of waste. Place the cloth on top of the screen.
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Simple Waste Oil Burner
Comment:
5:00 pm:
Here's another one of these. This is a new area of study for this blog, as the idea never occurred to me. Where to get this waste oil? From used auto oil? It seems to be the case here.
11:33 am:
Don't do this at home, he says. Then why post the video?
Yes, caution is advised. All the same, I'd like to make a note of it for later, perhaps.
5:00 pm:
Here's another one of these. This is a new area of study for this blog, as the idea never occurred to me. Where to get this waste oil? From used auto oil? It seems to be the case here.
11:33 am:
Don't do this at home, he says. Then why post the video?
Yes, caution is advised. All the same, I'd like to make a note of it for later, perhaps.
Friday, November 15, 2019
Self-starting siphon
Comment:
Siphoning is one of the coolest things I've learned. You can filter water this way. Capillary action will cause the water to rise up through the filter medium and drain the dirty water into a cleaner container of water. Works pretty good, but it is SLOW.
This is a quick way to siphon off one container into the next. Self-starting to boot, which is nice.
Siphoning is one of the coolest things I've learned. You can filter water this way. Capillary action will cause the water to rise up through the filter medium and drain the dirty water into a cleaner container of water. Works pretty good, but it is SLOW.
This is a quick way to siphon off one container into the next. Self-starting to boot, which is nice.
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Chickens v. Rabbits
Comment:
This guy says his chickens cost him 50 bucks a month. He didn't say for how many chickens. Given the low cost of chicken meat, it wouldn't seem to be worth it if it cost much at all.
Rabbits were similar, he says. But for a reason not entirely clear, he chooses chickens. "More bang for the buck", he says.
This guy says his chickens cost him 50 bucks a month. He didn't say for how many chickens. Given the low cost of chicken meat, it wouldn't seem to be worth it if it cost much at all.
Rabbits were similar, he says. But for a reason not entirely clear, he chooses chickens. "More bang for the buck", he says.
Monday, November 11, 2019
SpaceX's latest Falcon 9 launch
Comment:
Another component of their Starlink system was placed into orbit. It was the fourth use of a booster, which is a record. The booster was recovered for a fifth attempt in the future.
Another component of their Starlink system was placed into orbit. It was the fourth use of a booster, which is a record. The booster was recovered for a fifth attempt in the future.
Sunday, November 10, 2019
RV power setup
Comment:
Very nice, but expensive power system set up.
Lithium batteries with 10 year warranty. Eight 180 watt solar panels. Didn't price out all of them, but the panels alone are nearly 2k bucks. Way too much money. Does it really need this much power? Looks like 6 to 8 lithium 100 ah batteries.
This dude has a serious system there.
Very nice, but expensive power system set up.
Lithium batteries with 10 year warranty. Eight 180 watt solar panels. Didn't price out all of them, but the panels alone are nearly 2k bucks. Way too much money. Does it really need this much power? Looks like 6 to 8 lithium 100 ah batteries.
This dude has a serious system there.
Saturday, November 9, 2019
Moving right along
Comment:
They seem to be sticking with the plan. The plan was to build a molten-salt reactor according to what is already known. That is opposed to some uncertain future development that has to take place first. In other words, Thorcon is going with what they know will work instead of waiting for something to be developed before going forward.
It looks like Thorcon is on track to a prototype reactor soon, and commercialization should follow shortly thereafter.
They seem to be sticking with the plan. The plan was to build a molten-salt reactor according to what is already known. That is opposed to some uncertain future development that has to take place first. In other words, Thorcon is going with what they know will work instead of waiting for something to be developed before going forward.
It looks like Thorcon is on track to a prototype reactor soon, and commercialization should follow shortly thereafter.
Friday, November 8, 2019
Composting toilet in an RV
Comment:
11.8.19:
Some faqs about composting toilets.
11.7.19:
7:20 am:
More info here:
6:00 am:
Here's one that may be better.
11.6.19:
This gives me an idea. The idea is to convert from a black water tank to a composting toilet. This will permit the occupation of the land without the necessity of digging a septic tank.
11.8.19:
Some faqs about composting toilets.
11.7.19:
7:20 am:
More info here:
6:00 am:
Here's one that may be better.
11.6.19:
This gives me an idea. The idea is to convert from a black water tank to a composting toilet. This will permit the occupation of the land without the necessity of digging a septic tank.
"Solar" mini split a/c
Comment:
11.8.19:
Here's a second take of the video. He believes it was necessary, but I don't think it was. Nevertheless, I'll put it up.
11.7.19:
I've seen mini-splits before, but this one seems better for some reason. Actually, it is very efficient in terms of energy use. According to this video, it never uses more than 500 watts at a time, and can run on a lot less. It can start with a 1000 watt inverter, which is also nice.
It is available on amazon for under 1000 dollars. That part seems a bit expensive, though.
11.8.19:
Here's a second take of the video. He believes it was necessary, but I don't think it was. Nevertheless, I'll put it up.
11.7.19:
I've seen mini-splits before, but this one seems better for some reason. Actually, it is very efficient in terms of energy use. According to this video, it never uses more than 500 watts at a time, and can run on a lot less. It can start with a 1000 watt inverter, which is also nice.
It is available on amazon for under 1000 dollars. That part seems a bit expensive, though.
Thursday, November 7, 2019
Aneutronic fusion news, progress being made
Comment:
Still a long ways to go, but progress is being made. A very significant milestone will require energy production to increase by a factor of about 80.
Still a long ways to go, but progress is being made. A very significant milestone will require energy production to increase by a factor of about 80.
Aneutronic Fusion News: Oscillations Down, Fusion Yield Up: https://t.co/h9iKxah3M2— Greg Meadows (@BootsandOilBlog) November 8, 2019
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