Weedeater

Going to town on the weeds around the trailer.  It is an electric weedeater.  I'm glad of that.  It is much quieter, cleaner, and safer.

This place was starting to look like a jungle around here.  The weeds will definitely take over if you don't keep after it.

Instead of a shovel that I've been using, the weedeater allows me to get more done in less time.  However, with a shovel, I got down to the roots.  This treatment won't last as long.

Not that it lasts long around here.

Vertical Geothermal Earth Tube

Updated,

4.30.19:

This is a second look at the geothermal earth tube.  This time, an application to a greenhouse was demonstrated.  He adds a composting set up to it for additional heating in the winter months.  I wanted to see how well the system works in real setup.

Radon is mentioned as a problem.  I hadn't thought of that.  Also, weak soil may be an issue, as it would be on the land out west.  Shows a "u" type system, which offers advantages and disadvantages.

The "u" type system doesn't increase radon, nor humidity, as the pic shows below:





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The second video shows the performance.  It appears to me to be a disappointment.  Only 10 degrees difference in the chamber ( not including the greenhouse! ).  This is going to require many more holes and tubing in order to do a large volume.  Such a system may help a "coffin" type arrangement, and the results would be modest.  This taps down my enthusiasm for such a project.




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4.1.19:

by Morgan Brown

Here is a plan for constructing a 12 foot deep vertical geothermal earth tube.  Why 12 feet deep?  Here is a chart which shows the advantage quite clearly.

These videos are of interest because it appears simple, easy, and cheap.  I like simple, easy, and cheap.

Little variation in temperatures from season to season when at 12 feet.  The deeper it is, the variation there is.

Below are the videos:

Part 1:





and

Part 2:

Productivity techniques

Basically, this video is about being more productive.

Radiation Rays: Alpha, Beta, and Gamma

Source

The term "Rays" is really a misnomer.   Gamma rays are rays, alpha and beta "rays" are particles.  They get lumped together, but there is an important distinction.

It's like the difference between the sun's rays ( meaning light ) and solar "wind".  Solar wind is particles and solar "rays" is just sunlight ( plus some light that isn't visible ).  The difference is this: rays have no mass, but particles do.

The video doesn't make that clear enough, in my opinion.  There really shouldn't be any confusion about this distinction.

Artificial Gravity

A rather comprehensive discussion of how to do this, and what it would take.

Bottom line is that it would take a lot of money and commitment, which does not appear to be under way.

Landing the second stage of Falcon 9

Inflatable heat shield and inflatable air cushions are the likely methods.

Bicycle Generator

Is this a useful device?  It is interesting, but how long can you turn those pedals? 

He hooks it up to a 200 watt food processor.  But what he doesn't show is that he cannot keep up the pace and actually run that thing for very long.  Sure, a food processor doesn't need much time to chop up some food, but there may be easier ways to do this.

Haber process

The Haber process is explained.  The Haber process makes ammonia.

A question that I have is this: can a mixture of gases from woodgas, which is produced by the dry distillation of wood, be used to make ammonia?  If it can, can a device be constructed to make this ammonia, and would it be simple enough for an ordinary person to set it up?

Evidently, an ordinary person can set up a woodgas collector.  The second part is whether or not an ordinary person can make an ammonia making device using the Haber process.

The process requires a lot of pressure, so it may not be that simple.

Now, the reason I ask is this:  can you use this process to make ammonia for use in a fuel cell device?

Lots of questions there.

Passage of time

If you watch a lot of Star Trek, you have to wonder why they all talk English.  Or they seem to know how to relate to Earthlings in a manner that an Earthling will easily understand.  For example, with the passage of time, it is always expressed in dimensions that Earthlings understand.  Such as in years, months, or days.

What could be a way to do it so that any extra-terrestrial might understand it?

Try it in half-lives.  To say it in years, use the half life of Ruthenium-106, which is about a year.  Iodine-131 is about 8 days.  Californium-254 is about two months. 

But how do you communicate the names of these isotopes?  By the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus.  But how do you differentiate between protons and neutrons?

Yep, talking to extra-terrestrials would be a problem.

Why is this better than a greenhouse

Swedish homestead

A little hard to stay with this because he has something of an accent, and it takes awhile for it to get going.

He says it is a micro climate, and it helps the plants "get used" to conditions.  Before he does that, he shows something else.

All in all, it is worth blogging it here.

Rabbits v. Chickens

Who wins?

Answering the burning questions

I'm glad I asked.  Now I know.  Woo-hoo!

Stratolaunch gets off the ground

At this rate, they'll get a mission to space by the next decade.

This took too long.  I have followed this development since it began.  Way back when Elon Musk was on board.  We see where Musk has gone, but these guys seem to be going nowhere fast.

Better late than never, though.

Bad ass video

Boots and Oil Blog: A "Green" New Deal That Could Work https://t.co/BbMfrnPP94

— Greg Meadows (@BootsandOilBlog) April 13, 2019

SpaceX has done it again

All three cores landed successfully.

One hurdle remaining full re-usability, and that is the second stage.  However, with the Starship development, they may never do that with the Falcon launch vehicles.

There were a lot of failures before the initial success of recovering the boosters.  Would it make sense for SpaceX to retrieve the second stage first before trying to recover the upper stage of the Starship?  It will be quite a loss to lose one of those.  I suppose the first few will have to be considered expendable before they can declare it ready.

Answering the burning questions

How fast are the warp speeds on Star Trek????

Answer:  Pretty fast.

Gasifier produces electricity

JR M

Says he constructed it using FEMA plans.  He says his generator does about 7 or 8 hp.  Interesting.

Simple Rocket Stove Concept

Ed makes stuff

Here's another rocket stove concept.  An idea flashed into my cranium, with the thought of using insulation.  The guy who made a concrete rocket stove used some mixed inside of his concrete.  What about using something that would trap more heat inside, so the flame would be hotter?

This one seems to perform well enough to boil water.  Perhaps it is better to leave well enough alone.  ( I am having brain flatulence these days.  Would AOC want to regulate that? )

Charred Wood Siding

Matt Risinger

How do you say that?  That's alright kid, I can't say Chevrolet.

This might be considered in place of metal.  I would want metal in order for it to be fireproof.  This may not be fireproof, but it is fire resistant.

Just read a little more about this.  There are downsides to this.  Nevermind!

Inside Biosphere 2

The Good Stuff

It showed some interesting things.  So, what happened to this experiment?  It is now owned by an Arizona university.

One thing that they are working on is a hydroponics lab.  It can support one person.  The point is to find out if such a tech can be developed to support colonization of other worlds.  This is what it was all about in the beginning.

Wasting time

This lifestyle I am living now is breaking down all self-discipline.  It has been 2 and a half years since I came out here, and what have I accomplished?

Woke up this morning, then promptly went back to sleep.  I am sleeping too much.  When I am not sleeping, I am sitting in front of this computer reading things and watching videos.  There isn't much getting done here.

Therefore, I get up and try to watch more videos, but with a purpose.  But that fails, too.  All it did was to reinforce the feeling that I am not making any progress.  The videos are too complex, and involve too much work, it seems.

An example was a solar cabin video.  The guy's name is Lemar Alexander, from whom I bought some simple tiny house plans several years ago.  Turns out that his plans are not going to work out there.  Too windy.  Anyway, I watched another one of his videos that seemed like it might be interesting, but it turns out to be too complex.  He showed how to salvage appliances out of a trailer. 

I really don't want to do that.  If I foul up a working trailer, then I will not have the use of it anymore.

Better to enclose it instead.  Basically, I just wasted my time watching the video.  His wasn't the only one.  There were others that I hoped would help me hone my skills somewhat.  Maybe I got something out of it.

One thing I need to be careful about, and that is making the building square and level.  If I fail at that, the building will be fouled up.

Is there any lesson learned here?  Only that I don't ever seem to learn.  I do the same things over and over again.  This off-grid business really isn't any different from the other things that I have done all my life.  Those things have not worked out.  What will make this work, and therefore be different?

The day is not starting off well.

Solar Furnace for under $50

warm pod dot com:

Comment:

I include this video not so much because I like the idea, and want to implement it; but rather, it gives me an idea that I might try.

The reasoning involved is that a metal building will get hot.  I've been considering a metal building, because it doesn't catch fire, and it will go up relatively quickly, and easily.  Since climate control can be an issue, and idea like this one can help with that.

Paint the metal black, and put a wood frame around it.  Enclose the frame with glass.  Install this hosing in order to do the heat exchange, and bingo.

What I could do is direct the air flow outside in the summer, and inside during the winter.

DIY Wind Turbine for $32

Retired at 40


He says that it works, but offered no proof.  It may have a weakness that even I can see.  Nevertheless, I am putting it up because it might actually be worth an attempt.  Someday, maybe.






A test of an actual out - of - the - box system rated at 400 W, but actually it got only about half that, he says.





Why bother with this???  Maybe for the exercise???

It generates about 10 amps according to his test.  A couple of solar panels will do that much, and would cost less.

Wind could be used if you want something of a backup in cloudy weather, which also has wind.

Also wind is 24/7, while the sun is only half a day.


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Here's another dude, John Daniel, who has a video showing his set up.  He is enthusiastic about his stuff, so maybe this would be worth another look some fine day.









Here's an older video below, which is probably the same turbine a year later above ^^^^^^




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Update:

Installation of the wind turbine:

Shows how to do some welding.  Interesting.

Chances are, you won't like this advice

The guy who tells this story didn't seem to, and he has seen a few things.

You have to watch it to know what the advice is.

Solar Water Heater

NikTheCat


For about $500, you can get hot water, he says.

Turn trash into fuel

IW Videos


This isn't a new idea to me, let's just call it a reminder that this is a fuel source.

How to build a block wall

DYI videos

"Worf" suggested that I pour a slab, and put these kind of blocks down, in order to wall-in the trailer.

One thing you wouldn't have to worry about is the wind knocking it over.  The structure would be very strong.

But I like to consider alternatives.  It's beginning to look like the alternatives are not going to be optimal.  But I already knew that.

Solar heater gadget

Simple DIY project.

If there is one objection, the tiny fan won't put much hot air out.  But this could be a personal heater, as long as you put it near you.  Hmmm.

Rainwater Harvesting

When I mentioned this idea to a guy out near my property, he just laughed.  Evidently, the neighbor didn't think much of the idea.

The guy here in this video is in Arizona.  It may be drier there than in West Texas.  This dude has thousands and thousands of gallons of capacity.  He has that much because he may have to go for months at a time without rain.  The climate out there may be similar to West Texas, so that may be what I'll have to do.

Off-grid post, 3.30.19 --- Bldg ideas continued

Updated,

4.2.19:

With respect to drilling any extra post holes, as outlined below, cost will have to taken into consideration.   Have to keep costs down.  Simply adding bracing in all directions would be the most cost effective idea.

3.30.19:

The theme for the time being is the notion that I am re-inventing the wheel, which is a big waste of time.  This project is slow enough without adding that one in, so let's try to correct that.

Before I started writing this I noted the following posts:

1. concrete ideas  ( simplifying the slab )
2. building ideas  ( elaborate ideas )
3. pouring a slab
4. Adobe bricks  ( where the idea originated )

Now I am thinking in terms of simplifying what became a rather time-consuming and big project.

How did it happen?  Well, I got the idea to use materials on site, began researching it, and then it grew too big.  Now I have to get something basic and doable.

While all that happened, I started reverting back to stuff I covered before on other categories.  That is getting ahead of myself.  There's nothing out there yet.  I cannot grow crops when I am 500 miles away from where I am ostensibly planning to grow them.

First things first.  The new things for this post is that 

• May not want to pour so much concrete.
• Will want to insulate the place, and it may be possible to do that.  Other plans may be too complex.  Best option here may be batting for the insulation, with some sheet rock covering it.

How to avoid pouring so much concrete?

It may be possible to brace the structure at the posts.  That is where I should concentrate on for now.

Updated:

I may have to dig as many as 28 holes.  That would still be a lot of concrete.  The latest idea is to make a "spoiler" like you see on cars.  It would ramp the air up and over the high profile travel trailer.  The need for this is the high winds in the area.  It wouldn't need 28 posts.  More accurately, the posts wouldn't be as high.  The braces would be at an angle, using the concrete post as support, and connecting near the roof area.  Thus, it would form a right triangle.  Once all sides are covered, it will look like a small hill of wood, which will cover the travel trailer.

If I ran this by my older brothers, I wonder what they would say?

Crude sketch of idea.  The middle portion is where the trailer goes.  This is a section, and there are five sections.  Each round circle is a post hole filled with concrete.  In front of this would be four more post holes that would lean into the main structure.  The effect would be to ramp up the wind up and over the structure in all directions.
Arrows point direction of wind forces.  Additional bracing is also added at the midpoints.

Honey extraction made easy

LDS prepper


He says a hive improves the yield of his crops from his garden.  Lots of honey gathered here.  More than one person or even one family to consume in one year.


Harvesting the honey:







extraction of the honey:

Geothermal

by LDSprepper, Orange Jeep Dad

The interesting thing about this is that it can save a lot of energy.  The theory behind it is that the ground is a constant temperature once you get down deep enough.  In this video, he talks about going down 8 feet.

Once upon a time, when the idea of going off-grid was new to me, I thought about burying a conex down underground.

Seems like I might have been on the right track as far as climate control is concerned.  A conex can be bought for a couple thousand dollars.  Just dig out a space deep enough, and plant that sucker.

But let's get real.  This is only about applying geothermal for regulating temps in a greenhouse.