Stampie's Grosh Mahal

In reply to Stampie :

Wow. That's pretty unnecessary.  I guess some people just can't control themselves. 
 

For the record, you don't have my permission to use my real name online. But I know you don't give a E36 M3. 

In reply to Stampie :

I wasn't criticizing your door framing. I was trying to help you look ahead and solve a potential problem related to your siding (or maybe not if you've already considered it)

Try not to take honest help as an insult. 

Last night wasn't as bad. I think I figured out the system.  Yesterday I left the door up until 5pm to get as much heat inside as possible. It was a little hot when I settled in but it was much warmer through the night. 

This morning I cleaned out the rest of the stuff inside. I need to organize better. 

I started to put up the first bat of insulation and remembered that I hadn't finished my framing. First I put a 1x4 in the corners in a modified three 2x4 method. This acts as a backer for the paneling but also allows the insulation too not be as compressed as a 2x4 would. 

Then I framed in my window and these that I'm calling slots of experimentation. No AC not that kind of expermentation. 

The insulation went pretty fast. I grabbed the wrong size for my second bag but I got three walls done before heading to lunch. 

Bear with me here I'm having Internet issues and if a picture upload times out I lose the whole post. 

Wanna make me work? Tell me that I have to sleep in the Suburban if I don't get to a certain point. 

I hit Lowe's and Publix for supplies then got back on it. The floor was way colder than the rest during nighttime. I wish I had built it differently but to late for that so let's wing it. 

Tape the crack in the subfloor.

Lay down 3/4 inch insulation perpendicular to the subfloor and tape it. 

​​​​​

Put down 1/8 inch paneling because you're a cheap bastard plus anything thicker wouldn't match the door jam.

Look at it's impressiveness and wonder why you all of a sudden want to sing country songs and eat dinner at Applebee's.

Next three half walls.

Bed shortened to fit and put in place.

After that was just a quick redo of electronics. I even ran my power line through a slot of experimentation instead of under the door. I deserved my beer afterwards. 

Enjoying following along. Thought you might be interested in this. I can vouch for it as I have one down at the horse shed. Runs all night. Nice big pool of light.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09Q11G32G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

In reply to NermalSnert (Forum Supporter) :

I've noticed a lot of single panel powered stuff like that lately. It makes sense because it's way cheaper than running power to that device. Last week I was driving through southern Georgia and after noticing a lot of them said to myself "When the zombies attack I need to come up here to get my free solar panels and batteries."

Were you planning on cooking in there when the weather is drizzly and cold?   (Which is coming up soon.)  I know you're building a rocket stove, but it would be a simple thing to make an alcohol stove until then.  A tuna can to put the alcohol in, and 28 oz. tomato can with vent holes in the bottom and under the top edge for a pot stand.  Alcohol's combustion products are carbon dioxide and water - no chance of carbon monoxide poisoning. 

But I would set them on a square of Durock or cement board when it's lit.  

In reply to Asas_Dad :

The rocket stove is to get rid of the stuff that happens after I eat. After I get the cabin to the point I like I'll be building a kitchen/shower on the 8x8 deck holding the temp solar setup currently. It'll be roofed but enclosed by screen. I have a Coleman camp stove that I can use. I need to get the adapter so that I can use normal propane tanks with it. 

Back to the swarm traps. From what I've researched putting them along tree lines is most successful. That tree lines from your gate going to the left might work out for you. 

I've decided I'm scared of Asas_Dad.

In reply to Shadeux :

I haven't met him in person yet but he can't be that scary. I mean he's just a Florida man living in the woods in LA.  Ok I understand where you're coming from. 

Speaking of carbon monoxide poisoning - with all the work you're putting into sealing the sleeping quarters, I'd respectfully suggest a carbon monoxide detector. It's probably big and leaky enough that it won't be a problem, but I'd really hate for you to wake up dead one day. I wouldn't be able to live vicariously through this thread any more if you did...

In reply to hedg12 :

Lol I appreciate the concern and it's valid as I had the same concern. A few weeks ago I researched and if the cabin was totally sealed I could live for like 36 hours. It is leaky and I'll seal it more but I did think about making a diy low power fresh air exchanger. Maybe that'll go in one of the slots of expermentation. 

I feel like I didn't do anything today but the results for me at least are great. A couple of weeks ago I asked a neighbor in Jax about some heavy duty HDPE pallets they had. They put them at the road months ago but I guess they were too heavy and bulky for someone to pick up. Since I had the trailer I threw them in and brought them down. On Friday i put them beside the deck and stacked the hives on top. This morning I noticed that they were shading the solar panels so I used Trent to move them. It took 10 minutes. Would have taken me an hour to move around all that heavy stuff. 

Next I headed to Lowe's for some PT 2x4s and a chain lock. Someone ate a few meals worth of protein roll ups (provolone and roast beef rolled together) for dinner last night so I hit Publix to restock. 

Once back I put on the chain lock. You might have noticed me using a 2x4 before to hold the door open. Not anymore. 

Next on the list was working on the antenna. I wanted all 30 feet and the manual recommended it be 25 feet from the inside antenna. I was directly below it. Think that's some of the issues I was having last night. 

First the bottom frame.

Then the mast and supporting structure. 

First try failed. I knew it would be a PITA to balance it as I screwed it all together but I didn't plan ahead enough. I had two supports 90 out screwed with one screw each at the bottom. What I didn't do was prescrew the top connection. Also it was difficult to slide the top connection up into place. That first try wore me out. It's not easy wrangling a 30 foot tall pole with the wind pushing it around. Decided to take lunch and try afterwards. 

I prescrewed the uppers and used a zip tie and screwdriver to hold the upper mount in place. 

Second attempt went much better. Once I screwed in the first leg it stabilized enough to not fight me as much getting the second leg screwed in. After that it went pretty smooth. 

It needed some leveling and adjusting but now I have the best signal since coming out here. I celebrated with a shower and used my new brush to get the tangles out of my hair. I'm taking a break then I'm going to hit the rural refuge place since it's closed the next two days. Not sure what I will do this afternoon. Might work on the rocket stove or might do nothing. 

Nice work, swamprat

How do you get the Hotspot up and down?

In reply to Stampie :

I appreciate that, but I'm not that interested in honey.  I worked for a beekeeper in Orlando one summer between semesters.  It was interesting, I learned a lot, didn't get stung too much.  But I probably don't use 8 oz of honey in two years.  Although this sprng I had a swarm in a hollow cherry tree inside the property; too bad the timing was off, you could have had it.

Shadeux said:

I've decided I'm scared of Asas_Dad.

I've decided I'm scared of Asas_Dad.

Why scared?  Of what? 

LA being Lower Alabama?  Guilty.  Although my family has no connection with Ala. other than a Great-Great that moved from there to Gainesville before the First Seminole war.   An early founder of Hogtown, buried there.

And Stampie, we have met.  In Inverness, when you came to help Asa load the 1940s lathe into his trailer.  I wasn't much help, I can't do what I once did.

In reply to Asas_Dad :

Damn you are right. We have met. I used to live in LA when I was in the AF at Hurby. People always think of beaches and bikinis when Florida is mentioned but there's so many different areas with totally different vibes. 

wvumtnbkr said:

How do you get the Hotspot up and down?

The hotspot is no longer up there. I found a cell booster kit that's normally $400 refurbished on eBay for like $180. At the top of the tower is a directional antenna. Then RG6 down to a booster that sits inside my cabin. The booster has an inside antenna that screws right into it. A lot of the kits have another coax run to an inside antenna. Anyway it does what it needs to do. My hotspot phone now sits in the cabin and that means no lowering and raising to charge it. 

That said I can lower it. It'd be a PITA just like raising it was so we're just going to try and avoid that. 

In reply to Asas_Dad :

People are afeared of greatness, Dad.

I've been watching  my solar the last few days. The new controller came with a Bluetooth adapter and the app sucks but it's workable. I'm normally at 100% charge by 10:30 in the morning. After that the solar panels are just running the fridge, cell booster, and any phone/tablet that needs charging. I'm trying to take advantage of that extra power by turning the fridge down to 37 during the day and back to 41 at night. I also try to load up new/warm stuff after the battery is charged. For example I just put in a warm gallon of water and filled all the rest of the space with warm Cokes. I did some quick mental math and I think I'm running off the equivalent of five cell phone charges a day. 

Yesterday I sat on the roof and flew my drone around. Some things are not where I thought they were for example the winding drive goes closer to my neighbor's property than I thought. I did see several trails that I wasn't aware of. 

This morning the project of choice was to finish up the insulation and paneling. I got the insulation done on the ceiling and front wall. 

By then I could have taken an early lunch but I'd rather push myself and make the afternoon easier so I put up the ceiling panels. 

Sorry for the quality of the pictures but my inside space is 6x7.5 so not like I can get good angles. One great added benefit of the insulation and paneling is noise reduction. The intersection at the end of the road is a major one out here in the country. Country people seem to like mud tires and loud exhaust. They also get up way early in the morning. Last couple of nights I haven't noticed it at all.

Going to eat some Publix potato salad for lunch. I decided to get their Baked Potato style because it had bacon in the ingredients. Kinda disappointed as I'm pretty sure they just waved a pig near the salad. 

This is my I'm tired but done look. 

I did relocate my power and cell booster cable to the middle slot of experimentation as I decided that slot will need for electronics. 

Going to rest, take a shower, and head out for some beers at another micro brewery this evening. Not sure what I'll do tomorrow yet. 

In reply to Stampie :

Damn, never seen a grizzly build his own den...

Love this.

In reply to Asas_Dad :

You just seem to be... capable... if you get my drift. It probably didn't come across right; it was just in jest. Someone who can take care of themselves.

As far as LA, well, 99% of my family is/was from just north of Magic city, or Mobile. People get all scared about the movie Deliverence, but at one point in my life that was like "Oh hell, that's just Uncle Bob."

Hagred.