Okay, it's time for some SSSS-updates, isn't it?
Stephen asked me if I had some plans for his outhouse, and well, of course I do! Super clear, right here in my head.
I assured him I'd jot them down and send right on over, which... hasn't happened yet.
Since I asked him about 997 questions about what aspects he liked of the existing willow feeders, and his plot, and tried to design it according to all of his favorite features (as well as some I deemed super necessary), I have some very specific ideas. I don't know if people have been working on his sh*tter during the T-day week, but I did briefly consider going over in November to help out for a week... unfortunately for the sh*tter, I got hold of some half-priced building materials over here, and blew my budget on those, instead, so I can finish a couple tiny houses to sell. Ah well.
Since I'm working and also studying at 150% this semester, I haven't had the time to give the full sketch-up run down of my ideas. I keep meaning to get to it, but... yeah. So I decided something's better than nothing, and I'd post some hows and whys here, taking the pressure off the full presentation and just write a little bit when I can.
Q: Where is the SSSS placed, and why?
A: It's placed about 20 feet in from the road, on Stephen's property but easily accessible for other guests of the lab as well as Stephen.
Q: Why is the door on the south side, and why does it open inward (in the design, at least)
A: We wanted to make it welcoming for people coming both from where Stephen's camp will be, and the road. Having the door open outwards would always make it an awkward approach from one direction or the other (W toward the road, or E toward his camp). Having the door on the south side welcomes both equally, as does having it open inwards.
Q: Why are the willow candy box and hatch facing the road?
A: For easy access when it's emptied. That's also why the structure is so close to the road - so whomever's emptying the cans doesn't have to drag it too far.
Q: Why have I designed it with a pole barn extension to the north and west?
A: Because ANY starting homestead or building project needs LOTS of dry space to store tools, gear, and to work in while you're building stuff. I can't stress this enough.
I have built outhouses before, and I've built in remote settings, and in spartan ones, many times. Of course, in Northern Europe, rain, hail and snow are frequent visitors, and my pet peeve is poor use of resources. So I take care of my tools, and the building materials. A lot of energy has gone into making those, and it's just wasteful to not make the most of them. I don't put electric tools on the ground unless I'm actively using them, because they're bound to be left behind in a rain squall, and remember - wet batteries burn bright! Once the moisture hits the lithium, it lights up like a magnesium strip in chem class, and makes mighty fine holes in anything flammable around it (sadly, I'm speaking form first hand experience on this).
So, first things first, put a roof over your workspace - whether for rain, or to protect from the sun. Doesn't matter if it's a tarp or a real roof, just get it done and make sure it'll hold.
A pole barn is an excellent choice, no need to build walls, which lets air flow beneath it keeping it cooler in summer, and helping boards dry if they're stacked to do so.
The reason to have it on the north side is to give it some extra protection from the sun in summer, so the SSSS is under the south end of the roof. Extending it a few feet to the west means you can empty the willow candy box even in bad weather, but moreover, it brings some shade to the west side of the SSSS, which will keep the box (and the willow candy) from direct sunlight, thus keeping it from smelling as bad as some of the other willow feeders.
Remember, outhouses do really well in shade, just for this reason, but when you have a solar fan or a trombe wall, those need direct sunlight. This is an example of the Hummer limousine paradox - when you're trying to incorporate two very different functions, neither will function to the best capacity. A stretch limo won't ever be an excellent off-road vehicle, even if it's a Hummer. And a Hummer won't ever be a super comfy limo.
An outhouse doesn't do the best job out in direct full sunlight (unless it's really well insulated), but the solar fan and trombe wall do need sunlight, so... compromise. Thus, the extended roof to the west, allowing the candy box to be in shadow until the late evening in winter, when the angle of the rays are lower in the sky.
Okay, it's past midnight here now, and I'm just going to publish this first post on how the design goes, and what materials to use where, etc. etc., so here's the drawing of the SSSS from above. If memory serves, the rough measurements of the outhouse as seen in the pictures above are about 6'5¨x7'. I'm a firm believer in having a decent overhang on the roof, to protect the walls and sills from weather, again, more important in wet climates, but it's just good practice.
More pictures and explanations to come, now that I've started this little series.
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