Dean Howard

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since Nov 24, 2014
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NE ARIZONA, Zone 5B, 7K feet, 24" rain
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Recent posts by Dean Howard

ALEXANDRA MALEKI QUOTE  "The majority of people who know what a rocket mass is, want one, but they are unlikely to DIY one and haven’t heard enough compelling information about the limited COTS products available to switch".

I tend to agree w/ the folks who feel a name change won't change much.  RMH is already an icon word that has been out there for years.  Maybe we should stick with RMH for now, but use a hyphen to create categories for all the ingenious ways people build these things.  This gives perspective, all in one place, like a Feature Article that stays on top of all things RMH and updates as needed.

RMH-Basic-Experimental (firebrick, barrel, manifold, cobb)
RMH-Basic-Full Plans (firebrick, cobb, barrel) plans could include Building Code accepted)
RMH-Portable-Medium Efficiency (Ceramic Fiber, Pebble "Style)
RMH-Stratification Style (Dragon, Matt Walker, etc.)  I've got one in my head that's more like a ceramic KashelOfen
RMH-High Efficiency (latest in double/triple burn, air venting, cold air tubes, vortex, etc, but tried and true over time)
RMH-Custom (Batch, Oven, Cooktop, Greenhouse, sauna, hot water, pizza, stove-top, etc)
RMH-Exotic (materials, looks, ambiance)
RMH-Experimentors Corner
RMH-Building Code Approved (Updates)
RMH-
...find a place for that which has been proven to work repeatedly, long-term

I'm from the camp "I love it", "I'd like to build one someday", and don't really think I should because the build is so liquid, messy, time consuming, and experimental at this point.  I'd like to see us get to the point of having various items we can purchase and build our own RMH with tried and true methods and materials... like have pieces, Legos if you will.

Them's My 2 Cents
2 months ago

John C Daley wrote:What is that product?



Hemp herd is the fibrous inner core of the hemp stalk, broken into bits.  It has amazing insulative properties for building homes and has the highest R-value of any building insulation known to man.  It is also used for animal bedding, garden mulch, etc.  Look up Hempcrete and be amazed as you take it all in.  Much like strawbale construction in many respects.  It can be made into blocks for stacking thick walls, panels for insulation, is used as a free forming light-weight material for walls, infill of walls, sound proofing, it has breathability when coated with natural lime plasters and paint, it is fireproof, light weight, grown in most states, and is the byproduct of hemp raised for fiber, rope, textiles, oils, edible seeds, and more.  Hemp is the  is becoming legal in most states, though thoroughly regulated.  Enjoy.
1 year ago
ARIZONA... Anyone finding Hemp Hurd is plentiful, buy you can't seem to find any???  
Sourcing it from other states seems expensive.  
What experiences are you having try to use this abundant, cheap, wonderful rescource?
1 year ago
Sounds like a "ram pump" is what you need.  If you have good enough flow in your stream, it will pump water uphill just fine, no electricity needed.  I saw one on homestead rescue where they pumped uphill with only stream power.
1 year ago
I'm in the White Mountains of AZ at nearly 7K feet.  The first two years not much was happening... This year I added fishing worms, and as many leaves as I could find.  I had hundreds of worms born into a nice rich evironment.  They love the leaves.  It's natures manure.  And, horse manure is magic, too.
1 year ago
I would be "in love" with doing a narrated (or voice overtype) film as opposed to the often "hard to cobble" version with sound varying all over the place, sometimes clicky, windy, noisy, etc.  It gives you plenty of opportunity for getting your best thoughts, ideas, tibits shared with the video as the backdrop, and reeeealy steps up the quality of the movie.
I did surround the hoop house with a 2.5 foot high band of 1/4" galvanized mesh and a hipboard.  Most insects stayed out with this visual barrier, but a finer mesh would work even better.  The fabric mesh on top was a little for wind, a lot for sun, and worked great in hail.  Good luck down there!
3 years ago
Bestt Westernn, who would like to remain anonymoose has on two occasions allowed bed bugs to give my wife red welts... in two locations.  Since they have a nice jaccuzi, and a TV for the SuperBowl... sometimes we can't seem to stay away.  We always take DE to any hotel from now on.  Then there's roaches, scorpions, crickets, grasshoppers, japanese beetles, anything with an exoskeleton... maybe lice?... and parasites.
4 years ago
While the book is full of freakishly fantastic information, I still have not read it due to the small size of the print.  I would like you to consider a normal sized print of this great intro to our marvelous Permies world.  It would be well worth the money and I'd even give copies away.  Knobby Tires
Please capitalize Mike in the fourth paragraph, second sentence.  
4 years ago