! Orin's Boot Camp Pictorials

BRK Day 7

Here's a chainsaw mod we did. It is meant to be a tree debarker and a joiner/planer.

We took a 16" chainsaw and put on an old 18" chain to drive the debarker (use a chain the next size up of the size of your chainsaw bar). .

We also had to drill two bolt holes in the chain bar (hence mod instead of install).

We did this earlier this week  - we're still working on the fence for Alerton Abbey and putting the brush cuttings on top of Alterton Abbey to cover the bare dirt.

I'll be posting pics of the mulch being put on top tomorrow.

BRK Day 8

The bulk of my days here have been spent getting a junk pole fence around Alterton Abbey so Wheaton Labs can get some serious food systems up and running!

In the building of this fence, we are creating a lot of mulch and putting that on the bare earth over Alterton Abbey so it can have some cover while new plants are introduced.

BRK Day 9

I'm going to create a page called "Living with a RMH" so people know what to expect for home heating and some brief cooking. I'll edit this post to add the link when the page is ready.

Today's post will be some really bad video which shows the beginning temperatures of the house and outside temperatures.

It also shows the beginning time of the daily burn and the end time of the daily burn.  

A daily morning routine which is loading the rocket stove and me throwing yam in after that load of wood becomes coals.
Notice that the outside temperature is 28F and the room is still 67F from the previous morning burn.
Notice after 12 sticks, the room goes up to 68F and will continue to rise as the heat passes through the mass into the room.

Part 1 shows initial conditions:




Part 2 shows final conditions after about 26 minutes of burn time.




Cooking can be done two ways on the rocket mass heater:
1) you put something like oatmeal in a pot of water and boil it. Watch it closely unless you like your food burnt and crispy (don't try something that needs to simmer);
2) when the fire has died down and you have coals, put a potato/yam/sweet potato in the feed tube and then cover the feed tube. When you come back at noon, you'll have a hot and thoroughly cooked root veggie waiting for you!


Tomorrow, I'll show how clothes washing is done here currently.

Orin Raichart wrote:Day 3

This pic was taken morning of March 8th around 8:30am....a little to early to plant as the ground is hard -wasn't yesterday but is this morning.....the ground will be soft and mushy around 10am today I suspect.

This pic reminds me of those "The last time I saw my mug..." pictures :)
I'm really loving all your pictures Orin.  Thank you!

Greg Martin wrote:...
I'm really loving all your pictures Orin.  Thank you!

glad you liked 'em.....hopefully these pictures will show the things needed to be done at Wheaton Labs while here for beginners wanting to visit!  

In this manner, novices and experts alike who are considering coming will feel comfortable knowing what to expect in day to day living.  It really is very comfortable at Wheaton Labs as Paul has made every effort to put people at ease for daily living.  

-All the food you can want in all varieties, clean space to live in a way which helps build the environment instead of tear it down.  ....and that's just the basics!!!

Consider the fact one can work towards having property, do fabrication, promote services and goods, grow items, experiment with a full shop and expertise to help you....for inventors/makers and for the environmentally aware, this place is awesome!!!

True there are rules as there must be when people live in community (unless you like being governed by who ever is the most ruthless and blood thirsty), those rules are easy for those who like clean spaces to live and work  in.

The people here at the moment are bright thoughtful people too  - good conversation, good jokes, good cooking make it great here.....so if a person is considering coming here, now would be the time -oh, leave that nasty little virus at home tho wouldja?

For right now, I'm showing most of the daily rules....with a few mods and installations.

Later, I will show my own experiments and projects so other people who want to learn or experiment understand the "LABS" part of Wheaton Labs.

BRK Day 10

How will you wash your clothes at Wheaton Labs currently?  

We've gotten the drying part down perfectly.

The washing, we use the best water saving/ energy saving washer we could get at the time.

By the way, we planted flowers on the top of Alterton Abbey Friday...I'll post those pics Monday.

BRK Day 11

A few days ago, Josiah wanted to plant flowers on top of Alteron Abbey. So Josiah, Jen, and myself proceeded to half fill two 5 gallon buckets with saved flower heads. We then did a number of things to remove the seeds from the flower heads: stirred them with a paint stirrer on a drill, mash them with 2x4's and 2x6's, and rub the heads together by hand.

BRK Day 12

No tutorial today on any thing instead I provide a snapshot of the day...fixed a thermometer which had separated red indicator fluid (makes it not readable), planted two more poles, and cut down a tree:

Thanks for certifying that particular PEP Mike....I should look at the PEP for composting too I suspect.. Prbly end up double posting somethings since I wanted to show people what and how we do what we do here. :)  -thanks again!

BRK Day 13

Wow, day 13. Friday the 13th come on a Wednesday.....oh wait, wrong calendar....

Yesterday was a rather slow progress day. Refueled one of the vehicles after testing its fuel gauge (if you know what I mean). It involved walking (now you really know what I mean).

But I did get in a pole and drill the next pole's hole. Pole count is now at 48 poles standing upright at 12' apart....definitely covering some distance around Alterton Abbey's perimeter.

And I took my first set of selfies!!!