Hunting material for RMH build

Hi all

Finally getting around to the planning and build of the RMH ( now that I got the Mrs to agree) and I am on the hunt for affordable (AKA CHeap/Free) materials to use. Right now I'm mainly looking for good usable bricks and a 45 - 55 gal drum. I called a local scrap dealer but they want 50 bucks for one 45 gal. Am I willing to pay that, yes. Do I want to pay that, no. My initial build is going to hopefully be based on Paul's portable design until I can get into the cob mass.

Anyone have any leads on usable materials?

Do you have craigslist in your area?

We do but it's pretty awful. I've had better luck with kijiji but its still hot and miss.

I have found that I get the best deals where I sell my scrape.
When I go looking for something the guys there help me out.
Other than that, I find a lot of industrial resources by using Google map's search nearby features, or googling what I want plus my cities name. In the second case I then check the contact info to see if they ineed have a local outlet.
Good luck!

Google maps isn't something that I've considered. I'll mess around with it tonight to see what I can come up with. Also looking for broken patio slabs and the lilke that I can cobble together a walkway, or can be used to make an interesting seating area for the bench. Those I'll wait until spring then hit the big box retailers to see if I can snag some of their broken write off's.

I'm not quite ready to start my own RMH but I was, coincidentally, doing some checking on Kijiji for steel barrels and there's a scrap dealer here in Ottawa that sells 55 gal. drums for $30. Bit far to come to save $20 though.

These'll go fast but I just checked again and there's an add for free 55 gal barrels that just went up. They're offering free local delivery, so they may have a large supply to dispose of. They say some contain a small amount of latex paint, which is pretty innocuous.

Right now its a bit far out of my area but we are in the process of moving closer that way so might be doable in the near future. I'll keep hunting around this area but given the season, I'll probably either have to wait until spring or buy outright (and who wants to do that, right?)

'The Permies Cloud' : beside Crags list which almost always has many Ceramic Tile Cutting chop saws which can usually handle brick for cheap, sign up for freecycle, and check
for any organized 'Freegans' who generally know whats behind the business mens store better than he does. Check penny savers and want adds, if there is a Habitat for Humanity
RE-store in your area, check them out, ours gets day old bread delivered !

I have several years worth of recycled stove pipe, look for the house with a big demolition trailer outside a home with windows sealed with plywood and showing smoke damage
often the insurance company or other local government people have required the replacement of appliances and even furnaces and ductwork, before any one will get a certificate
of occupancy, usually once It hits the demolition trailer its free grabs, but a couple of six packs of beer will smooth things Big Al !

allen lumley wrote:... look for the house with a big demolition trailer outside a home with windows sealed with plywood and showing smoke damage
often the insurance company or other local government people have required the replacement of appliances and even furnaces and ductwork, before any one will get a certificate
of occupancy, usually once It hits the demolition trailer its free grabs, but a couple of six packs of beer will smooth things

I love this kind of street-wise advice! You have it in abundance and give it freely, Big Al. Thank you for this and all your contributions to these forums. You da man!

Micky Ewing :
While I am not fool enough to compare myself to that great scientist, Sir Issac Newton, he was once asked how it was that he had accomplished so much, he said " If I have
seen farther than most men, it is because I have stood on the shoulders of Giants " Which I have always translated to- he was well read !

In my case I have been very lucky in having life experiences that continually prepared me for the next step, because I was lucky enough to enjoy what I was doing, it Never
seemed like work !

About 8 years ago It truely looked like my luck had finally run out when I has much too close to a 5'' mortar tube that blew up, The good news is I am no longer a unibrow,
I do not scare my grand children and tho there are deficits related to my Traumatic Brain Injury, general crankiness and fatigue, my co-ordination seems to be better and
my stamina is Considering the extra weight I am carrying, also as good or better, just don't ask me to get off of the floor in a hurry !

There are two sides to every skin,usually it is a plus to be on the inside ! BIG AL !