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possible DVD? My brother building a solar trailer from scratch

paul wheaton

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Location: missoula, montana (zone 4)

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posted 11 years ago

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Valerie Dawnstar wrote:Can you power a welder with solar power? I.e., photovoltaic cells?

Yes.

you say "tin pot dictator" like it is a bad thing!

Wt Corbett

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posted 11 years ago

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Paul, I like this idea so much it motivated me to finally register here at Permies (after years of lurking) so I could give it a thumbs up.

It would be great if the video came with design plans too. Simple would be fine, but some kind of drawing would be critical for someone like me who needs to see a project layed out on the screen or on paper to "get it".

paul wheaton

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posted 11 years ago

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I could imagine arranging design plans in sketchup.

you say "tin pot dictator" like it is a bad thing!

Dan Harding

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posted 11 years ago

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I am in. I would vote with my dollars for another good how to DVD. I would like a quickie on getting sources for metal and supplies as well. I could buy the welder but would need to know where and what to buy as far as metal goes. I am sure home depot would not cut it as a supplier for industrial tubing....

Danno

paul wheaton

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posted 11 years ago

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Dan Harding wrote:I am in. I would vote with my dollars for another good how to DVD. I would like a quickie on getting sources for metal and supplies as well. I could buy the welder but would need to know where and what to buy as far as metal goes. I am sure home depot would not cut it as a supplier for industrial tubing....

Danno

Good one. Added to the list.

you say "tin pot dictator" like it is a bad thing!

Dj Wells

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Location: Cincinnati, OH

posted 11 years ago

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YES YES on this DVD. I have been nagging my son, the computer geek, to learn to weld. He love solar power stuff, so this is a great fit for him.

Building the old waste places, raising up foundations, repairing the breach, restoring paths to dwell in.

DJ. WELLS, P.E.
PermaculturEngineering

Conrad Farmer

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Location: Western Upper Peninsula MI

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posted 11 years ago

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Great idea to have some material for those new to these ideas. There are, as pointed out in other posts, many resources out there. One of the best is the many schools - nearly every city has schools that have welding classes - everything from high schools with vo-tech curriculum, to adult learning centers, to community colleges, and of course the internet. However, having said that, this approach is rather unique in combining the idea of specific projects with the welding. Trailers are certainly at the top of the equipment list for a homestead! Anyway, thumbs up here, especially if it includes project plans, sketches, and bill of material information - that would put the usability over the top.

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John Suavecito

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posted 11 years ago

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I would kick in $20 for it.
John S
PDX OR

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Matt Frazier

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Location: North Idaho (almost to Canada); z5

posted 11 years ago

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Please include lots of how-to on the welding -- equipment and process.

Matt Frazier, Stomping Moose Farm, Bonners Ferry, ID
www.stompingmoosefarm.com / www.facebook.com/stompingmoosefarm

Aimee Grimmel

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Location: Western Mountains Maine Zone 5a - 4b

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posted 11 years ago

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Amazingly talented welders! It's perfect timing for me. I just bought an electric chainsaw and I definitely want a solar cart to run it. A good friend is a welder, so it would be well worth $20 to get the dvd so I can hand it over while I say "I want this!". Once I have time to try my hand at welding, I would already have a nice dvd to help me along the way. Since I've got plans for a few other trailer projects such as 2 Eliot Coleman style mobile farmer's market carts, aka veggie mobiles, a dvd such as this would get lots of use here.

Is the solar trailer light enough for a Subaru to haul it? Here's the towing specs for our Outback: 2700 pounds with trailer brakes, 1000 w/o brakes, hard towing 1350lbs

Warmest Blessings,
Aimee
http://greengoddessecofarm.blogspot.com/

paul wheaton

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Location: missoula, montana (zone 4)

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posted 11 years ago

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Keep in mind that the primary weight of the solar cart is the batteries. Lead-acid batteries. Made with lead. Crazy heavy.

I'll check with tim on how heavy the whole thing is.

you say "tin pot dictator" like it is a bad thing!

paul wheaton

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Matt Frazier wrote:Please include lots of how-to on the welding -- equipment and process.

I think there will be some. And some people will say that it was not enough and other people will say that it bored them to tears.

Plus, if we start to get into a lot of the detail, it could end up being a 4-dvd set. And I'm thinking that I want this project to be a single DVD. With a focus on two main projects (the two solar carts) with bonus footage of several other welding projects. I'm thinking the mission would be to build confidence in a first time welder to go from "never welded" to "first weld". And then show how a master does it. Which is going to be one way out of many ways.

For example, most farmers prefer stick welding. And a stick welder can be purchased for about $450

(amazon)

I've welded with gas, stick and mig. And mig is really nice. Stick will get you by for farm use.

Well, I think there can be some discussion of that in the DVD.

you say "tin pot dictator" like it is a bad thing!

Jerry Ward

Posts: 280

Location: S.E. Michigan - Zone 6a

posted 11 years ago

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I would be in for the download version. I'm no longer interested in buying physical media since I want to store it on my computer and watch it on my tablet.

Starting on developing a 10 acre permaculture homestead in a sub-urban area. see http://www.my10acres.info

Abe Connally

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Location: Chihuahua Desert

posted 11 years ago

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Valerie Dawnstar wrote:Can you power a welder with solar power? I.e., photovoltaic cells?

Sure you can! The best way is to weld with batteries, and then have solar recharge those batteries.

We used to weld using a few car batteries all the time. All you need is a few jumper cables and a mask. But, it's more survival welding than something you would use on a daily basis. With some controls, though, it could be very good. Welding with DC gives you a lot of penetration and control.

Here's a solar powered welder/golf cart: http://www.instructables.com/id/SolarWelder/

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neil bertrando

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Location: Reno, NV

posted 11 years ago

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Thumbs up from me!!!

More Info at http://www.rtpermaculture.org/ http://www.permacultureglobal.com/users/2660-neil-bertrando Classes in Reno, NV http://www.urgc.org/#!permaculture/c4fw Email: neilbertrando@gmail.com

Elia Charalambides

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Location: Boston

posted 11 years ago

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I am completely inexperienced with any form of wiring and welding. I'd love to learn how to make a solar trailer or similar. Could you make this DVD "idiot proof"?

Help me develop a design kit for permaculture enthusiasts: http://legendofthegreek.com/permaculture-planning-pack/

paul wheaton

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Location: missoula, montana (zone 4)

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Elia Charalambides wrote:I am completely inexperienced with any form of wiring and welding. I'd love to learn how to make a solar trailer or similar. Could you make this DVD "idiot proof"?

We cannot make it idiot-proof. I think the most we can do is make it more do-able.

you say "tin pot dictator" like it is a bad thing!

Erik Little

Posts: 172

Location: USDA 5b - Central IL

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For those that have no welding experience see if you can take a class at a Community College or start asking friends to see who has one. If Paul and company were to do a 101 class dvd on welding and the specific project stuff this would be more along the lines of a $100+ dvd.

Items that I would want in/with this DVD:

1) Full Part's list (pdf)
2) Detailed Schematics (which items to build first and which ones that must wait) (pdf)
3) Tools list, mandatory (minimum welder size) and nice to have tools (special clamps or fancy welding helmets). (pdf)
4) Tips & tricks for the build/assembly (I am sure that Tim learned something that made building/assembling future trailers easier).

I think that just the project dvd & supporting documents would be more along the lines of $50. It all depends on the cost to build and time to edit.

"If you will live like no one else, later you can live like no one else." -- Dave Ramsey

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