Peter Hutter

Josh Hoffman wrote:A less expensive option would be to put a 3" WYE and then put an RV gate valve on each side. The gate valves are $20. You can search 3" RV gate valve.

They also have 4" options for more $$ and electric operated ones for even more $$$.

Here is the one that is ready to go and electric but $$$$

https://unitedrvparts.com/products/valterra-ez-valve-electric-waste-valve-3-hub-x-hub-x-hub-double-rotating-flange-e85-8?variant=45365270708527&srsltid=AfmBOorEj4Oi4ApaOvTTHr0joxOlSYJZP8FN8U8mx7CJCQVAs7tHXk4RBdo&gQT=1

Great ideas Josh! Thanks for posting these.

What do you think about what Christopher said about there being no such thing as grey water at this point, as everything is mixing in the pipes under the slap?

Christopher Weeks wrote:I think you're looking for something like this, but ideally, electrified: https://www.thenaturalhome.com/septicdirectorvalve/

But my impression is that most people would not call what you want to call greywater, grey. It'll be black because there will always be fecal residue in the drainpipes before the splitter.

And so you're probably stuck having all the slab-level floor-drains combined (and black), but you could retrofit the structure so that first-floor sink drains and drains from the second floor exit through the wall and into your greywater wetland system.

Well there you go! (regarding the mixing of grey and black at the start). I hadn't thought this through very far! We only have water on the first floor. Making your suggestion work with the washer and likely the temporary kitchen sink (until we build an addition that we can plan better!) could work pretty well. I'd love to get the shower in there too, and it could be done, but it would be pretty serious work, and there's also the need (but how much of a need?) to have additional water go down the septic piping to make sure the black water makes it to the tank a good ways away and with a lot more slope than 1/4" per foot.

Thank you.

Greetings,

We just finished building our house on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. For various reasons we built pretty conventionally, stick built on a concrete slab. It was to be a shop on the first floor and an art studio on the second, but time and money being what it is for us, part way through it had to become the house and will likely stay that way. All our plumbing exits the house in one pipe, and that plumbing is in the slab. I would like to create some sort of Y situation with a switching valve of some sort just after it leaves the house so I can send the grey water through a wetland area to a pond. I could either have some sort of lever I move that's right outside the door, or in an ideal world there might be some kind of electric valve I could actuate with a switch in the house? Is there anything like this available does anyone know?

Thanks,

Peter.

You bet Andy! They rock. Was introduced to both the saw and GB axes by the Northwoods guide and author Cliff Jacobson years ago. His favorites as well.

Thank you Jay!

Hello,

Yesterday I cut 2 large somewhat wet (it had been down for a time all ready) red oak trunk sections, one of which I intend to use for a new ironwork anvil stand, and the other for doing copper and silver work right on the wood. I'm wondering if it would be a good idea for me to linseed oil the cut ends so the logs don't dry out too fast to help reduce cracking. I'm in SW Wisconsin and they'll likely be closer to outdoor temps sitting in an unheated building for a while until I bring them into the heated shop in a few weeks. Any advice here would be much appreciated!

Thanks,
Peter.

I have to chime in here about GB axes. I think they are superb for a small scale mass produced tool, and personally well worth the cost. I have 2 of their hatchets, the small splitting maul, and the Scando Forest Axe, all superb tools and much better for my purposes than any mass produced American axes I have used. I do think hand made tools are often best, and being an apprentice blacksmith I plan to make my own soon. The Swedes have been making fine axes for a long time, and Lars Enander, a master axe maker and 5th generation smith who I believe designs and teaches for GB has an excellent book out on the subject. As an adjunct, an excellent bucksaw you all may know about is the Fast Bucksaw made in Hastings, MN. Another amazing tool very well thought out.
My 2 cents.
~Peter.

Greetings!

My family and I live on an organic farm we manage in SW Wisconsin. We just finished refurbishing a 100+ year old tobacco barn. At the end of the day, we have many many 15-20' poles that are 4-6" diameter, mostly elm, I think, and some ironwood. Most if not all of the elm? has tiny holes here and there from what may be anobiid beetles. We have been offered the wood if we want it, otherwise it will likely be cut for firewood. Even with the beetle holes it all seems very stout. Since we don't own property, and don't know when/where we will, we are debating keeping/storing the wood. We know it could be excellent for making various animal shelters, an Iron Age era dwelling, a cool SHELTER (book) style shop, etc. Not knowing the potential issues of how older wood of this kind will be in the long run with beetles inside, and having heard there's not much to do about it once they're there, and the potential cost of harvesting new logs, we are weighing all these things and wonder if anyone might have some advice for us?

Thank you all!
Peter.