Frank Dugan

All good here on the eBook. I'm using Arch Linux and several open-source readers. Everything looks fine!

I have found Stanley tape measures to last years (even when framing full time) if treated properly. Some key care items: 1) Let the tape slide through your fingers when retracting to clean the tape, keeping dirt out of the case prolongs the paint on the tape preventing premature rust. 2) Slow down the last few inches of retraction with your fingers and manually retract that last inch or two gently: one of the biggest reasons tapes break early is slamming the hook against the case which eventually forms cracks at the beginning of the tape. Once you get the habit set, it's very quick to do this. 3) Try to avoid "cracking" the tape, letting it bend the wrong way. If you are frequently extending the tape long distances, the wider tapes extend further making that easier.

One other suggestion: If you do rougher tasks like welding/metalworking/excavation, try to separate tapes used for wood from those used for tougher tasks. The ones used for wood will keep for much longer!

I think the way you're doing it is fine. I'm honestly not sure why it happened the way it did. I did it via the upgrade option, so maybe that is a factor? The second I clicked on upgrade, it went straight to confirmation with no place to change (or indicate) the address on PayPal's end.

Anyway, my default PayPal address was correct when I did the order, but the old address was still in there. I've since removed the old one entirely, so hopefully this won't happen again!

Thanks for being on the spot, I know you have more important things to do!

I have some property in rural Missouri where the options are slim. One of the ideas I have considered is directly contacting a local ISP and shelling out some extra cash for them to put up a pair of Ubiquiti's AirFiber bridges.

They have a few different options, both unlicensed bands 5GHz and 24GHz with ranges spanning from 13-100km, and sub-millisecond latency (which means FaceTime/Skype/VoIP/gaming/remote desktop will actually work). The AF5 option only costs $999 and can span 100km (62 miles) at 1.2+Gbps. If you can find a willing ISP, I can't imagine a better option short of running physical fiber. That's enough internet to power a pretty substantial community.

Interesting note: One of the reasons Ubiquiti came up with the product was that ISPs in developing nations were having trouble with people digging up and cutting data wires with the intention of scrapping the copper only to find fiber. Entire cities were getting internet outages with massive repair costs, and repair crews were having trouble keeping up with it all.

Wool is (as are many natural insulations) great but it has to "breath freely"...completely free permeability of the thermal diaphragm when used in architecture...no house wraps or related barriers or other condensing surfaces.

J.C., this is actually an answer to a question I have been trying to determine on my own. A little more detail regarding your statement would be greatly appreciated.

The end of about three years of research on tiny houses is coming to a close, and I have plans to begin a minimally toxic house on a trailer soon.

Cutting a longer post short and staying on topic, the walls will be 2x4 framing on 5" plates with diagonal 2x4 bracing to give it shear rather than plywood with its adhesives. 1x8 shiplap siding will be installed horizontally on the exterior (directly on the studs) and similar shiplap or tongue and groove vertically on the interior. The plan is to use 3.5" batts between the studs and 1.5" of loose fill around the bracing and interior nailers. This should yield close to R-21, with a 1.5" thermal break on most of the wall.

The roof will be 2x6 rafters, shed style, with 1x4 bracing and purlins with metal roofing directly on top. For this, I was thinking of using 5.5" batts and allowing the remaining 3/4" as a breathing space and to avoid direct contact with the metal as a potential condensing surface.

Sheep's wool seems the best choice, but I've never used it before.

The following questions remain:

1) I want my house to breath, but not be overly drafty: will this arrangement be tight enough for better than average heat retention?
2) Will it breath enough to keep the wool dry?
3) Is there a concern with condensation with this design?

Time will prevent the processing all my own wool, and the three manufacturers of sheep's wool insulation that I've found do put in a a little borax and, from what I can tell, a bit of plasticizer in the batts.

I suppose that leads to a fourth question:

4) Would all loose fill in this design be too drafty?

If you have specific recommendations for a supplier of sheep's wool insulation, I'm interested to hear them! I'm currently in Connecticut, so a northeastern supplier would be ideal.

Also, your high regard for rock wool insulation has me a little curious. I've always assumed it was laden with several kinds of toxic gick; is this not true? Further, is it less toxic than sheep's wool that has borax and plasticizer?

Thank you for a great discussion.

The best stuff I have found for my family is Earthpaste by the Redmond Trading Company. It is made primarily from bentonite clay, sea salt, water and an essential oil for flavor. Most flavors have a tiny bit of tea tree oil (anti-viral/bacterial/fungal) and xylitol (minimally-processed sweetener and enamel-enhancer), but there are some without either as well. Orders over $40 ship for free, and they have great bulk sea salt from within the states. Small, local mom-and-pop kind of company; I've had a great experience with them.

http://www.redmondtrading.com/product-category/earthpaste-natural-toothpaste/

It's also just as easy to make your own variety from those ingredients. I want to warn against using baking soda, but I can't find the source I would use to back up my claims. I know it is widely recommended and practiced. Therefore, my unsubstantiated opinion is that it lends to gum recession and the destruction of the layer that protects the enamel. Perhaps someone else is aware of the study that I'm thinking of.

Edit: I also second Dayna Williams on Weston A. Price. My wife and I have been using Green Pastures brand of fermented cod liver and butter oil, and it has made a huge difference. In fact, prior to finding Earthpaste, we were brushing with water because we refused the toxic gick. My wife had terrible teeth (lots of cavities, etc), but after a few months of water brushing and cod liver oil, the dentist told her to keep doing whatever she was doing because her teeth were better than ever.