Phil Swindler

Phil Stevens wrote:Reducing speed is a big factor. Once you get above 80 km/hr (50 mph) the penalty imposed by wind resistance really kicks in, and it goes up exponentially.              

Absolutely correct.  That exponent varies from vehicle to vehicle.  But, 10% faster results in more than a 10% increase in wind resistance.
Plus there's the safety factor.  The faster you drive, the less reaction time you have.  And kinetic energy is an exponential function.  In an accident that increased kinetic energy has to go somewhere, like you and your vehicle.  So if you are driving faster, you are more likely to get in an accident.  And, the accident is more likely to cause bodily harm.

Mary Cook wrote:I really disagree with Brandon. Some people's situation won't accommodate solar, but the idea that you have to nix out your power bills within a few years for it to be worth it...is going to look very quaint in a few years when solar panels may not be available or affordable--unless you live in China, maybe--and the grid may be going down more often, grid power may be climbing rapidly in price...whereas panels are quite cheap now. The whole system, especially if you go off-grid, is not so cheap, especially if you have to pay expert installers and red tape fees, but could well be worth it.

I lean more to Mary's side.
We put solar panels on our roof in 2020.  Most months the payment for the panels plus the little electric bill we have left is smaller than our electric bill had been.  Year total is a little smaller than the electric bill by itself had been.  Every time they increase electric rates the further ahead we will be.  In 14 years when the system is paid off we will be way ahead.

Thekla McDaniels wrote:All this incredibly beautiful wood work!

What ever do people put on the wood as finish?

I just received a new and unfinished spinning wheel and I have no idea what kind of finish to use.

Can anyone direct me to beautiful nontoxic durable wood finish, for indoor use?

Is Danish oil or tung oil appropriate?

Many thanks

There are several options.
Danish oil is a mix of natural and synthetic finishes.  So, it depends on how set you are on using a natural finish.
Tung oil is a great finish if you can find a relative pure brand.  The quick drying tung oils usually have something else mixed in to speed the drying.  Stumpy Nubbs has a good video on Tung oil.  I used Tung oil on a wooden cane about 40 years ago and it is still doing fine.  It took several coats and weeks to fully cure.
Linseed oil is also natural.  Naturally boiled is much healthier than chemically boiled, but, it is slower to cure and harder to find.  I believe Stumpy Nubbs also has a video on linseed oil.
I've used mineral oil on wood.  It doesn't really cure and takes awhile to soak in.  Not sure I'd use it unless you're prepared to wait months for several costs to absorb.
Shellac is natural.  I have 2 different shades in my finish cabinet.  A second coat or touch up spots dissolve and mix with the previous layers.  This makes touch up and damage repair blend in better than lots of other finishes.  Yes, Stumpy Nubbs has a video on shellac too.
This is just the tip of the iceberg, but, I hope it helps.

John F Dean wrote:This sentence contains exactly threee erors.

Had to think about that 3rd one.

Catherine Windrose wrote::.)

I have a copy of the book,  "Do Penguins Have Knees?"

The first picture is more appealing, but, the second one fits the title better.

Timothy Norton wrote:You will want a layer of 'finished' soil to grow in, but bulk can be made up of other things such as non-woody yard waste or making it into a hugel.

A word of caution, you do not want to mix in wood chips in your growing layer. They can tie up nitrogen and lead to a growing headache.

.

I found a horse stable that is happy to let me take used wood chips and manure from the stables.  They have loads of urine to make up for nitrogen leeching of the wood chips.  I got good results from the beginning.

Cujo Liva wrote:First: Soil is composed of three major components: sand (good for drainage), clay (good for holding water) and organic matter (loam/compost- broken down organic matter that provides nutrients and holds water).  The first two are cheaper than compost and should be part of the mix.

Second: A partial answer is to fill the lower part (~1/3-1/2) with wood logs.  They are generally free and available locally.  This is effectively a hugel raised bed.  The logs will slowly break down, contributing organic matter to the beds.  They will act (when rotting) as water sponges that absorb water when there is plenty and leak out water when the bed is dry.  One thing to be aware of is that your soil level will go down noticeably for the first year or two as the wood breaks down.  You will need to top off the beds with additional compost each year.

Third: Another partial answer is to produce your own compost, but this takes time.  This site is rich with various ways to produce compost.  My primary compost comes from my chickens and deep litter bedding.  I use it to top off the natural settling/shrinkage of my raised beds each year.

I agree about the logs.
I have 8ft x 4ft x 2 ft tall metal raised beds.  The bottom half to 2/3 is logs and branches.  I filled in the gaps with horse manure and wood chips from cleaning a stable.  The top 1/3 to 1/2 is topsoil I got cheap from a sand company.  In my area there is 1 to 2 feet of top soil over the sand in river valleys.  The sand companies need to remove the top soil before they can extract the sand.  I got a cubic yard for about $20.
Basically they are hugels in a metal sleeve.
Yes, they settle a couple inches a year.  I make up the loss with compost and chop & drop and burying kitchen waste.
I'm really happy with the results.