John Hutter

I've learned one bit in about 2 hours of internet searching, which I want in the design;

"self actuating" which means, the on/off switch is a thermal mechanical function and doesn't require electrical power.

So I want a 2-way, 3-inch, self actuating (closes as the temperature goes above about 40 F) thermovalve  

It seems such a thing would be a somewhat common cold storage construction component, but I didn't see any larger diameter, "common outdoor air temperature" stuff anywhere.  Looking in the wrong place?

I've got a small ~8'x8' earth integrated root cellar that's almost done.  It's got a small thermal well, or a 3" polypipe that comes in at floor level, goes straight into the ground about 40", and then "U" right back up to the floor.  There's then a vent pipe in the roof.   When it was warmer the cold air flowing out at floor level was obvious to a hand held in front of the external pipe opening.  I wasn't sure with the length of 3" pipe and temperature difference but there's some decent air flow in the set up.

I was thinking I'd manually open the floor pipe when it gets colder and leave it closed otherwise, but having an actual valve is going to cool the earth much more effectively without my time.

Anybody know where one can find such a thermovalve?

Jay Angler wrote:
And our local hospital is raising money to buy a robotic surgeon. I think it will be guided by a human, but health care has been changed hugely

That's kinda scary for reasons.  Imagine you're dying, and the nurses stick a tube down your nose and into your stomach, to treat you for constipation.  And, 16 hours later, you tell the nurses for the 12th or so time, it's not getting better (apart from the initial IV painkiller).  The nurses change shift again, you tell the new nurse the new news; your breathing is getting shallower and more painful.  The nurse confirms you don't ever suffer from indigestion and have no healthcare history, and she puts a call in for a PA.  The PA runs through the same details.  A surgeon is going to come look at you and your CT scans.  

In spite of the clear CT scans, the surgeon makes the call: we're going to stick a camera in your gut and look. It takes them about 5 minutes to spot a fatal birth defect that up and decided to kick up shit at age 38🤣

A robot, going by the book, probably won't work out there...

Yikes. Good luck.  Maybe keep the eggs in both baskets!

I'd say, it depends.

Do you like building stuff, are you about fresh outta highschool, and can get an applied math or mechanical engineering degree at a community college without acquiring much debt?

Do it.

Also, recently heard there's probably gonna be a shortage of surgeons by 2030. As someone who is still alive because I got an emergency bowel resection surgery within 2 days of symptom onset, I wouldn't try to talk anyone out of that...but maybe go abroad where the bureaucracy isn't skimming quite so hard, and make the connections to shadow a successful one for a decade.  One stands a decent chance of dodging medschool debt...  There's a few occupations where meritocracy outside of certificates will dominate, as a matter of life and death😂

Also, I had a fantastic experience in college.  Learned lots by reading and writing fucktons, an esoteric amount I never, ever would have done without having paid for deadlines to be enforced.

I don't think there's "one right answer" here.  Try and keep an open mind👍

I noticed that when the temperature dropped well below freezing, the Chateau by the Abby was kinda stanky.  

Not to be too critical, it was still much better than a public toilet that has lots of former meat, allium and cheese passing through it XD

It also didn't have the south facing exposed black exhaust pipes like the basecamp design if I recall correctly.  Guessing that's the standard now.

Be sure to cover how the current  ventilation system works during very cold cloudy conditions.

Maybe there should be a little spring motor fan in the stink exhaust with the crank right by the throne?

https://www.reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/comments/viu2nn/a_swiss_windup_fan_from_the_1910s_a_spring_motor/

Pretty sure I'm gonna do one in the RMH for no smoke back in startup ever : )

After mulling the question occasionally for a year I've landed on the big problem, which is acquiring a tool capable of making the cuts mechanically. The only way I came up with is something like a 10" band saw, and the necessary bunch of tables and wedges to hold the beams at the very precise angles for pushing into the band saw.  And then you are going to have to re calibrate the setup for each angle, or perhaps have a different rig for each angle you can swap out.  

Despite the dream of doing a massive kickass geodesic dome with no metal fasteners, the level of difficulty in doing this was so daunting it put me off.

Recently, apparently randomly, I realized I was hung up on only ever seeing double struts done with bolts.  Since I'm so bright, I never thought that the bolts can be replaced with some hardwood dowels XD

Maybe three or four 2" diameter dowels on a 6 or 7' strut?  The only tool I need to do this is a drill press.  Purchase the dowels.  A table saw can be used to do the angles along the length of the strut, which on top of the number of struts, was the primary reason for attempting the single strut design.   Or, maybe if the dowels are strong enough, this significant job could be removed completely but putting the angle in dowel holes.

And when it comes to getting the biggest structure for the fewest struts, I noted this efficiency fades out a bit with other considerations.  The smaller triangular panels require much less in order to manipulate and raise, and also if you double strut roundwood that is overkill on thickness (but as long the drill bit and the table saw can handle them...) there could be half as much space to close with the siding.

So double struts it is.  Unless I decide, f the no metal labor of love, in which case the pipe section hub and bolt design it is XD

The best single spice is 14 spices

https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/green-curry-paste/

First I made the recipe after having some at Ta Ra Rin restaurant and being struck by the fact that this is probably more delicious than any of the dishes I had in Thailand

I tried to try them all, but clearly I missed one.  Probably a few.

Then I made a 5x batch a few days later, then I recently did a 20x batch that got me about a half gallon.  That should do me for awhile 🤣

I tried 3 brands of premade stuff.  They did not compare to this recipe fresh.

Doesn't have much of a shelf life given the fresh basil and cilantro, but you can get around that by keeping it in the freezer with the top coated in oil.

I don't often do the secondary "green curry" recipe as I can't grow coconuts or much rice and, think I ate chicken once last year.  But I can stir the paste into cooked squash, or potatoes, or black beans and barley, or broth and tomatoes or whatever.  

And for whatever reason, the body wants a strong dose of it just about every day.

Linked recipe is very hot and can be used as guideline, and is not identical to the restaurant version I had and aimed to emulate  I think more basil and citrus leaf, fewer of those crazy hot Thai chilies and some more of a milder green chili.  

Best.  Spice.  Ever.

Or maybe it's just a nutritional phrase😂

Blasting dooks on charcoal till the day I die!  XD

Or using a 3" layer of homemade charcoal on the bottom of about 6" of woodchip dook matrix (tamped together such that the matrix supports a footstep without any significant movement, should it ever come to a footstep)

Leaving lush biochar soil in the wake.

I've seen lemon balm essential oil work as an effective mosquito repellent.  Only problem is, it doesn't last long and you have to apply it every 15 or so minutes.  If it's in a spritzer bottle, it only takes a few seconds and it smells great.  Not a problem.

I also recall that tobacco has insecticidal properties.  Wonder if it's possible to smoke enough such that biting flies won't bother with you XD

Oh hey, it's the dry post.

Looks like it could be mentioned, the necessary eave length is going to change based on the roof height.  

Also, it will change based on prevailing rainy wind direction, also based on soil (clay vs sand) and season duration (wet vs frozen/dry) conditions.  Water wics significantly further in an 8 month damp clay season than it tends to in the rocky mountains...

I know Paul knows this😂 but it could also be specifically pointed out that groundwater flow might just saturate the whole foundation if it isn't a freely draining local elevation maxima.

Speaking of local elevation maxima, I've got a below grade basement window from 60 years ago I need to do something about (before it floods again 🤦)

If I could only have 1 fantasy super power, it would be the druid thing where they touch the ground and cause giant vines to shoot out of it and overwhelm/entangle the problem.  You could basically fly with that  : )

Funny, humans do kinda sorta have that power, but you cant fly and it moves in 5 year + slow motion.   it also involves dirt, so most people don't see it.   Only the patient and the dirty.

But can be made instantaneous and obvious by before and after pics!  awesome!

All but two of these were taken in early spring and then summer.  That's not a before and after pic of what you did, that's the seasons!  Classic

In any case, I especially like it when it's unrecognizable if not for the trees being worked around.











Kinda zone 1-sh.  I forgot that I limbed that Oak tree until looking at these again



by the end of summer it's tomato n squash dominated, but you can just barely where's waldo















I was thinking, it'd be great if that was a raspberry and peach hedge along the fence.

I also planted some pears.  Raspberries......they didn't make it, if you don't count what migrated 10 ft away and now grows a few small plants.

The peach and pear trees are still there but are putting on, a few inches per year?  Nope.

F#$% it, just plant some blackberries so it's not quack grass.

And, half of the blackberries died.  Talk about a tough spot, right along the fence there.

In the space between the Oak and the fence, there's 29 different species last count XD










Apparently, I stopped in the middle of building the bird house to do some digging.  

Hey dumbass, multitasking is a myth when it comes to things that take more than a little focus.

You haven't put up a roof you need to walk on before.   And you also have 4 hours on the those controls. Better focus XD  













The oh so quick and dirty concrete stackers.....

it.....goes....up....so.....fast....time.....limited.....damnit