J Howard

Steven Kovacs wrote:Out of curiosity, what is it about the linked hexagon design that you like?  It seems to introduce a lot of complications that aren't present in rectangular buildings.

I like the idea of a home being modular. there werent alot of designs i truly liked made by Geiger, but I'm having trouble finding floor plans by other designers.

Glenn Herbert wrote:What kind of family or use are you considering ultimately?

I'm not entirely sure. I'm still figuring life out, and may decide to have a few kids, be a batchelor, etc. the idea of sharing a house with another family intrigues me though. I like this design because i can start with the right most two building on the three pod design and leave it that way, or expand as needed.

I imagine the basic concept following the original floor plan to create a full hexagon, but I would put in another RMH. What would be an alternative to an RMH, since I would prefer not to use gas or electric? Or would it make more sense to just add another RMH? I assumed the designer of the house had taken heating into consideration..

Jon McLain wrote:I'd eliminate the halls, in favor of a 4tg pod directly above (on the image) the kitchen and put it in place of the little seat I'm the kitchen. Youd lose the hallways but condense it all closer together

I want to eventually combine six pods, which would favor the current floor plan. That fourth pod would have to be a bathroom, laundry, and closet, and I worry that'd equate to a waste of walls, plus I'd need to completely change the roof design because otherwise rain would pool in the center. Thank you for the idea though

Heather Petersen wrote:
Logic would dictate, because rocket mass heaters do not blow hot air into other rooms, that you would need a source of heat in each "pod".  (RMH ducts can be put under the floor to maximize space if you're not using a bell design).  I'm sure there are more clever solutions, though, that would enable a single RMH to heat the whole area.  Perhaps you could install radiant floor heat in all pods, connected to a single heater...  But then again, I have never heard of anyone doing something like that for such a large area.  And I lack the hands-on experience that would tell me exactly how far a heater could stretch

It's my understanding that a RMH would provide plenty of heat for the entire house, I was more concerned about floor placement, possibly building a heated bench. The original provided floor plan shows a single wood heater, and an RMH is much more efficient, so I'd imagine it'd be an improvement in heating. Would you happen to have any ideas as to where in the central pod it should go/ what design to use? I'm considering putting the burner next to the right hallway and extending a bench down the wall all the way to the external door at the bottom.

Awesome thread. As far as blades go, I don't have a particular item I recommend, but I'd like to point out the importance of a quality sharpener. My best knife was $3 brand new, only the best because with it I bought a $20 sharpener with it. Also, what's the purpose for the chains surrounding each three blocks of wood in the Splitz-All picture?

This is my first post so I'll do my best to not waste anyone's time.
I've been looking at making Owen Geiger's modular pods home out of earthbags (pic related).
I haven't built the house yet, currently in the research phase. In the center of the kitchen is a wood stove for heating the house, but i would like to put a rocket heater in the house instead. Where would be the best place to put it? Also what would likely be the best type of RMH to build?
Each pod is 372 square feet for a total of 1,336 square feet.