Scott Stone

I had some spare colour steel metal trays (a product we install on roofs and as a wall cladding)  that had been  scraped from a job because of things  such as paint defects, dents/ scratches.

I collect a fair share of items i consider reusuable from work generally sheet metal, eg gutter, fascia, tek screws.. You name it I'll try repurpose it. My only rule to myself is if I collect it I have to use it, not hoard it,

One day I decided to use the metal trays up and cut them all into strips that were 150mm (6inches) wide by the length of the trays 2800mm (110inches) , one tray turned into 3 metal strips,  all up there was around 26,

There is a tool called a rolling folder the brand we use at work is called a "wuko duo bender" if anyones interested enough to know and want to youtube, basicly its a handheld powerless tool that uses rollers and a guide to fold a selected length of sheetmetal, works on copper zinc, brass, aluminium and of course steel,

I used the rolling folder and turned the strips of metal into a little stack of C shaped steel lengths that I used to
screw together to create something that would hopefully resemble a greenhouse at a later date.

It has been an exciting project and the polytunnel film really suited the situation at the time, the most important thing i found was the cross bracing its the backbone and jn this case it is snow strapping for spouting

Kelsey Crowe wrote:Hi all!

Hi Kelsey I do not know too much about fruit trees but what little I have learnt I am happy to share,

If your after lower maintenance trees I would select apples or pears, plums or cherrys,( fig trees grow like weeds) and a couple fijoas together pollinate well etc if it is possible look into stone fruit lastly as they are quite prone to the horrid curly leaf which can be a real issue,  if i am not mistaken fruit trees are surface feeders so thrive with good mulch compost around base which keeps other weed competition down also organic matter retains moisture like a sponge which can reduce how often you need to be watering (: anyway there's my 2 cents(: and remember the three D's and C A C when pruning also 1st year growth doesn't bare fruit

Rebecca Norman wrote:We heat the buildings at our school entirely with seasonal attached greenhouses,.


Wow! Just wow! That is impressive!! as with eveyone else's ideas! But you truely incorporate the practice of growing your own food as a way of living day to day! Very special! thank you for sharing, has been awesome to read everyones comments too(:

Heather Holm wrote:I used an old swingset and scrap wood to make mine 4 winters ago. It's still there. I'm patching the plastic now with that sticky red construction tape, and when I finally am forced to replace the plastic, I'll build a frame for the sunny side, as I mention at the bottom of the article,

tlThat is an awesome idea!! Four winters is a exceptionally good innings for free or low cost! Just something I have discovered with poly film to reduce wear is paint your steel frame white So the dark metal doesn't heat up the film beyond its capacity although four years is something you wouldn't be complaining about anyhow(:

Cutting glass is mainly the reason I have only gone for offcut tunnel house film, no prior experience with glass at all makes it a bit tricky, do you have a problem with clear glass getting to hot in the sun

That is an incredibly good idea!! Have never thought of that! Build frames to house the reused safety glass ?  Could wash with a water based chalk solution to turn the clear glass opaque?

Unrelated to the glass house topic but made out of old  damaged drum cymbals

That is awesome to acquire, did you manage to also get the clear panels or use something else eg tunnel house film? The price of greenhouses Here in nz is extremely off putting, almost criminal since growing food for your family is almost a big finger to the throwaway world we live, would love to see someone who had managed to turn plastic anything into clear film to grow vegetation (:

Hi all, just wontering what people have gotten anyway with when making greenhouses and the limits, recycle, upcycle alls welcome