Solar power

[greengeezer]

I have a small greenhouse that I designed and built. Never have used it much, I just woke up one morning and decided to build a greenhouse. I have a remote thermometer inside that allows me to keep track of the interior temperature from the house.

It amazes me that it can be in the teens outside, yet if the sun is shining, the greenhouse can be in the 70s. Wish I could bottle that heat.

 

[WV-FAN]

my wife bought her mother one of them cheap-o greenhouse that one of her friends was all hyped about. when it came, it was in a couple hundred or better pieces and had to be put together. my son took care of it and wasn't very happy during the entire assembly process, which took 3 or 4 afternoons (they would work on it two or three hours every sunday afternoon until they got it together).

anyhoo, they got it assembled and it was flimsier than a cheap lawn chair. they anchored it to the ground by attaching it to a piece of rebar buried in the ground on each corner; it lasted until the first wind storm. the 40 mph gusts took care of disassembly and removal.

 

[i am herdman]

my wife bought her mother one of them cheap-o greenhouse that one of her friends was all hyped about. when it came, it was in a couple hundred or better pieces and had to be put together. my son took care of it and wasn't very happy during the entire assembly process, which took 3 or 4 afternoons (they would work on it two or three hours every sunday afternoon until they got it together).

anyhoo, they got it assembled and it was flimsier than a cheap lawn chair. they anchored it to the ground by attaching it to a piece of rebar buried in the ground on each corner; it lasted until the first wind storm. the 40 mph gusts took care of disassembly and removal.

stuff like that makes me cuss when I am putting it together.

 

[greengeezer]

I drew up my own plans then went online to find glazing sections that were close enough to my measurements I could make fit. The instruction manual for the two glazed sections was 50 pages long with only one word on the last page. It said “Stop.” Everything else was pictures. It turned out well. I just raked a foot of snow off it and it stands up to wind well although it does rattle a bit. Twelve years old now.

 

[-CarlHungus-]

You built that yourself? Im impressed!

 

[30CAT]

I drew up my own plans then went online to find glazing sections that were close enough to my measurements I could make fit. The instruction manual for the two glazed sections was 50 pages long with only one word on the last page. It said “Stop.” Everything else was pictures. It turned out well. I just raked a foot of snow off it and it stands up to wind well although it does rattle a bit. Twelve years old now.

That's amazing, greengeezer!

 

[greengeezer]

You built that yourself? Im impressed!

Yeah. I’ve been building dwellings since I was a little kid begging the local appliance store for a box that cooking stoves came in. I would drag the boxes home and cut windows and doors in them. It’s a sickness.

 

[MichiganHerd]

Geezer, my wife would love you. Want her number? Would free up a lot of time for me in the evenings and weekends would be a blast. You have a nice retirement account?

 

[greengeezer]

Geezer, my wife would love you. Want her number? Would free up a lot of time for me in the evenings and weekends would be a blast. You have a nice retirement account?

She can’t use the stove. It is there only for looks.

 

[GeauxHerd]

I drew up my own plans then went online to find glazing sections that were close enough to my measurements I could make fit. The instruction manual for the two glazed sections was 50 pages long with only one word on the last page. It said “Stop.” Everything else was pictures. It turned out well. I just raked a foot of snow off it and it stands up to wind well although it does rattle a bit. Twelve years old now.

You could put a fan in the green house and insulate the piping and blow the warm air into your house. Really would only work in day. Would probably look ridiculous but would be free BTus

 

[greengeezer]

You could put a fan in the green house and insulate the piping and blow the warm air into your house. Really would only work in day. Would probably look ridiculous but would be free BTus

I actually gave some thought to that. The problem I see is that the greenhouse is 50 feet from the house and I imagine even heavily insulated pipes would lose much of the heat in transit.

 

[FreddyReef]

I drew up my own plans then went online to find glazing sections that were close enough to my measurements I could make fit. The instruction manual for the two glazed sections was 50 pages long with only one word on the last page. It said “Stop.” Everything else was pictures. It turned out well. I just raked a foot of snow off it and it stands up to wind well although it does rattle a bit. Twelve years old now.

That is nicer than my house… well done!!

 

[GeauxHerd]

I actually gave some thought to that. The problem I see is that the greenhouse is 50 feet from the house and I imagine even heavily insulated pipes would lose much of the heat in transit.

Yeah makes sense. If it was closer maybe.

 

[greengeezer]

That is nicer than my house… well done!!

My entire property is peppered with strange little structures. I’m working on the drawings for #7 that I plan on starting in the spring. I have my own village.

 

[herdfan06]

My entire property is peppered with strange little structures. I’m working on the drawings for #7 that I plan on starting in the spring. I have my own village.

You should put a model train set in your garden/yard.

 

[greengeezer]

You should put a model train set in your garden/yard.

I have about 300 feet of winding walkways.

 

[Rock98Dog]

Speaking of solar, my neighbor across the street had solar installed on his roof last summer. Enjoyed watching him have to shovel his roof last week.

 

[WV-FAN]

I drew up my own plans then went online to find glazing sections that were close enough to my measurements I could make fit. The instruction manual for the two glazed sections was 50 pages long with only one word on the last page. It said “Stop.” Everything else was pictures. It turned out well. I just raked a foot of snow off it and it stands up to wind well although it does rattle a bit. Twelve years old now.

Geezer, I have around 10 or 12 square of new (they were brand new 20 years ago, now they're just new) green architectural shingles I'll give you. Just gotta come pick them up.

 

[mlblack16.]

You should put a model train set in your garden/yard.

Nah, unless you're talking about a miniature train that is big enough to ride

 

[WV-FAN]

Nah, unless you're talking about a miniature train that is big enough to ride

nah, he's talking about that that long black train like yore wife is accustomed to.

 

[herdfan06]

Nah, unless you're talking about a miniature train that is big enough to ride

People actually have those. lol. Do us guys ever truly grow up?

 

[extragreen]

nah, he's talking about that that long black train like yore wife is accustomed to.

Cons: always obsessed with other men's genitals.

 

[greengeezer]

Geezer, I have around 10 or 12 square of new (they were brand new 20 years ago, now they're just new) green architectural shingles I'll give you. Just gotta come pick them up.

You will laugh at this. I am doing drawings for a new building (very small) and I picked out an unusual shingle color from a brochure . I went to Lowe’s to look at the real product and the guy at the contractors’ desk told me what I wanted was not a stock shingle, I would have to special order it.

He said, “That shingle runs about $70 a bundle, how many did you need?”
I replied, “I’m just building a playhouse size shed so about two bundles should be plenty.”

The clerk laughed and said, “We might have a small problem. The least amount of shingles you can order of that style and color is 39 squares.”

A quick calculation in my head (3 bundles to a square times 39) told me I would be spending $8,190 for shingles for a shed roof. I’m changing color to one of the stock shingles I can take off the shelf. Lol

 

[greengeezer]

Do us guys ever truly grow up?

Never.

 

[WV-FAN]

You will laugh at this. I am doing drawings for a new building (very small) and I picked out an unusual shingle color from a brochure . I went to Lowe’s to look at the real product and the guy at the contractors’ desk told me what I wanted was not a stick shingle, I would have to special order it.

He said, “That shingle runs about $70 a bundle, how many did you need?”
I replied, “I’m just building a playhouse size shed so about two bundles should be plenty.”

The clerk laughed and said, “We might have a small problem. The least amount of shingles you can order of that style and color is 39 squares.”

A quick calculation in my head (3 bundles to a square times 39) told me I would be spending $8,190 for shingles for a shed roof. I’m changing colors to one of the stock shingles I can take off the shelf. Lol

that sucks. i'm serious about the shingles, though. exactly like the ones in your picture above. they'd be perfect for out buildings because of their age. i'm thinking i paid somewhere in the neighborhood of $65/square back then, can't remember for sure. i'm going to put them on facebook locally later this spring when I have time to deal with them. likely ask $25 or $30 a square, but only because it's easier to sell things than give them away.

i done that with a couple 5 gallon buckets of 2 year old TWP deck stain a while back. decided i didn't like the color and put it on FB for $100 a bucket (it costs around $205 a bucket). a young couple called and said they'd take it off my hands for that price . . . i gave it to them and didn't charge a dime. i could tell they weren't loaded and likely needed that $200 more than i did. plus, it likely wasn't good for the stain sitting in my unheated/uncooled garage for two years through the heat and cold, and didn't want to charge them for something that might turn out to be crap.

they sent pics of their deck after they stained it and it looked really good.

 

[greengeezer]

Speaking of solar, my neighbor across the street had solar installed on his roof last summer. Enjoyed watching him have to shovel his roof last week.

A lot of things about solor panels they don’t tell you in the brochures.

 

[ThunderCat98]

then went online to find glazing sections

this sentence reads like an invitation for @herdfan06 to post on this thread.

 

[greengeezer]

that sucks. i'm serious about the shingles, though. exactly like the ones in your picture above.

If I didn’t need but a few bundles, I’d make a road trip and take those off your hands. I am always working outside in decent weather and for years have wanted an outside bathroom. I hate to stop what I’m doing to clean all the mud and dirt off me to go inside the house.

The building I’m designing will look like an old country outhouse on the exterior, but have a modern self contained flush toilet on the inside. I also plan to add an outside shower as a future addition. We will see how it goes.