After looking for a day or two through hundreds of designs and ideas, I have settled on a design for one of my next builds.
You can find the all the info out at http://www.edibleplanet.org/pdf/Clothing/Building%20Your%20Own%20Washing%20Machine.pdf

I tried to get a picture of it but for some reason it would not let me, but if you click on the link and scroll half way down, there is a great pic of a home made, hand operated Washing machine.
I have it all figured out, It will sit near the solar batch water heater so I can fill it with hot water. The ringer will go between the washer and the rinse tub and then be able to swing around and be used from the rinse tub to the finished clothes basket where the clothes will be then be hung on the line.

I already have some design changes to be made to the washer. I plan to add springs so the work load will not be as hard as if you did all the pushing and pulling by hand.

The wife is not to thrilled by all this and is worried I will get busy on the laundry area build before I get her screen door up. The screen door will be put on this weekend I promise, plus the bath house signs will start being made.
The girls are looking forward in helping out on the signs.  

I Said I Wouldn't Do It But I Did IT

 Yup I did it. I went into town on Black Friday but I only got plumbing parts. To heck with the masses, those people were crazy.

The black pipe I used was a little more expensive than I remembered and what made it worse, I had to pay full price for the stuff.
I was afraid to use PVC inside the box because the plastic pipe is only rated for 180 degrees.
When the sun was out the other day the inside of the box was already at 180 degrees and the glass was not even sealed yet.

As you can see in this picture I used PVC pipe and fittings I already had once I got outside the Heating chamber.

All the black pipe is plumbed in now and I was able to pressurize the tank for the first time and check for leaks.
After no leaks were found, I sealed it up by putting a foam window sealer around the opening and then gently clamping the glass in place. I also put in a thermometer so I can see just how hot it gets.

The rain is suppose to set in tomorrow so I will have to wait till Monday for any sun. I figure while it's raining I will work on the inside plumbing and see how far I get with what I have on hand.

What made the day even better was the oldest girl came out to help dear old dad.

I caught her playing with my camera and a optic lens I had laying around.    
   

Solar Water Heater Build

Operation "Clean Up" has taken a back seat at the moment.

This morning started off with my Pops bringing over a load of compost and I had all intentions to finish filling the gardens with this, but I got side tracked again.
At least it's here and I can do it at my leisure   

With the newly obtained sheet of OSB, I was able to finish the housing for the water heater and get it mounted on the Bathhouse wall.

I made sure and calked every seem to keep the heat in. (That's the white stuff)

 After the chalking had dried, I started to fit the reflective back insulation board.
My buddy Dave had three badly beaten up sheets of this stuff that he was going to throw away and I told him I wanted them. I was able to piece all the good pieces together and it looks new.

I did not use any other insulation in the box because the only reason you would do that is if you planned on taking your showers in the morning. I would also have had to build a insulated cover for that.

I plan to use the shower in the evenings and being in Texas, the water will be plenty hot.

I fitted the glass just to see if it would fit and it fit great.
If I did not tell you, I picked up this piece of glass at a Lowe's sidewalk sell a couple of weeks back. It was priced $68.00
This is how the conversation went,

Me: "I am not paying that for a piece of glass".

Sells guy: "Then make me an offer".
  
Me: "I will give you a five dollar bill for it"

Sells guy: "No way! 10% off is all I can do"

Me: "Why not? You know if you don't sell it you will have to cart it back in and restock it tonight, plus you know nobody is going to pay that much for a piece of glass"

Sells Guy after much thought: "Give me $10.00 for it".

Me: "Meet me in the middle at $7.50"

Sells guy: Deal

Just A Little More On The Solar Bath House

I had all intentions of getting the plumbing roughed in on the Bath House this weekend, but after looking in every nook and cranny I came up short on the parts to get it done.

So I changed direction a little and started on the Batch Water Heater Housing. It took every bit of cull lumber I had left, but at least it is framed up.

The tank is positioned at an angle so in the winter I will be able to drain it. Plus during use the hot water will stay at the top of the tank and when the cold water flows in at the bottom through the old drain hole, it does not mix with the hot making the whole operation more efficient.

The top of course will be glass and the inside will be insulated with foil back foam board. I have all that on hand through savaging here and there, but I am lacking one more piece of OSB to box in the sides.
New, the OSB is only $6.95 for a 4X8 sheet, but I bet I can find one damaged and about half off somewhere.