Custom Lighting

I spent the day running. I did everything from teaching the middle girl how to parallel park to watching the Evens fight over at my buddy's house plus everything in between.

Even though I was busier than a one armed paper hanger, I still had the time to get my Solar Lighting installed in the Bathhouse.

 I took a normal 20 ounce coke bottle, washed it out and filled it with water. I then added a cap full of bleach and filled it to the top leaving no room for air. Then I removed the label.

 I drilled a three inch hole in the top of the bathhouse, stuck the bottle in it and siliconed the crap out of it.

 I had to put a strap on the bottom to keep the bottle in place while the silicone dried for about four hours.

 And there it is, a true solar light that is the equal to about a forty watt soft light bulb.




Tomorrow after church I plan to start on the stackable, wooden potato beds. I am done with tires, time to move on to something else.

Solar Bathhouse Continued

 This weekend I got most of what was planned accomplished.
The focus was all on the Solar Bathhouse and getting it so close to being done I could almost stick a fork in it.


The first and most important thing to do was pressurize the system and check for leaks. Being that I am a better plumber than I thought, no leaks were found and we were good to go. 

 The bathhouse was already close to being done but the weather and work has kept me from doing the finishing touches to it I was wanting.








I finally got the sink all finished and it works like a dream. Yes that is a salad bowl I am using for a sink.

The two lanterns were hung and the toilet paper holder was built.
The composting toilet to done and ready to be used.

After this picture I also hung the mirror and put up the curtains. 

I could not find any re-bar to make a shower curtain with so the youngest suggested we use the last stick of PVC and some left over fittings. It worked great and now she is going around bragging that she is smarter than me.
It took three shower curtains but that baby is now wrapped and ready for use.

After the picture I installed towel and cloths hangers using old horse shoes and placed towels on the shelves. It looks better than the bathroom that is in the house now.

I took advantage of the oldest being here one more day before she went back to college and put the stain sprayer in her hand. I think she enjoyed it and I know I sure enjoyed working side beside all three of my girls.
The wall that BEB is staining right there is the wall where the middle girl is going to do her art work for me (I think it has something to do with a Rattle snake).

I put a new pane of glass in the window and scraped off all the over spray so now it is a real pretty window looking out over the gardens.

The youngest painted the solar water heater box black for me to help adsorb some more heat.
The high for the day was 65 and I measured the temp on the water at 115 degrees.  

The signs for all who helped sponsor the bathhouse  will be going to the right of the door. Those will start being made next weekend.

Tonight I lit the lanterns and tested the water for my first shower. It was cloudy all day in the upper 50's and the water temp was only 90 degrees. I was a little disappointed but I will get plenty of use out of it this summer.

All Over The Place

This post will be kinda all over the place so here we go.

 First thing is I added another raised bed to the garden area this weekend. I built it last week and have been filling it up with that pile of compost my dad delivered to me a couple of months ago one wheel barrow at a time.
Onions have to go in at the end of the month and I needed another bed to dedicate for just onions because the wife plans to make several cases of salsa this year.
I am also trying to figure out a cheap way to put up some sun screens so the summer sun will not have such a devastating effect like it did last summer.   

I got the plumbing just about done in the solar bathhouse. It is not how I really wanted to do it but it was the cheapest way.
I also went ahead and built the shelves for the towels and other things I will have to have in there.
I have not had the chance to stain the outside yet due to the weather. We have not had but a couple of days where the sun has been out and the wind has not blown a hundred miles an hour. As soon as I get it stained I will make the signs and hang them on the bathroom wall.
In the mean time the virtual wall can be found at the top of the this blog and has the names of everyone who helped out so it is not too late if you are still wanting to participate.    



I also scored a free hot tub this weekend. I had to get three guys and drive almost to the Red River but it's mine now.

Being that is was free I did not expect it to work and after closer examination I noticed the wiring had been really butchered and would take a lot to repair.
I got the thing because I need the parts in it. It has two big filters that will go on the outside of the bathhouse to filter the rain water.
It also has a big pump that will be used for the Aquaponics system to be built later this year. The control panel has two different timers in it that can be salvaged to use on the same system.
The tub was a nice one in it's day. There are four low voltage lights I can use and several different valves, pipes and various plumbing parts. The tub itself will be used as a minnow hatchery for this springs fishing season.  

So there you have it. A weekend of doing this and that. The weather man said it was going to be in the 70's and sunny but it ended up being cloudy and nasty. I had such high hopes too.

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.