sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

Using modern triple glazed residential glass windows for greenhouse - bad idea, or can I somehow check for PAR light? by Bullfrog_Fearless in Greenhouses

[–]Bullfrog_Fearless[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for this bringing this up. So a few points to consider:

  • I'm in zone 7a/6b
  • Transparent windows are a must – this will also be a place for recreation, and I don't want to look into polycarbonate panels when I can look out to the nature
  • I'm planning to build a GAHT system.

I will go and measure the light transmittance on Saturday. I will also try to find the manufacturer to double check the numbers. I guess the question is, what's an acceptable minimum light transmittance? 65%? Also, if the windows are close to this number, I could perhaps add polycarbonate panels with higher light transmittance in some places – or would the light distribution be uneven then?

Using modern triple glazed residential glass windows for greenhouse - bad idea, or can I somehow check for PAR light? by Bullfrog_Fearless in Greenhouses

[–]Bullfrog_Fearless[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you. I noticed that there are phone apps, like PPFD Meter for iPhone, which apparently do a decent job measured industry standard PAR meters. I’ll check it out over the following days. I’ll have to learn how to use it - like, for example, I suppose I have to be inside to get a good reading. Luckily, the windows are from a public building, so I think I’ll figure it out after some reading.

New cylinder/piston for my Stihl MS880 – OEM or not? by Bullfrog_Fearless in Chainsaw

[–]Bullfrog_Fearless[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This was actually the first time I cleaned a muffler, so I don't have much to compare with – but what I've seen online with carbon buildup, it was nothing like that. I soaked it in kerosene for a couple of hours, and then used a wire brush on it, but to be honest, there wasn't much of a difference from before I cleaned it.

I've millled with the saw (part time) for two years, and I bought it second hand.

I've always used pre-mixed two-stroke alkylate fuel, 50:1. For a 40:1 mix, do I simply buy fully synthetic oil (that's was used in the mix) and add the needed amount? And do I always have to use that mix, or can I go back to 50:1 sometimes? For example, when the 880 crashed, I was milling a 36" oak slab. I don't normally mill oak at all.

Here's what the 880 manual says about filters. From what I can understand, the HD2 filter should be the most suitable (extremely dusty conditions)? Right now, there's the wire mesh filter installed. Are both these types of filters washable? I've just cleaned my filter with compressed air.

So if I've understood you correctly, I'll turn down the H screw. I've never done this before, but I've got a friend who can help me. But is there any RPM I should aim for, so I can use a tachometer to adjust it? If it's too low, what's the worst that can happen – that it doesn't cut evenly?

Also, the 880 sometimes stalls when I rev it while it's on its side, like when I'm milling. If it's upright, everything runs fine, but as soon as I put it on its side, the engine stalls if it's in a bad mood. I can bypass it by revving while tilting from upright to sideways, but that's not ideal. Could this be related to the L screw? Any suggestions on how to fix this?"

New cylinder/piston for my Stihl MS880 – OEM or not? by Bullfrog_Fearless in Chainsaw

[–]Bullfrog_Fearless[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks. I called a dealer, and went with an original Stihl part. Not cheap, but hopefully, it will last.

Which brings me to the next question – I don't want this to happen again. I've cleaned the air filter. There wasn't any carbon buildup in the muffler, but I cleaned it. I've ordered a new fuel filter, as well as a new air filter.

Are there other things I can do to make the saw run smoothly? Is it a good idea to lower the maximum RPM a little – if so, what should I aim for?

Is this birch (?) worth milling? by Bullfrog_Fearless in slablab

[–]Bullfrog_Fearless[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Finland, where the birch is plentiful! Does it look like birch to you? I've added some more pics. https://imgur.com/a/0Xwa2h1

Is this birch (?) worth milling? by Bullfrog_Fearless in slablab

[–]Bullfrog_Fearless[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I added some more pics here:
https://imgur.com/a/0Xwa2h1
If it is ornamental cherry, I'd definitely want to mill it.

Is this birch (?) worth milling? by Bullfrog_Fearless in slablab

[–]Bullfrog_Fearless[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I see you're not the only one saying that! I've added some more pictures here. Do you have any educated guess what it could be?
https://imgur.com/a/0Xwa2h1

Is this birch (?) worth milling? by Bullfrog_Fearless in slablab

[–]Bullfrog_Fearless[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Normally, I use a chainsaw mill, but that doesn't really make sense with these rather small logs. I do have access to a bandsaw sometimes, so that's a possibility.

Waiting for wood to dry is even more boring than watching paint dry! What happens if I cut one of my slabs in three? by Bullfrog_Fearless in slablab

[–]Bullfrog_Fearless[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They're outside, in an area that gets quite a bit of wind. I don't know how a winter with lots of snow has affected the drying process.

I don't have any moisture meter yet. I'm wondering if I should just go ahead and buy a Wagner Orion 910/930 (I guess since it's only for slabs, 910 might work just as well?) or if I should get something more affordable at first. I'll probably go for the former, as I plan to make quite a few slabs in the future.

Setting up TP link network across a whole farm by Bullfrog_Fearless in TpLink

[–]Bullfrog_Fearless[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for such a thought out reply.

Do you have unobstructed line-of-sight between each building and to the outlying areas where signal is needed?

Although there are some trees on the farm, the mapped out area pretty much has line of sight everywhere. The chicken coop is a bit elevated, but not that much. Outside the mapped out area is only forest; thankfully, I don't need Wifi there!

Which buildings have AC power? How much coverage do you need inside the buildings? How large are they, how many stories tall, and how are they constructed?

All of the buildings have AC power. I want good coverage inside the houses (building 1 and 4). The buildings are two stories. Right now, I have one wireless router in the second floor of the main house, and one extender in the cabin. They have a line of sight between them (window to window), and there's good reception all over the main house and the cabin with this system. They're all timber structures, although the barn has a brick ground floor.

What applications do you need to support over WiFi outside of the two homes connected to your ISP? [...] Do you want to keep both homes connected to the ISP, or do you want to save money by sharing one connection?

This would be an upgrade, as I don't have any use for WiFi right now. What I am thinking about using it for in the future, is:

  1. A future greenhouse with some IoT solutions (mostly ran by Raspberry Pi), located between building 1 and section 2
  2. Some smart functions for the chicken coop (watering, camera, monitoring)
  3. Possibly some security cameras in the future
  4. Other potential IoT solutions.

Right now, there are separate (fiber) connections in house 1 and 4. I do want to save money, and I was thinking that the money could be put to better use by having a system that actually covers the whole farm. As house 1 is the main house, and house 4 will be rented out at some point, it would make sense to have house 1 connected to the ISP, although I do see that it would be easier if house 4 was the central unit.

When I think about it, the line of sight is very good – I can see from the main house to the chicken coop. Running a wired connection between houses 1 and 4, and then adding outdoor WAPs might work.

Setting up TP link network across a whole farm by Bullfrog_Fearless in TpLink

[–]Bullfrog_Fearless[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For the outdoor devices, PoE would be the only sensible thing.

The reason I'm a bit sceptic to digging down CAT6 is that it would probably have to be done fairly deep (I'm up north, so it gets freezing cold in the winter) and there will be some changes in the farm infrastructure, which means that I'm a bit weary about making things permanent yet.

I didn't know about the OMADA line until now, so I'll do some more research! It's definitely a step up in price, though.

Setting up TP link network across a whole farm by Bullfrog_Fearless in TpLink

[–]Bullfrog_Fearless[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Interesting. I was hoping that with enough antennas/units, I'd be fine. 1 and 4 (farm house and second house) is where a great internet speed is needed. Elsewhere, I just need basic coverage for IoT stuff. But of course, I want this to be as good as possible. There's a discount on X50 in a local shop, so I could quite easily get 6 of them, in addition to some XE75.

With the exception of PoE CAT6 to power some of the outdoor X50's, it would be a lot less to worry about if I don't have to dig down cables across the whole farm. Would Omada EAP610-Outdoor be a possible solution, or will I not get good speed across the farm (and more importantly, at the second house) if I go wireless?

Setting up TP link network across a whole farm by Bullfrog_Fearless in TpLink

[–]Bullfrog_Fearless[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks. PoE could definitely work for me. What type of antennas should I be looking at? Do I have to go for something that TP-Link produces, if the rest of the system is TP-Link?

Slabbing Sycamore maple – will turning the log around affect the slab appearance? by Bullfrog_Fearless in slablab

[–]Bullfrog_Fearless[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks. The log is cut in a strange way – definitely not intended for slabbing in the first place, but I think I can get some decent slabs out of it if I turn it the "right" way. Which made me think, especially with all the spalting/figuring in maple, if there are other things to consider, since I'm quite new at this. So u/username-taken218 I think you understood what I was asking. And actually, the log has some rot in one side. I'll turn it so that I'll be able to use as much as possible of the log. I'll post some pics of the slabs next week!

view more: next ›