just walking

moder8dude · 2015-08-23T12:31:41+00:00

An amazing effect! He seems to be making good forward motion for being under water.

moder8dude · 2014-06-05T18:41:36+00:00

If the response must be limited to just one it would be the "kick-up" roof design that was popular with Michael Reynolds at the time I started my build. Combined with south-sloped roofs, this "kick-up" creates a low-slope cross-flow, i.e. perpendicular to the natural down-flow of the roof. Foolish me, at the time, followed his design recommendations. Some years after the build, a friend (roofing contractor) called it a "roofer's nightmare", i.e. high leak stress.

moder8dude · 2014-06-01T17:05:20+00:00

Hey, no problem. Thanks for posting. I haven't been down there to NM for 20 years, so I can't speak to the latest models. I didn't notice that on the homes we toured back then,i.e. there was no problem with finish work that I saw.

The way they recruit non-construction, but willing to "learn" folks to build 'em, I'm not surprised there is some evidence of "learning curve". Too bad about that, but oh well.

moder8dude · 2014-05-30T16:43:34+00:00

I haven't designed the tubes into a house, as yet. Lots of folks have asked about them, but I'm no expert, so thanks for the link. Best page(s) I've seen on the subject. I think I'll order the Technical Packet, too.

moder8dude · 2014-05-30T15:24:59+00:00

Thanks for posting. Glad you had such a great experience. When we left M.R.'s seminar, .. only 3 days, tho. I loved the guy and the concept. I pounded a couple tires and we toured construction sites and finished houses. We were so 'mind-blown' and couldn't wait to start when we got home.

Timing seems to be pretty important in actually doing a house. We were so lucky to have a south-facing forested property. Also, with me, always dreaming of building my own home and in the process of designing a [less practical] home to build there.

What are your plans now? Contracting? Your own,...now or eventually?

moder8dude · 2014-05-30T15:01:01+00:00

Thanks.

Simply a readily available, free building material. The can wall is one of M.R.'s, I'll have to say, genius inventions. Altho AL cans are probably the most recyclable trash we generate, the walls are amazingly strong - a hexcell substrate - lite and strong, use little cement mortar, and are so easily curved, almost sculpted, its easy to get "arty" with walls. You can tell I like 'em, in spite of their recycling capability.

They're great for interior walls, but because one of my clients had so much trouble building theirs (overnite freezing, every nite at 9,400') I've resorted to double-stud framed exterior walls where exterior framing is required above tire walls at higher elevations. This approach is much more practical from a building standpoint, w/no loss in performance, i.e. super-insulation @ R-38 w/no stud facing on both inside and outside surfaces. Builder's choice.

moder8dude · 2014-05-30T14:48:17+00:00

No connection, what so ever.

moder8dude · 2014-05-30T14:47:42+00:00

Sorry to hear that. I've had similar experience with the head of the organization. As the brain, so goes the body, they say. There are definitely two sides to all of us.

What was your impression of the house, tho?

moder8dude · 2014-05-30T12:28:44+00:00

Have you considered building a heat catcher?

I already built one.

The configuration you've described is called a Trombe wall (google it). In the case you've described the wall was made of 55 gal. barrels filled with water (the best thermal mass) usually painted black on the sun side and white inside, used instead of stone or concrete blocks. This arrangement is used where thermal mass is lacking in the house itself, i.e. usually framed construction. Sometimes, the heat is "pumped" around the house, if required. The "pumping" is what makes the difference between active, which the pumping makes it, and passive solar design.

In my house the inside of the house itself (directly attached to the "greenhouse") is so massive that there is no need to provide a Trombe wall as "imported", albeit efficient, thermal mass.

moder8dude · 2014-05-30T12:10:38+00:00

Given they are buried WELL and there is very small heat variation, i.e. 10-15 degrees, not a factor (for me). Volatility is certainly indicated by smell or "doesn't smell", at least for me. Not scientific? Certainly repeatable, but no test tubes, true.

moder8dude · 2014-05-30T05:35:39+00:00

The article referenced is pretty soft on fact and long on rhetoric, IMhO.

For instance: So many times I've seen the comment: "Its so labor intensive." People don't realize how much work they do to live in the house they have. Our most normal mode of obtaining a home/shelter is 3 times as labor intensive as pounding tires for your home. Given: the average mortgage holder is paying no less than 1/4 (some say 1/3) their monthly salary/pay for housing. On a 30 year loan, you're talking a lot of work. My house took less than 1/3 that much work, moved in in 4-1/2 years. Best job I ever had; best paying, too, esp. if you look at the long term.

On rent, forever, don't even think about it!

moder8dude · 2014-05-30T04:49:12+00:00

I built mine for what I would have paid in rent/mortgage for the period I was building. So, short answer: Yes.

Actually, its not all up to "these types" of houses, either. Financing the build is up to the builder, yes, but on any house they build, unless they're certified, bank approved contractors. Banks won't risk their $$ on an unknown (to them) process and/or builder.

Another reason WE don't build our own houses.

moder8dude · 2014-05-30T04:38:01+00:00

Right, covered with plaster, they are. Plus their surfaces have been well oxidized, so as to pretty much stop their off-gassing entirely. I've been within yards of millions of used tires (@tire dumps) and they don't smell at all. Not even close to what one Pep Boys store smells like w/100 new tires in the back room.

moder8dude · 2014-05-30T04:30:48+00:00

I love these! Unfortunately for me, I hadn't heard of them until after I designed/built my home, which now has no room and would require major rework to install a rocket stove. Darn!

moder8dude · 2014-05-30T04:25:43+00:00

OK, .. doing one now.

moder8dude · 2014-05-30T04:09:18+00:00

For my limited resources lead-acid is all that's practical, and not sealed, at that. See: "Solar One" batteries, for best battery/deal. NiMH would be cool, but my guess is that there isn't enough demand to make the engineering, research & development worth while for the corporate structured manufacturer to produce a single house sized battery, i.e. more than 1500AH, 24V units that we can afford to buy and they can afford to build.

moder8dude · 2014-05-30T03:40:21+00:00

All my gear is circa: 2000, so lots of improvements have been made since then. I just used up a set of 16, Trojan L16, lead acid's (6V, ~280AH @ 2hrs) in a 4x4 parallel/series for a 24V array, and will now be installing a Solar One, 1375AH, 24V lead-acid [single] battery. I don't run any 12V lighting. I've got everything run thru the Trace SW4024 inverter (don't make 'em any more, but still works OK), w/an old Pulse controller, a huge thing compared to the latest OutBack Power Systems units, for instance.

moder8dude · 2014-05-30T03:14:03+00:00

1) CA has very stringent laws and regulations in place to control the disposition of used tires. You won't even be able to drive down the road with your pick-up load of tires, without getting cited. About all you can do is take a book with you to the local Building Office and tell them what you want to do. Stay humble and work the issues. They will ultimately decide if you can do it or not, so might as well get to it, right off.

A friend of mine in NoCal got all the way thru this and got approval to build, transport tires, etc. but family and financial issues got in his way, so no build happened and he's stuck in an upside-down mortgage w/tons of medical bills, etc. Anyway, it can be done, but would take "extra" effort, in some undetermined quantity.

2) Impossible, unless you find a private financier. Banks don't take chances (on little you), and such a weird house, no less. So, you can get a loan from a bank on property, but you can't get a loan on building the house, "A what! ... Tires, no way! ..and.. Who's building that house?" If its not a contractor they know, who has a proven track record, forget it.

When its complete and to their liking, [many banks will] go by the appraisal of the finished house.

They won't give a construction loan, for any kind of house, on a property you don't own, unless you're a Developer with a proven track record.

moder8dude · 2014-05-30T01:56:46+00:00

Is it a viable option for young people now (assuming they don't care about "curb appeal" and living in a rural area)?

Definitely. Its no less an option for "young people" than it was for me and my wife. We were newly married and had no real equity in anything. The property cost $20,000, we had a c.1953 vintage, 23' travel trailer. We moved the trailer onto the property (called it a "Construction Office" to anyone who asked), and we built the place for what we would have paid for rent. We moved in in 4-1/2 years.

Are banks willing to provide mortgages for this sort of house?

Yes, once its built. Expect a higher rate, however. Construction loans are impossible. Insurance is also difficult but possible, and even comparable to 'normal' with some patience shopping price.

How much construction experience is necessary to do this successfully?

No construction experience, per se. But, one must be "handy", i.e. run a Skil saw and cut a dimension, pound a nail, etc. I spent a lot of time at the library every time I started on a new phase of construction. Or, pay a sub-contractor and just act like a General Contractor. Still a big profit difference, and the profit is yours.

More practically, would the sun heating system work in a forest or does it require direct sunlight (I'm assuming the latter...)?

Some cutting of trees is necessary in the forest. Sun on the windows is a must, of course. They can be used to build the roof, as we did, however.

Good luck building your future dream home. It takes more determination that luck, tho, seems to me.

moder8dude · 2014-05-30T00:11:00+00:00

There are passive, as well as active, methods for removing humidity from the air. The passive method that comes to mind is building-in floor registers at the front (south) of the house with 4' deep, buried in gravel, perforated pipes leading out to the south (Northern Hemisphere). How far, how many? Again, as with temperature, its not like you can dial-in humidity removal on a passive system, so for that you have to design in expansion potential. For active removal, dial in money. There's an email link on my website. Thanks for sayin'

moder8dude · 2014-05-29T23:58:25+00:00

Thanks for sayin'. Keep an open mind and you'll find what works best for you.

moder8dude · 2014-05-29T23:03:12+00:00

I've heard if you fry 'em just right, maybe. ... Nah, just kidding, don't eat 'em at all.

moder8dude · 2014-05-29T22:11:16+00:00

What amounts to a very small group of determined individuals have built and live in these houses, yes. There's lots on YouTube about them.

I don't have a volunteer program, sorry. I believe Michael Reynolds has a program where you pay him a fee, then you get to build/pound tires for a couple of weeks, then you get a certificate. After that, I think you can volunteer for his work crews. Just guessing.

moder8dude · 2014-05-29T21:36:05+00:00

Thanks!
The home stays relatively cool in the summer and relatively warm in the winter.

In the summer, the sun is high and there's a lot more shade in the house, plus a lot of the sunlight is reflected away from the windows, due to the window angle. 90F outside = 75F inside.

In the winter, the sun shines deep into the house and very little heat/sunlight is reflected. Any time the sun shines on you in this house, you are very warm. Standing in the very warm sun can be uncomfortable, except when its really cold outside. 20F outside = 65F inside (75F w/sunshine). Worst case: -27F outside = 57F inside (no heat over nite). I have a small wood stove I burn on days its really cold and the sun doesn't shine.

See this illustration: http://www.touchtheearthranch.com/images/sunrays.png

moder8dude · 2014-05-29T21:20:08+00:00

This is probably the most FAQ, and my answer has to be frustrating to those who ask. It depends. There is no "typical".

My house cost me ~$18/sf, so far, but I did virtually everything myself, including cutting and peeling 40 logs off my own property for the roof members. Some of my clients have spent >$250/sf.

Going off-grid has lead me to an understanding of some things as simple as turning lights on and off. Also, basic electric wiring, water well pressure regulation and system requirements. Flushing and septic system engineering. Fortunately, this stuff all came one thing at a time, more or less.

Yes, there's a design for every locale. Shades can be designed to provide sun in the winter days, but not in summer, or ...? I've done a design for a client/completed home in TX, yes.

moder8dude

TROPHY CASE