How I built an electricity producing wind turbine Several years ago I bought some remote property in Arizona. I am an astronomer and wanted a place to practice my hobby far away from the sky-wrecking light pollution found near cities of any real size. I found a great piece of property. The problem is, it's so remote that there is no electric service available. One thing I noticed right away about my property is that most of the time, the wind is blowing. Let me state up front that I probably won't be able to help you out much if you decide to build your own wind turbine. Since no one seems to be reading the FAQ, I will answer the No. 1 question I get many, many times a day right here up front. Update: Here is a video of the wind turbine in operation. Update: Here is a video of me assembling and setting up the wind turbine on my remote off-grid property. I started the process of designing my wind turbine by Googling for information on home-built wind turbines. I reduced the project to just five little systems. for only $26. .
The Parsimonious Princess: Canned Heat: How to Make an Emergency Heater It seems that just about every part of the U.S. has been slammed with severe winter weather lately. Just the other I day, I was watching the news and saw the lines of stranded cars buried in snow outside of Chicago. The severe weather stretched over 2,000 miles, leaving a lot of people without power. No power can mean no heat and that can be a scary thing with the temperatures being as low as they are. I attended a class held at my church a couple days ago where we learned about and made emergency heaters. To make your emergency heater, you'll need:A new, quart-sized paint can with a lid. When you want to use the heater, pop open the lid, using the quarter as leverage. Important: if you're going to use this heater in a car, crack open the windows for ventilation. The teacher of the class said that she burned her heater (to test it out) in her kitchen and it lasted for five hours. You can also use this heater in your home in the event of an emergency.
My Home-Built Solar Panel Projects I am a person who loves to build things. I'd rather build something than buy it, if I can. Even if it something inexpensive, I like the challenge of figuring out how to build it myself, rather than just buying it and being part of the mindless consumer culture. If an item is really expensive, like solar panels, then I have a monetary incentive to try to build it myself, as well as the challenge. For a long time I thought solar panels were just too difficult for me to build. After doing lots of research, I discovered that they aren't that hard to build at all. This is my Suntracker. Click here to see how I built the Suntracker. My first home-made solar panel was a 60 Watt, 12 Volt unit I built a few years ago so I would have power on my remote, off-grid property. Click here to see how I built the 60 Watt panel. My second home-built solar panel is a folding 15 Watt unit. Click here to see how I built the 15 Watt folding panel.
How To Build A Solar Room Heater Imagine it’s a cold autumn, winter or spring day with temperatures of a few degrees. This self-powered device can heat up your room from 10 degrees to 29. Keep reading… (C) G. Forrest Cook 2002 (Photo 1) Solar furnace mounted on an external door (Figure 1) Expanded parts layout (Photo 3) Warm air exits from the output port on the top (Photo 2) The fan pushes cold air into the input port on the bottom. (Figure 2) Schematic Introduction This project involves the construction of a self contained solar box furnace (Photo 1). Specifications Nominal Operating Voltage: 12VDCOperating Current: 200ma (depending on the fan)Heat Output: depending on the size of the box, the equivalentof a few hundred watts when the box is in full sun. Some example data was taken with the solar furnace. Theory This is a self-contained and self-powered device. The insulation at the back of the box prevents heat loss through the cold side. Construction Cut the collector plate so that it fits into the box. Alignment Use Parts
A Square Foot Gardening Layout with Great Tips for Garden Designs Square foot gardening needs planning in layout and design, but a square foot garden using raised bed gardening methods will have more vegetables, in less space, with half the effort. Mel Bartholomew is a man who has been attributed to creating a different method of growing vegetables and flowers, and that is not in rows, but in squares. Thus, the term Square-Foot Gardening, or for some, squarefoot gardening. However there is far more to this way of planting other than how you plant your plants. To quote Mel about his square foot method of gardening he says, "Square Foot Gardening is a new way to garden, in less space, with less work." What is Square Foot Gardening? Square Foot Gardening Versus Conventional Gardening Often we start off with good intentions of having a vegetable garden. Square Foot Gardening: Getting Started - The Soil Many people find themselves with soil that is not the perfect growing medium for growing great flowers and vegetables. Square Foot Gardening: Planting the Seeds
3-Piece Kids Storage Table and Chair Set | Overstock.com Shopping - The Best Deals on Kids' Table & Chair Sets Shipping: Usually leaves our warehouse in 1-2 business days. * Standard Return Policy: International Shipping: * For your safety, some orders go through our loss prevention department. ** Most Oversize orders are delivered within 1-4 weeks. 31 DIY Ways To Make Your Backyard Awesome This Summer While you’re impatiently waiting for summer to just GET HERE already, start planning your outdoor space. 1. Set up a movie theater. Directions here. 2. They’re also called truffula flowers, inspired by Dr. 3. Get the directions here. 4. Get the directions here. 5. They’ll catch the light on a sunny day. 6. 7. Get the directions here. 8. Directions here. Here’s a very cool personal fire pit you can make for less than $25. Get the full tutorial here. Perfect for s’mores night. 9. Get the directions here. 10. Get the full tutorial here. 11. This one cost $200 to make and took up 100 square feet of space. 12. Get the directions here. 13. Turn the tent into a pillow-filled reading nook. 14. 15. Get directions here. 16. Home Depot sells the whiskey barrels for $30, and Bed Bath and Beyond sells the glass tops for $9. 17. 18. Get the full instructions here. 19. Get more information here. 20. Get more information here. 21. 22. Get the tutorial here. 23. Get the directions here. 24. Get the directions here. 25. 26.
This Is The Pallet Emergency Home. It Can Be Built In 1 Day With Only Basic Tools Now this is truly an innovative design. Developed by the creative folks at i-Beam Design, this house plan makes use of commonly available materials, and is designed to be built by anyone, even without construction experience. This is the pallet emergency home. This pallet house can be built in one day using only basic tools. You can also upgrade it with insulation, AC, smoke detectors and anything else you would like. It was originally designed to be a transitional shelter for refugees returning to Kosovo. It's easy to build with found materials, which makes it ideal for housing during times of natural disaster, plagues, famine, political and economic strife or war. The house comes with “IKEA-style assembly instructions” so anyone, even those without experience, can build their own home. The modular design offers flexibility in terms of configuration. The final product is simply amazing, considering the materials and budget! Image Credits: i-beamdesign Related: Credits:Viral Forest
13 Awesome Outdoor Bench Projects | The Garden Glove I love to linger in the garden, to actually spend time there. It’s not enough for me to just have the neighbors compliment my yard, or to know I increased the salability of my home. I live for, and in, the garden when I can. To do that, you have to eventually sit down. :) I love a garden bench because they can be easily moved, accommodate a thoughtful spot without blocking the garden itself, and makes an easy DIY project. A garden (or outdoor) bench is a seat, and some means to support that seat. Two blocks and a board will accomplish it, but I think you will agree these DIY garden benches are a far step above that, yet almost as easy! Our first project is a cinder block bench created by Hello Daly. From ‘Fab Every Day’, this DIY cinder block bench could be made in less than an hour, and thats with adhering the blocks together, which is optional. From ‘Aristo Crafty’, Jenny Meese made this colorful DIY bench and shares her “how-to” with everyone. I LOVE this cedar bench with planters.
38 Creative Ways to Recycle and Reuse Old Stuff People love to purchase more and more stuff but time by time it gets old and do not serve our purpose, well stuff bottles are crashed and dumped anyway, so today I will be showing you some awesome and creative ways you can use to recycle your old stuff and reuse it in a way that it looks awesome and creative. People won't be able to tell the difference between new and old stuff if you use it in a fresh and clean way, well below are all the images displaying what could be done with the old stuff and how to put life into them. #1. Well if you have some old wine bottles that have nothing left in it and you were just going to dump it, well stop right away as we can convert these bottles into pendant lamps. #2. You might be having some caps left behind when you opened a bottle and used all the content, well do not throw these caps as you can use them as small candles. #3. #4. #5. #6. #7. #.8 Converting Old Plastic Spoons into Lamps #9. #10. #11. #12. #13. #14. #15. #16. #17. #18. #19. #20.
How is your driveway looking? | Your Projects@OBN Apart from your house, your driveway is probably the most dominant feature of your landscape. Even if the distance from the road to your garage or carport is only 10 m, assuming your driveway is 3 m wide, that is a 30 m² surface area staring you and your guests in the face every time you walk out of your house or turn into your driveway. Unfortunately, driveways often tend to be neglected. If the driveway is concreted, neglect will simply mean staining. However, if your driveway is paved, bitumen, hot mix, or gravel, neglect can quickly turn your drive into an untidy, potentially expensive, mess. Driveway options Gravel or aggregate: Gravel is the easiest and least expensive option for a driveway This is usually the least expensive of all driveway options. If you decide on a gravel or aggregate driveway, give ample thought to your edging. A rockery edge is often the least expensive and most attractive solution. Another edging alternative is bricks. Bitumen: Hot mix: Concrete: Paving: