How I built an electricity producing Solar Panel 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. In my attempt to escape city slicker yuppies (you know the kind, the ones that like to blab loudly on their cell phone while they work on some business administration degree in a cyber cafe somewhere in Trendyland.) and their light pollution, I found a great piece of remote property. The problem is, it's so remote that there is no electric service available. That's not really a problem. No electricity equals no light pollution. I built a wind turbine to provide some power on the remote property. Here is a video of the solar panel set up and in use on my remote, off-grid property. Let me state up front that I probably won't be able to help you out much if you decide to build your own solar panel(s). So what is a solar panel anyway? After a while, I came to some conclusions: seller. Oops!
Build a Fire Pit A great way to enjoy an evening is to relax by an open fire — and a firepit can make it even nicer. They are great for outdoor entertaining, and when the weather starts to cool off, you can still enjoy the outdoors. Preparing for a Firepit Patio firepits are available in kits or as separate components. Some are steel bowls or frames that you can move around the yard. Before you begin construction: Step 1 Check with any local ordinances or homeowners' association guidelines to see if firepits are permitted. Step 2 Select a convenient and safe location for the firepit. Step 3 Place a small flag at the selected location, and check it periodically over a few days to determine the prevailing wind direction. Building the Firepit The following procedures are for installing a basic firepit ring of concrete blocks surrounding a steel firepit bowl with a cover. Firepits should be installed on concrete patios, pavers or bare dirt. Gather the materials and tools you'll need for this job. Step 4 Step 5
DIY Survival Candles: The Olive Oil Lamp In our last DIY survival candle making article, I showed you how to construct the butter candle. The butter candle can light up your home for at least four hours. But there is another survival candle that can last even longer than the butter candle. This lamp also will produce the most heat of any DIY survival candle that we have talked about thus far. Supplies: A Glass Bottle and it’s capA pint (16 oz.) of olive oilA paper towelA lighter or match Steps: 1. 2. 3. Be sure to drench the entire towel in olive oil first. Push the paper towel through the cap’s hole. 4. The Olive Oil Lamp is by far one of the best survival candles that you can make with your kitchen supplies. Want to learn more? Save Black Iron Blog: Easy Cast Iron Skillet Reconditioning The "finished" skillet. Ready for use and continuous improvement. The purpose of this post is to demonstrate how one can recondition a piece of cast iron cookware using items you probably have in your house or apartment. This process uses no specialized equipment (like an electrolysis tank) or large amounts of a nasty chemical (lye). It also does not require power tools or very much elbow grease. You will need: 1 can of aerosol oven cleanerplastic bagsordinary white vinegara scrub pad or #0000 steel woololive oil and/or Pam cooking spraypatienceThe skillet we are dealing with is a Wagner Ware 1056 {1935 -1959} that is in neglected condition. There is abundant surface rust and lots of crud and gunk (if I get too scientific with these terms let me know). I paid 9 dollars for this skillet at an antique store. If you are lucky enough to inherit some cast iron this may be similar to what you receive. The first step in getting this Wagner #6 cleaned up is to remove the old ruined seasoning.
2KW DIY Solar panels made of pop cans for home solar heating At the end, the solar absorber is painted black and placed in the diy solar panels casing. The casing is covered with plexiglass that we attach to the frame and thoroughly corked with silicone. Polycarbonate / plexiglass is slightly convex in order to gain greater strength. You can see installed solar absorber without plexiglass in picture 18. Complete solar collector is shown on Picture 19, and finally, installed solar system can be seen in Picture 20. On YouTube you can see how our diy pop-can solar panels work. Important note: Our solar system is not able to accumulate thermal energy after producing it. Differential thermostat (snap disc) controls the fan. If on/off temperatures are set carefully, diy solar panels are able to produce an average 2 kW of energy for home heating. Dress rehearsal of solar collectors carried out in the backyard before installing the system on the house.
How to build a backyard pergola This simple square trellis turns a patch of ground into a handsome outdoor room Philip Harvey; design by Lankford Associates Click to Enlarge This 8-foot-square trellis provides an inviting place to relax and enhances the view of the garden from the house. These homeowners were handy enough to build it themselves, but you could have a contractor do it for you. From Sunset 's Patio Roofs & Gazebos book Materials Concrete, #4 rebar & form lumber for footings Gravel 6x6 posts, pressure-treated 2x8 beams 2x4 trellis stock 1x8 trim Galvanized nails & outdoor screws Sanding & finishing supplies Paint, stain, or wood preservative Directions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Next: Building and design notes
Liberation from Civilization! (this article is an attempt to shorten, personalize and update my signature post A Framework for Personal Action) third chart in my collapse scenario for civilization For many years the thesis of this blog has been: Our civilization is in its final century, and there is nothing we can do to prevent its collapse. When I began writing this, I was largely dismissed as a defeatist and a depressed ‘doomer’ (or worse). As awareness has grown about the now-inevitable end of (a) cheap energy, (b) stable climate and (c) the growth economy, there is a growing acknowledgement that the collapse scenario I have written about is at least conceivable. If the collapse of industrial civilization cannot be prevented, what should we do now? In a way, much of what I’ve written on this blog is an attempt to answer that question, without being too presumptuous, and appreciating that there is no one right answer to it. Here’s what I’m doing to that end: 1. Full House, by Stephen J. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Liberation
Do It Yourself Solar Panels – DIY Solar Panels How a Girl Built a Gate | Confessions of a Serial Do-it-Yourselfer It’s true! I built our gate all my little bitty self. I’ve been asked several questions about my gate, so I thought I would share how I made it. My husband and I had just finished building the fence. (I give him credit for all the labor-intensive work there. My husband is very busy with work during the summer and I was growing a bit impatient. So…I built it myself! Here she is: Aint she perty?? Here is it from the other side: Do you love the window detail as much as I do?? I actually considered using a metal doormat as an insert, but I decided to go searching online and found this. First I had to figure out how to work around the window. To start, I built my rectangular frame using three pieces of 2×4 and 1 piece of 2×6 for the bottom: Don’t worry about the diagonal pieces, yet. Your measurements my vary. Then while they were on flat, even ground, I screwed them together using 3″ Deckmate Star Drive Screws: I screwed them in diagonally from the top and the underside: Okay, so where were we?
Is Your Chocolate Real? Cacao vs Cocoa: What You Need To Know... Is Your Chocolate Real? Cacao vs Cocoa: What You Need To Know… A growing number of studies show that chocolate, especially antioxidant-rich dark chocolate, has health benefits that put it squarely on the latest list of superfoods. The good news is you can make your own chocolate with only 3 super healthy ingredients: cacao, coconut oil and honey! Remember my article 5 Ingredient Swaps For Healthier Eating? So, What Is The Difference Between Cocoa And Cacao? Let’s take for example a popular brand: Hershey’s chocolates. Studies show that the darker the chocolate, the better. that contains at least 65 percent cacao, recommends Joy DuBost, PhD, RD, an American Dietetic Association spokeswoman. Did you know also that dairy inhibits the absorption of antioxidants from cacao? Cacao contains far more antioxidants per 100g than acai, goji berries and blueberries. 7 Health Benefits Of Raw Cacao Luckily, I was able to find an organic cacao powder at Whole Foods but it is also available online. . 1.
DIY Solar Panels For you to know how to build diy solar panels, it is important to first learn about the essential materials and components that you need to accomplish the task. You also need to understand the workings of solar energy. The Workings of Solar Energy Direct sunlight has about 1000 watts of potential energy per square meter per minute. How to Make Your Own Solar Panels at Home? You can easily make solar panels at home by using diy solar panels guides that are available online. Getting Started DIY Solar Panels Project You first need to learn how to create a solar cell since this is what makes up diy solar panels. DIY Solar Panels 2 alligator clip leadsSheet of copperA micrometer that has adequate sensitivity to read the currents of between ten to fifteen micro amperesAn electric stoveTap waterTable saltSheet metal shearsSandpaper After gathering these items, you need to do the following; Cut the copper sheet into a piece that is the exact size as that of your electric stove. Incoming search terms:
Translucent Concrete Stains Concrete & Masonry Stains QUIKRETE® Translucent Concrete Stains (No. 7215-15) semi-transparent appearance highlights the natural variations in concrete and masonry surfaces. QUIKRETE® Translucent Concrete Stains can be used in multiple color combinations to acheive a unique multi-tone, layered appearance. Features & benefits include: Penetrating Stain does not peel Water based, Polymer-Bonded, UV Resistant formula Interior or exterior use Matte finish Low odor & Low VOC Ideal for garage floors, driveways, pool decks, sidewalks & patios Available in: 1 Gallon (3.8L) bottle 5 Gallon (18.9L) pails
Homemade Organic Toothpaste An Old Swiss Teeth Whitening Recipe… | Natural Snippets A couple of years ago we were lucky enough to escape ‘drill and fill’ and to find a biological/holistic dentist and (really important for me) one who didn’t use needles. Our dentist does not fill teeth and so I then began to study how to optimise our diet for tooth remineralisation. This done I then began to research anything that could hinder the process and found the mention of glycerine. It is used to give the toothpaste a ‘glossy’ sheen but it also leaves a coating on the teeth, which in turn prevents remineralisation. I have read that it takes multiple rinsings with pure water to actually rid your teeth of this glycerine film. Step 1: Recipe & Ingredients… The Recipe… The recipe for ‘Snow Caps’ I found in a book I would recommend to anyone interested in essential oils and their uses, it is written by Valerie Ann Worwood under the very apt title of: The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy. Ingredients… Step 2: Method & Storage… The Method… Storage…