Glenn's Underground Cabin Update

Started by glenn kangiser, January 30, 2005, 10:24:03 PM

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glenn kangiser

Just looking at the pictures again...







It is the first time I noticed that the bridge area I walked over in front of this drift supported rails that have since been removed.... look at this picture and you can see the two lines where the ore car tracks ran. The right line is very faint near the lighted hole.   I picked up a couple rock samples not sure they were barium from the bridge area at the front,  I guess they were and they fit the description.  The ore was left in place to make the bridge to support the rails for the ore cars.  :)
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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glenn kangiser

Got my first load of pond bottom material today..... I guess you would call it light sandy loam.  I understand this stuff will grow a garden like crazy.  My dump truck buddy told me he was cleaning a pond and asked me if I wanted some.  I said yes, all I can get.  Hopefully about 10 loads or 100 or so yards.

I told him of the hugelkultur beds and he offered to bring logs too or let me use his bunks and get my own for under the bed.  He also has a good supply of rotten logs I can likely get. I will be trading welding repairs on his backhoe as well as getting to use it a bit. Networking with good people is cool...... [cool]





.....so I took some of that and my composted alpaca manure and enhanced the small garden by the garage....




I triple turned it all with a shovel to work it all in.  I think it will grow well... just a guess though. 

It is full of plants now... Kolrabi, Brussels Sprouts, Onions, red and yellow, Spinach, Sugar Peas (edible pod type) and Carrot seed from a seed head that was laying nearby.  I feel better now.... food is on its way.  [hungry]

"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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glenn kangiser

The rest of the winter garden is doing well also.  The Broccoli I picked the big head from is now producing smaller flowerlets for another harvest.  The rest of the plants seem to be a bit farther behind but that is not a problem.  Even the leaves are edible.



Hoping to increase the amount of garden I am growing to be able to share with others who may need it for one reason or another as well as keep a year round supply for us. :)

"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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glenn kangiser

I got a Samsung Smart TV last week to watch during evenings when Sassy is away during her surgeries and recovery.  She will be staying on the flat land on her family estate house and I will commute as necessary between working and caring for the underground complex and cows.  I took her a load of furniture, frozen goods and supplies yesterday.  She will stay with her sister post surgery.

What this is all leading up to is that while watching TV, I found Pati's Mexican Table....... http://patismexicantable.com/ .....and got the urge for some of the Mexican foods we used to enjoy when we went to Mexico.  A trip to the Mexican Super Mercado last night got me several authentic utensils and instructions from a genuine Mexican senorita on making a special kind of Mexican hot chocolate.....note the tortilla press to the left....

Here is what I made last night..... SOOOOooooooo Good......




Elote.... we used to enjoy it buying it from the street vendors in Creel at the top of Barranca del Cobre....... Copper Canyon.

Elote is Mexican corn cooked then covered with butter and Mayonnaise, then covered heavily in Cotija or similar grated cheese and sprinkled generously with Tajin Classico chile pepper with lime. A generous squeeze of fresh lime juice really sets it off.....

It was so good, after the first bite I could not stop eating.....double Yum.  [hungry]

Looks like I missed the butter ...that will make it even better... should have re-read the recipe... [ouch]

http://patismexicantable.com/2011/06/crazy-corn.html#more

Pati also has an alternate version of her crazy corn... note that I think the Tajin Classico Chile with Lime is indispensable... Some chile pepper used to give me heartburn, but Tajin doesn't.... note the warning on the bottle.... "This Is Not Candy"... could'a fooled me...

http://patismexicantable.com/2012/09/crazy-corn-1.html

Sassy would appreciate your thoughts and prayers (for those who do so) as she goes through her rather extended ordeal.  I am sure she will drop in here for comments as she has time.  She is currently tethering her PC from her Samsung note for internet service.



"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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glenn kangiser

So...let's explore around in the mine a bit more.... [noidea'

In this pix I am standing on the ledge trail where it is dark.  The holes in the middle are at the bottom of a steep winze ...... probably 50 feet + or - to the top of the holes that continue on down from there.




..or more of an overall view here....




Looking another direction...




It's all very interesting... massive....   [cool]





The holes down... winzes ... do not stop there.  They would go down and connect with the adit below where the ore cars would likely sit under a hopper or muckers would load them up for transportation on the horizontal tracks going to the tram level for transportation to the other side of the river.  There the ore would be milled and loaded onto the train or trucks for hauling out of the Merced River canyon.  It is easier to drill up in a stope and blast the rock from the parent material letting it fall into the winzes using gravity than it is to drill down and lift the rock out of the hole.


.....and on and on and on..... Tired of this yet?  ???



"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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PEG688


You be careful there Indiana Jones !   What's going on with Sassy , big surgeries??   When's that happening ??   
When in doubt , build it stout with something you know about .

glenn kangiser

The 29th - this coming week... first hip replacement surgery on her right hip.  She is getting bad enough that I am afraid with a wrong step on one of the slopes around here that her thigh bone will pop right out the side.... so I encouraged her to go ahead with the surgery.  Nurses sometimes need a push as they know about doctors and hospitals.  She has been delaying it for years at the expense of dealing with the pain day and night.  She doesn't want to get addicted to pain pills so resists them too taking only the minimum. 

She has researched a lot on the best replacements and the failed recalled ones.  She has found a doctor that will do the minimum invasive procedure and he has a good record.  Then three months or so recovery and on to the other one... then three months or so recovery and on to the knees.... a rather extensive remodel project.  Thanks for checking up on her, PEG.  I'll let her know if she doesn't see it first.

The mine..... that is just fun stuff PEG... I'm not ready to jump in carelessly.... I'd at least take a little care... [waiting]
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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PEG688

 She's got my prayers and Enny's , best of luck.  You'll be  a busy guy , are you playing head nurse thru this ??  Or do you have family help?  You mentioned her sister's place.   
When in doubt , build it stout with something you know about .

glenn kangiser

Thanks PEG.  We appreciate it. 

We discussed it early on and decided that it would be best to make alternate plans as there is no way to make this place level for her or to keep her from trying to do too much here.  Also, I have cut my jobs down to one customer for my prime jobs along with miscellaneous odd jobs only, rather than working for two or three major companies.

The company I subcontract for looks out for me and I for them.  I am their trouble shooter and I make up their other three man crew all by myself....  :)

If they call I have to go ....can't let them down or fail to show up.  Contracts these days are critical and if you have work down here you take care of it or lose it. That was another factor she had to consider.

Her sister is an FNP and they have offered to help out as well as her sons and other family are all in that area... down on the flat land in the valley.  Her parents estate house was empty so that made the most sensible place to stay except during the first couple critical weeks after surgery when she will be at her sisters.

I have the neighbor kids primed up to take care of my animals and I am currently assisting them with some of their projects...  a little advance payment on my part.   I really enjoy barter.... it brings the community together.   After work yesterday they fixed me a great meal with ham, sweet potatoes, salad, banana cream pie, pecan pie and berry pie.... unfortunately I ate it all.... but a little bit moderately... [cool]
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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glenn kangiser

Went down to see Sassy last night.  Took her my last two corn on the cobs, and made Elote for dinner...... Once again... it was too good to have words for it....

Elote...Mexican corn on the cob. 

Posted earlier I think but here is a link again....

http://patismexicantable.com/2011/06/crazy-corn.html    Remember to be sure to use a bunch of the Tajin Classico (very mildly hot -very flavorful-with lime in it), Grated Cotija cheese  and fresh Lime juice if you try this at home, kids...



Currently this morning I am making this...




http://patismexicantable.com/2012/10/-rose-petal-marshmallow-mango.html


Rose Petal, Marshmallow, Mango and Pistacio Ice Cream.... Never done it before but it looks good, or at least interesting, so I doubled the recipe.  I found a 6 quart Ice Cream maker so I'm set to go.  This double recipe uses 3 cups of Sassy's finest rose petals.  Finally I have some reason to justify having been stuck with those thorns so many times over the years.... [waiting]

Thanks for the wonderful recipes, Pati   http://patismexicantable.com/
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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glenn kangiser

The ice cream came out great.  I found that toasting pistachios is a lot harder than one might think.  They burn easily.  Sassy said I needed to stir them and it looks like I need to cut the time down a bunch too.  I'm going to take her some down tonight along with a new printer I got for her computer.



The marshmallows all melt in to give the sweetness and thickening to the mix I guess... no added sugar.  It is only mildly sweet and mine has a slight hint of a coffee flavor from the slightly over toasted pistachios.  Very good though and like eating a bouquet of roses.  Persians are famous for using Rose Water in their cooking and I had some Rose flavored Ice Cream at the Persian deli in Sunnyvale. 

I found mt 1893 chopper was the best thing for the coarse chopping of the pistachios.  I got 5 pint and a half containers from this double batch... about a gallon.  Not letting the farmers corporations rip me off with the reduced sizes any more.  [waiting]

..... and it only cost me about $15 a pint for getting the satisfaction of beating them.... [noidea'
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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ben2go

Glenn,you are the man.I am digging the mining and good food pics.Everyone must be busy lately.Not many people posting.

glenn kangiser

Thanks, Ben.  I appreciate that.  I guess they are still reading so I just keep talking to myself... :)

Winter time is a great time for cooking though it has been a while since I did a lot of it.  Getting used to it again though and not making a total disaster of the place... I mean, I did get the ice cream mix off of the stove, floor and window, miscellaneous dishes and my T-shirt..... [waiting]
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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ben2go

 rofl  I listen in while you talk to yourself.


glenn kangiser

That makes sense, Ben... I think.....  ???
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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PEG688


Ben may have tipped his hand as a NSA spy :o   ;)
When in doubt , build it stout with something you know about .

ben2go

Quote from: PEG688 on November 27, 2012, 09:48:25 PM
Ben may have tipped his hand as a NSA spy :o   ;)

I know there's a joke there,but I can't quite put my finger on it.  d*

PEG688


Well there is a joke there , well unless you are a NSA spy  :-X
When in doubt , build it stout with something you know about .

glenn kangiser

......trying to learn my secret ingredients....

I wonder what I'm gonna do next?  [noidea'
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Glenn's Underground Cabin  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

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glenn kangiser

I used my 1893 chopper to chop the toasted pistachios.  It called for coarsely chopped so after I over chopped some in the coffee grinder I went back to the old way for a better product.  Low technology=better in many cases.



I get to lick the beater...... anyone else fight with your brother and sisters to lick the batter off of the beater when mom took it out of the mixer? [noidea'

Little brother is there pushing and pinching and scratching the girls so he can get it first.... or did no one else come from a dysfunctional family? rofl

Well, I got this beater because I was the only one there... had it on my nose and mustache and beard of course..... yum....... [hungry]




On another note... the woodshed I put up temporarily with the garden on the roof was threatening to fall down on me, so I jacked it up yesterday, put in a new post and blocking in the back and nailed a bunch of braces on so I think it is good for another ten years or maybe more.  Note the fine workmanship..... the boards to the right are leaning on it...not holding it up....   [waiting]




"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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Jerms_a320

Hi again Mr Kangiser

I am considering building a sunken cob house , in South Australia , and I was wondering if you could give me some advise
-your house is one of the only underground cob house I know of ( only a section of your house is cob isn't it the rest is PSP)

how did you cope with moisture getting to the cob when it is below ground level?

also what plaster did use use to protect the cob , in the photos the cob in the sitting area looks really firm,

and also is there any slightly more eco friendly alternative to polyethlyene in the PSP system (we get an agverage amout of rain over here)

thanks heaps

Jeremy


thanks heaps ,

ben2go

Quote from: Jerms_a320 on November 29, 2012, 02:12:09 AM
Hi again Mr Kangiser

I am considering building a sunken cob house , in South Australia , and I was wondering if you could give me some advise
-your house is one of the only underground cob house I know of ( only a section of your house is cob isn't it the rest is PSP)

how did you cope with moisture getting to the cob when it is below ground level?

also what plaster did use use to protect the cob , in the photos the cob in the sitting area looks really firm,

and also is there any slightly more eco friendly alternative to polyethlyene in the PSP system (we get an agverage amout of rain over here)

thanks heaps

Jeremy


thanks heaps ,

w*

Welcome to the forum. 

glenn kangiser

Hi Jeremy. Glad to see you made the jump and got to the Underground Complex just fine. :)

Nice to have another friend across the pond.

You are correct that only the front porch area is cob though it would work fine for all of the walls with or without the post and beam framing. USDA tested it  at about 14400 lbs per square foot bearing strength years ago when they were worth something but you would be hard pressed find that info now.

I didn't actually go to any pains to protect the cob other than large rocks on the bottom to act as a moisture barrier. Still the back is exposed to underground water in the winter, especially that that is re-routed by the gophers.

Cob made properly is pretty resistant to water except from overhead rains. Prolonged moisture from the back will slowly soak through it but it takes a lot damage it.  After getting very wet one time a corner did break off but it  is pretty easily repaired. Actually water has gotten to the seat top a few times hence the need for the drain. It doesn't just melt as you might think.

If there is a water concern, I would suggest French drains around the outer perimeter and a plastic water barrier between the  cob and the source of the water from the outside. EPDM could be used at a higher cost with possible higher efficiency.

I did not use any plaster other than the natural clay in the cob that was dug right from our property.  Just wet the surface and rework  it with the rubber grout float.

I trowel it with a swimming pool trowel to get into rounded corners or hard rubber grout float to make a smooth surface on odd shapes.  After that we coat it with an acrylic masonry sealer  though you may find a natural sealer using casien or something else.

Currently at the hospital on my mobile with Sassy. She just took her first walk across the room with  the new hip about six hours after her surgery. 



She is already walking better than she did when she came in this morning.    [cool]
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Glenn's Underground Cabin  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

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glenn kangiser

Oh yeah....eco friendly...

I think the small amount of plastic required is about as eco friendly as you can get. Not sure where EPDM sits on the eco friendly scale.
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Glenn's Underground Cabin  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

Please put your area in your sig line so we can assist with location specific answers.

Jerms_a320

thankyou Mr Kangiser, and thanks for the welcome ben2go,

thats heaps cool that you just used large rocks as a moisture barrier , i think ill have a look at that . It's very interesting about USDA testing

Im currently thinking of having a patio/separation between the earth and the cob ( another forum said it is extreamly important that the cobe is open on two sides to release moisture and fully dry out .

did you have any difficulties with your cob ( what kind of climate do you live in) ?

Im definitely considering a french drain  ( the barrier can be landscaping fabric can't it )


thanks heap