Hi,
I like reading this forum and hearing all the experiences and tips from different people. I also LOVE looking at pictures of all the projects going on. Thank you to all who post and post pictures. However, I'm wondering if anyone is aware of builder's who blog? As we move into the construction phase (the plans needed some tweeking for the city but hope to pour the slab around the second week of Feb) am thinking of starting a blog and wondered if anyone was aware of other blogs.
Do you know of any? :question
judy
Daddymem and I are planning on doing a blog to document our building adventure. I've been looking around to different blog sites to decide where I want to put it up. It should be started soon since we've finally got our septic go ahead!
~Mommymem
I think Dustin has a blog.
Here it is..
http://hollishomestead.blogspot.com/
If someone wanted to give a quick lesson in blogging I am also willing to learn.
I am not sure what the difference between a web site and a blog is...
Then again I am not really a big high tech guy...I prefer to pee outside and all ;)
Can someone explain the difference to me please?
A blog is a Web log. Just a public diary of your daily progress - rants -information nearly anything you want to write about what you are doing with or without pictures. Format is pretty simple - much like what we do here. Some or many have adds on them. A continuing story generally with the latest stuff at the top -- you can usually scroll down for earlier postings or go to archived information for even earlier.
Probably not affected one way or the other by your need to water the trees outside, Peter. :)
Blogs are more automated and easy to do like this site- web sites, html using Front Page or other then FTP to the host are a lot more trouble. That is why I never do much on my website. I'm lazy. :-/
The Blogger site (and others) have made the process of building a website and updating it much easier than it was a year or two ago.
Here is a site I did for the 200sf contest. If you click the "My Complete Profile" button you should see some other blogs for a vacation in Colorado and pics of my camper project. http://cpdesigncontest.blogspot.com/2005/09/under-200-sf-design-contest.html
This would be a good way to setup an ongoing project diary by combining photos you could upload from your camera. It is very easy to do decent looking formatting, edit your text, etc. Such tasks involve real work when done in HTML. Of course you can't do nearly as much in blog as you can in HTML, and I don't think blogs are as easily found by the search engines at this point. However, for most people that is not a problem since they can give the links to those who need it.
If you have a blog setup you can copy a link right into these forum posts in the same way folks have linked to their Yahoo photo pages. (And, you can probably link to a photo in the same way... let me try.)
(http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3230/49/400/P8180027.jpg)
Yep, easy as pie! (right click on the image, select and copy "properties", paste between the img tags - from the little picture frame at the top of the edit toolbar)
Update 1-12 Evening. The image posted the first time but is now blocked. Interesting, maybe blogger only allows a certain bandwidth of image download???
Here's the image of me and Mrs in a hot air balloon (how appropriate!)
(http://img363.imageshack.us/img363/8906/airhead3ix.png)
Well, what do you know? Now [highlight]both images [/highlight](the blogger and the one uploaded to ImageShack) are displaying. Guess that's enough pics of my mug for awhile. :P
R'exed for me John.
Great Steamboat pictures, John!
Thanks to all for the input on the blogs and keep the blog addresses coming. There must be more out there.
Glenn, didn't know you had a website! i had looked at the yahoo pics before but on website I see an earthen stove oven (duh)! I built one at the previous house and we had a lot of fun with it. It wasn't quite as decorative as yours, I sculpted some flames around the opening and tried to color them but that didn't work. It was still a great experience. I love working with mud.
judy
I did it because I was hoping to do a little video of the place -a few other things - now it's getting to where you can do videos etc anywhere - even here. I'm just too lazy to keep after a website.
The Clay oven is there because there was a rock there that weighed about 10000 lbs rough guess - so I put the oven in that area rather than fight it. There are lots of easier places to dig. :)
Here's an interesting blog with some good solar info and links. Check out that little stove.
http://www.glenhunter.ca/index.html
judy
resident Balehead, I guess...
The suspense is killing me , Judy. I can't breathe. Curiousity is killing me but I can't find the link. :'(
That's cheating -it wasn't there a second ago. :)
I started our blog! Read at your own risk. I tend to babble and ramble when excited.
http://schluterhomestead.blogspot.com/
Enjoy! ;D ;D
Looks Like a good start Mommymem.
I know it is a work in progress, I would put the welome at the top of the page.
I have been dying to know. What is the significance behind the name Mommymem And Daddymem
Thanks for the idea Jimmy, I did change it. As for the names you'll have to ask Daddy.
Since you asked....On a MUD I was using a nym of Memnoch (from Ann Rice's Memnoch the Devil) and people would shorten it to Mem. When my first child was born I changed my title to Daddymem and it just kinda stuck. I'll let you connect the dots on Mommymem ;)
Thanks, Now I can sleep at night!
QuoteI started our blog! Read at your own risk. I tend to babble and ramble when excited.
http://schluterhomestead.blogspot.com/
Enjoy! ;D ;D
Cool!! But now we want pictures (we are a demanding public, aren't we?)
I'm going to take some pictures this weekend of our lot and take the blog plunge.
judy
I was debating taking pictures of the site. But there isn't really anything to see but a bunch of trees and old sheds. Maybe I will anyways.
Our lot is nothing but dirt and not a lot of that, the dimensions are 64 x 80! :o
judy
Site pictures posted!
http://schluterhomestead.blogspot.com/
Looks like a really nice site, Mommymem. Glad to see you are making good progress. I also tried to leave all the trees I could, only cutting one when I couldn't go around it. I can get wood from other places.
Mommymem means leave as many hardwood trees as possible. With only 25,000 sf septic and well with their separation and a house, a bunch will have to come down. We want to clear the rear of the site so the sun won't be blocked. Fortunately, the majority of the trees on our site are pine which grows around here like weeds. My goal is almost all the pines will come down and only the deciduous that are too close to our house will go. A careful stakeout of the site structures and some flagging of what trees to take down should do. I am still contemplating doing the clearing myself but there are some monster pines there so if the price is low from the site contractor we may go that way.
Are you going to try to use any of the pine for boards for your house? It's always nice to use your own wood in your own house. :)
Probably not, I don't own a sawmill and there isn't enough wood to invest in one. The FirstDays come with pine exterior already. Perhaps I'll put some of it to use as details.
How would you go about using your own wood? We have TONS of trees on our site that will have to come down (we will try to transplant soem of the Cedar trees) and I would like to put them to good use (hate to waste perfectly good lumber!). Could you take them to a local mill? I wonder if that would cost more that buying lumber! I was thinking about stripping the bark off of some myself (and in myself I mean hubby would be doing most of the work) and using them as logs (stair railings, splitting and using for trim work, would love to use as the support beam, oh and make a bit of rustic furniture) but I don't know much about that. Would it have to be dried out first? We are mixing contemporary (flooring, appliances, bathrooms, etc.) and rustic together, so rough lumber would look great but it is really expensive. Using my own, and not paying for anyone to mill it would be really great! Sorry for rambling! Thanks for any suggestions! Oh, and when we finally start building we will probably have a blog too, if I am not too stressed!
Welcome, Jennifer --
There are several ways to use your own wood. I made all of my own lumber except what was salvaged.
Find someone in your area with a small sawmill could be one way - I like to cut my logs about 6" longer than stock lengths to leave room for trimming ends etc ie: 8'6" 12'6" 16'6" etc. This would require a way to move them - a trailer - crane -tractor etc. or I have watched the loggers in Mexico in the Sierra Madre -several get together and roll the logs up planks onto the truck or trailer.
For do it yourself fairly cheap the Alaskan Sawmill is pretty reasonable $129.95- just an attachment that goes on a chainsaw - heres info from another posting:
QuoteThe Alaskan sawmills using a chainsaw do make boards. but are a lot of hard work and have a lot of waste (any chain as opposed to band) . The kerf of a chainsaw is about 3/8 while a bandsaw is 1/8. There is a ripping chain available for chainsaws that greatly improves the process of making boards with it. Logosol has a thinner chain and bar available which makes cutting faster with less waste. Logosol states that the bandsaw is twice as fast as the chainsaw. I can make a 16' 1x12 in about 3 to 5 minutes with my bandsaw -estimated time.
Alaskan Sawmill (http://www.toolcenter.com/sawmill/small.html)
(http://www.toolcenter.com/sawmill/pic/g777s.jpg)
The bandsaw moves along fairly easily by you - chainsaw is drug along by you in the Alaskan. The Logosol looks easier -carriage similar to a bandsaw. Board quality is much more rustic with the chainsaw. Band sawed boards can have a pretty decent finish with not too much sanding or planing.
The one Harry mentioned looks to be quite a bit above the Alaskan with an option for a bandsaw attachment. Still if all you can get into the site is an Alaskan it could be a great help - initial cost is much lower. Price of the Logosol appears to be similar to other brands of bandsaws.
Logosol Sawmill (http://www.logosol.com/webb/sawmills/2000a-default.php)
(http://www.logosol.com/media/sawmill/m7/x300/a_m7_free_petrol.jpg)
Free online videos of Logosol (http://www.logosol.com/webb/customerservice/1006a-free_video_online.php)
I have a used Wood Wizard band saw - kerf is about 1/8 inch so there is very little waste. If logs are cut then left out for a few months the bark will loosen and the bugs will do artwork on the surface for you. It is best to get them up off of the ground as they can deteriorate rapidly if fungus gets started. Checking also starts in the ends fairly soon so the best time to make boards is fairly soon after they are cut - I still commonly leave my logs 6 months to a year though. Getting the bark off of a log is the best thing you can do to preserve it though without question. Keeping it off the ground and or on a well drained area helps also.
A draw knife and a peeling spud helpto get the bark off- new logs - maybe an hour or two - older logs - 5 to 10 minutes - a power washer with a turbo nozzle will make the logs nice and clean quickly- even help to remove th last traces of bark.
Thanks- I am defiantely going to try and salvege as much of teh wood as I can. I live out in the "country" with a lot of farms and such nearby so I am sure someone would have a mill. These old farm men around here love to help out with anything and everything! Thanks again, and hopefully I will be posting about my house soon!
Is yours more like this (http://cgi.ebay.com/SAW-MILL-CIRCLE-SAW-NOT-BAND-SAWMAKE-OWN-LUMBER-N-R_W0QQitemZ7580398759QQcategoryZ1269QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)type?
To get this thread back on track, here (http://www.geeks.com/techtips/2006/techtips-12jan06.htm) is a blog primer. (also a neat computer clearance online store) I like the blog search engines, I found Dustin and our blog with FirstDay (http://blogsearch.google.com/blogsearch?hl=en&filter=0&q=FirstDay&btnG=Search+Blogs) in the search. A search for CountryPlans (http://blogsearch.google.com/blogsearch?hl=en&q=CountryPlans+house&btnG=Search+Blogs&filter=0&sa=N&start=0) will lead you to Lloyd Kahn's blog where he mentions our own John R (after all the greenhouse blog links).
That one appears to be a circular sawmill. Mine, while 1/2 the price used will take much bigger logs - I can cut up to 30" diameter and 20 feet long. Log handling equipment is necessary for even smaller logs. It is not as fancy as some of the bigger ones but will do a very big job. It has a 10 horsepower engine that travels on the carriage over the log. The log stays stationary and you pull the boards off after you cut them.
Mine is very much like this
(http://www.motherearthnews.com/menarch/archive/issues/195/195_images/195-037-01.jpg)
Here's an article to go with it. Choosing_the_Right_Sawmills (http://www.motherearthnews.com/library/2002_December_January/Choosing_the_Right_Sawmills)
So if my blog can be googled, does that mean I'm somebody?
I actually found my blog linked in another blog under the subject "Homebuilding Porn". Not sure how that is... Are my houseplans suggestive? ;) (DON'T try to google that, I don't kniow what your results would be)
I am jealous of your well-treed house lot Mommymem. I've got nothin' but sagebrush on my "town" lot, but at least I can plant, and plant I will! I have very big plans for my 2 1/2 acres. A fruit orchard, for starters...I would love to be able to grow my own cherries. I've never lived where you can grow them! Now, if you have some monster pines, why don't you de-bark a few, dry them out, and use them as cool looking posts inside or for your porch? I would like to buy some big logs for posts on my porch. i have always loved thier look.
You can also make some cool rustic furniture out of them. Google "making rustic furniture". You basically take an industrial-size pencil sharpener and chuck it into your drill to make tenons.....
I also have 20 acres or juniper and pinon pines to tame one our ranch land, after the house is built. I plan on buying a set of those tools to use some of the lumber.
If anyone is curious, I have pictures of both places in my blog.
Well, if anyone wants some big logs they are welcome to come on over, take the tree of choice down and haul it away (I'll help). This is what we have:
Pitch Pine (http://www.treehelp.com/trees/pine/pine-types-eastern-white.asp)
Piss Oak (http://www.treehelp.com/trees/oak/species-oak-types-red.asp)
If anyone is truly interested I will measure and take pictures of individual trees.
Well, here it http://strawbaleredux.blogspot.com/ is! But the Country Plans link is not working >:(
I'll figure that out tomorrow!
judy
CountryPlans link worked for me. Great start!
Looks good, Judy. You mentioned rainwater harvesting - what quantities are you talking and what is your planned storage method. Can you harvest enough for a year round supply?
And, what kind of tanks are you using?
(asphalt based paint, by the way does seem to do polyethylene tanks--or at least it's survived one rain without falling off!)
Water harvesting, near and dear to my heart. As I like to have plants and other green things but live in a desert, water harvesting is necessary. WE have now gone over 100 days without rain so I hope these simple ideas will become more mainstream. We previously had galvanized steel culverts which we plumbed with simple PVC pipe which ran from just outside the culvert (with a spigot) to inside the culvert, several culverts can be plumbed in succession. Then Quikcrete was poured into the bottom to seal the culvert but not the open PVC. We had 4 culverts and a couple of small rain barrels (cast-off food grade barrels) and could store 1100 gallons of water. Not enough for all our needs but plenty for landscape/gardening purposes. We also had a graywater system, that was low-tech and below the radar. Tucson get approx 11 inches of rain a year and that calculates to about 6730 gallons of water from 1000 sq ft roof.
We will probably do something similar this time. If the system gets too involved, it won't be used or it doesn't work. Here's an informative site http://www.harvestingrainwater.com/
We will also have low-flow showers (of course), we have a Staber http://www.staber.com/ vertical axis washer and we're looking at a Caroma toilet. Instead of concrete patios I would like to do either flagstone or recycle concrete set in sand to be able to keep water on the lot.
What are your experiences with water conservation?
judy
More tips from the Geeks (http://www.geeks.com/) about blogging. (http://www.geeks.com/techtips/2006/techtips-19jan06.htm)
Hey Judy,
Would you mind posting a picture of your rainwater harvesting system? I'd like to to see it.
Thanks!!
Hi Dustin,
I started a new thread for rainwater harvest! You're in the dry country, too. Harvesting can have a big impact and it's amazing to see the amount of actual water that falls from the sky. Even small rains add up.
judy
Even more tips (http://www.geeks.com/techtips/2006/techtips-26jan06.htm) on blogging from the Geeks (http://www.geeks.com/) again.
I've posted our plans on the blog if anyone is interested in a peek. :D
http://schluterhomestead.blogspot.com/
Moving along!
Yet more blogging tips (http://www.geeks.com/techtips/2006/techtips-02feb06.htm) from the Geeks (http://www.geeks.com).
oh, and Mommymem is kicking butt. Plumber estimate, electrician estimate, and ResCheck calculations are all we need to submit our building permit applicaiton. :D
How did you do the Rescheck?
What did you put for R Values for the walls and ceilings?
Are you getting just 2" of foam, or more?
John @FD does the rescheck so you'll have to ask him. We're getting 4" cuz of MA requirements. I'm sure Daddymem can elaborate more on that if you want.