Glenn's Underground Cabin Update

Gary O · October 16, 2011, 11:36:51 AM

Man Glenn, that place looks gorgeous.
No surprise when you're involved.

We use EPDM insulated hook up wire in our transformers that require high heat resistance coupled with water proofing and UV resistance.
That stuff's shore A rating gives it great suppleness.
For roofing, does it come in sheeting?
Sure not the cheapest stuff, but what a great multifaceted material.

glenn kangiser · October 16, 2011, 11:55:06 AM

I showed my buddy, J all the things I did that didn't work so well and things I would have done different.

I am the rustic crude type guy who doesn't care so much as long as it works. This type of construction is forgiving and looks cool anyway.

J is more of the craftsman and spends more time getting it to look even better. He has had a lot of friends and family helping him every so often, so with my coaching and ideas, Oehler's book and ideas, and his work and ideas, I think it is going to be a real cool place.

EPDM comes in all sizes and can be spliced together with a special tape and primer to fit about any size or shape.

J said the French drains worked well in the last big rain we had. We showed about 3 inches but he said they got about 6. Highly possible in a T-storm.

October 16, 2011, 05:13:47 PM

Quote from: glenn kangiser on October 15, 2011, 10:05:06 PM
Ben, there is a lot of history here too, and I would be happy to share what I know and can show with you. I was never much of a history buff in school, but really love live history as it surrounds us.

There were lots of old wars around here too, and we did not treat our Native American hosts well when we arrived as miners and such. One of the wars is what led up to the discovery of Yosemite.

I been looking into a cross country motorcycle trip for next year.I may try to stop in and say hi.

Ernest T. Bass · October 16, 2011, 05:36:50 PM

That is such an awesome place, Glenn! (The wood and dirt one...) I want one... I really do. It's got the log cabin appeal with all of the benefits of underground.. I think I'm gonna make one.

Any tips for building way up north, though? I would think foam insulation around the outside anywhere that the wall comes within a couple feet of the surface would be in order, but I don't like foam...

glenn kangiser · October 16, 2011, 09:44:29 PM

Hey, Ben... feel free to take off yer shoes and set a spell.........

Let us know... we'll plan on showing you around.

Andrew, that is the nice thing about this type of construction. It is basically a post and beam construction that Mike has had engineered to handle the weight.

In reasonably warm weather, the insulation is not so much required but where you are ... cold is a problem. Bruce -Lodestar uses lots of organic material on top of his place. A layer of earth then a stack of straw bales could also be insulation if it was also under the EPDM. Wet decaying straw would not have much insulation value.... or house, plastic membrane layer - straw layer, EPDM, earth layer, mulch or organic layer. Also check out John Hait's PAHS information for building there in the colder weather.

http://www.norishouse.com/PAHS/UmbrellaHouse.html

Combine his Ideas and Mike Oehler's as you like and it could be interesting.

http://www.hait.org/pahspage.htm

Mike Oehler

www.undergroundhousing.com

Note that while you might see reference to me on Mike's site since I built from his book, I have no business affiliation with Mike. He is a friend and has been to the Underground Command Center before though.

October 16, 2011, 11:10:58 PM

Cool!I have a destination, instead of a stop over, on the trip I am trying to plan.

glenn kangiser · October 16, 2011, 11:23:24 PM

No problem, Ben. We'll dig a hole for you.......

ben2go · October 16, 2011, 11:27:04 PM

glenn kangiser · October 18, 2011, 08:28:23 AM

I'm back in prison, trying to stick a handrail in a place where the sun doesn't shine..... I mean, where there is really not room to put it, but.... it is on the plans. The GC didn't want it put in first because there were so many pipes and wires going through there that plumbing would have been impossible.

Well... it looks like the same applies to the handrail. It is over 30 feet long and I had to get it in no larger than 5 foot pieces to get it in. After that I have to cut it around the obstacles and weld it together then brace as needed to make it acceptable, as well as anchor it to the concrete wall....this should be fun...

At least I got to take the kids out metal detecting and to some of the mines Sunday afternoon, per their request.

We found a nice pocket full of nails and a cast iron chip....but it was fun. [ouch]

October 18, 2011, 03:02:55 PM

Metal detecting.Yey.I have a Garret Ace 250.One of the all time best machines.

bc_islander · October 18, 2011, 04:42:32 PM

Quote from: glenn kangiser on October 18, 2011, 08:28:23 AM

At least I got to take the kids out metal detecting and to some of the mines Sunday afternoon, per their request.

We found a nice pocket full of nails and a cast iron chip....but it was fun. [ouch]

Hah! I should have known you would have a metal detector in your toy box!

Anyone who works outdoors with tools and likes old things seems to have one.

I will try and bring mine along when Amy and I come down for a visit.

Currently I mostly beach hunt with my MineLab but have had Whites and Tesoro in the past.

Too much working means no detecting and not as much work on the studio this summer as I would have liked.

Oh well, it never really gets too cold to work in the islands off Vancouver. Just too wet sometimes! So next project is putting up the 6x14 Alaska milled old growth beams and getting the roof on before the monsoons show up! Then I can start slip forming the papercrete infill under a nice dry roof!

Pictures forthcoming as progress is made.

Sasha

Congrats on the heifer!

glenn kangiser · October 18, 2011, 11:21:34 PM

I can't wait to get a bit of time to do some serious detecting. It's been a while. Had a first good rain, so the ticks out to start coming out again too...

Oh well... just one of the nice things we get to do when we are out enjoying the hiking through the brush.

You know the rules... for every thing of interest you find you dig up about 500 nails... but it does clean up the environment.

Looking forward to your visits, Ben, Sasha and Amy.

Sassy · October 19, 2011, 12:39:15 AM

So am I

glenn kangiser · October 19, 2011, 08:09:50 AM

Got the handrails stuck in place last night. Now if I can just get them welded up and a couple of other things done, I might get to go back to the other job tomorrow.... yea....

It beats not working though......

October 19, 2011, 11:01:45 AM

Good Luck on the hand rail.

Still it must be nice to be able to leave the prison after work!

My wife Amy is a RN so with nursing, welding, sustainability, alternative building, scrounging and metal detecting we should have something to chat about! That and the joys of fencing and chasing cows.

Sasha

glenn kangiser · October 19, 2011, 10:00:36 PM

Sounds like fun, Sasha..... The ladies can talk nursing.... I think you picked up that Sassy is an RN. We can do Man Stuff.....

I was wondering if the prison job was going to be a bummer... if I'd get in... if I'd get out... all kinds of stuff like that with all of the paperwork they wanted ahead of time.....

Turned out to be a pretty pleasant place to work... not open for business though yet. The State inspector is great... he knows I will do the job right and just checks in to see how it's going. Nice.... [ouch]

glenn kangiser · October 19, 2011, 10:12:32 PM

Here is the little puppy I have been working on for the last few days. No piece larger than about 4 feet long then weld it all into about a 35 foot rail, grind it out - anchor it and make it all look reasonably decent ...by myself.... [ouch]

A similar small one - two of them about 3 feet long, but I think I have to cut them in half to get them in tomorrow....

PEG688 · October 20, 2011, 10:48:16 PM

Quote from: glenn kangiser on October 19, 2011, 10:12:32 PM

.

I gotta ask , why does this area NEED a hand rail? Some real STUPID code thing??

The only good thing is some one is able to bill for it, seems stupid to me. But WTH do I know

glenn kangiser · October 20, 2011, 11:03:41 PM

I think you get the picture very clearly now, PEG.

The one I did today, Even More So....... but I did it because the inspector wanted it there because it was on the plans.

Nevermind that the ceiling changed to where there was no place to even put an access ladder, but I had to agree with him... it was on the plans and I get paid for doing things that need to be done because they are on the plans.

If you were to use your imagination and imagine it with no pipes, conduits, or framing, you could conceivably imagine falling off the roof of the cell to the floor below and making a bloody mess.... [ouch]

Guess the engineer made the rails before he put stuff in there, and yet other places are totally open in a similar situation,

...but I did do some that actually had a reason.....

top landing returns to wall were missing. Someone could have actually fell through.....

Yea... I saved the day....

PEG688 · October 21, 2011, 12:02:53 AM

What about the 4" OC rule they make "we the people" comply with on housing? Rarely to state or Fed. projects , hand railings mainly comply with that 4" rule.

Nice work when you can find it eh Glenn

October 21, 2011, 12:34:38 AM

Yeah... the 4" doesn't apply here because it is not open to public and its for the state I guess. Nice...

The Safeway project had to comply but this one does not.

Right now I am taking all of the work I can find and am happy to get it. Beats the alternative....

PEG688 · October 21, 2011, 12:46:52 AM

Pisses me off, the state ferry docks don't comply , the post offices don't comply , stuff on the air station here doesn't comply , but John Q. Public has to put up the ugliest guard rails for a home with two people. Bull feathers I say!!

ben2go · October 21, 2011, 10:23:50 AM

Quote from: PEG688 on October 21, 2011, 12:46:52 AM
Pisses me off, the state ferry docks don't comply , the post offices don't comply , stuff on the air station here doesn't comply , but John Q. Public has to put up the ugliest guard rails for a home with two people. Bull feathers I say!!

Agreed."THEY" say it's for child safety in the home,but how many times do you hear of toddlers falling trough,or over, the rails in public spaces.Around here it's happening quite frequently.

ben2go · October 21, 2011, 10:41:51 AM

I know how much Glenn loves his bob cat so I thought I'd post this history link.

http://www.skidsteerhistory.com/How%20it%20began.htm

glenn kangiser · October 21, 2011, 11:14:26 AM

Quote from: PEG688 on October 21, 2011, 12:46:52 AM
Pisses me off, the state ferry docks don't comply , the post offices don't comply , stuff on the air station here doesn't comply , but John Q. Public has to put up the ugliest guard rails for a home with two people. Bull feathers I say!!

Problem is we don't have the numbers or the power, or the will as a whole to overcome the rules and control the bureaucracy and big business has imposed upon us to protect us from ourselves. They want to profit to the fullest extent from the rules they have lobbied . We simply knuckle under and cough up the years of the rest of our lives it takes to pay them off. It's the American Way.

They being the state, military, post office, etc. are so far superior to us in intelligence that their offspring or clients or associates would not possibly get their head stuck in a rail or fall through so the added safety for the ignorant masses is not necessary. No money to be made there for them either...... besides they pay triple price for the things they get anyway. It is illegal to hire cheap labor for those facilities. Unions pretty well make the rules for work there - prevailing wage - etc. Like any of the common people get near prevailing wage.

Being an owner operator I charge more than that, but that is beside the point.....I still have to meet minimum requirements and exemptions. [ouch]