I did not think I would get to start this until next year but I got to weld up one wall. This is going to be for a attached green house for the walk out basement. Its not for plants, rather for wood storage and keeping the wood dry. I cant be stomping through snow carrying wood when I am older, I have to plan ahead now while I still can.
I have been given a whole bunch of glass windows and that's what will go in between the vertical uprights. I used steel because I didn't want any sagging over time and cracking of the glass. It cost more, about 200 for the steel to build that wall but I think worth it.
I always used mig for my welding needs, but over the last couple years I gave stick welding more of a try. Its coming along well I havent had to use a grinder at all this year! not too bad for a hack! Last year I couldn't spell welder now I could be mistaken for one.
All welding power supplied by the sun.
Give a man a gun, and he can rob a bank. Give a man a bank, and he can rob the world.
Well I changed plans. I welded on another section to this wall bringing it to 22 feet long total. It will be 10 feet wide. I thought what the hell I may as well make it big enough to store a winters worth of wood (the back 8-9-10 feet) and have room for some gardening in the other half. I wont get this finished before winter but I hope to get the steel structure all welded up, and in place so next spring I can start fitting the glass in.
Give a man a gun, and he can rob a bank. Give a man a bank, and he can rob the world.
I have the steel structure mostly welded up and in place now. Since I don't wish to put pictures of my house on the inter webs I cant show it, but its looking good. The fitting in of the glass will start next year and then the roof will be added. Its a sloped roof 11 feet wide, 4 feet from the house the roof will be done in steel (or maybe dark Lexan), with the remaining 6 feet done in Clear lexan, Both ends of the green house will be built so that they can be kept open (summer), as anyone who has used a green house knows, its real easy to cook every plant to death if you cant let the heat out.. I have decided to lay down those 2 ft x 3ft blocks you can get at Home depot so it will have a cement floor for easy cleaning, and thermal mass. Turns out I only need the back 7 ft to hold 4 chord of wood so I will have 14x 10 for green house use. I am slowing down greatly, age. or more so health and miss spent youth is catching up to me, so this may not even get finish next year, but I should be close.
Give a man a gun, and he can rob a bank. Give a man a bank, and he can rob the world.
Give a man a gun, and he can rob a bank. Give a man a bank, and he can rob the world.
This is turning into a bigger project than I thought. I decided since I am going this far I should make another section for the other end of the south wall. Right around the back door I will build a matching enclosure, and that will be exclusively for wood storage, freeing up even more of the green house for growing purposes.
Give a man a gun, and he can rob a bank. Give a man a bank, and he can rob the world.
Heating will be by what method?
I am looking at electric for non SHTF, then go to wood and passive solar, like black water barrels up against the south wall to absorb heat from sun.
I have not thought that far ahead yet, though I have options, first, heat can be ducted in from the house, a window in the south wall can also be removed to let heat in from the house. I do have a small wood stove that could be put in, and for mass I have one of those old oval 250 gallon fuel tanks that I could fill with a water/glycol mix.
I can see this turning into a multi use addition, Green house/ wood storage/ exercise room for winter by setting up a treadmill for walking and jogging.
Give a man a gun, and he can rob a bank. Give a man a bank, and he can rob the world.
if i do one, it will be attached to one of my garages. nice access, E,W and S exposure.
you may wish to look at humidity getting back into the house, same for insects and other bugs. be nice to pull off for exercise and general nice place to sit and breath in the oxygen