Busy few days, but yet another miserable weekend.

During the week, I got a couple of things done (but was too lazy to post it).  The first thing I did was clean up this mess.  One of my sawhorses fell over. 


I also went and looked at the tractors I went and saw by the road.  Turns out that they are brand new (there is a new dealer moving in behind where I saw them) and they were Branson.  Yuck.  Most forums I have looked at said to stay away from them.  Looking the unit over, it is easy to see why too.  From a distance, it looks like any other tractor.


But then you look closer and see things like this college dropout electrical cob job.


And also things like the whole hydraulic system really has no framing around it.


One other thing I really didn't like was that the tractor had less ground clearance than my car.  Look at how short those tires are.  Not to mention there is a lot of stuff below the frame, which is abnormal.


I also went Friday and picked up materials for several projects.  I got the stuff for a number of projects (many you may recognize from the now defunct checklist): the shed pilings, refurbing the utility trailer, windows for the shed, pilings for the shed, ceiling paint for the house, the brackets so I can put up the last curtains, a few trim boards so I can start putting up trim.  Unfrotuantely they were out of the 18" boards, so I didn't get the materials needed for the entertainment center.  I asked while I was there though, and they aren't closing, they are considered an essential business (NH has implemented a weak and pathetic lockdown that doesn't really do anything). 

Saturday was a real letdown.  It was chilly when I woke up, so I went and did some exploring for Matt down in Hinsdale.  Very pretty town, but the place he wanted me to go look at was behind unmaintained roads.  After getting back, I got my other sawhorses set up, the beefy ones I got from Tim.  While I was setting them up, I found my missing spade bit.  It made me sad.


It was supposed to be warm and partly sunny, so I got the first round of things to paint set up.  These are the boards that go around the window and at the top for the wall extension, since that is still sitting there with house wrap on it.


But then this happened.  And the radar started to feel a little green.  I got a few sprinkles on me while I was moving stuff up to the shed.


So because I got rained and chilled out, I started to work on the trailer instead.  I started with the wiring.  Last year the right light had stopped working, so I hooked up the truck and.... Nothing.  None of the lights work now.


I pulled it apart at the light and checked the wire.  Nothing was getting to the taillight, so I went and checked the wiring connection.  It very quickly became apparent what the issue was.  That white wire is supposed to be in that butt splice.


I went to strip it and reconnect it, but I noticed that no matter how much I cut off, the wire was corroded inside.  So I have ordered another connector.


I also did some research on solar power.  Uncle Dennis and I have been exchanging research about my camper design, and he poked holes in my electrical calculations.  Here is the short version of what I have found (the long version is available if anyone is curious):

It turns out I was greatly overestimating the amount of power produced by solar panels.  Here is what I found out.  Since I am installing them flat (they won't pointed perpendicular to the sun, they will be on the roof or they will actually be the roof) I have to derate their capacity by 20%.  A general rule of thumb is that you get 4 times the power rating in power, meaning a 300W panel will produce 1.2kW over the course of a sunny day.  You can get more further south, but you also have reductions in efficiency due to heat, which averages out to being about the same for me since I am not installing any cooling.

The scary part is when you look at solar production when it is cloudy.  You lose about 75% of your production when it is cloudy, and potentially more when it is dark and stormy.  This means the 300W panels I have been looking at will only produce ~240Wh apiece on cloudy days.  Even if I bump up my expected number of panels to 10 (the most I can really fit in my design) I can't generate as much as I use.  I am currently using the actual consumption of my tiny home in the summer as my consumption rate, which will be higher than actual, but still something to start with.  So more thought will be needed for the exterior design of the camper and the number of panels.  I had originalyl planned on putting on a roof, and then setting the panels on it and covering it with plexi, but I have read that is a bad idea, the plexiglass will reflect too much of the light, causing a noticeable reduction in power output.  What I might do instead is make the solar panels the roof, and overlap them and use them like shingles. 

So much for the rodent's early spring.

I didn't get any pictures of the driveway, but I only cleared the apron.  When I went to bed we had 8 inches and it was still snowing.  So I got up early and cleared it.  I did snag a picture on the way in.  It was quite pretty this morning (aside from being above freezing and sunny for a change).


The truck went in for inspection today, and as usual needed brake work.  This time it was only the e-brake though which failed inspection.  They did manage to break it free (I could hear the squeal of metal being "coerced" from the waiting room when they got it to move) so I did get my sticker without being too expensive though.  I haven't done anything about the car yet, but at the very least the truck is good for another year.  While I was waiting for the inspection (nobody was around for me to just drop it off and get a ride), I did a few more concept drawings. 

You may notice that most/all of my floorplans make use of an "all in one" kitchenette.  I have seen them online, but they fairly universally get negative reviews (cheap fridge, cheap construction, etc) and since they are a niche item there aren't a lot of options.  So I designed a couple of concepts.  The first has a larger cooktop and more burners (3 or 4 burners depending on product selection).  Right now I would be looking at this cooktop for this concept: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Magic-Chef-24-in-Gas-Cooktop-in-Stainless-Steel-with-4-Burners-MCSCTG24S/302694358


I also did a concept with only a two burner in it, since even with my full stove at home, it is very rare that I use more than two burners at once.  This concept would use something like this cook top (maybe a cheaper one if I can find it): https://www.homedepot.com/p/Summit-Appliance-12-in-Gas-Cooktop-in-Stainless-Steel-with-2-Burners-GC22SS/206792924 and while not pictured, I could add a shallow drawer above the fridge if I desired.


Even though islands are pretty standard, I drew up a concept for one of those as well.  The only difference between this and something standard is that I had folding ends on it so that it could double as a table (without destroying your knees).


I also saw a couple of tractors on the side of the road that I might go look at this weekend.  While I didn't get any work done at work today, it was a very productive day for me.

Fun weekend

So I broke quarantine and visited Matt, Stefan and Ryan, had a bit of fun and updated my movie collection just in case NH does a full quarantine.  I also helped Stefan make a new bracket for his 3-d printer, and when we went out to get some aluminum for it, I noticed that when my truck slid down the hill a few weeks ago, it apparently didn't get out unscathed like I originally thought.  The bumper took a beating.  The good news is that I will have to replace the bumper in another year or two anyways since it is rotting out.


I also played around and looked at campers online (like from Jayco, Rockwood, and Kodiak) and found a couple of floorplans I like from Jayco, but all the manufacturers had significant problems.  Jayco had nice floorplans, but three major flaws: their first acceptable floorplan was a 19 footer and weighed 3200 lbs, meaning SUV or truck would have to tow it.  That isn't a dealbreaker though.  The second issue was that they only pack in 20 gallon water tanks.  That is a dealbreaker.  The third problem was that the 19' model I liked was 26 thousand dollars.  Considering I will have to add 10k of electrical enhancements to it, that is also a dealbreaker. Rockwood didn't have floorplans I liked until you got up well over 20 feet.  Their tanks were large enough.  They were cheaper than the Jayco's, but not enough to consider it.  I didn't like any of the Kodiak designs.  So I do think building it myself is the best option.  I have settled in on a 7x12 size.  If I get 7x14 trailer, then that is a bonus, but I wanted to plan for the smaller and I can happily extend the floorplan if I go larger.

I did a few more concepts.  I am liking the idea of using an island for the extra counter space, and a portable desk.  I have found a few folding monitor mounts so I could in theory slide it under the bed when traveling or not in use, and take it out and hook it up when I was working on something.







I also worked on a design for the entertainment center.  This might be built reasonably soon.  The biggest bummer is that it requires I build my new computer, since my current tower won't fit.  I have been procrastinating on that anyways, but this design the vertical shelf isn't big enough for both my receiver and the tower I currently have.  The nice thing about this design is that it means I can use one of my comfy rolling chairs with the desk, I don't have to sit on the couch.  Couch is comfy for some things, but isn't great for working on the computer.  You sink into it too much.


I also picked up curtains when I went shopping.  I now have real curtains. behind the TV and on the big window at the end. 


The smaller ones cam with those small useless things, which I put one over the kitchen, and the other will go on the door when I get around to putting a bracket up for it.  I have a curtain for the utility room, but realized that I am a support brace short from installing it. 


I was also treated to a surprised when I looked at the weather.  The rain we were supposed to get tonight has turned into snow, and a lot of it.  We are now slated to get 6-10 inches this afternoon and tonight.  I have unfortunately already pulled up the driveway markers, and the first thaw left large ruts in the driveway again, so it will interesting trying to clear it.  And we are supposed to get another 3-5 on Wednesday, so if I don't clear it, it won't melt off before we get more.  Good thing I haven't put the snowblower away yet.  I had intended to put stabilizer in it and run it out of gas, but hadn't gotten around to it yet.

Some positives of people hoarding.

I went shopping last night.  The crowds were back to normal.  Large chunks of the stores were still empty, but stock was better.  The real boon of this hoarding though is that some stores are ordering things that they don't stock often.  Hannafords has expanded their selection of Yancey's cheese to include a couple of my favorites.  I was able to get smoked Gouda, but they now carry my absolute favorite the steakhouse onion.  Their extra sharp cheddar is top notch too.  Mom will also be happy to see the block on the right too.


I am headed out to Stefan's this weekend, since it is naturally supposed to be chilly.  I might play around a little with camper designs some.  I have also been thinking about the utility trailer.  I think I will just use some rust converter primer on it and call it a day.  The biggest problem is that the C channel is rusting on the inside, which I can't really do anything about, so I am just going to run it until I have a problem. 

Shed is a mess.

I did get around to bringing up a couple of trips to the shed and starting to unload the car.  It really is as mess.


I also tried Dad's suggestion on the space heater, and it worked.  So the space heater staved off elimination this time, and now I know how to start it in the future.


My truck also crossed over into 6 digits today, rolling over 100k.

Weekend plans cancelled.

This weekend saw all my plans evaporate.  I was originally planning on going to a solar fair on Saturday, which was cancelled.  Today I was planning on going to an RV event in Chesterfield, which was also cancelled.

Friday wasn't entirely uneventful though.  Because we got a lot of rain and then it got cold, my heat pump started making the awful noise that I have posted about before.  It was warm inside the house though, so I just turned it off.  That was a mistake; the noise is the fan hitting ice because rain blew that far into the unit.  Turning it off meant that the water froze with no disturbances, and when I woke up the fan was completely frozen, and it was in the 50s inside the house.  Oops.  I definitely need to make a canopy for the unit this year.  Thankfully it was warm enough that it thawed out early afternoon.


Shopping Friday was also very painful; even at 8PM the stores were as busy as they are mid-morning on a Saturday, so the full hoarder mode is in effect in NH.  As you can find in many places on the internet, entire aisles were empty.  Hannaford didn't have a single thing of chicken, the canned veggie aisle was almost completely barren.  Thankfully nothing I needed was out of stock, though I literally bought the last box of Sugar Twin that Market Basket had, and I am pretty sure I only got that because it was in the Splenda section.  It is beginning to feel that I am the only person in Keene that is business as usual since this chunk of the state is clean.

So Saturday I went home and played games and napped.  It was in the 40s, but the wind was howling all day and made it feel a lot colder.  Today is also looking pretty chilly, but if the wind calms down, I might start working on my utility trailer a little bit or maybe start emptying out the car.  I also intend to try the propane heater again after I got a quick heads up from Dad.  Otherwise another quiet day is ahead. 

Chair complete.

The main thing to report is that the chair is now complete.  The gluing is all done. 


The boot pegs.  One side is all 12" pegs, the other has the longer ones for the rubber boots.


The inside all loaded up.  The flash made the Allen Co hat really shiny.


I found out when I was cleaning up where the chair was going that my work boots need to be replaced.


It easily holds a person too.  It is very wide for a chair, so you can plop and spread yourself out, the seat is 22" wide by 19" deep.  In hindsight, the armrests feel a little short, even though they are standard height according to the internet.  I should have measured my work chair first I guess.


There are a couple of other odds and ends to note as well.  I went and looked at my bike.  The cover did not survive the winter. 


I went for a walk on the Chesire Rail Trail and spring is definitely on the way (in case the shorts above didn't give it away).  The tree buds are starting to swell.


I also replaced the mechanism that holds the bed up.  The rope was slowly untying itself (the knot mysteriously keeps getting closer to the end).  So I replaced it with something that won't stretch or anything.


I went to the DMV today to renew my license.  What a pain.  Keene sets the standard for poor DMV performance.  I was tenth in line when I got there, two people just walked out, so there were only 8 people actually in front of me, and it still took over 2 hours to get up to the counter.  I was in and out of the town clerk for the registrations in 5 minutes, but of course the town clerk can't renew a drivers license. 

Deacon's Chair mostly built.

So I went out Saturday and bought the wood for the chair.  I got all the big pieces cut on Saturday, despite it being chilly outside. It was up in the 30s, but there was a pretty stout wind, which also has the side effect of blowing sawdust in your eyes (always, doesn't matter which direction it is blowing). 


I also discovered that the sizes on the 1x18 and 1x24 laminated boards from Home Depot are at best suggestions.  These were both 1x18, but the wider piece was leftover from when I built the closet.


I got most of the larger pieces cut, and then decided to take the car our for an extended drive, trying to get the check engine light turned off, last year it would frequently go out if I drove the car for more than 2 or 3 hours.  I didn't have any luck though. 

After I got home, I started putting it together.  I wimped out and used staples.  They look kinda crummy, but it saved me an entire day of pegs and gluing.  As a result I got most of it assembled Saturday night. 


This morning I started off by putting wheels on it.


I also got the bottom of the drawer put in. and it is almost complete.  I don't have enough clamps to do all the gluing at once, so I have one armrest support drying now, and will put on the other tomorrow, then the 1x4 for the armrest gets glued on top.  These are the only pieces I am gluing because I don't want errant staples and whatnot snagging my sides when I am sitting in it.  This way the seat and back that you sit at are completely free and clear of fasteners.


The drawer is nice and roomy.  I have enough space on the bottom shelf for flip flops, my slip on shoes, and maybe slippers.  It is too short for boots. 


After the armrests are installed I will install the boot holders.  They will look something like this when it is done.  The tall ones are for my rubber boots, and pack boots in the winter.  I stole the idea from the boot rack on my parent's porch. 



This should allow me to completely clean up the area by the couch, and gives me a second chair for when I have company without having to sit on the couch.

I also picked up the stuff to store the snowblower, and some more mechanic in a bottle stuff to try to get the mowers to run.  I don't expect to use them anytime soon, but I tried to start the pushmower today, and it wouldn't run.  I didn't try the tractor, but it ran several times over the winter, so I am not too worried about it starting. 

Weekend addendum

Happy birthday Jess!  Getting close to being over the hill.

So as an addendum to my weekend post, I did make it back up the driveway.  I spent more time spinning than gripping, but I hit the icy spot with enough momentum to make it up the driveway.  It is supposed to be 40s all week (50s tomorrow with rain), so I just took the truck today and a lack of caring has commenced.  It will be gone soon enough.

I did some meal prepping when I got home, and decided to finally get around to putting up some curtains.  There is a short period in the morning where it can be hard to see the TV since the sun shines in.  The pillowcase was not quite cutting it.



So I have real curtains now.  Since curtains only seemingly come in 3 sizes: 36, 63 and 84 inch, I got the 63 since I wasn't sure if the 36 would cover the whole window (spoiler - it would have been perfect).  They were too long. 



I only needed one of the two panels to cover the window, so I put the other one on the end.  Turns out 63 inch is perfect for the big window.  So I will get some more 36 ones and just use the 53 set for the big window. 



I also put up a new basket to get all my spices out of the drawer, so I can use the drawer for other things (like ziploc bags and the like).  I was surprised that I had several repeats (because I clearly needed three bottles of chives and two bottles of parsley, one of which expired in 2009...) though I wasn't at all surprised that a few of them had expired.  This is probably just an intermediate step, I expect I will probably repurpose this basket once I build a bunch of spice holders for the cabinet doors.

Why are the weekdays warm and the weekends cold?

It was pretty nice most of last week.  It rained one day, but the rest were dry, and most were in the 40s, and Keene even hit 50 last week.  Then Saturday rolls around and the high was 22.  Today was 28, but it sure didn't feel like it outside.  Tomorrow is 41.

So I spent most of the weekend playing some games and doing some design work.  I worked on some floorplans for a camper.  The two leading candidates are a 7x12 and a 7x14.  Some additional notes: I would likely use a Tesla Powerwall for the power, which holds 13.5 kWh, which even at full house consumption rates would last 2 days.  I plan to have 4 solar panels on it though, which with 8 hours of daylight would recharge around 7-9 kWh, depending on sunlight.  In theory it should never run out of power, ever.  The bigger challenge is water.  I am planning on doing a 60 gallon (or double 30 gallon if I can't find a 60 with anti-sloshing features) tank for supply, and 40 gallon (maybe 45 to 50 depending on availability) gray and black tanks.  I also will likely put a filter and pump in the gray system so I am flushing the toilet with gray water and not using fresh water for it.  The math on those numbers is a WAG, but those tank sizes are huge (Uncle's 23 foot only has a 36 gallon supply and 30 gallon if I recall correctly). 





I also did a design for the deacons chair.  I started with a 2x3 framed design for sterngth.  It came out very complex. so that I could hide most of the framing.


I then thought about trying a 1x18 and 1x24 based design.  Concerned about the strength of the 1x18, I decided to test it out.  I was able to sit and even stand on the board without as much as a single creak. 


It came out much simpler, though I suspect less comfortable with a flat back.  This will make it the same style as the shelves, closet and likely the eventual entertainment center though, so at least it will match.  The straight back might not be a problem since the back height is really short; it is 4 inches taller than the armrests so it will fit underneath the bed when the bed is down.


I didn't get any pictures, but I think I might have made an error taking the car out for errands today.  It slid down the top half of the driveway, stopping only when I went off the side of the driveway, so I have concerns about getting it back up to the slab.  The truck has needed 4wd 3 days of the last 5, so I figured it was on the edge, which would mean that the car would be fine.  We shall see when I get back whether that was an error in judgement.  There is a ton of ice, with the warm days of the week and cold nights, and then bitter cold all weekend.  Honestly, there has been more ice than snow this year, it has been very weird.