"Lee Michaels" wrote
LOL ... you laugh! My first requirement for taking the job, since it's on a ten acre tract, was "fence repair" on the part of the owner!
Actually, you're onto something. I understand that on some of these straw bale houses that have been demolished after 75 years or so, the horses in the next pasture went right to work on consuming the hay as if it had been baled the week before.
... supposedly true.
So...what is it, straw or hay?
"Robatoy" wrote
Since straw bale compression from roof load is not going to be an issue due to the 'post and beam roof' support in this particular house, apparently it really doesn't make much difference.
From what I understand, most proponents prefer a rice straw, but locally grown hay is also usable. There are apparently purist, as in any endeavor, who will argue the merits of one over the other, but I will only be involved in that decision if the client can't make it themselves ... but I have taken steps to inform myself in case that happens.
There are apparently folks who set their baling equipment to your spec as far as size, whether two or three wire, and the amount of compression needed for the project, all settable parameters in modern baling equipment. I spent my youth on a farm, baled, loaded and fed _lots_ of hay in my time, so I have a pretty good concept of what a good bale of hay/straw should be.
Another thing about this particular engineered "infill" method is that I get to put the roof up first ... so there will be a place to store straw/hay prior to laying the walls in. Moisture, other than the moisture content in the straw itself, is a problem until you get the walls sealed, which in this case will probably be with a stucco type material on screen, just as in traditional construction, except it will cover both interior and exterior.
Fun, hay? :)
I don't know how you guys do it. I barely have enough free time to read this newsgroup, let alone glue up panels just to break them.
Large or small round bales?
Dave in Houston
Absolutely interesting, to say the least. Are you planning to do any traditional (mortise, wood peg) type joints? What about fire code?
I'm still messing with a plan to build something functional and nice as a wood shop, but won't consider building anything without Morris' solar panels. I'm even thinking of taking down some shutters on each side of the South facing windows of our house, and replacing them with some sort of stylish solar panel. I really like my current shop and its location, but the multiple thousands of dollars it took last year to heat and cool the joint (mostly heating) is wearing thin real quick.... AND it is well insulated.
There are always 'purists' to the point of making me ill. The ones that talk about 'fresh' tofu... wtf is 'fresh' tofu?... but I digress..
r"Robatoy"
There are always 'purists' to the point of making me ill. The ones that talk about 'fresh' tofu... wtf is 'fresh' tofu?... but I digress..
---------------------
Fresh tofu is even more disgusting and slimy than regular tofu.
Glad to help.
"Lee Michaels" wrote
And, the damn stuff just won't stay on the BBQ grill!
"Dave in Houston" wrote
Good, old fashioned square bales ... the kind you threw up on the truck/wagon by hand - and ended up with that physique the girls all admired back then ... probably 2 wire.
I think that makes it illegal in Texas, and probably many other states as well!
Robert
Suuuure it will.
You have to freeze a chunk of it. Then high heat, very quickly. Like baked Alaska. If you do it right, you'll a nice crispy outside and a yummy frozen centre... ohh nummy-num-nums...
Might try feeding to a cat, but never a dog
Lew
NO dog would eat tofu... it's just not done.
NO dog would eat tofu... it's just not done.
Isn't that what I said?
Lew
Yes you did, and I simply pointed out that indeed NO dog would ever eat that, no exceptions.
=2E =2E =2E well, maybe Paris Hilton's dog might, who knows what that poor animal has been force-fed.
I haven't seen a wire baler in over 40 years. Twine, yes.
scott
A cat would eat it, then go yak it up in your favorite shoes or whatever else will be the most annoying to you, and probably throw in a couple of partially digested stinkbugs for good measure. Cats don't get mad, they get even.
Cats are one of the best reasons the 12GA shotgun was invented.
Where I grew up, any cat more than 1/4 mile from a barn was shot, no exceptions.
It was obviously was a wild animal.
No self respecting cat would leave warm milk morning and night and all the mice it could catch.
Lew .
Geez, all those poor cats that you shot while they were off making a booty call. Cats do not live by warm milk and mice alone.
Robatoy wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@x41g2000hsb.googlegroups.com:
That solar panel idea is a good one! Sometimes the best place to hide something is in plain sight.
And, if the electronics guys get really fancy, they could add servos and things to the slats in the shutters and follow the sun. (REALLY fancy and the shutters close themselves when NWS* issues a severe thunderstorm warning.)
Puckdropper
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