Terra-Dome Earth Shelter Build

[SamWalton]

One more to get caught up

 

[SamWalton]

Sam , it`s nice to see you back.....I`v always appreciated your perspective, and enjoyed your work.....I personally live in a more `immediate` weather disruptive area S C coast, and each year try and get prepared for what ever `mother nature` throws our way....That keeps a person thinking.....I don`t worry so much about `gargantuan phenomena` but there really isn`t that much difference

Do you have your roof water tight? No leeks? Tony

We are leak free, Thanks

 

[SamWalton]

I am on the side of the catastrophists, not the uniformitarians. Uniformitarianism has ruled the day in the academe for a long time, but has been eroding as time goes by. These are but hypotheses, and they will be in battle until we have built a working time machine. We will just disagree, unless we are published professors, in which case, we will do whatever is necessary to keep our views dominant. This is the history on Schmience. It's not a proud record. To me, it's not worth the fight. I'm just a high school dropout, and don't have the vested interest. If you knew my theories, you'd probably be calling me a crackpot. And that could be correct. Even at that, we'll never know for sure.

You are so much more than a high school drop out. An open mind and the curiosity is all that is required to see.

 

[mjncad]

Thanks for the pictures Sam, everyone who has been following this thread appreciates you posting them.

Now if only TBN would get with the program of using a pop-up photo gallery with forward and backward buttons to view photos like other forums of various subject matter that I belong to does.

This click a photo to view it larger, click the back button to get back to the thread, scroll to the post with the photos, click and repeat is really old and tiresome.

 

[racolton]

This click a photo to view it larger, click the back button to get back to the thread, scroll to the post with the photos, click and repeat is really old and tiresome.

I use Firefox and either middle click, or hold down the CTRL key + left click all of the pictures so they open in their own tabs, then look through them and close each tab as I finish. I have a pretty old computer and currently have about 100 tabs open due to this awesome batch of pictures and everything is still working fine. (It took a little while to load all the pictures, but now I can tab through them without waiting for each one to come up.)

BIG thanks to Sam for sharing more pictures - I love your house! It's not as secure as an abandoned missle silo, but definitely more liveable!

 

[Short Game]

You are so much more than a high school drop out. An open mind and the curiosity is all that is required to see.

I spent most of an hour replying to this and lost it all because I took the wrong route to get a link. Citing my free thinking heroes, and academic villains, I suppose all I would have accomplished would have been to solidly nail down my scientific crackpot status around here.

Well, suffice it to say that my lack of formal education is quite freeing. But to have any new idea that would rub up against the status quo creates but a lonely and thankless task.

Thanks for an understanding mind. As Einstein has said, "Imagination is more important than knowledge"

Oh, and thanks for the photos. I was going after the one I liked most to get the link that caused me to accidentally kill my post. This was it:

 

[patrick_g]

A tool you know how to use well is often faster for you than a better tool you aren't used to BUT... often the way to progress is getting out of your comfort zone and learning a better tool.

I used to prefer Firefox over IE (version anything) and still sort of do BUT...Google Chrome is THE BEST in my professional opinion (yes I'm entitled to a PROFESIONAL opinion.) Still to do something RIGHT NOW someone used to Firefox or Safari or... whatever will probably probably git 'er done faster/easier with the tool they know.

If you have always plowed with a bent stick pulled by conscripted family members and never learned to use a tractor then right now today you would be more productive with the stick but investing time to master newer better technology would have a good return on investment.

Racolton describes a pretty good way to handle multiple pix and as suggested by others a more modern full featured interface would be appreciated but it isn't for me to complain as I have no idea what constraints the sysop is working under.

...and finally... Sam,glad to see you posting again. Don't let anyone bother you with any comments. You are doing fine and are to be congratulated for you good work. I hope everything goes smoothly for you in the final finishing efforts. I am personally relieved to hear you won out over the leaks. Leaks are some serious stuff.

I am glad to report that my walkout basement with similar issues to your earth sheltered design is also totally leak free and so dry that covering any part of any wall or floor for a week with Stego Wrap doesn't even turn the surface darker much less show visible condensation. I put down impermeable porcelain tile a few years back with no problems and that IS a moisture test.

A previous winter gave me a small water problem due to ice dams on the 12:12 roof. Just this one time with no repeats but where moisture was dripping THROUGH sheetrock a crack has opened up in the ceiling sheetrock. No big deal to patch and once in several years so I'm not too worried. It sort of contrasts concrete part of the house (master suite is ICF and basement is cast concrete) to the traditional stick built part. Nearly 1/3 of my floorspace is a red iron portion of the house and it too worked out OK.

You have every right to feel a great deal of pride in your accomplishment.

Pat

 

[mojoinco]

For picture display (using Firefox) I usually right button select and open in a new tab. Will have to remember the 'ctrl + left button' left button method.

Okay Sam, a couple of questions.

I see a lot of sock material on places like elbows and such. Is this the covering for the drain pipes, or some sort of attempt for the pipe to slip against something?

Why not use more PEX? It would seem easier and cheaper to install (once you've made the pex commitment).

I have used the Shark connectors. Except for valves, they were the same as solder in connectors, but obviously faster. Any drawbacks?

It looks to me like you have applied a lot of your work experience with the CoE. Sounds fun. And nothing like teaching your kids skills, especially thinking and solutions skills. Keeps them thinking of the end point before the start point (sure saves a lot of points that way).

 

[patrick_g]

I know Sam's project isn't a democracy but I vote for PEX (UV stabilized or oxygen inhibited where suited) as it lasts for a long long time. I've talked to plumbers about the leak situation of crimp fittings and the general opinion based on experience is that none of them has ever seen a PEX crimp fitting leak that you couldn't visually see it was obviously not installed correctly.

Take for example an elbow. After crimping you can rotate the joint a significant amount and get no leaks. The joint acts like it is O-ring sealed. I don't mean a few degrees of rotation, I mean several revolutions or the equivalent.

Still, this is Sam's project and he can do it however he prefers within his self imposed limits as regards cost, code, etc.

Pat

 

[Short Game]

I saw a PEX union fail once. It was installed wrong. Fortunately, it popped loose before the finish floor went on in my neighbor's new house.