Off-Grid Living

   / Off-Grid Living
  • Thread Starter
#11  
No need to kiln-dry interior T&G lumber as it was kept dry and sticked for nearly a year before I started sanding and poly-ing late fall 2008.

Between sheathing boards and 16" wide siding is a cheap wind barrier. Here's a tip..... ONLY BUY AND USE TYPAR!!! unless you KNOW your siding will be done before the fall rains come.

I have friends who did the Tongue and groove inside but didn't sand them or only sanded with 100grit. Every inch of every board in this place was sanded with 100 grit, then 220. Home depot water based poly [satin]... first [heavy] coat then sand within an hour. Second & third coat pretty much back to back. The drying racks made this task go fairly fast with as much as I had to do.
 
   / Off-Grid Living #12  
Very nice! That is a fantastic effort and being off-grid is the way to go as electrical prices are only going to go up and away. We did something similar but didn't go the off-grid rout unfortunately and also our house was made from straw bales. The T&G is very nice but a lot of work to sand and stain, especially on the ceilings!
 
   / Off-Grid Living #13  
I love to see off the grid houses. My ideal world is everybody living as indepently as possible and helping each other while doing it.
 
   / Off-Grid Living #15  
Looking forward to this thread! ... We only have to wait for you to upload pics & describe them rather than actually doing the work :D :thumbsup:
 
   / Off-Grid Living
  • Thread Starter
#17  
Thanks Robert N, for the info., just checked their site and bookmarked it.
I'm currently into the 'backwoods solar' planning guide and catalog. Backwoods Solar Electric Systems has taught me more than most companies as they explain things in layman's terms. [that means even I can understand it:laughing:]

All in-house lighting is with 11w CFL's and we found a smokin' deal at home depot as they were deemed "not enough light" by their 'regular' customers. Most of the lower wattage found now is around 22watts each.

At the front door [actually attached to the porch post] we have a super-brite 5-led solar light we got at TSC for $39.99, which lights up the yard and driveway to over 100 feet. Not like the sun but better than a full moon which keeps me from stubbing a toe or worse yet, driving my shin into something the kids left in the yard.

For the time being, our phone/answering machine, internet box and driveway alarm runs off a 500w power inverter attached to the battery bank. I don't think the three units use more than a few watts together but a $5 inverter at a lawn sale (NIB) made it worthwhile so that is what I use.
Also my CB radio runs off the battery directly. Great thing about the CB is it is instant, unlike trying to text on a cell phone and I have great reception around town if I ever need help. It's a good idea to have/build a network on the radio, in case the grid goes down during a storm.

Got a smokin' deal on a new propane stove (cooking) on black-friday or the day after Christmas at Sears and talked them down on an energy-star rated fridge. (electric... for now)

More later...
 
   / Off-Grid Living #18  
Nice work mad jack.How rough were the trusses to put up they look like they were hernia material.
I hope you post more pics!!!!
 
   / Off-Grid Living
  • Thread Starter
#20  
Actually Paul, they weren't that bad. one man on each end and I used a 12' 2 x 4 with 16d box nails protruding to 'stick' and push the top of the truss up. The last two were a pain, we had to slide them up under and between the last ones coming from either end of the house.

Kind of like the beam-on-the-wheeler picture.... I had to get it from the trailer to the back and then inside. I put one end on the back rack, one end on the front rack and drove it around the house and into a window opening. Then one end up on staging ... then the other. I could only lift one end at a time so I had to find a way!
 
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