Hello all. I’m as new as a newbie can get, let me start with that. However, I am always researching anything I do to death, and beyond. Which, kind of, brought me to this site. I am about to break ground on a greenhouse that I’ve been collecting ,Upcycled materials for, going on 6yrs. (I worked construction over 10 yrs as a Plumber/Pipe Fitter & Welder) While trying to get ideas on how to best reinforce the “glass bottle bricks” I plan to install in the walls, along with windows, and Roof, surrounding the large windows from several patio doors I’ve accumulated. Anywho, LOVE the possibilities plastics could help me with in MANY projects I have in mind.
Now to the point. While driving home yesterday, with 2 old LP “Propane” grills a co-worker had given me, trying to figure out exactly what I could use them for. (Aside from usable hardware I could obviously strip from them) I wondered if the tank hookups and burners (that aren’t dangerous) from old grills, could be used to evenly heat a large form/mould, while it was being injected with plastics and 1 or more places, u could theoretically almost make it as big as wanted once the burner heat was figured out. To make more efficient, a “stove” could b built around mould or “burner sections” at least as to make removal and installation easier. Have been considering how effect a “stove” made from metal of 2-3 washers or dryers with double or tripled up walls, lined with fire brick, which I have HaHa, would work as an outside furnace already, may work for this. Would also allow for strength adding material to be added separately, already n the form/mould.
Hi Adam @goat
First of all: Plastic Greenhouse
has some ideas on how to reinforce the bottle bricks, and a link to a (maybe) useful site.
Please also add your experiments to the topic, sounds like you are doing a lot of fun builds!
Second:
If you have slabs of stone lying around, you could always go the stone pizza oven way with the burners to distribute the heat.
Substitute ‘pizza’ for ‘mould’, and you’ll have a video waiting to happen!
Yesterday I also saw this concept: http://bricknic.org
Kind of hard to explain, but now imaging stacking moulds around a fire, instead of food filled bricks.
Sounds like fun?
I guess my personal hope for some of the applications, I can see me using Plastic in, would work best if I could utilize I-Beams from plastic. Wouldn’t have to be GORILLA strong, but would like to have some half decent length to cut down on reassembly
(Sorry about double post, figured I would just edit over for next post. Thus, deleting re-post ) @pex12. Although I have limited experience trying to control small open flames, large flames are a different story. And trying to control a constant temperature with open flame, regardless of source, would seem to me almost impossible without secondary help, IMO.
1st thing that came to mind are the thermostats on chicken egg incubators, ?waxed based? I think, not sure. Not sure what Temp ranges are, but set to run fans when, something, heats up enough to move and activate (Sorry, I read a LOT of Information, about A LOT of different things . HaHa
2nd : HVAC ductwork have “Fire Dampers” built into systems to Fail Shut in case of fire, as to not Fan The Flames. Not sure again, but believe some of those MAY be based on a similar concept. Pretty sure there are different types of those also, and never looked close enough to see about re-engineering to open back up or whatever. But yea, just a thought :).
Adam @goat
I think we arrived here on the same accord
I’m trying to build an Urban Homestead, which in the Netherlands includes a lot of ‘water management’, so root cellars are allas a bit “off topic” for me…
The cannery however has my ears glowing…
Luckilly this community is not just about plastic (see project kamp), but it’s intriging how plastic is often overlooked as a resource, and learning to get the handle on it opens up a lot of possibilities.
Some of the stuff might get very technical, very fast, but this is in fact a good thing, because, well, plastic is a technical substance. The forum is very good at turning ‘can?’s into ‘how!’s…
Just don’t inhale…
@pex12 I wonder if you could just attach a servo to the typical stove/BBQ control valve and drive it with an arduino running a PID or other control algorithm.
would be great to have a solution or plan to regulate a butane/propane or similar burner via PID controllers; i tried my luck but couldn’t find a valve which can be connected to an Arduino or similar. thanks in advance.
Thanks Donald. I will try and upload pictures, as soon as thing get interesting. However, I do already have a 12×24 root cellar, with same size concrete walled building above planned for canning, currently FULL of any and everything. Attic area above that, with oversized trusses, engineered to provide an overhang off 1 side to park yard equipment, and store hay in a future loft in ceiling of overhang. That also currently has Subaru needing head gaskets back on! (Projects around my house get beyond interesting HaHaHa)
Now as far as plastics go, I havent even begun to start anything with it. Honestly just came across this site 2 or 3 days ago. Started watching more videos and reading forum a little last night. Just wanted to put idea out there to see if any1 had tried, or if they do, how well it works. Although I do have a lot of the material needed to make lot of the machinery needed.
And lastly, the Firebrick. I have been saving as many as I could just in case I need to build a mass air, or rocket heater depending on article. This will go down the center of greenhouse to give extra warmth in winter, IF Earth Battery design doesnt work. But with Berm I decided to add to North side, I believe I can “snake” corrugated pipe through that also, entering n top, eventually working down and tying into larger pipes buried under greenhouse. If that is sufficient, the Firebrick will most likely be used in an “outside woodstove” (we can get substantial snow in my area sometimes) That is planned to run radiant heat that will b installed when I remodel house n the future, of course :). Thanks for the interest.
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