Home Page
   Articles
       links
About Us    
Traders        
Recipes            
Latest Articles
Is this a crazy idea?
Page Previous  1, 2, 3
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Downsizer Forum Index -> Energy Efficiency and Construction/Major Projects
Author 
 Message
Behemoth



Joined: 01 Dec 2004
Posts: 19023
Location: Leeds
PostPosted: Fri May 06, 16 9:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Hairyloon wrote:
Behemoth wrote:
I've no idea about the structural capacity of expanding foam although builders seem to use it with a care free abandon.

What structural capacity does it need? it isn't supporting anything nor subject to wind loading.


Without knowing much the details, I'm thinking of slumping. As described it's wide-ish deep trench. How wide, how deep, how stable are the sides? With my H&S hat on I wouldn't want anybody working down an unsupported trench.

jema
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28098
Location: escaped from Swindon
PostPosted: Fri May 06, 16 9:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

It's early days, not even sure I can get quite deep enough for this to work anyway.
Purpose is also a little up for grabs, this is something of an exercise of.

I have a rather big trench.
I can use the removed soil to remodel the garden.
I like the idea of a hobbit hole type structure.

tahir



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45389
Location: Essex
PostPosted: Fri May 06, 16 10:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

jema wrote:
I have a rather big trench.


Show off

chez



Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35934
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset
PostPosted: Fri May 06, 16 3:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Why not just build a proper hobbit hole and make guests sleep in it when they come and visit?

crofter



Joined: 11 Feb 2007
Posts: 2252

PostPosted: Fri May 06, 16 6:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    


Hairyloon



Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.
PostPosted: Fri May 06, 16 6:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

https://www.boredpanda.com/hobbit-holes-eco-friendly-houses-green-magic-homes/

jema
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28098
Location: escaped from Swindon
PostPosted: Fri May 06, 16 7:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Hairyloon wrote:
https://www.boredpanda.com/hobbit-holes-eco-friendly-houses-green-magic-homes/


One of the first sites I visited. Sadly I think my ambitions have to be a lot smaller, and looking at the trench progress today I am getting doubtful I can make this work at all.

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45375
Location: yes
PostPosted: Fri May 06, 16 8:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

ty gwyn might not be far off with that giant anderson shelter with its own train set , perfect for any garden.

a smaller version using corrugated sheet could be just the thing,the stuff arches quite well along the grain .

Ty Gwyn



Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 4562
Location: Lampeter
PostPosted: Fri May 06, 16 10:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

That photo was just to give an idea,they would be 16ft high by around 20ft wide,
Steel ring`s were available in 6 and 8ft span`s,held together by tie bar`s 3ft apart,and like the photo steel sheeted behind,
And to fullfill the HSE,one would set up a pair and partly sheet,and advancing debris would be throw behind making room for another set to be erected.
One could always brick arch between the ring`s as often was the case in older Collieries.

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45375
Location: yes
PostPosted: Fri May 06, 16 10:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

55gal oil drums with a lengthways cut and the ends cut out so as the next one will slide through the last one are more my sort of scale

Ty Gwyn



Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 4562
Location: Lampeter
PostPosted: Fri May 06, 16 10:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

On that theme,go a little larger,steel cylindrical tank`s used as the entrance to Collieries in the FOD.

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45375
Location: yes
PostPosted: Fri May 06, 16 11:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

that might also serve for jema's bunker if the local scrappers have anything suitable

chez



Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35934
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset
PostPosted: Sat May 07, 16 7:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Why not just bolt together a frame out of three by threes and two by four, screw planks to it, cover with waterproof membrane and put the topsoil back on top?

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45375
Location: yes
PostPosted: Sat May 07, 16 7:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Chez wrote:
Why not just bolt together a frame out of three by threes and two by four, screw planks to it, cover with waterproof membrane and put the topsoil back on top?


having built grub huts and such like it takes a lot,i do mean a lot,of timber to support wet earth .
all soils get denser when wet but when it rains some soils are extremely dense and will crush all but the most sturdy roofs.i know this cos i was under one in the middle of the night when it went from dry leaf litter and a bit of soil to several tons of creaking squelch and then tried to kill me,i managed to grab a 3 legged log stool as an emergency pit prop and then crawled from the wreckage.the dog moved out for a few days.

and it is still timber in a hole so rot will be a problem.

another though re the "box" is to use a section of large pipe should one be available.

Jam Lady



Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2501
Location: New Jersey, USA
PostPosted: Sat May 07, 16 2:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Perhaps start at the other end - what and how much of it will you store in the space? Perhaps begin with a non-working refrigerator buried on its back with the door upward, at ground level. Store things for a season, decide how it works for you, and then think about building a larger version.

Consider also making a clamp: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storage_clamp and https://www.organic-gardening-and-homesteading.com/storing-root-vegetables.html

Post new topic   Reply to topic    Downsizer Forum Index -> Energy Efficiency and Construction/Major Projects All times are GMT
Page Previous  1, 2, 3
Page 3 of 3
View Latest Posts View Latest Posts

 

Archive
Powered by php-BB © 2001, 2005 php-BB Group
Style by marsjupiter.com, released under GNU (GNU/GPL) license.
Copyright © 2004 marsjupiter.com