OT: Building in isolated location

[BadDog]

Also, as long as you don't go too large on a TLB, you can also get them with mid-PTO and mid-cutter decks, some with floating wings. So it's a super lawn mower. Then there are the rear options from rough cutting with a "bush-hog", flail mower if you have the power, and more other finish mower options than you can count. Tractors can also run snow plows, land-planes (perfect driveways in NO time at all), and have available closed in cabins (with heat, sometimes AC),

[redneckalbertan]

If I was in your shoes I would look at a tractor as opposed to a skid steer, but both have their benefits. From what I have seen, the popularity of skid steers has exploded in the last decade and so has the options for attachments, but may not be as readily available on the used market as implements for a tractor. A backhoe attachment for a tractor was mentioned above, they are also available for skid steers. Large brush cutters (48" lawnmower with 2 knives on a single hub meant for cutting if heavy grasses and other 'stuff') for skidsteers take a lot of horsepower and a lot of hydraulic oil flow but are available. It is much more efficient to use a shaft off of an engine to turn things like a brush cutter.

If you are looking at LPG for heat you could also look at a gas stove. Out here natural gas is by far cheeper than electricity for appliances, stove, furnace, hot water tanks, stoves, and dryers. Propane is roughly twice the cost per BTU but still cheeper than electricity. I know that natural gas is not as common through out the continent as it is here and propane can end up anywhere a truck can deliver to. This gives the added bonus of cooking without a running generator. If using propane you can have 100# bottles in storage for the case when your bulk tank runs out and you can't get delivery.

[seal killer]

redneckalbertan--

I like the skid steer idea because they are so easy I can handle one. I've spent many hours using one to clear land, although the land was composed of soil and willow trees without a rock in sight. I'm confident I will be able to run the hoe on a TLB; I've just never done it.

Everyone in the area uses either wood or propane. I grew up using both depending on where we lived. I intend to use both, as well. But, the wood stove/fireplace area will have to be designed and constructed with the fact in mind that I no longer want to lug wood or ashes very far; maybe from an ATV through a doorway to the stove and then ashes back to the ATV.

Speaking of wood: My wife is a city girl and she is really looking forward to this new adventure. The "vision" just crossed my mind of her cooking on a wood stove, or even a pot-bellied stove! Ha! (But, I bet she could do it.)

--Bill

[dgoddard]

The "vision" just crossed my mind of her cooking on a wood stove, or even a pot-bellied stove! Ha! (But, I bet she could do it.)

--Bill

Well, Ok, but you will have to build one more building just a few steps outside the kitchen door. It is called a "summer kitchen" and it has huge screened windows with panels (shutters) hinged along the top edge. and a wide overhanging roof so that rain or shine the panels can be raised. Otherwise it gets too hot for any cooking during the summer and given the humidity here it would be even worse.

[seal killer]

dgoddard--

When I was a kid growing up 27 miles outside of Ava (near the monastery and Rockbridge), the rich people had those summer kitchens. Talking about this brings memories and smells of a pot of beans or stew cooking on the pot-bellied stove.

--Bill

[redneckalbertan]

dgoddard--

When I was a kid growing up 27 miles outside of Ava (near the monastery and Rockbridge), the rich people had those summer kitchens. Talking about this brings memories and smells of a pot of beans or stew cooking on the pot-bellied stove.

--Bill

Talking about cooking over wood stoves is not at all good for electronics, saliva pouring out of ones mouth and dripping down onto them kinda has a way of killing them!

[olcop]

Have you considered buying two (or more) 40 ft containers? Using 4 you could stack two atop the other two and have instant two sides of your barn. Insulate one to utilize as your apartment--space between them wide enough for your machinery, metal freespan roof and ends. Lots of plans online for converting containers to living space and other uses, they have a wood floor that usually doesn't need any work to be utilized.
PM me if you'd like to hear more
olcop

[neanderman]

A propane RV fridge might be handy. I have some friends who live totally off the grid that use one as their primary 'cold storage'.

http://straightcreekvalleyfarm.com/

[seal killer]

All--

We are FINALLY moving forward to our property. But there will be a bit of time--maybe 6 months or so--that we will live in temporary accommodations. We'll rent something. We am in the process of packing the house up for showing. I will leave the equipment in the garage while we show the house . . . if you've seen my garage, it looks pretty good with the lathe and mill and Sportster sitting in it.

Eventually, I will need to move the lathe, mill, two band saws and some other stuff that we all have in our shops to a storage facility. My plan is to contract with a crating outfit that will also move the equipment. The storage facility will not be temperature and humidity controlled like my garage. I plan to oil the ways down on everything with way oil before it is crated. Perhaps plastic should be draped over everything prior to crating?

I'm seeking your wise council.

--Bill

[warmstrong1955]

My experience using plastic to cover machinery was not so good. Keep in mind, the equipment was not in a heated building, nor insulated, (sea containers) so temperature fluctuated greatly. It caused a lot of condensation, and the plastic sheeting seemed to hold it around the machines, rather than allowing it to dissapate thru out the containers.
Yes, all was sprayed with oil prior, but when unloaded at a new job, any spot that was missed, and some sots that lost the oil film over time, had rust.

After that, I started using old fashioned tarps, or moving quilts sprayed lightly with oil for smaller gear. Both will breathe.
Much better results.

Other Bill

[Harold_V]

When I moved, all of our possessions were placed in three containers. As we built the shop ourselves (no outside help), things remained in the containers for about four years. As Other Bill stated, moisture was an issue, although my machines were all coated with cosmoline prior to loading. It's easy to (brush) apply, but not much fun when it comes time to remove. It comes off readily (thinning with solvent), but makes a mess. That, however, is far preferred to rusted machines.

Plastic, in my opinion, is a terrible choice in containers, as it encourages condensation, for what ever reason. Wild temperature swings create horrible conditions internally, where the mass of the machines is slow to warm, so the sun beating on the container raises the internal air temperature to unbelievable heights, with water pooling on the cold surfaces. While it didn't happen often, I witnessed water actually dripping from the ceiling.

The best possible solution if one must use containers for any period of time is to install fans, so the atmosphere of the container can be discharged. I run one in my 40' container on a daily basis, on a timer. The interior has remained relatively dry, which is quite a statement considering we live in a relatively humid environment.

The fan need not be large. I use a small muffin fan, placed in one end of the container, with a fresh air supply at the opposite end. Seems to work just fine.

Harold

[spro]

Woulda thought, it makes perfect sense. "Tongue in cheek" is an older expression. For Pete's ....
stop