SafetyThird
Senior Member
- Location
- North Devon
Oh and if/when it goes ahead, please blog about it so we might live vicariously
Off grid eco.friendly house builds
- Thread starter woodbutcher
- Start date
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woodbutcher
Veteran
- Location
- S W France
Ah, I should have noticed where you were based, I'm guessing that will make things somewhat easier from a planning point. If you've built the things you've mentioned, a house isn't much different. Look at some of Lloyd Khan's books from the 70's such as Home Work and you'll see the things the pacific coast builders put together. It was a hippy ideal and they embraced it along with the back to the land movement. It turned out not to be as easy as they expected but there's some amazing building work done by folks with no experience.
Lloyd Khan is something of a hero to me, you can learn a little of him here. He took up longboard skateboarding in his 70's
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6kPzMSvdDA
I hadn't come across this guy before, l just love his natural positive enthusiasm . Thanks for introducing me to his stuff !
Just to give you an idea of where l am , this is a photo l took about half an hour ago of one of the fields where we have our horses. The forest surrounds us ,in the Lot/Dordogne region . It is very secluded and full of wild life from wild boar to red deer and lots more between .
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woodbutcher
Veteran
- Location
- S W France
Will do , no problem !
mudsticks
Obviously an Aubergine
Nice - with all that woodland i hope you've started planking up some trees already, for building timber and cladding ??
I've known a few folks do that - and extract the timber by horse too - proper back to the land stuff
slowmotion
Quite dreadful
- Location
- lost somewhere
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woodbutcher
Veteran
- Location
- S W France
I promise l didn't get my avatar from this book It was used to describe what l did for a living by "so called friends" ( l was a furniture designer/maker
There is a proper old fashioned timber yard near me and they have cut stuff for me in the past , really cheaply as long as you pay with the folding stuffNice - with all that woodland i hope you've started planking up some trees already, for building timber and cladding ??
I've known a few folks do that - and extract the timber by horse too - proper back to the land stuff
mudsticks
Obviously an Aubergine
Good news.. "proper, old fashioned, nearby"I promise l didn't get my avatar from this book It was used to describe what l did for a living by "so called friends" ( l was a furniture designer/maker
There is a proper old fashioned timber yard near me and they have cut stuff for me in the past , really cheaply as long as you pay with the folding stuff
The holy trinity of useful local tradespeople..
My tractor mechanic same, for when I'm flummoxed.
He can make unobtainable parts out of something that's lying around the yard.
Quite a few folks have those mobile sawmill 'woodmiser' thingies round our way too.
The barn here is clad with eastern hemlock, processed with one, from woods not so far away.
I'd imagine if you're trained in furniture making you'll have no probs crafting a small house.
I'd guess the harder part for you would be letting go of the perfectionism, and entering into "that'll do well enough - as an invisible bodge" mentality.
The shelf here is groaning with the last thirty years worth of Walter Seagal, and 'handcrafted homes' books.
But the elusive time, and motivation to get around to it, must be gathering dust, somewhere hereabouts too.
But you inspired me to put in a call to the professional house drawing person, who makes things look acceptable to the planning dept.. So thanks for that
slowmotion
Quite dreadful
- Location
- lost somewhere
I went to a lecture about self-building by Walter himself in about 1975. He was very impressive. It was quite a long lecture and he started it with an unlit cigar in his fingers which he waved about. At various points in the lecture he paused and fumbled for his matches but then got excited and started speaking again before he could light it. He only succeeded when the audience started to applaud after an hour and a half.
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mudsticks
Obviously an Aubergine
Excellent,
I wonder how many WS houses actually ever got built in the UK.
I know there were a few small developments, but it never really went mainstream.
Seems like such a sound low impact system.
But building regs' over here like very solid foundations, blockwork, poured concrete, and so on.
Walt was ahead of his time.
I wonder how many WS houses actually ever got built in the UK.
I know there were a few small developments, but it never really went mainstream.
Seems like such a sound low impact system.
But building regs' over here like very solid foundations, blockwork, poured concrete, and so on.
Walt was ahead of his time.
OldShep
Über Member
- Location
- South West Scotland
I built a roundhouse using knowledge gained from reading Tony Wrench.
knocking the supporting timber out and letting the reciprocal roof lock into place has to be one of the high points of my life. I used 10 in number 5 metre 6” diameter logs so there was a big risk of being crushed to death if it went wrong.
knocking the supporting timber out and letting the reciprocal roof lock into place has to be one of the high points of my life. I used 10 in number 5 metre 6” diameter logs so there was a big risk of being crushed to death if it went wrong.
mudsticks
Obviously an Aubergine
I built a roundhouse using knowledge gained from reading Tony Wrench.
knocking the supporting timber out and letting the reciprocal roof lock into place has to be one of the high points of my life. I used 10 in number 5 metre 6” diameter logs so there was a big risk of being crushed to death if it went wrong.
Ooo yes, I bet that was a moment..
I took tea with Tony and his good lady in said house about twenty years ago now.
And it's still standing.
Who says hippies can't build good sh*t
I liked the fact that the goats got reciprocal roof shelters about the place too..
Might call in on my way past on my Welsh bike ride next month.. There's a few new constructions gone up in the meantime.
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woodbutcher
Veteran
- Location
- S W France
You flatter me, and yes years ago when l was designing for Bloomingdale New York the world and life were different everything had to be workout and perfected to the ' Nth'-degree Now l do what pleases me and if others find that hard to take....it's their problem not mineGood news.. "proper, old fashioned, nearby"
The holy trinity of useful local tradespeople..
My tractor mechanic same, for when I'm flummoxed.
He can make unobtainable parts out of something that's lying around the yard.
Quite a few folks have those mobile sawmill 'woodmiser' thingies round our way too.
The barn here is clad with eastern hemlock, processed with one, from woods not so far away.
I'd imagine if you're trained in furniture making you'll have no probs crafting a small house.
I'd guess the harder part for you would be letting go of the perfectionism, and entering into "that'll do well enough - as an invisible bodge" mentality.
The shelf here is groaning with the last thirty years worth of Walter Seagal, and 'handcrafted homes' books.
But the elusive time, and motivation to get around to it, must be gathering dust, somewhere hereabouts too.
But you inspired me to put in a call to the professional house drawing person, who makes things look acceptable to the planning dept.. So thanks for that
Good for you, that must have been so satisfying and what a relief . Just lifting one of those logs would probably crease me these daysI built a roundhouse using knowledge gained from reading Tony Wrench.
knocking the supporting timber out and letting the reciprocal roof lock into place has to be one of the high points of my life. I used 10 in number 5 metre 6” diameter logs so there was a big risk of being crushed to death if it went wrong.
mudsticks
Obviously an Aubergine
I built a roundhouse using knowledge gained from reading Tony Wrench.
knocking the supporting timber out and letting the reciprocal roof lock into place has to be one of the high points of my life. I used 10 in number 5 metre 6” diameter logs so there was a big risk of being crushed to death if it went wrong.
Just a thought, but next time maybe put a strop around the base of the supporting pole (the end of which you originally settled on two sheets of damp proof membrane or similar) and winch / tow it out from a safe distance - not so exciting maybe, but potentially less deathy, if it were to go wrong..
I know its a bit dull, but this more cautious approach may explain why I've survived thirty plus active years in the farming industry with only a few relatively minor scars to show for it
OldShep
Über Member
- Location
- South West Scotland
Just a thought, but next time maybe put a strop around the base of the supporting pole (the end of which you originally settled on two sheets of damp proof membrane or similar) and winch / tow it out from a safe distance - not so exciting maybe, but potentially less deathy, if it were to go wrong..
I know its a bit dull, but this more cautious approach may explain why I've survived thirty plus active years in the farming industry with only a few relatively minor scars to show for it
i survived 45yrs of farming only thing I lost was my sanity.
That seems like a good idea but I’m not going to build another to find out if it works.
Only doubt I have about your idea is I think it needs a shock movement of the pole as the . A gradual pull might just drag timbers with it?
We could take your idea and yoke it up to an old Fergie 35 2000 rpm second low box and let the clutch go
mudsticks
Obviously an Aubergine
i survived 45yrs of farming only thing I lost was my sanity.
That seems like a good idea but I’m not going to build another to find out if it works.
Only doubt I have about your idea is I think it needs a shock movement of the pole as the . A gradual pull might just drag timbers with it?
We could take your idea and yoke it up to an old Fergie 35 2000 rpm second low box and let the clutch go
Don't be silly, you wouldn't have taken up farming in the first place, if you'd had any 'sanity', so there was none to lose..
Yes that exactly re the tractor pull, a good preliminary yank - and she'd be free
