Terry got the rubble trench foundation drain end buried in a gravel filled hole.  He still has to backfill the top, but that’s cosmetic.

I’ve got sewing tomorrow, but will start excavation of the corner of the living for reblocking if Sunday’s weather allows.

By the numbers I have to . . .

• lay the landscape cloth and spread the pile of gravel around so I can
• dig a trench to carry the water and power lines for the laundry room
• replumb the hot water line to a smaller sized pipe
• replumb in the incoming cold water supply to T into the supply line
• jack up the corner of the living room and install a support beam

I’ve got other jobs to do as well.  I need to replumb the shower drain so it goes out with the washing machine drain.  I need to route the power for the laundry room so it goes through the wall on the other side of the building.

I’ve still got lots to do.

I finished digging the trench and got the landscape cloth and gravel base laid in the trench preparatory to laying the drainage pipe. I cut landscape cloth lengthwise, sewing a narrow seam and stuffed the drainage tubing into the resulting cloth tube. I tied the cloth closed at the open end. This will keep dirt and small rocks out of the drainage pipe.

After the drainage tubing was laid into the ditch I backfilled with more gravel to the top of my two post forms. I’m doing something just a little bit different. I’m pouring a short post in conjunction with the grade beam. I don’t think it’s necessary, but I started that way and I might as well finish as I started. The extra couple gallons of concrete are insignificant and there’s a small chance it will reduce settling of the foundation.

I still have to build the form for the last section of grade beam over the top of the post tubes. Hopefully I’ll get that done today.

I’ve been thinking about what I’m going to use this glass room for once we move up on the hill. Suddenly it hit me . . . a greenhouse! I can use this small room as a jumping off point for a small greenhouse. Once we move up on the hill and I’m ready to deconstruct our current living space I can put in temporary posts to hold the unsupported corner, back the buildings away and continue the construction to finish up a nice 20×12 greenhouse. GOOD plan!

I would like to use papercrete for the bottom of the walls. I’d better get my drive shaft connected or I’ll be mixing it a bucket at a time instead of by mixer tub.

I also got the nose of the gearbox prepped for the application of Bondo. I’ve already got the Bondo so with reasonable weather tomorrow I’llget it applied.

This riser weighs a lot. Okay, okay, steel weighs a lot! I loaded it in my pickup and it’s HEAVY!

Next “gotta have” is stove pipe for the runs through the sand bench and exhaust out of the building.

Wad and I spent yesterday stacking lumber in the dry side of the barn and moving things in the living room, getting ready to install the rocket mass heater. The bookshelves we use for our movie collection are now on a different wall. My jungle has been shoved further into the corner and the living room has been roughly rearranged. I’ve got lots yet to do, but now I have the room to roughly lay out the components of the rocket heater. I’ve got commitments for the next three days, so will get back to this when the weekend hits.

Terry’s got not quite half the foundation dug for the sun room. We’re going to need more gravel.

I could use round flue liner at ~$15/18″ length. I’d need 4 lengths to get the total height I need. The total $ for flue liner eclipses the cost of the well casing at cost from Moerke. Plus I’d have to figure out how to join then cut the resulting mess to 53 1/2″. Hmmm.

Alternatively, I have the option of pouring the riser using refractory cement. I have all the ingredients. I’m a bit hesitant to do this as I’m already veering quite a bit off the straight and narrow in building this rocket mass heater. I can test fire the constructed riser to ensure it doesn’t explode or disintegrate or . . . well, you get the idea. And if I’m pouring the riser, why am I not pouring the burn chamber . . . You can see if I’m given an inch I’m gonna try for the mile. It’s just the way my brain works.

The weather still sucks. Wad’s off work tomorrow and we’re going to start on the foundation for the sun porch. I hope we have nicer weather. The forecast is for rain both Friday and Saturday. I want to try and get a batch of refractory cement mixed so I can see how it works. I don’t need to mix much for testing . . . a little over a gallon total, I think, just enough to see how it holds up to being toasted. I will need to pack it firmly into whatever I use for a mold. Air pockets are a bit of a guarantee it will end up in bits when fired off.