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Post by papaof2 on Dec 9, 2023 2:39:23 GMT -6
Pretty sure I've mentioned this book before, but it's probably worth a nudge to interest you in adding it to your throne room collection ;-) "All American Outhouse: Stories, Design & Construction" www.amazon.com/dp/1591930111?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_detailsThe used paperback is about $6 delivered and definitely worth it. The copy I received (from a Goodwill store) was autographed by the author. He's funny and provides some useful details - such as the dimensions for an economy 4'x4' one-holer, a 4'x6' two-holer or a deluxe 4'x8' three-holer, how to determine the size of the opening for an adult or a child and where your outhouse should be located and that George Washington's wood and stone three-holer outhouses had drawers that were removed daily and emptied on the garden. Probably good reading for the throne room and certainly a reference if your stories mention building an outhouse, such as the best place for the roll of toilet paper: it's not hanging on the wall*. Did you know that "peach paper"** was considered much better than the Sears catalog? Or that the front of the outhouse roof should overhang the door at least a foot so you don't get soaked when trying to open the door? Or that the half-moon on the door was often replaced by intertwined hearts when newly-weds built an outhouse? * Roll on the floor under a metal coffee can so it's protected from vermin and varmints. ** If you've never heard of "peach paper", now's a good time to learn. |
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Post by feralferret on Dec 9, 2023 19:58:53 GMT -6
Several available at that price on Amazon. One less than there was because I ordered one. Could be very good info in a long term grid down situation.
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Post by papaof2 on Dec 9, 2023 20:23:33 GMT -6
My thoughts exactly.
While we're several miles horizontally and at least 700 feet vertically from the county's waste treatment plant, if that plant were shut down and the controls not set to "Bypass" to send everything into the river, the people at the bottom of the hill might be unhappy if things started backing up into their houses. Unless they're in an area that floods frequently, they wouldn't have an automatic shutoff valve on the out-going sewer line to keep things from backing up into the house.
I do have a good place to build a privy - and some 3/4" ply to use for walls (solid walls to block cold winds) and some 2-by pressure treated lumber for the corner posts - but might need some help in getting a large enough and deep enough hole dug - that's why you need to know someone with a backhoe who owes you a favor ;-) Inside lighting could be a sturdy glass or plastic bottle filled with bleach-treated water and mounted with a sturdy vent pipe boot to provide light inside the little house behind the big house. In cold weather, the inside facility could be a 5 gallon bucket under a commode chair (something provided after my first back surgery but that I never used) - that's more secure seating for everyone than a toilet seat on a 5 gallon bucket.
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Post by feralferret on Dec 9, 2023 23:10:47 GMT -6
"Inside lighting could be a sturdy glass or plastic bottle filled with bleach-treated water and mounted with a sturdy vent pipe boot to provide light inside the little house behind the big house."
You lost me with this part. Please expand.
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Post by papaof2 on Dec 10, 2023 0:09:16 GMT -6
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Post by feralferret on Dec 10, 2023 0:45:33 GMT -6
I though that might be where you were headed with that but wasn't sure. I guess that really is better than just a skylight panel in the roof. The video sure seemed that way.
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Post by papaof2 on Dec 10, 2023 1:48:50 GMT -6
I don't have the option of putting in a skylight of X by Y inches and comparing it with a bottle light.
However, the bottle light would capture light from almost any direction and conduct it into the space to be illuminated while the skylight only brings in a limited amount of direct light.
Which would be best? Need several weeks of comparisons under different conditions and different times of day.
Don't think I want to make holes in the roof of the equipment shed in December.
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Post by papaof2 on Dec 15, 2023 9:50:18 GMT -6
This video is the English version from the last link above. www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYTIYUUK70IIn one shot you can see that a store has turned off the CFL lighting in favor of free light ;-) If you can light the store for free for 6 or 8 or 10 hours a day, you certainly increase the profitability. The 8' x 16' equipment shed out back has 19 watts of LED strip for lighting which is probably the equivalent of 2 or more "60 watt" light bottles. In daytime, I think two "light bottles" in the right places might work fine. I think I'd look at glass bottles as first choice because they won't cloud with age and they won't be attacked by any of the mounting/sealing compounds - some types of plastic could turn brittle from that. I know that solar tubes (the commercial variety) can provide very good light and this is the poor man's version of a solar tube at less than 1% of the cost. Just another idea to pack away with a handful of bottles, a few vent pipe boots and some good adhesives / sealers. Never know when you might want some free light ;-) |
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Post by gipsy on Dec 15, 2023 10:43:49 GMT -6
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Post by cashless1 on Dec 17, 2023 17:27:57 GMT -6
I know where everything is I can do it by feel i do not need a light.
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Post by feralferret on Dec 17, 2023 17:40:58 GMT -6
Cashless1, you must not have very many tools then. I'm doing good to find the right one WITH the light.
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Post by papaof2 on Dec 17, 2023 21:04:48 GMT -6
I know where everything is I can do it by feel i do not need a light. If you are the only user, that might be valid. If it's a shared facility, you never know who might have moved what and I'd prefer to NOT stumble over the book someone else left in the entry way. |
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Post by feralferret on Dec 17, 2023 21:19:56 GMT -6
I know where everything is I can do it by feel i do not need a light. If you are the only user, that might be valid. If it's a shared facility, you never know who might have moved what and I'd prefer to NOT stumble over the book someone else left in the entry way. Or the snake that snuck in. |
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Post by workhorse on Dec 21, 2023 17:54:15 GMT -6
The bottle lights do work well but depending on your location. In NH we had to add salt to the water and it did decrease the amount of light. And at -20 every thing freezes and after a few times splits. We did find some 1inch thick clear acrylic plastic that allowed some light in depending on the angle of the sun and it was like a 15 watt light bulb. We used the bottles April to mid November then the plastic pucks after that.
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Post by papaof2 on Dec 21, 2023 19:30:41 GMT -6
Thank you for some real-world experience in another state.
Maybe adding windshield washer or other antifreeze could provide freeze protection without affecting the light level?
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Post by eyeseetwo on Feb 2, 2024 1:08:04 GMT -6
My experiences with out houses/privies.
Young child in rural Kansas mid 1960s.
Dad was transferred to Kansas in the Air Force, there was a severe housing shortage in town near the base.
Dad rented an ancient farm house. There was a hand operated water pump in the kitchen. No inside bathroom. Mom had to heat water on the propane stove for doing dishes and bath water.
Dad set up a five gallon metal can for night time toileting. With two adults and four children it filled fast.
There was a two hole privy in the back yard. Full of cobwebs and spiders.
My not so dear brothers threatened to dump me down into the privy chamber.
We took baths in the kitchen in an oblong galvanized tin bath tub.
Mom did laundry in town at the launderette.
Dad took showers on base.
1980 outside of Fairbanks dear hubby and I had an outside privy. Mosquitos in the summer, in winter the smell was tolerable but you had to have a four inch thick styrofoam toilet seat that you kept in the dry cabin and took out to the loo. Minus 35 F temps was very cold.
I spent one summer at a Salmon Camp on the Yukon River. Honey pot at night due to the black bears and daytime you always carried a rifle in case of bears.
Have to carry a shotgun to deal with the bears.
1990s to present day. Nice outhouse hubby built. Carry a shotgun to deal with rattlers.
After our first year of heavy snow hubby got the septic in and tge out house is for guests since out septic is not built fir more than two occupants.
We bring the TP with us to the outhouse. We found that the squirrels, bears and Norwegian wood rats could crack open the metal canister the TP was stored in. The used paper goes in a galvanized tight lidded small trash can. As does used tampons or sanitary pad. The outhouse has screened in windows to keep the skeeters, hornets and horse flies out.
A fly swatter hangs in the outhouse to kill flying pests.
You always look before you sit to check for spiders, scorpions and snakes.
Hand sanitizer and sani wipes for post duty clean up. Battery operated lantern on a hook. Mosquito bug spray on a shelf. No bidet.
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