The Work Never Stops

One of the things, we’re convinced, that causes dying is “stopping living.”

So on holiday weekends – when a lot of people put their feet up, drink too much and load on the lard – we keep ourselves busy.  Big property, big projects.  But not without the goal in mind of food. Man’s gotta eat…

I recently told you about our upgrade to an infrared grill for burning steaks since the old BBQ was going to need as much in parts at the upgrade (or within a hunsky, anyway).

After figuring this way and that, the more graceful engineering alternative to building a new base for the 22″ wood-fired pizza oven turned out to be 20-minutes with some cut-off wheels on a 4-1/2″ grinder.  Taking on the the leftover BBQ carcass and cutting it down:

Not sure what to do with the cover…yet.  Sure, something will come along…

Meantime, I figure four 1-1/2-inch by 1-inch slices of angle iron, tack-welded or screwed with washers onto the grill, will keep the wood-fire oven in place.

That means (since there are wheels and the big handle off the cover goes nicely on the other end) that I don’t have to worry about picking the ideal single location.  Pizza on wheels!

We can try it up at the garden, down by the guest room, in front of the screen porch, or outside the studio entrance.

[Where, I delusionally harbor ambitions about putting in a “tomatoes and lettuce lean-to” using the studio wall as one side. Just continue the roofline down and transition to clear polycarbonate!  So that with a swamp cooler, we could get year-round (or close to it) salads!]

Plus, there’s this boxwood stove I picked up new ($89 about 10-years ago) plus I “invested” in the ceiling kit for the flu pipe..$59.95 at the time.  Don’t you wish we had .all things in time, though.

About the Solar

Might remember, I picked up 10 used 265-watt solar panels from SantanSolar in 2020.  They are now in the “installation process.”

Here’s how they look while waiting:

These are bigger panels than the racks of 175 and 185-watt panels we bought new (B stock).  Those 10- fit on a 30-foot rack.  These, being a meter wide, need a 39-foot rack.

So while some of whining about the lack of “real sports” on TV, I’m keeping fit by  putting in a line of T-Posts onto which the panels will be fitted.

Here’s how one of the old racks looks:

The new panels are 77 inches tall while the rack above are 62 inch panels.

No doubt, being used panels, the new (recycled) panels will not put out the “nameplate” 265 watts each.  I expect about 21o-220 watts.

Even so, over the next 15-20 years, they still will offset rising energy prices and help beat inflation, while ensuring when the grid goes down, we will still have minimal heating and cooling, water, welding, and ham radio.

Ergo, old George is hammering T-Post the rest of the day…

Debating as I do so:

Which is the laziest solution?

• The posts are 10-foot on centers and 35 inches between rows.
• If I put in additional posts (*more labor, 8 more posts to keep everything on 5-foot centers) is that less work than…
  • …making that pseudo I-beam out of two joints (a top and bottom) and using 3/8th’s by 1-1/2 welder “coupons”…. (I enjoy welding).
  • …OR, would the I-Beam be more fun than post hammering?

So go relax, have a drink…Ure’s gotta get back to doing what I do best.

Being a workaholic…

Write when you quit,

George@Ure.net