construction topics

[flowerBill]

We got some pictures from Lynn tonite of the beginning of work on the loo. Love the view back to the house.





and my favorite


That last one really makes me miss being there.

[Ranger]

Hi Bill,
What are the 2 smaller pictures? The palapa does look great, I would have a hard time just seeing it and not being able to be there physically.

[flowerBill]

They are building a separate building that will be our bathroom. We will be using a composting system commonly called a sawdust toilet. The trick to controlling odors with it is to keep urine and feces separate as much as possible. So inside the building being started in the two small photos there will be a double seater toilet. One for #1 and one for #2. We also plan on a sink, probably a bookcase as well. Above this structure is where our tenaco will be (water tank). If you've been in Mexico you've probably seen the black tanks on roof tops that supply pressue.

[Ranger]

Originally Posted by flowerBill

They are building a separate building that will be our bathroom. We will be using a composting system commonly called a sawdust toilet. The trick to controlling odors with it is to keep urine and feces separate as much as possible. So inside the building being started in the two small photos there will be a double seater toilet. One for #1 and one for #2. We also plan on a sink, probably a bookcase as well. Above this structure is where our tenaco will be (water tank). If you've been in Mexico you've probably seen the black tanks on roof tops that supply pressue.

OK, I see, it's not really like the old out houses as it actually composts the solids, a camp we went to when I was a kid had an outhouse as a little kid it was nasty, but usable. You mentioned a "sawdust" toilet, do you add sawdust or wood shavings and ground limestone ? Will there be any storm shutters inside or out on the palapa ? How close is the nearest neighbor ? Will you be able to grow any vegetables or will all food need to be bought ?

[flowerBill]

Originally Posted by Ranger

OK, I see, it's not really like the old out houses as it actually composts the solids, a camp we went to when I was a kid had an outhouse as a little kid it was nasty, but usable. You mentioned a "sawdust" toilet, do you add sawdust or wood shavings and ground limestone ? Will there be any storm shutters inside or out on the palapa ? How close is the nearest neighbor ? Will you be able to grow any vegetables or will all food need to be bought ?

The dirty details-
A bench is built with a hole and toilet seat. The height is set so that the seat rests on the upper edge of a 5 gallon bucket. We are putting 13 gallon biodegradable bags (starch polymer) in the bucket and they extend down the sides of the bucket remaining clean since the seat rests tightly on the top of the bucket. A scoop of sawdust goes in the bottom to start. Big bags of sawdust are available in town at the carpenter shops for about a buck for about 75 lbs. You poop, (pee is ok if you have to) and then cover with a layer of sawdust. Our experience is that as long as the stuff is completely covered there is little or no smell. When the bag is about 3/4 full I lift the toilet seat and take the bucket out by the handle to our compost pile, place my hands on the outside of the bucket on both sides, between the bag and bucket and slide the bag upward. Twist the top off and tie in a knot and place in the sunny compost pile. Sealed bags in the sun heat up tremendously inside, likely killing all microbes, but from what I have read composting will do the same in a few months to a year. We will be placing vegetable debris as well in the pile as we have it. Composting the waste should be a real benefit as dirt/ soil is in short supply. Most places on our lot when you dig you hit rock pretty quickly.
Urine will be collected separately, probably with a toilet seat with a tight fitting huge funnel that connects to a hose that runs outside to a sealed collecting tank. My understanding is that urine is sterile and can simply be used as a fertilizer on our gardens.
We've been using a composting system like this on our trips down and it has worked well. There is alot of info online on sawdust toilets. Adding the biodegradable bag was my improvement on what I'd read. Part of why I went with the bucket method is I don't want to deal with a big batch of sh*t that goes sour in a large system- imagine having to deal with a few hundred pounds that had gone sour. I believe in the keep it simple stupid (KISS) approach. A good information source on all of this is available on line if you do a search for the Humanure Handbook.
I don't think we'll be building storm shutters but instead will go with the "let it blow through" approach to hurricanes. Our friend Lynn's palapa went through Wilma (a cat 5 direct hit) this way with little damage. Regular storms haven't been a problem with getting water inside, as the overhang of the roof is quite large.
Currently our closest neighbor Walter, a Mexican/Mayan fellow is about a hundred yards down the road. Wonderful fellow- believe his picture is in here. He gives me little mayan language lessons when I run into him on the path to the park ie. "Ni cah uk caposeech" - I'm going to drink coffee (at Lynn's). He's also taught me some local plants and their uses.
We most certainly will grow vegetables, fruit and flowers, although produce tends to be cheap. For sure I want to grow fresh herbs. I'll plant tomatoes, peppers, perhaps lettuce and herbs when we get there, 1st thing. Won't use the compost on the veggies but will use it on fruit trees. I grow most of our summer produce here in Maryland at a community plot. Just picked my first nectarines last week.

[Ranger]

That's not so bad, I agree that the bags will heat up quickly. When you add to the compost pile if you cover with dry material ie: leaves, twigs, dry grass then some limestone you'll get a good pile going. You may already know that good compost heats up to about 165 degrees F. I have about an acre garden with fruits, veg., herbs as wellas raising chickens and turkeys. In the general off topic threads I have a thread going called "The new coop" which is just getting finished. There are pictures of some of the garden and the birds as well. Do they allow poultry to be raised in the village ?

http://www.playa.info/playa-del-carm...-new-coop.html

[flowerBill]

Chickens good, Roosters BAD I think is how they put it. Check out the amended link to the Humanure Handbook. Lots of info there. When I saw the link on the new coop I thought you were talking about a new cooperative- everything in Greenbelt is a co-op, grocery store, housing, nursery school etc.

[Ranger]

Originally Posted by flowerBill

Chickens good, Roosters BAD I think is how they put it. Check out the amended link to the Humanure Handbook. Lots of ifo there. When I saw the link on the new coop I thought you were talking about a new cooperative- everything in Greenbelt is a co-op, grocery store, housing, nursery school etc.

Thats interesting reading, I've been composting for close to 30 years, though not with human waste. My compost is at the very back of my property, "it gets urine". High in nitrogen.

[monte]

WoW, just caught up on this thread. Bill, quite interesting and informative. I think its awsome that you are doing this

[flowerBill]

Thanks Shirlee,
We got a few new photos from Lynn- looks like the loo is coming along.

A friend Mary is standing by the center pole, this gives an idea of size. It'll be the biggest bathroom I ever had.

And a closeup of how the wood is joined.

[Ranger]

Hi Bill,
Is all of the woodwork done with hand tools? When the posts are joined, how are they attached?

[flowerBill]

Originally Posted by Ranger

Hi Bill,
Is all of the woodwork done with hand tools? When the posts are joined, how are they attached?

The first building/main house had the frame done with hand tools as it was a hike in on a path affair. Now we have a road and Nehemias is using power tools and a generator.
Alot of the horizontal poles you see in the picture are just scaffolding. The main structural poles are notched to fit tight and spiked with large spikes, I believe. On the other house the roof rafters were simply spiked to the top ring. I assume the same on this one. In the big house the main poles were bolted with all thread. I may do some lashing with sisal rope as well on joints in both which will add strength, but mainly I plan on doing that for aescetic reasons.

[flowerBill]

Got a few new photos from Lynn of the roof going on. Also a photo of a recent visitor she had on her front porch.

These guys are actually pretty common in some parts of Sacbe- very gentle as well. I'm usually kind of freaked out about spiders (childhood trauma) but I like the tarantulas. Seem more like shy furry mammals.

Rafters in and los hiles (sp?) attached above.

Nehemias up top lashing on the grass roof.

A temporary deck is placed under the roof and large bundles of about 50 small tied bundles of the grass are raised with a rope. Generally they're lashed with heavy black nylon fishing line to an hile at the top of each bundle and another about halfway down the bundle.

Here they are lashing down the grass bundles. Nehemias and his friend/co-worker Berjilio I believe.
Our water tank (1000 liter I think will go up top under the grass roof so that we have good pressure. I'll post more as I get them.

[Ranger]

Looks good Bill, How does the water tank fill?

[Ranger]

[quote=flowerBill;611199]
Below is the stone wall that will enclose the shower. There will be a couple of benches, a sink and plants added in time.

Bill, from an ealier post, this is the shower, where is the bathroom in relationship?