SITE 1.2: THE COMPOST BINS

THE COMPOST BINS

Winter approaches, the leaves are falling, the site needs good soil and we now have the ability to organically work toward the goal of nurturing soils.  Compost bins.

These new bins are constructed of materials salvaged from the trailer de-construction.  I saved a number of 2 x 3 studs from the trailer walls.  I used sixteen of them to build the compost bins.  I needed new hardware and wire fabric.  The plywood gussets were also salvaged from the trailer.  The stain came from our local habitat outlet...$5 for a quart of heavy body water based stain.  So, toward the goal of conservation of resources we move forward.

The compost bins will be attended to over the winter, turning them, amending them, adding manure and other great substances toward feeding the site.

We will need a lot more compost to do what we want to do, but we are off to a good start.

As the compost bins do their thing, the peonies slumber in good soil with a comfortable layer of straw mulch to protect them from the coming winter months.

The weather report is predicting lows of 18 degrees this weekend.  The peonies are protected. The compost process is started.  The water is getting shut off today for the winter.  On to planning for the spring construction season.

SITE 1.2: THE COMPOST BINS

THE COMPOST BINS

Winter approaches, the leaves are falling, the site needs good soil and we now have the ability to organically work toward the goal of nurturing soils.  Compost bins.

These new bins are constructed of materials salvaged from the trailer de-construction.  I saved a number of 2 x 3 studs from the trailer walls.  I used sixteen of them to build the compost bins.  I needed new hardware and wire fabric.  The plywood gussets were also salvaged from the trailer.  The stain came from our local habitat outlet...$5 for a quart of heavy body water based stain.  So, toward the goal of conservation of resources we move forward.

The compost bins will be attended to over the winter, turning them, amending them, adding manure and other great substances toward feeding the site.

We will need a lot more compost to do what we want to do, but we are off to a good start.

As the compost bins do their thing, the peonies slumber in good soil with a comfortable layer of straw mulch to protect them from the coming winter months.

The weather report is predicting lows of 18 degrees this weekend.  The peonies are protected. The compost process is started.  The water is getting shut off today for the winter.  On to planning for the spring construction season.

TRAILER 1.7: DE-CONSTRUCTION COMPLETE

THE LAST DOOR - RECYCLED

The last two loads of materials went to the landfill this weekend.  The last recycling run was completed that same day.  The only remaining evidence of the structure formerly known as the mobile home is the skeleton.  The demo permit has been signed off on, utilities capped, site is clean.

It was a good summer.  An architectural summer.

The photo above is the documentation of the re-cycling of the last door.  There were two of these on the trailer.  I was thinking about taking them to the landfill and in a moment of brilliant enlightenment I peeled the aluminum layer off the door to discover it's construction.  The door - spared from the landfill - will become something else in a future life.

The aluminum skin and frame weighed in at 30 pounds (2 doors) at the recycling center.  The door knobs were also taken to recycling.  The cardboard honeycomb filler was taken to the cardboard recycling bin.  Remaining:  the wood which is resting peacefully behind the garage with other wood materials salvaged from the process.

De-construction complete..

TRAILER 1.7: DE-CONSTRUCTION COMPLETE

THE LAST DOOR - RECYCLED

The last two loads of materials went to the landfill this weekend.  The last recycling run was completed that same day.  The only remaining evidence of the structure formerly known as the mobile home is the skeleton.  The demo permit has been signed off on, utilities capped, site is clean.

It was a good summer.  An architectural summer.

The photo above is the documentation of the re-cycling of the last door.  There were two of these on the trailer.  I was thinking about taking them to the landfill and in a moment of brilliant enlightenment I peeled the aluminum layer off the door to discover it's construction.  The door - spared from the landfill - will become something else in a future life.

The aluminum skin and frame weighed in at 30 pounds (2 doors) at the recycling center.  The door knobs were also taken to recycling.  The cardboard honeycomb filler was taken to the cardboard recycling bin.  Remaining:  the wood which is resting peacefully behind the garage with other wood materials salvaged from the process.

De-construction complete..

TRAILER 1.6: SKELETON

BIM Model - Trailer Steel

I finally got a moment to measure and document the trailer steel.  I spent some time last night going through my AISC (American Institute of Steel Construction) handbook and then the new database of steel shapes to determine the types of beams, weights and structural characteristics.  

So, why is this computer model important?

For starters I now have a computer inventory of the steel.  

If I want to maintain the integrity of the front end as a portal of some sort (which is a consideration) I can now determine footings / steel design characteristics, and how it will look on site.

If I want to keep the outriggers on the steel for architectural design purposes I have an accurate model of their location, size and nature.

I can also calculate the weight of the structure as I close in on final weight calculations for the de-construction project.  

...and it is pretty fun to rotate a very heavy steel structure on the computer screen to study and understand it's character.

The skeleton is not modeled to represent the wavy nature of the existing state of the steel due to a really lousy mounting / placement job when the trailer was placed on set.  A level mounting was not part of the installation criteria.

So, I have finally gotten to the point I intended to get to when I started the project:  The re-use of the steel skeleton.

The fun begins.

TRAILER 1.6: SKELETON

BIM Model - Trailer Steel

I finally got a moment to measure and document the trailer steel.  I spent some time last night going through my AISC (American Institute of Steel Construction) handbook and then the new database of steel shapes to determine the types of beams, weights and structural characteristics.  

So, why is this computer model important?

For starters I now have a computer inventory of the steel.  

If I want to maintain the integrity of the front end as a portal of some sort (which is a consideration) I can now determine footings / steel design characteristics, and how it will look on site.

If I want to keep the outriggers on the steel for architectural design purposes I have an accurate model of their location, size and nature.

I can also calculate the weight of the structure as I close in on final weight calculations for the de-construction project.  

...and it is pretty fun to rotate a very heavy steel structure on the computer screen to study and understand it's character.

The skeleton is not modeled to represent the wavy nature of the existing state of the steel due to a really lousy mounting / placement job when the trailer was placed on set.  A level mounting was not part of the installation criteria.

So, I have finally gotten to the point I intended to get to when I started the project:  The re-use of the steel skeleton.

The fun begins.