Several Newbie Questions - Could Really Use Your Help!

[CatBuilder]

I'm terrified of losing my boat to those things! ha ha ha

I guess maybe some build insurance might be the recipe to help ease those fears some.

[Charly]

Cat Builder,
When do you plan to start? If you are like me, shoot for the beginning of Hot humid weather (about now), that way, when you actually do get started, it will be cool and dry

I live about an hour north of Jax. In May, it gets STANKIN hot with drenching humidity, and continues until mid October. then it is real nice for the rest of the time.

Pesonally, I like the great oudoors. Fumes and dust will kill you in an enclosed space. Keep your stuff in hot boxes till you are ready to use it. build some air-tight containers out of osb, and put a light bulb inside. The heat from the bulb will run the humidity out, kind of like a "crisper" in a galley cabinet.

I may try a variation of that with the cylinder mould... by going ahead and placing the ply on the forms, so it will get "used to the shape", and maybe running some christmas lights or something underneath... until I get ready to wet it all out and bag it.

I am doing all this under my house, in my enongated garage. IT IS tight, but heck, its free, and it is an easy commute

[WestVanHan]

I used to be in the greenhouse business.

Build a hoop house:
-drive in pipes/spikes on measured intervals,install poly piping by fitting over opposing spikes to make large spans.Tie these together at the peak and maybe once down each side,and base, with 1x4's and U shaped piping brackets.
-install double layered poly,inflated to a 6-8" depth between layers, with a fractional hp blower.
-air layer acts as insulation,with small built in venting to get some air exchange,heat gain is carried out.A white tarp over the top will reflect most of the light as well.

Don't know prices of stuff,but a building the size you need was quite cheap in the day.Basically a bunch of poly pipe,and plastic.

When you're done,sell the "greenhouse"

[WestVanHan]

Quick figure:

40 x 60 with half cylindrical structure-20' peak:

-hoops would be 62',so 3 x 20' (close enough) piping welded together. 10' centres and end pieces so 7 x 3= 21 pieces of 20' pvc pipe or thin wall electrical conduit.
-14x 2 or3' long spikes
-plastic circumf. would be 63'(or 60') x 60,2 layers so 7200 ft2.Can weld/tape smaller sections together,then tape/weld to make one big bag.Staple through slats to base 1x4 or whatever baseboard you use.


So price out:
- 420' of 1" (maybe 3/4-no snow in FLA) ID pvc pipe/conduit
-7200 square feet of poly (4 mil should be good enough)
-bunch of cheap white tarps for reflection and to protect the skin.
-45' of rebar for spikes
-300' of cheap 1x4 or 1x3
-300-400' of cheap rope to hold tarps on.
Blower-cheap

Could cut back on wood,no snow load

[CatBuilder]

Thank you for the hoop house ideas. However, I already have a fabric building quoted, pending an order from these guys:

http://www.teksupply.com/farm/supplies/home

It's basically the same thing you are describing, just a ready made kit and galvanized arches.

A couple more questions about the FL sun and heat:

1) You say get a white, reflective plastic. My supplier is selling me a black plastic. According to them, the white allows too much infrared through and actually makes it hotter inside than the black plastic which blocks all light. Any input to this from WestVanHan or any of the FL guys?

2) How big of an AC do I need (in tonnes or BTU) to cool a 60 x 30 tent with arches like described in WestVanHan's post?

[hoytedow]

You need white opaque, not translucent cloth. Or you can put a double roof on with an air space. That will provide a cooling space like campers' tents have. Black will get very hot inside unless there is a white upper surface.

[hoytedow]

Call these people for a/c. :
http://www.serviceexperts.com/Locati...32246_(1).aspx

[WestVanHan]

Originally Posted by hoytedow

You need white opaque, not translucent cloth. Or you can put a double roof on with an air space. That will provide a cooling space like campers' tents have. Black will get very hot inside unless there is a white upper surface.

Hoyts right but the inflated double layer I prescribed does the job of his double roof.
Air=insulation
The white tarps are opaque....

AC-I have no idea. Vents will be at the top of the arch,with an exhaust fan.
Close off both ends as well

At 60x40 (20 ft at peak) you're looking at.......... rough estimate.........38,000 cu ft total.

Something like this http://www.robert-bedard.com/ghouse/

Oh...and that "black plastic" they're selling you is called shade cloth. Google it.
If it were me,I'd throw on cheap tarps over the top half,and drape shade cloth on that for good measure

Basics:

http://www.robert-bedard.com/ghouse/

[hoytedow]

You only need to double tarp the sides hit by the sun. North side should not need it. If you have large trees near to the south they will also help cool.