Thinkenstein

The more traditional technique, ferro cement, uses a rebar structure to support three layers of chicken wire. That is then plastered by hand. The three layers are to provide enough mesh so that the cement doesn't fall through the holes. I prefer one layer of nylon fishnet instead of chicken wire, if the fishnet has a fine enough mesh.

The rebar supports the weight until the cement hardens. The mesh gives you a surface that holds the plaster. The cement can support itself in dome shapes, once hard, since all the forces are in compression, but the mesh holds pieces together if the cement cracks, as it always seems to do.

Yes, I have mainline power. I consume little, about $30 per month, and haven't been real motivated to invest in solar. I do hope to make more progress in alternative energy sources someday.

I would say that we don't have much wind here most of the time, but there is some, so maybe a windmill might work. I would rather not see a windmill, though, nor hear one all the time.

Electricity is such a handy thing to have, especially once you get used to it. I suppose one could always go back to camping in the dark and surviving somehow.

It is interesting, all the creativity in the energy field these days. Bedini type motor-generators interest me, too. An over-unity generator quietly tucked away in a basement would be ideal, if it worked.

I have a guest house for visitors, if you ever pass through. I hope to get some workshops going, but the heavy construction is probably over, along with the opportunity for hands-on learning. I may spend more time on painting, sculpture, and music in the future.

I use wifi. If you ever wander down this way, drop in. I'm always looking for musicians to play with.

A sound sample is worth a thousand words too, probably. (Click on the attached "image" that looks like a dog-eared piece of paper.) I just did the attached recording tonight with my sax tootophone. It may not be the classiest instrument going, but I love it. This is an improvisation, a little jazzy. All I do is improvise and play by ear. Hope you like it.

I don't normally listen to music any more. I have bits and pieces from a lifetime floating around in my head and mostly just improvise around it. I like jazz a lot. Much of what I play has a classical leaning, but I want to get jazzier, and sometimes I'm successful. Although I would be happy with any musicians to play with, jazz players would be especially welcome!