Kiteman

Thank you!

I had to buy *something* to be able to work; the van happened to be significantly cheaper than similar quality cars available on the day.The "free" bit is the conversion from commuter-box-on-wheels to occasional-camper-on-wheels.

Secondary electrics aren't needed (yet), since there's nothing electrical to run while it's parked. Light at night is from a small torch.Cutting into the roof sounds interesting, but I'll need tools or a friendly metal-worker, which could defeat the aim of zero cost.I'm thinking of a fold-down table fitted to the wheel arch opposite the current water-store, with shelves behind, but my next plan is to hunt charity shops for a set of drawers to install behind the driving seat, where the cook box currently sits. Simple catches will keep drawers shut on the move, and I'll then have a place to put the sleeping bag & mat, and store spare clothes, maps etc

It rained the whole night I first used it, and no water got through, so good there.Good ideas for the removable units - permanent installation plats havoc with my insurance.

New words to learn! Thanks@

Oh, that's good to know about the Trangia accessory, thanks!

Hehe, that's my kind of legacy!

Glad to be of help!

Absolutely!Why not write up an instructable of your own as well?

Thanks for the tips!

Thank you!

🤣

My instinctive response is to go with the softer stems, but if you're doing research, why not try both, and compare the results?

Thank you!

If you make a rough version by hand and write something on each page, then unfold it, you'll be able to see how to lay out a printable document to match your needs.

How did I not see this when it was published??I'm stealing this idea to set as a class project!

You're very welcome!

Wow, that's a hard question - this was over ten years ago...Waving my hands around, to try and retrieve the muscle memory of cooking on it, I think the height was about 900mm, width about 600-700mm, and depth maybe 350mm, but please take those dimensions with a hefty pinch of salt.If this is part of a graded project, why not design your version to be the "right" height - survey a bunch of people who like to barbecue, and ask them to hold their hands at the ideal height for the top of the grill.Measure that, take an average, and off you go. You could do similar with the dimensions of the top - how much do they want to cook, and how far can they lean without being burnt?

True, but in these days of lockdown it can be hard to find, especially if the family has budget issues.The other reason for using the template is to be able to erase the grid after creating and inking your drawing.

Thank you - as they say; necessity is the mother of invention.

Hi,The short version is "I don't know, why not try it?"I used the blender to modify the nettle fibres (it's called "beating") - the more energy that is put into the fibre, the shorter and more frayed it becomes. A kitchen mixer works well on recycled fibres, because they have already been beaten, and just need separated from the sheet and stirred together, but a blender puts in energy (have you ever noticed that the liquid in a blender gets warm?).A pestle and mortar does work, and works well, but, as you say, it only works on small batches. If you built your own ball-mill, that would also work.The mallet would work better than a meat tenderiser - the spiky face of the tenderiser would miss the fibres altogether. Felt? quite possibly.Acid is not good for paper - the fi…

Hi,The short version is "I don't know, why not try it?"I used the blender to modify the nettle fibres (it's called "beating") - the more energy that is put into the fibre, the shorter and more frayed it becomes. A kitchen mixer works well on recycled fibres, because they have already been beaten, and just need separated from the sheet and stirred together, but a blender puts in energy (have you ever noticed that the liquid in a blender gets warm?).A pestle and mortar does work, and works well, but, as you say, it only works on small batches. If you built your own ball-mill, that would also work.The mallet would work better than a meat tenderiser - the spiky face of the tenderiser would miss the fibres altogether. Felt? quite possibly.Acid is not good for paper - the fibres degrade quickly in acid conditions (that's why artists pay out for "acid-free paper"), and lignin is more easily broken down by alkalis than acids (acids will break down lignin, but will also damage the fibres). If you're just making fuel bricks, don't bother with any chemicals at all - just mash the fibres into your brick mold and leave the brick to dry.Animal fur, as far as I know, would only have a decorative effect.Hope that all helps?

Lovely job - really reminds me of a fifties-vintage Massey Ferguson, like my dad learned to drive when he was 10...

Seriously?Bring your *evidence* - not YouTube videos or quotes from Facebook, give me links to the peer-reviewed studies.

At the top of the page, it says "publish" - click that.

Thank you! Just great to get an excuse to be back in the workshop for a couple of hours!

Brilliant job, Kate, I'm proud of you!(Crosses fingers)

Actually, that's a good idea, but the search-term you need is "ball mill". They vary greatly is scale, and generally use ball-bearings or ceramic balls inside a rotating cylinder or ball, but the one I used at university for small batches of pulp used a vessel shaped inside like a motorbike tyre, with a single bronze ball like a cannon-ball, rolling along inside as the "tyre" rotated.

Haha, it's not been a secret for quite some time, it's just that more people know me by "Kiteman" than by my given name.

Thank you!

You're welcome!

Thank you!

Awesome to know!

If you're using a fibre like nettle, linen or hemp, yes, it is. The length of time depends on a lot of factors, like the temperature, the pH of your water and the age of the plant stems, but it will typically be in the range of one to four weeks.

Hehehe!

Indeed

You're very welcome - don't forget to share a photo of your finished project!

This is really cool - I'll be sharing it with students in September!

Hi,Sorry it too so long to answer - the fibres you need are in the stem, and the leaves just boil down to mush and goo that clogs things up. You can experiment with leaving leaves in, though; nettles are basically free.