Tiny house

[Jhanananda]

Thank-you, Jhanon and Michel for expressing your appreciation for this thread.  Here are 2 more tiny houses to look at.  I like the tree tent most.

Knaus Travelino envisages a clean, light camper of the future

Tentsile unveils its smallest, lightest, and most affordable tree tent to date

[Jhanon]

My eyes went wise as soon as I saw the tree tent O_O

[Jhanananda]

Thank-you, Jhanon, yes, i agree, the tree house seemed like the perfect mendicant shelter, which would have to be low profile.  Here are more tiny houses worth looking at:

The Pneumad portable shelter inflates itself
Living in an industrial neighborhood I often see local class shops throwing out old glass pains.  It has often occurred to me that I could build a house almost for free out of glass panels recycled from class shops.

Glass-encased Maintenance-Free House is built to last

[Jhanon]

THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I NEEDED JHANANDA. I was talking to the misses last night. I showed her the elevated tent, just cuz I thought it was cool. I didn't expect anything to come of it. And then we actually began talking about it. And, to my great shock and amazement, she was completely open to it. And explained how we could live out of a tiny home while traveling for her work (since she will be paid far more if she travels.) And, she happens to love simple, clean, modern/futuristic. In other words, there was no aversion to it--which she is normally quite frank about. You just made my day, sir

[Jhanon]

Thank-you, Jhanon, yes, i agree, the tree house seemed like the perfect mendicant shelter, which would have to be low profile.  Here are more tiny houses worth looking at:

The Pneumad portable shelter inflates itself
Living in an industrial neighborhood I often see local class shops throwing out old glass pains.  It has often occurred to me that I could build a house almost for free out of glass panels recycled from class shops.

Glass-encased Maintenance-Free House is built to last

You posted this within 5 minutes of the topic coming up for us. I just checked the time stamp.

[Jhanananda]

THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I NEEDED JHANANDA. I was talking to the misses last night. I showed her the elevated tent, just cuz I thought it was cool. I didn't expect anything to come of it. And then we actually began talking about it. And, to my great shock and amazement, she was completely open to it. And explained how we could live out of a tiny home while traveling for her work (since she will be paid far more if she travels.) And, she happens to love simple, clean, modern/futuristic. In other words, there was no aversion to it--which she is normally quite frank about. You just made my day, sir

You posted this within 5 minutes of the topic coming up for us. I just checked the time stamp.

I am glad it worked for you.

[Michel]

Interesting houses, jhananda.

Check these tree houses out: http://www.pinterest.com/grandmapam/tree-houses/

[Jhanon]

Man, I finally am living authentically. Or living through Dhamma and not the identity. And things are great. It's crazy how they turn out. It's like magic, but I know it's cause/effect. It's the dance. You know I looked back on my youth many times to see where my awareness rested often. And started moving toward that, with the understanding that I will do best at whatever has had the most awareness in this life. And it's working.

Unfortunately I never stayed with one thing for long, othe than the "out of the box" thinking and all the other hallmarks of mystic life. But I began considering what I had said about awareness/God being a potentiator. It doesn't ensure anything, but it increases it's chances to make something happen. So instead of trying to find something "new" I can do. I look at the past and present and try to bring those to a practical meeting point.

In short; I am going to start doing this. I'm going to start living out of a mobile type of home, and trying to be as efficient as Jhananda. It's really exciting. Funds are a small issue--lol. But something will work out

[Jhanananda]

Interesting houses, jhananda.

Check these tree houses out: http://www.pinterest.com/grandmapam/tree-houses/

Thanks, Michel, nice tree houses.

Man, I finally am living authentically. Or living through Dhamma and not the identity. And things are great. It's crazy how they turn out. It's like magic, but I know it's cause/effect. It's the dance. You know I looked back on my youth many times to see where my awareness rested often. And started moving toward that, with the understanding that I will do best at whatever has had the most awareness in this life. And it's working.

This is good to hear, Jhanon, but do not expect everyone is going to appreciate your enlightened lifestyle, because their are some people who are deeply threatened by mystics, and will do everything to high jack your equanimity, as I have experienced here in Sedona for the last 2 years.

In short; I am going to start doing this. I'm going to start living out of a mobile type of home, and trying to be as efficient as Jhananda. It's really exciting. Funds are a small issue--lol. But something will work out

Good luck pulling a simplified life together and maintaining it in a world that is bent against the mystic.

[Jhanon]

In truth I don't know how much pushback I will get.
But at least in my state I don't see a problem. I tend to be pretty careful with each individual--but I've never met anyone (in this area) who didn't reciprocate kindness to me (except one family that I quickly abandoned.)
It's almost like living in a fairytale. Maybe I'm ignorant. Or maybe I'm
Blessed. Within my circle of friends and acquaintances, they've almost all been more than helpful. My, well, fiancé-who-doesn't-know-it-yet, I supportive of the tiny house idea. And I have a friend for every skill and knowledge I need, as I learn best from one-on-one. Everything from good spots nearby the city (until my family is ready to go as well), to hunting, gathering, and finding the right vehicle. Even my birth family and parents are supportive. The trick, it seems, is not giving them too much too fast.

Jhananda you said this earlier "I keep coming back to help others over to the other side.  Some of my students follow me here.  That is how it goes for me."

Tell me--who, specifically? Or, at the least, am I one of these?

[Cal]

Man, I finally am living authentically. Or living through Dhamma and not the identity. And things are great. It's crazy how they turn out. It's like magic, but I know it's cause/effect. It's the dance. You know I looked back on my youth many times to see where my awareness rested often. And started moving toward that, with the understanding that I will do best at whatever has had the most awareness in this life. And it's working.

This is good to hear, Jhanon, but do not expect everyone is going to appreciate your enlightened lifestyle, because their are some people who are deeply threatened by mystics, and will do everything to high jack your equanimity, as I have experienced here in Sedona for the last 2 years.

Amen. I had co-workers just staring at me as I went about my business. They feed off the emotion and unbalance of others, being of equanimity definitely threatens them. They invade your space and require interaction where you most likely have not the need. Makes me want to buy a tree tent and set up some solar panels away from the insanity of the world.

[Zack]

I was going through some notes I made while researching tiny houses a while ago and thought they might be useful for someone else out there. I don't know the specific sources for this info any more, but it is some of what seemed important while wading through a lot of web sites. You can of course go with any level of complexity, from a simple wooden box to shield from the elements and curious passers-by, to a full solar setup with kitchen, bathroom, etc. Given that if I get mine going it will be done with very little money (because I don't and won't have any) I will probably out of necessity go the simple, efficient route, but if there is a modern convenience I can add that will make life a little more free of stress and mental nonsense, without a whole lot of upkeep or continued cost, I certainly will consider it. Some considerations also ride on the thought of possible visitors... should I get a composting toilet or just crap in a bucket with sawdust to cover? Working a couple more weeks for a little less social hassle in the future sounds like a good plan.



top-loading fridge preferable. root cellar possible with established location site.

water system with two parallel supply lines
   - one with hose attachment for city water
   - one 'gravity water' with RV water pump to boost pressure if incoming water doesn't have enough
tankless water heater better, more efficient than 10-gal RV tank-style water heater.
rainwater collection

moisture control is an issue. look into moisture barrier, vapor barrier, insulation, fans and vents.
look into expense of wool insulation.

how to wash clothes? could dry w/ clothesline. easier to change wardrobe than fuss with clothes that are hard to wash by hand. more layers of lighter clothes as opposed to heavy, annoying single items.

-utility trailer, 8x18 a good size? trailer is about 20% of construction cost so buy used.
-sides and ramps will need to come off.
-measurement doesn't include hitch or wheels.
-wide possible width without a permit is 8'6" wide. use outer walls of tires as guide to how wide you can build.
-maximum legal road height without permit is 13'6". most bridges are taller than this but be aware of when moving.
-GVWR is Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. most trailers are double axle and usually each axle is rated 3,500 lbs - some are 5,200 lbs - so double axle trailer will have rating of 7,000 or 10,400 lbs. price will depend on this rating.
-GVWR includes weight of the trailer itself.
-want wheels to be taller than trailer (ie, the bed of the trailer cuts through the midline of the wheel. easier to stabilize your structure when establishing somewhere)

to tow a tiny house behind a vehicle there needs to be a trailer hitch and trailer brake controller.
  - need ball and hitch to tow. almost all balls are 2" or 2 5/8".
what strength truck is required to tow? 3/4 ton to be safe, diesel is better.

[Zack]

The water heater is one thing in particular that is not really necessary, so that is something to consider. It's only real use is for hot water showers and as a convenience, as hot water for washing dishes or clothes can just as easily be heated on a stove. Unless you want to devise a system where you heat water some other way and gravity-feed it into a shower, then it would be need to be feed through a water heater, or just not have a shower, or not have a heated one. Depending on your environment, though, warming up the body can be pretty much a requirement. This can be done by warming up at a wood stove or another source of heat and just bucket washing yourself, so that just comes down to personal preference and whatever your general situation is going to be like. At one point I was living in a car and taking showers at the gym of a community college, which worked perfectly fine because I don't shower that often and it was a warm environment.

I don't live too far northerly but it does get cold in the winter here, and where I lived this past winter it was at times -10 deg below (Fahrenheit, -30 with the wind chill). Another solution if you have access to a good supply of water and firewood and want to go completely off-grid (ie, not rely on tanks of propane), is the Japanese ofuro. There are modern versions of this if you have the money, but figuring out how to build one yourself could work. Basically it's just a differently shaped bathtub.

[Zack]

Human Powered Washer & Spin Dryer:
http://www.notechmagazine.com/2012/08/human-powered-washer-spin-dryer.html



Water-Powered Washing Machine:
http://www.notechmagazine.com/2013/09/water-powered-washing-machine.html

[Jhanananda]

Thanks, Zack.  I like both washer designs quite a bit. 

When I camped out in the Inyo National Forest for 2 years I found I could put my laundry into a five gallon bucked, with some soup, then fill it up with hot spring water, then drive into town to get groceries, then drain the water out, then fill the bucket back up with local, cold tap water for my drive back to camp.  Once at camp I would drain off the cold tap water, and refill the bucket with hot spring water, leave it there for a few minute soak, then drain off the still hot water, and wring out my warm clothes, then dry them in the sun.