Exponential progess

One panel yesterday, two today!  And it's only noon!

First panel on arc

And boy is Wayne proud.

Solar testing tank

Lee is plumbing up the solar testing tank.

Happy caulk

Mike was trying out the new air power and higher leverage caulking guns.

New glue tests

Mike is testing 2 types of glue he is familiar with.  We'll do more next week, too.

Mechanical doohickeys!

Wayne has made some very mechanical looking doohickeys today to helt the garage doors open easier.

Wayne using our lathe for the first time ever.

Jeff making sensor cables for solar panels.

Testing for leaks

We are pressure testing the panels we assembled for the ARC last week.  There are a few leaks. 

Mike's table knife

Solar assembly pics

We're putting together the panels for the ARC.

Marlin making mounting

Marlin is pictured here making the mounting rails

Sheet processor

Here we see the sheet cutter, aka the Table Saw of Death being used to do the rough cutting for the ARC solar panels.  This afternoon we'll be doing the fine cutting and then we can start assembling.  Note, this was a two person job, but I was taking the picture.

Solar panel mounting mock up

This is the mock up of how the panels will go on the wall.  The entire system is proving a bit unwieldly, but still workable.  The real challenge is trying to make the spacing and sizing of the panels look like it was all planned to fit around the windows and in the spaces provided.

Our cousins down south

This video is a succinct statement of many of the same goals we have.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ozX_nt5A4o

In order to accomplish the same goals up in our much colder climate, we
have to do a few things differently. I would really enjoy a road trip
down there for a visit and some knowledge sharing, though.

Started up the Solar Heat Storage

Today I started up the West half of the solar panels. The heat is going
in to the bottom half that is currently about 60. My goal is to see it
hit 80 to 85 down there by the end of October. Warm days and low autumn
sun should help. Now I just need to remember to check the filters.

The East half will be fired up next week after we replace the filters
and add foam stoppers on the upper half of the heat storage tubes.