10-31-12

12:55pm

This morning me and mom went to a couple thrift stores.

I was on the hunt for some sort of glass for

my solar heater.  

Goodwill Thrift Store-

I found two large poster sized frames.

One with glass 28.5 x 38.5" ($5.95), 

one with plexiglass 29.5 x 38" ($3.99).

Since I had mom with me I was able to get

a 20% off senior discount they have on Wednesdays

which ended up being $2.00 off.

So I paid around $8.00 for both of them.

VA Thrift Store-

I got a long picture frame with glass for about $3.00.

So for a total of $11 I was able to get enough

glass to make not one but two solar heaters!

Now compare that to the one storm door

glass panel that would have cost $25 at Habitat.  

I saved $14 and are now

able to make two solar heaters.

The one long glass will be used as a

window solar heater and be on the side

window of the house which gets morning sun.

Of course it's the smaller one of the two.

The other solar heater will be much larger and will

be on the backside of the house facing

the South for most of the day getting the most sun.

And while at the VA thrift store I was able

to find a small round electric fan for about $4

a more durable manual can opener for .90 cents

and a 5 gallon folding water container for $1.91.

It has an on/off spout and is able to be hung up

if needed.  I would like to use this for

emergency water and/or to use as a hot water

solar shower.   You can save on hot water expenses

by wrapping a black trash bag around this

and setting it out in the sun to heat up.

Then put in your shower to have free heated water.

or if you have an electric water heater and the power

goes out you can still have hot water or hot shower.

I have a typical can opener and an electric can opener.

Neither of these are able to be used to remove

the tops from the aluminum cans.

The can opener I got today is a little more durable

and has an angled blade on it to be able

to cut the tops off the cans.

I spent my afternoon removing all the tops

off the aluminum cans.

The bottoms I drilled out three holes.

 Here is just a brief set up of the window solar heater.

Nothing is put together.  I just wanted to see how

many cans were needed.

This one will use 30 aluminum cans

and can run off the solar fan.

And here I laid out all the cans to see how

many more I would need for the much larger

solar heater.

This one will have 140 cans.

Or about 2.4 feet wide by 6.3 feet tall.

Still have to find 27 more cans. 

See the cat just waiting to knock all the cans everywhere?

Yup they did just that after taking the photo, AHHHH!

 It's a start.  I have to build boxes, insulate them,

piece them together, glue the cans together,

add fans, the dryer duct and vent.

Oh, and I still have to drill out holes in 

many more cans.  It's a work in progress.

These are just temporary solar heaters I'm making.

Next year when I have a little more money

I'd like to make them bigger and better.

I can reuse all the cans from them and

build them from better and bigger glass.

Something is better than nothing at the moment.

Freebies I got in the mail today.

Zippered pouch with

-Loreal Evercream hair conditioner, shampoo & masque.

-Jergens daily moisturizer

-Pixi face primer

-Clear shampoo & conditioner

-Fekkai shampoo & conditioner

-Target coupon book

-Platinum yeast

-Venus Embrace razor



4:35pm


I guess we're taking the kids trick-or-treating tonight.
Hubby doesn't think it will be too bad weather wise.
I see spits of rain outside and people using wipers, hmmm.
Kids picked out a mask and I told them to wear a
winter coat.  And that's about it to our Halloween costumes.


Tony tells me tonight that he thinks he can get me a patio
door from work.  I knew they had replaced a few
but didn't know if they held onto some old ones.
The good, it's big, durable, heavy & I will have 
2 pieces of glass to make two solar heaters.
The bad, it's heavy! And I have to separate the 
double paned glass panels.
I have seen where people have used these 
sliding glass patio doors for solar heaters. 


Got another offer on our truck.
Actually they wanted to trade a
snap on toolbox full of tools for the truck.
Sigh.  Everyone wants to trade.
Offers so far- 
Bronco, Fiero, Olds Intrigue, motorcycle, 
Ranger, toolbox & tools, Firebird.
We need cash!
Those items don't pay bills :0( 


7:10pm


Had the kids get their masks on and we headed out the door
and was greeted with rain.  Back in the house we went
and the kids took their masks off and we decided 
not to go trick-or-treating tonight.
Ran a few errands and I was stuck with my mask on!
 Ha Ha Ha, I love it when I get to go inside
businesses and embarrass my family with my looks.