Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 15 Entries. Monday, March 10 View Page We have not had geat success with starting plants in doors. It appears that they get too leggy. I am told that it is because the house is too warm at night and the plants do not get enough sun durring the day. SO, we are building cold frames, one with a bottom and one with out. We are trying to make this a low budget operation. We rounded up some scrap 2x4s we doug out of a dumpster and some left over plywood and and OSB. Of course we splurged for some John Deere green paint. Monday, March 10 View Page For the sides of the cold frames we scaveged some plexiglass out of a dumpster. The local VA doctor's office was being remodled and this was in it....... In the great words of Jeff Foxworthy.... Heyyyyy look at that good stuff in there. Oh well.... the stuff is green... It willl match John Deere green paint. Monday, March 10 View Page Well I was looking for some tops for the cold frames and AJ said he had some old glass shower doors.... Well,,, I think they will do just fine...Just a note here... drilling glass is hard... If you crack it Lock tite crazy glue works fairly well to glue the crack. Monday, March 10 View Page Since I cannot run home at lunch time to open the cold frames I thought we would try using a fan to cool the frames. I was up inspecting a building in Poughkipsee and lone behold these Boxler fans were in a construction cart headed for the dumpster.... the were still attached to an old PA system... Yes my boss thinks im a scavenger.... but they were free... We drilled the Plexiglass and mounted them right up. Monday, March 10 View Page Here we mounted a piece of 30 mill rubber roofing over the exhaust end of the boxler fan. when the fan runs it will blow the rubber open. when the fan is off the rubber should keep the cold out. The rubber was a scrap piece off a roof in Massachussets. The TSA agent could not figure out why any one would have a piece of rolled ruber roofing in their cary on luggage... lol.. Most all the hard ware is stainless steel.... I hate thing rusting. Monday, March 10 View Page Here we are building the controls. we had to buy four light sockets at $1.50, eight electrical boxes at 1.10 each and one reverse acting thermostat at a whoping 20 bucks.... The dude at home depot swore up and down that they dont make a line voltage reverse acting thermostant and that Home depot definately does not sell such a thing. They are also known as an attic fan thermostat and are sold near the attic fans. lol My daughters were working on the wiring. Monday, March 10 View Page Here the exhaust fans were soldered to longer wires to reach the controls Monday, March 10 View Page Ok here is the final controls. The heating thermostats came from Johnson controls, I called Mr. Johnson and asked him if he had any laying arround and he sent me a case of "BIG JOHNSON thermostats. If the temp falls below 50 degrees the heating thermostat will turn on the lights. The cool thermostat will turn on the exhaust fans if the temperature rises above 80 degrees. In between 80 and 50 is a natural dead band when the lights and fans will not operate. Monday, March 10 View Page The controls Monday, March 10 View Page OK, Here is the final product. In expensive cold frames. Now... where to store them... Note to self.. Time to build a barn. Sunday, April 20 View Page This little devil has been browsing the gardens for the last week. Today was not his day. Sunday, April 20 View Page The cold frames are working great. The tomato and other plants are doing great. Sunday, April 20 View Page This has been the current project. The old trailer was looking shabby. It has new fenders, rebanded springs. new shackels, bolts and hardware. New LED lights. still need new wiring, and boards. Oh, and the paint is International Harvester Red. Sunday, April 20 View Page Cant wait to get out and play. This is the new tractor and loadeder. It really moved the snow this winter. Sunday, April 20 View Page Old faithful here just laid down the weed and feed. She just got scubbed, greased, Oil changed and will get a new battery. This 69 is a real work horse. It will put the cub cadets out when they get stuck like nothing.