About the Cedar Workshop Unknown11:21 AM

The Cedar Workshop was originally an online company that sold cedar adirondack chairs and pergolas. Due to lack of time and a career shift, the company was closed. The owner, Scott, continued to putter around in the shop. After a few years, he purchased a remote cabin high in the mountains and this presented an opportunity to build and learn. Since the cabin was a second dwelling, many of the projects had to be completed with limited tools, help and materials. Most of the materials were recycled or scavenged. Thus, the Cedar Workshop was revived from the “saw dust” and modified to share information with other people in a similar situation.

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EVA or or Sylgard 184 for solar panels Unknown3:46 PM

The following is based on my experience and may not have the same results on your location.

Two Coats of Sylgard 184

80 Watt panel with no back yet. See how transparent it is? Notice the air bubbles. Difficult to remove.

I've used EVA film and Sylgard 184 encapsulate. 

EVA- $20/yard 

For a 24" x 48" 60 watt panel- $30

is cheaper and a tad more work, but easier to position. Best to have some kind of kiln or oven to place the solar panel in. But, for a larger 24" x 48" panel, have to use a plug-in-the-wall hot air gun. If the EVA is not heated up hot enough it can unstick and peel off. I was told to put the mikly color down (but it's difficult to see the difference) Can't remember the temperature setting it was at, but it was around 120 degrees (med-high). Make sure to ask the EVA seller what the temperature range is... don't want to have a fire.  

Best to try it out on a small panel to get the feel of it. If you like, I can send you a sample to play with.  

Sylgard 184- Expensive $50 for a less than a quart.  

For a 24" x 48" 60 watt panel- $100 - 200  

The Sylgard 184 is the cats meow. It's main purpose is for exterior electrical encapsulation, keeps moisture out and is not vinger-based acidic (like clear caulking). Remains flexible in all types of weather and when poured in layers, it work really, really well. It's a 2 part solution which is mixed together and then poured over the back side of the cells. Has the constancy like corn syrup. Very hard to clean up. Through trial and error, pour a container on the glass, lay the strings face down and pour another container over the backside. One coat on the back in minimal for a large panel. In my West Coast climate, it took the panels 3 days to set.  Made by Dow Corning

Note: I built my DIY solar panels about 3 years ago. It was a cheaper way to go at that time ($600/120watt panel in Canada). Sylgard is the best, but expensive for multiple large panels. But, all the DIY panels I have built, encapsulated in Slygard 184 are still working.    

I'll try to post some pics on my blog for you to see. Feel free to contact me for pictures.

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The plan to build a wood fired cedar hot tub Unknown3:34 PM

Picture courtesy of Forest Lumber & Cooperage Ltd

For the last couple of months, I been researching on how to build a wooden hot tub. If you haven't seen one, it's a six foot round barrel about 4 feet high. Normally made from vertical laid Western Red Cedar planks that are fitted together. A heavy duty banding is wrapped around the outside to keep the vertical planks from bursting. A snorkel style of wood stove is used to heat the water up. The stove sits just under the water line. Of course, I could pony up the $3500.00 a buy one. But, that's not in the budget. The deck at the cabin comes first.

Anyway, after travelling on the internet, came across a story about another dude that wants to do the same thing...

"Hi folks, I am considering taking on the construction of an outdoor cedar hot tub. I want to build it using a joint that I have seen in use by kits I have assembled. The joint is called a canoe joint and it is used on 2x6 edges. I looked online to purchase a shaper/router bit set to achieve this joint and have only found ones that have smaller radius than i require for my staves. Any help you can provide in a source for this bit set would be very much appreciated. Thanks, Jerry"

So, I'm like cool. I'm not the only one. Found a post response and he/she suggested a Round Nose Router Bit by Freud. Freud makes really sweet saw blades, but I haven't tried the bits yet. Looks like I'll head down to the local Windsor Plywood store and pick one up.

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Pole mount solar panel (from scrap materials) Unknown11:57 AM

Back in July 2011, I was sitting out front the cabin having my morning coffee and starring at the fixed solar panels. Figured there was a better way to catch all the rays of sun with a rotating solar panel. After a few quick sketches on a scrap piece of paper, I went to the shop and found a bunch of left over plumbing parts and aluminium angle iron. The mount is based on a 1" galvanized "T" that has two arms and a body (pole) that is treaded into a 1" pipe union. The union sits nicely on top of a patio umbrella metal pole, which is inserted into a wider galvanized fence post. The left and right "arms" are standard 24 inch lengths that thread into the Tee. A U-Clamp was used to secure the pipe to an angle iron.The angle iron was bolts with stainless steel bolts to the solar panel frame. No really high tech, but it works. There is just enough friction on the union that the wind does not spin the panel, but can be easily turned by hand. The solar panel can be adjust up or down to match the summer or winter latitude.  See the video below!

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cedarworkshop.net- we've got a website too! Unknown8:07 AM

Looking for more information about solar panels, wind turbines and cabin reno projects?
No prob!
Pop by the website at www.cedarworkshop.net  

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Radio Controller Forest Service roads Unknown9:48 PM

If you travel on any back roads in British Columbia, you are required to have a UHF radio that is "tuned" to that road. That way you can communicate with the logging trucks. Here's an example of a frequency "153.23". Your radio would be pre-programed from the dealer.

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Talking about solar stuff with a rockstar Unknown3:11 PM

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Had an amazing discovery on the weekend. We hosted a birthday party for a good friend and one of the guests, worked for the company that produces Xantrex inverters, charge controllers, battery chargers, etc for off grid use. (I almost fell off my chair!) For someone like me, that's really into the alternative energy, it was like meeting a rock star. Since we were sitting at the dinner table, enjoying a tasty dessert, I had to hold off and not get to excited with the questions/answers. Xantrex makes really good products, and for me, it's a local company. As we were talking, my spouse and close friends were making fun of us talking about "solar stuff". I had briefly mentioned I had a YouTube channel and do reviews/how to videos for different products. I got a nod, but, afterwards felt like a geek mentioning it. Sadly, the guest had to leave for family obligations.

I didn't get a chance to ask him some details about the Xantrex MPPT Charge Controller.  Below is a few pics of the charge controller. I'd say it right up there with the Morningstar Tri-Star TS-60 charge controller. The good news is I could switch the Morningstar into Diversion mode to divert the excess power to the two 100 watt transistors. Hmm...

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