This idea is a spur for the treehouse idea found in another thread. I havent really refined it much yet but I thought that I could use some input anyway. The basic idea is based off of the BF skinner book Walden II. For those who have not read the book, my basic idea is a medium sized commune, maybe about 10 semi permanent residents plus lots of room for visitors. Anyone would be free to visit, as long as they do not break a few basic ground rules (No hard drugs, no theft, etc.) and they were willing to put in a certain number of hours of work for each day they stayed, say 3 hours a day. Most of the work would go toward building new facilities and possibly growing crops. This community could also be freegen depending on its distance from a major town. Anyway, buildings could be built using compressed earth blocks, which are basicly dirt rammed under thousands of lbs pressure to produce a lasting brick. This brick may or may not need to be stuccoed over to keep it from disolving in the rain, depending on the clay content of the dirt and weather or not you add a small percentange of portland cement to the dirt. Compressed earth blocks are made using CINVA rams, which can also make compressed earth roof tiles if portland cement is added or if they are fired later. Foundations could be cement or they could also be compressed earth. FOundations of compressed earth are made by digging a pit and pounding the bottom of it with a tamper until it is hard, then adding and tamping more soil about an inch or so at a time. It is very hard work. Roofs will need to be either framed traditional or framed using steel I beams. Electricity could be supplied using windmills, which can be made by hand using minimal tools. There is a very good book published by an established windmill maker detailing exactly how to do this, step by step. Wind mills do require an inverter to be used with standard electronics, and batteries if you want power at night. Lead acid batteries can possibly be made, but they would probably need to be bought. An inverter could not be made unless sombody happens to be an electrical engineer in the field. Food could be supplied either by gleaning from society or by microfarming, or possibly by bartering food for other goods from local farmers, etc.
I have more ideas about this subject, but I would like other people to give us some input. Also, since this would be a relatively permanent structure, staying on the right side of the law would be important. They would know right where to find us if they wanted to bust us for stealing supplies etc. Also, people would be needed who are willing to donate land, preferably timbered land because then we we have a building supply for roof tiers etc.
In my mind, this compound should be open to anyone who wanted to live there. This would be great for writers, artists, transients, etc. Howevor, the population should stay low, probably below 20 permanent residents, although if one worked out others could be built in other areas.
This is still in the infantile idea stage, so if you have any ideas about it please contribute.
I have more ideas about this subject, but I would like other people to give us some input. Also, since this would be a relatively permanent structure, staying on the right side of the law would be important. They would know right where to find us if they wanted to bust us for stealing supplies etc. Also, people would be needed who are willing to donate land, preferably timbered land because then we we have a building supply for roof tiers etc.
In my mind, this compound should be open to anyone who wanted to live there. This would be great for writers, artists, transients, etc. Howevor, the population should stay low, probably below 20 permanent residents, although if one worked out others could be built in other areas.
This is still in the infantile idea stage, so if you have any ideas about it please contribute.
