2012... The Year of Renewal

[TygerCub]

:D Quick Fix I had to do last week after realizing I made a mistake...

[lornaschinske]

Another freaking video! Am I the only one who refuses to watch online videos because it plays for a couple of seconds, Then stops while it "loads" some more? Oh wait. I am the only one on campground wifi network! Sorry! But I 'm still not going to bother with it.

[somewhereinusa]

:You're not the only one, living just slightly west of nowhere, we get our signal via an air card. Using a yagi antenna and a booster, I'm able to get a usable signal most of the time, over the hill and through the woods to an antenna about 12 miles away. Phone lines here are so bad we're lucky to hear you talk. I tend to NOT even look at web sites that are heavy on Flash.
I would occasionally like to see a video, most of the time it's not worth the wait, and it uses up bandwith. I don't like getting those messages saying I have used up almost of my monthly allowance.
Cell phones don't work here either.

[somewhereinusa]

:You're not the only one, living just slightly west of nowhere, we get our signal via an air card. Using a yagi antenna and a booster, I'm able to get a usable signal most of the time, over the hill and through the woods to an antenna about 12 miles away. Phone lines here are so bad we're lucky to hear you talk. I tend to NOT even look at web sites that are heavy on Flash.
I would occasionally like to see a video, most of the time it's not worth the wait, and it uses up bandwith. I don't like getting those messages saying I have used up almost of my monthly allowance.
Cell phones don't work here either.

[TygerCub]

It's a shame some folks can't see the videos. I spend a lot of time trying to make something that is instructive and will help others along this path.

I'll try to add more still photos for folks with low bandwidth.

[bus-bro]

Though you do your video productions well.

[TheRainbowBoxer]

To each their own... its nice to have some people doing things a little differently.

[atcc77]

I like your videos, they have helped me out here and there. I have 3G service so have to wait for them to load sometimes, but they help clarify how some things are done when a picture and description can't.

[lornaschinske]

It would be nice if some bright soul could come up with a way to compress and then download the compressed video to a computer so that those of us who aren't attached to a high speed internet can watch.But that will not happen unless that bright soul is one of the ones on the slow internet. It's amazing how many folks assume that everyone has fast internet simply because they do. Although I do think its really funny when these same folk end up in a campground and start complaining because they can't do all the bandwidth heavy stuff they do at home. And it dawns on them.... sometimes.

[TheRainbowBoxer]

I lived with dial up for several years, and I will be the first to admit that I am addicted to broadband. I do not get online pretty much at all when camping, though... for me, that is a time for hanging out with family and friends and taking a break from the rat race.

[lornaschinske]

... I do not get online pretty much at all when camping, though... for me, that is a time for hanging out with family and friends and taking a break from the rat race.

We fulltime and are at the mercy of campground wifi (used to be on cellphone dialup.. now that was slow). Still, wouldn't trade internet speed & a house for the life we live now. I have long resigned to never watch video online. There is some that I can.... others that simply will not load... ever. Youtube is frustrating.

[TygerCub]

Is it possible to right click and "download linked file as" to your computer? I am on cable internet at home and have no point of reference for speed (or lack thereof), so can not tell what will or won't work. As I said, if these don't work for you, I will try to post more photos of what I'm doing.

Unfortunately, I only have one camera (first world problem, I know), and that is what I use to film, so I often forget to take actual photographs instead of video while I'm working. Most of the time I'm just working and forget to record anything at all until I'm mostly done. And, of course, I'm trying to do better with actual demonstration instead of just being a talking head that goes, "... And today I'll be doing blah, blah, blahde bla bhah to this and that ..." <video break> ".. and here it is complete!" But it all takes time and patience (2 things I sorely lack right now) to create the videos, post to this forum, and to my personal blog, so I just feel lucky when I get around to posting anything anywhere.

My long term goal is to put everything on a DVD for folks to use. I'm no talk-show-host, but if these things help just one person do one thing, then I feel it will all be worth a little embarrassment over any blunders I make along the way ... and lord knows I'm fumbling descriptions, and having brain fartz, and am downright inarticulate in many instances. So folks with low bandwidth... ya ain't missin' much!

So... with that said, here are some progress photos of my Tidy Cat composting toilet:

Sketched out the top cover on 3/8" plywood.


Cut it out, sanded it, added 2x3 support boards in all the weight bearing spots, then added 2x2 legs.


Decided to use 1/4" tongue-n-groove boards to form the curved front wall.


Used regular rubber cement and some plastic bags to make temporary hinges that held the boards together long enough to glue them in place. Glued blocks on the back to reinforce the wall.


Put it in place to make sure the bucket still fit underneath, then attached the proper toilet seat.


Finished boxing the rear storage compartment, and... wah-lah! Composting toilet is built (I would say done, but there's an awful lot of staining and sealing yet to do before this can be used!)

[ol trunt]

Very nice response re band width or whatever etc. I wish we all had your capacity for remaining civil when we recieve critical comments! Thanks

Your latest post a takes me back to my childhood before my grandparents had running water (ie indoor plumbing). I'm sure the composting aspect of your system will prove to be more successful at controlling odor than were the out houses of my distant past. What is the biological/chemical "magic" that makes this all work--my two indoor cats and I would like to know!

I should mention that as usual your work is of high quality as are your posts. Love the pics.

[lornaschinske]

... here are some progress photos of my Tidy Cat composting toilet...

Do you use the Small Spaces formula or the Power Blend for extreme odors?
Did you use the Litter Selector on the website?

And if you have kittens, how do they like it?


Sorry, couldn't resist.

[SeanF]

Here is a Firefox add-on that will download videos and save them to a format that can be watched offline (mp4, etc). My download speed (vis-a-vis video watching) bounces back and forth between OK and frustrating.

Great thread and great build so far TC.