Selkikeskus *low* -tech diagrams.

[MaxT]

In this stuff I have been just the diagram designer / illustrator and html coder ( actually other people showed me how to do the html stuff to my specifications, and then I just did it like that. They are all mentioned in the credits as consultants ).

http://koti.mbnet.fi/maxt/selkistuff/

To my understanding these are extremely simple ( and efficient ) technologies for energy saving and water moving, designed for the poorest possible conditions existing today, but apparently usable in various catastrophe and collapse situtations as well.

I have done what was asked of me, depicted existing devices and their principles ( as they were explained to me by their developers ) in diagrams and illustrations. I think that the social effects of these technologies can be truly inspiring to the poorest communities. But: I think .. .  .    I think this, I think that, so what ? Thus I am asking for your opinions about these technologies and their applications.

( Whole concept of " fit everything into small GIF images " and " it has to be readily reachable by slowest phone modem connection " was banged to my head here, after I had cluelessly blundered a single 20+ meg diagram here on Otherpower.com )

This is still work under progress, as other, and complementing, technologies of that place and it's affiliates will be added. Do pay attention to the copyright and patent clauses, as some technologies are freeware and some are not ( Consult the Selkikeskus address mentioned therein ). ( Oh, and in the WheelTank the axle does not go through the tank... and it's not guaranteed to withstand much more of extra load than that one kid depicted ).

  MaxT

Shameless plug:  

  http://koti.mbnet.fi/maxt/Windstuff/Yonisml.jpg

That's my freeware turbine design. If someone has ready one built, i'd be happy to get a photo. I'm still in the midst of building my first tiny model of it ( my first turbine construction ever ).

[disaray1]

Hi Max,

 Interesting projects with what I think is a wonderful social benefit. Be proud!

 My comments:

    Cage fire...very do-able, and works pretty well, as long as there's not a bunch of wind. Have used this same style design myself, and the truly attractive parts is when dissambled, all the pieces lay flat for easy transport. I used four metal rods, two for holding the bottom screen, two for pot holders. Not real fuel efficient.

  Precision Fireplace...actually better operation that the cage and mostly wind resistant and uses less fuel, but more difficult to fabricate and transport than cage. Get rid of the little brackets at the top and the little weird triangle pot holder. The will be broken before you know it, and then the cooker will be close to useless. Use the rods from the cage for your pot holder thru some hole punched into the can.  Rows of vertical holes, spaced about 13mm, will allow pot height adjustments.

 Water Wheel...never used this, but looks like it would work as long as the wheel is strong. Make the filler bung good and water tight.

 Fry Pan...hmmmm...forget the glass top. It will get broken. It's doubtful that you can get enough heat with this setup to fry anything, without some sort of solar collector (mirrors of some sort) and a box to help retain the heat. Better designs are already available...google solar oven and solar parabol cooker. You'll find a bunch of designs currently being distributed in poor third world nations.

 You might also research what the ultra lite-weight hikers are doing for cooking these days...their aim is lite, simple, fuel efficient, easy to transport and reliable, with emphasis on multiple use items. Like tent stakes being also the pot holder being also a survival tool. Something to think about. Keep this in mind...the fewer parts, the better.

 Keep up the good work!  disaray1

[Slingshot]

We use something similar to your frying pan and cage fire for doing stir-fry at our deer camp each December.  The pan is made from a cultivator disk (farm equipment) with the center hole welded shut and handles added.  We also found that the "cage fire" is much more efficient at heating if the sides are solid rather than mesh.  So we made the "cage" out of a 55-gallon drum.  We do stir-fry for 10 people in one batch.

[MaxT]

That idea of getting rid of the extra widgets in precision cooker, I'll pass it along to the designers. I guess I'll need to do picture of that too, then.

The WheelTank ( Or Water Wheel ) looks real solid, and seems to hadle adequately. I don't know if any have been tested for actual hard poverty conditions yet. The tire has been taken from recycled bycycle tire outer layer, and filled solid with rubber, if I remember correctly. ( This precise WheelTank design might not be very copyright free at all... but that idea seems handy one to variate when in need ).

In some cultures they demand to the bitter end to be able to see the fire in the fireplace, as this seems to have important and complicated social functions in their communities. That's why not just the precision cooker, but cagefire also.

It also comes with a Grill and... Oven. ( Still working on that oven diagram ). A photo of one can be seen in here:

http://www.selkikeskus.com/indeks.html

  From there to " Sarajevo Keitin " and from there to " 17 hakkinuotio "

That's what that glass is there for, too. Apparently the solar cooking on a pan works, even in Finland at summer ( +130 C ), as long as it's black iron pan, and not too efficiently covered with cookables for long. That glass is quite thick, and made on commission for withstanding much of temperatures and some degree of pummeling.  Not really something that can be improvised on spot... though that oven, and grill, can be used on precision cooker too, I suppose. Really interesting thing that oven, or rather the material it's made from, but that you have to query the Selkikeskus about. I think that in a pinch, it could be made from pretty much " anything " ( Wood, metal, etc. ) but would not be as light, energy efficient, or deliciously " made from recycled scraps ".

And yes, I am patting myself to the head for... um... auspicious job done.

Well almost done.