The main reason I want to build a tow mixer is because of the insulating qualities of papercrete. I believe it was on Judith's page I saw a comment about the outside of the building was hot but the inside of the wall was cool. I am considering building a cement block basement with a concrete roof. Then I would seal the walls on both sides. My idea is to pour 12 or 16 inch thick inner walls and ceiling as insulation. Then I want to use it as an ice house. I usually have four to six months of the year here that would be eager to freeze blocks of ice. To protect the papercrete from melting ice there will be floor drains and the walls will be draped with heavy duty banner fabric. The door will have a slab of papercrete on the inside of it This ice room will accessed from a root cellar I am planning to build between my house basement and my well pit. The root cellar will have two large rooms then the well pit then the ice room beyond. Over my well pit is an A-Frame shed. I am considering converting my well to a hand pump and building an old style windmill over the well pit to pump the well. A five hundred gallon insulated tank in the tower that is higher than the house would give us great pressure. Picture a car rear axle like you would use for a tow mixer only mount it on a pole and leave it facing the right way. Build the blades like an old farm windmill and mount them on one axle leaving the brake assembly whole. Gut the axle on the other side and attach a tail that has a joint in it so you can turn the blades out of the wind. Now on the yoke you bolt and weld a round plate that has a post on it off center. The post is exactly half the distance off center as the needed stroke for your well pumping cylinder at the bottom of your well. Attach your shaft that runs down to the pump to that post. You need a swivel on that shaft. Next to the diff. somewhere you can mount a handle that will be attached by a cable to the emergency brake on that one brake assembly that you left. I need to get out back,,, I believe I have the rear axle from a small car. I believe it would be an Opel axle. That would be a great one to start with for this project. All of this is because I believe things are about to get really expensive. If I don't have to have solar power for water or refrigeration then that seems to be a good move. Just a couple hours ago a friend was telling me about when he was a kid his uncle cut ice from a lake and just used sawdust to cover it on the barn floor and that pile of ice lasted all Summer. I think my plan will work. Alan in Michigan
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