(Continued from Part 2. This concludes the article series.)
Getting back to the construction details: I welded up a steel frame and built hinges using 1” bolts and pipe and 3/8” steel plate for the roof of the patio on the East end of the building. I used metal roof material supported by 6”x2” heavy tubing and 2” angle and a lot of rebar and a 3/8’ steel plate for the hydraulic cylinder to lift against. I bought a 5” diameter hydraulic cylinder 48” long and welded a trunion to steel plates on both ends. With the cylinder attached to the plate on the roof, I slid it out until it was snug against the concrete patio floor and drilled anchors in the concrete. There is also steel in the floor. I bought a hydraulic pump designed for a garage lift with a reservoir that was smaller than the capacity of the hydraulic cylinder. So I had to drill a hole in the bottom of the reservoir, weld in a fitting, and connect a hose to the other end of the cylinder so it would suck the hydraulic fluid into the cylinder and increase the system capacity. We poured 5,000 psi concrete on the roof. First I built two legs of 2” conduit that hinge down to support the roof and keep it level so the concrete wouldn’t run off. Now I feel safer if I want to sit under it for a while. It is 20 years old and the hydraulic hoses are still good.
The house has two bedrooms, a large library, a large kitchen-living room, a large walk in closet ,several other closets, a wine cellar, a generator room, a laundry room, a storage room, a full bath and a half bath, and a wood burning fireplace. That is most of the detail on the home. It is a very well protected nuclear fallout shelter and an energy efficient place to live. For many years I’ve had a low property tax bill and a phone bill, and I didn’t have to pay storage on the RV when I was out of the country. The shop above it has a 14 x 20, a 9×10, and an entry door on the west end and a half bath. It is well insulated with a 220 volt AC in the wall for emergency use if I have to rebuild something in the summer. The solar heat keeps it above freezing with the heat sink under the floor.Continue reading“Getting Out of Dodge – Part 3, by Doc”