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How to Mount A Solar Panel Array

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on December 10, 2019 by JimDecember 10, 2019
Photo of the Solar Panel Mount site with Piers

With the Solar Generator Project underway, it is time to mount the solar panel array. Last May, I purchased eight Renogy 270-watt solar panels similar to those in the Solar Rainwater Project. At 65 by 39-inches, and weighing 65 lbs., they require a substantial mounting system. In the Solar Rainwater System, I had the advantage of an existing building with a south-facing roof that could hold four panels.

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Posted in Projects, solar | Tagged build, concrete pier, DIY, foundation, hill country, how to, quikrete, renogy, solar, solar panel mount, solar power generator, wb0mmc

Farming Bluebonnets is Easy

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on November 6, 2019 by JimDecember 2, 2019
photo of Our backyard filled with Bluebonnets

For the last ten years, we’ve been farming bluebonnets (Lupinus texensis) around the place. It started when I planted a few seeds and gradually, they’ve bloomed and spread. Because I’m impatient, I also helped them along by mowing the plants after they had gone to seed and spreading the clippings to other parts of the ranch.

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Posted in Gardening, Greenhouse, machinery, Rainwater | Tagged back to the earth, Bearcat, bluebonnet, bluebonnets, chipper, equipment, farming, ferguson, harvest, hill country, how to, howto, Lupinus texensis, Massey, model 65, Mother Earth News, saving seeds, scythe, shredder, snathe, Texas, texas hill country, wildflowers

Weber Piano Action Rebuild – New Hammers!

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on June 29, 2017 by JimAugust 27, 2017
photo of New hammers!

We got back from the Red Power Roundup and it was time to catch up on the Weber project. Bernard texted me (with pictures!) that the hammers had arrived from Renner, and I was eager to see them. I went to his shop a few days later.

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Posted in maker, Music, piano, Projects, repairs, Woodworking | Tagged action center, action rebuild, animal hide glue, back rail cloth, Bernerd, blanco, blanco texas, DIY, felt bushing, hammer rest, hammers and shanks, hill country, how to, key end felt, key pins, keyframe, Mollberg, piano, punchings, restoration, Texas, texas hill country, weber, weber grand piano, windex, wippens, woodworking

Solar Powered Rainwater Project – The Chinese Connection

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on June 26, 2017 by JimJuly 15, 2017
photo of The inverter box

It’s been a while since I reported on the Solar Powered Rainwater Project. Since that early-April post, I’ve been gathering the rest of the parts, and we took our annual trip to the Red Power Roundup — this year at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines. The biggest part of the delay was waiting for the inverter/charge controller. I wasn’t thrilled with the delivery delay on the device, but it turned out well in the end.

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Posted in Central Texas, maker, Projects, Rainwater, solar | Tagged battery, build, charge, China, Chinese, controller, deep cycle, DIY, hill country, homesteading, how to, howto, Interstate, inverter, panel, rainwater, renogy, solar, Sun Gold Power, Texas, texas hill country

Weber Piano Action Rebuild – On to the Wippens!

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on May 21, 2017 by JimAugust 27, 2017
diagram of a grand piano action

Another trip to Bernard’s piano shop and another list of tasks. I installed most of the rocker capstans (#2 in the diagram above) with the new square-drive screws at home, and used a little wax softened with mineral spirits to avoid … Continue reading →

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Posted in maker, Music, piano, Projects, repairs, Woodworking | Tagged action center, action rebuild, animal hide glue, back rail cloth, Bernerd, blanco, blanco texas, DIY, felt bushing, hammer rest, hammers and shanks, hill country, how to, key end felt, key pins, keyframe, Mollberg, piano, punchings, restoration, Texas, texas hill country, weber, weber grand piano, windex, wippens, woodworking

Weber Piano Action Rebuild – Keyframe with Refurbished Keys

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on April 28, 2017 by JimAugust 27, 2017
photo of Removing the bushing felt

I’ve been making progress on the Weber Project, but with a trip to New Mexico and various Spring activities, the pace has lagged. We’re back on track though. I mentioned in the last post that more work was needed on the bushings — they were too tight for the keys to move freely in the keyframe.

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Posted in Central Texas, maker, Music, piano, Projects, repairs, Woodworking | Tagged action rebuild, animal hide glue, back rail cloth, Bernerd, blanco, blanco texas, DIY, felt bushing, hill country, how to, key pins, keyframe, Mollberg, piano, punchings, restoration, Texas, texas hill country, weber, weber grand piano, windex, wippens, woodworking

Solar Powered Rainwater Project – Solar Panels Installed!

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on April 11, 2017 by JimJuly 14, 2017
photo of The panel un-boxing

The new 250-watt solar panels arrived very quickly. I was eager to install them, but they were just a bit larger than I could handle safely on the garden shed roof. Fortunately, I didn’t have too wait long, and my neighbor Jason was available a few days later.

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Posted in Gardening, maker, Projects, Rainwater, solar | Tagged build, charge, controller, deep cycle, DIY, hill country, homesteading, how to, howto, Interstate, inverter, panel, rainwater, renogy, solar, Texas, texas hill country

Weber Piano Project – Keyframe Cleanup

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on March 5, 2017 by JimAugust 27, 2017

With key bushings installed, it was back to the piano shop. In order to test the work, we would need to try a few keys in the keyframe and see they fit. First though, a little cleanup was in order. … Continue reading →

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Posted in Central Texas, maker, Music, piano, Projects, repairs, Woodworking | Tagged action rebuild, animal hide glue, back rail cloth, Bernerd, blanco, blanco texas, DIY, felt bushing, flitz polish, hill country, how to, key pins, keyframe, Mollberg, piano, piano punching lifter, punchings, restoration, scotchblue, Texas, texas hill country, weber, weber grand piano, windex, wippens, woodworking

Weber Piano Project – New Bushings!

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on March 5, 2017 by JimAugust 20, 2017

So far, we’ve removed the action from the piano, disassembled, and cleaned it. There’s a surprising amount of effort involved in just those steps, and it was great to finally make progress in the rebuild. Make no mistake, the disassembly and … Continue reading →

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Posted in Central Texas, maker, Music, piano, Projects, repairs, Woodworking | Tagged action rebuild, animal hide glue, balance rail, Bernerd, blanco, blanco texas, brush, build, bushing felt, DIY, felt bushing, front rail, hill country, how to, Mollberg, pallet knife, piano action, razor blade, restoration, Texas, texas hill country, watercolor, weber, weber grand piano, whiting, woodworking

The Shed Roof — Storing Lumber in the Shop

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on May 7, 2016 by JimJuly 14, 2017
photo of the shop, as built in 2000

I built the shop at least 15 years ago, and it’s been one of the most useful projects here at the ranch. Originally, I was imagining a woodworking shop, and I even built a large, low bench and acquired some … Continue reading →

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Posted in Central Texas, maker, Projects, Woodworking | Tagged DIY, hill country, homesteading, how to, repurpose, roy creek ranch, shop, Texas, upcycle, woodworking

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