New Build in Khon Kaen

[sirineou]

1 minute ago, Naam said:

amazon.com

200 Watts Step Down Voltage Converter,DIKOO 200W Step Down 220V to 110V Automatic Transformer International Travel Adapter to 220V Countries Ideal for Laptops, Cameras, Phones, iPads (200 Watts Max)

3.7 out of 5 stars 78 customer reviews

| 29 answered questions

Price:

$14.99

I am not very familiar with transformers , I know they are not very good for motors but not sure about electronics. I defer to your expertise knowledge.

A transformer would be the best solution, Thank you

I am also bringing a Roomba robotic vacuum cleaner that I checked and is dual voltage , will have to take it out of the box and pack it in the check in luggage,  Love to see their faces if they check my bags, I will be like a traveling hardware store. 

Look for me in the evening news LOL

PS; I shal buy a number of those transformers,  

 

 

[sirineou]

Mean time back at the Farm

Painting continues:

I am considering a small roof on the side of the outside kitchen or one of those rollup bamboo curtains to keep the driving rain out.

Stair rails and you can see part of the driveway

Balcony

stairs fro a different angle.

and driveway. I have the wife watering  it a couple of times a day to facilitate better and stronger curing .

and clean out pipes have being cut and capped with what looks like brass screw in caps.

     They installed the aluminum window frames but we are still waiting for the windows. That's Ok we are not in a hurry. I will probably not see this house until this fall .

Tomorrow I am traveling to NYC   if everything goes to plan, my involvement in the project I am involved in should be done by this fall.

[cheeryble]

Cleaning pipes in the King's English = Rodding Points :)


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[sirineou]

7 hours ago, cheeryble said:

Cleaning pipes in the King's English = Rodding Points :)


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I grew up in Queens NYC where If I asked someone to inspect their Rodding point I would at best get a raised eyebrow, or at worst get my ass kicked LOL

or even worst they might let me

[Rdrokit]

sirimeou,

Question, are you a military veteran? Just asking as we have a VFW Post in Korat and always looking for new members.

[sirineou]

20 minutes ago, Rdrokit said:

sirimeou,

Question, are you a military veteran? Just asking as we have a VFW Post in Korat and always looking for new members.

Unfortunately I am not,

but I am not beyond having a beer with anyone that would talk to me,

make it a free beer you don't even have to talk to me

[Naam]

8 hours ago, Rdrokit said:

sirimeou,

Question, are you a military veteran? Just asking as we have a VFW Post in Korat and always looking for new members.

i'm a veteran but Korat is not exactly walking distance from here.

[Rdrokit]

6 minutes ago, Naam said:

i'm a veteran but Korat is not exactly walking distance from here.

Where is here?

[Naam]

1 hour ago, Rdrokit said:

Where is here?

Pattaya

[Ahab]

On ‎9‎/‎25‎/‎2017 at 5:01 PM, rocketmankabin1 said:

 

 

1/4" aluminum insulation that can be bought stuck to metal sheet: does pretty much nothing for heat.  Rolled insulation is economical and does the trick. If you can afford it, maybe spray foam at 500sqm is for you. Seal and insulate all in one.

 

You are absolutely incorrect regarding radiant barrier sheathing/insulation. It works and works incredibly well when installed properly in a ventilated attic. Buy the good stuff (about 30 baht per sqm). I have a white Bluescope metal roof with good quality 1/4 aluminum insulation/foil barrier. On a hot day around noon you can put your hand up to the underside of my roof and you will not feel heat coming through it. Radiant barrier sheathing keeps the heat out of your attic area, traditional insulation (as used in cold climates) slow down the heat transfer,  but it does not stop it. This is my second home in a warm climate that I have installed radiant barrier in my roof (the first was in Hawaii), and I will state from experience that radiant barrier sheathing combined with good attic air flow is the best way to go in the tropics. A white colored roof also does not hurt.

[Rdrokit]

12 hours ago, Naam said:

Pattaya

There is a Pattaya VFW Post and also a Ban Chong Post. The Ban Chong is a new Post and very active. If you are a veteran you should join one of them.

Pattaya http://www.vfwpost9876.com/

Ban Chong http://www.banchangvfwpost12146.org/

[cheeryble]

I checked how long to grow Areca Palms as a screen as in the photo.
Wife’s mum said 8 years.
Uncle said ten years.
I need faster gratification.
Guess8ng Naam's trees could get a reasonable height in five years?



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[Naam]

59 minutes ago, cheeryble said:

Guess8ng Naam's trees could get a reasonable height in five years?

they grow 1-1.5m per year!

[cheeryble]

13 minutes ago, Naam said:

they grow 1-1.5m per year!

 

Forever!!?

 

Can you trim them down?

 

 

[zaZa9]

On 2/22/2018 at 1:11 PM, cheeryble said:

Zaza presume those are your Areca Palms.

 

We would like to hide a neighbour on one short side and they look just the job.

The big question is what size to plant? Price? and how long to grow to same height as yours?

 

The other things is the wife had some very big stands of bamboo cut down as she thought they were a danger of falling on the neighbour;s building near the fence....in fact a 20m long length did fall and broke a couple of cheap tiles . Can yours by trimmed back somehow to prevent breaking and fallen high winds or from rot?

Not my Arecas, just a google pic Cheery..

They grow in clumps and can survive water shortages , tho plenty of water is best.

Those in the pic I would guess at 5 years old ( or thats about right for South Thailand that has plenty of rain ). They are cheap or even free down here.

You can simply cross cut any trunk and carry it away.

As they are palms , you can't cut  a 'crownhead' or that individual trunk will die. Fronds can be cut anytime.

Bamboo can  get out of control quickly , so I wouldnt recommend it.

For longer shade I would rec Travellers Palms that will grow well in rows ( remove suckers regularly )  , but they do drop large fronds.

 

[Naam]

8 hours ago, cheeryble said:

Can you trim them down?

they are trimmed every spring to a max height of 8 meters. we planted them in 2006 (height 1.80-2.00m) and started trimming them two years later to make them more dense.

[zaZa9]

Ive seen them used effectively down here Naam ... do you have the common or genus name please ?

[Naam]

13 hours ago, zaZa9 said:

Ive seen them used effectively down here Naam ... do you have the common or genus name please ?

the tree is called โสกน้ำ (Sok naam) in Thai.

[Knowsitlike]

Well done Sirineou and all contributors, very interesting account and helpful before I start a new build later this year. 

[sirineou]

7 hours ago, Knowsitlike said:

Well done Sirineou and all contributors, very interesting account and helpful before I start a new build later this year. 

A lot of nice guys in this forum and as you see, we tried to have a litle fun with it. And in the process I learned a few  things.

Good luck with your buid, Look forward to seeing it on TVF

[zaZa9]

22 hours ago, Naam said:

the tree is called โสกน้ำ (Sok naam) in Thai.

Any relation naam ? 555

[zaZa9]

On 2/24/2018 at 11:27 AM, cheeryble said:

I checked how long to grow Areca Palms as a screen as in the photo.
Wife’s mum said 8 years.
Uncle said ten years.
I need faster gratification.
Guess8ng Naam's trees could get a reasonable height in five years?



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You know , the other plant , if space isnt a problem,  is bananas cheery... they will make a green wall within a year down here ... they  need constant slashing  but there is a return. Banana smoothies ... yum...

[cheeryble]

On February 28, 2018 at 1:13 AM, zaZa9 said:

You know , the other plant , if space isnt a problem,  is bananas cheery... they will make a green wall within a year down here ... they  need constant slashing  but there is a return. Banana smoothies ... yum...

Its a thought.

We just have an avocado tree gonna give fruit for the first time soon outside grandma's (our present) house.

It's very well fed with all the kitchen scraps getting thrown out of the window.

[sirineou]

at some point in this thread, or perhaps it was at another thread (i can't remember, and I can't find it) , I mentioned that the house was designed for wood windows, and though I love the look and feel of wood, I do not love the maintenance required, especially since I will not be there all the time.

So I decided to go with aluminum windows ( I have them in my similar to Thailand climate, Florida home, 18 years old now, and still look and work like new)

   But I wanted to maintain the wood look, so I ordered a wood looking aluminum profile. People wondered how it would look, and to be honest so was I. 

I don't have very good pictures yet, (will post better pictures when I get some) but from the ones I got, it looks good.

 I though they would have cranks to open and stay open, as they do in the US, but they don't. In retrospect I should have asked and not assume. 

I wonder if they can be retrofit, or even if they are necessary?

 

[Rdrokit]

I like the windows and wish I went that route. I thought it would be quaint to have wood windows living in Thailand.....................NOT.  Don't worry about no cranks as I have replaced some of my windows with aluminum and also some PVC windows without cranks and they work fine.

[zaZa9]

The windows look like Western Red Cedar windows in Aus ... they cost me a lot and constantly needed varnish/ clear coating.

So now I know...

[cheeryble]

Approved!

Does this colour/finish have a name?

[sirineou]

8 minutes ago, cheeryble said:

Approved!

Does this colour/finish have a name?

Don't know, I will ask.

[MikeN]

Nice looking windows ! Where did you get them from, I'm guessing it was not the local village shop ? Was there a sliding option too ?

[sirineou]

On 3/5/2018 at 5:16 AM, MikeN said:

Nice looking windows ! Where did you get them from, I'm guessing it was not the local village shop ? Was there a sliding option too ?

Sorry for the late reply.

Not in Thailand right now, I text the builder for the name of the finish and Company and will post it as soon as I have it. 

I am sure there must be a sliding option.