divermike Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 Any of you have an outhouse set out for your meetings? we are going to build one, I have a rudimentary plan, but any ideas are welcome, this way the members won't have to run all the way up to the house, we can set it just a few feet from the barn, with as little usage as it's gonna get, smell won't be an issue, and we will have a bag of lyme to settle it in. waiting... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainely,Bob Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 Any of you have an outhouse set out for your meetings? we are going to build one, I have a rudimentary plan, but any ideas are welcome, this way the members won't have to run all the way up to the house, we can set it just a few feet from the barn, with as little usage as it's gonna get, smell won't be an issue, and we will have a bag of lyme to settle it in. waiting... Mike,I admire your optimism and you are such a trusting fellow to ask a question like this of a group like us. After much internal debate I can only say I have this mental picture of a discussion between two attendees at the first meeting at Mike`s house; "What do you think about that group of blacksmiths down in NY"? "Nice bunch of guys but I`m a little bit concerned". "Oh,how so?". "Well,we spent the first meeting diggin` an outhouse and I can`t help but wonder what they have in mind for follow on meetings". :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortdog Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 Mike- Find out what the local Health Dept. rules are on outhouses in your area before you start digging. Running behind the shop is one thing, building a structure for the containment and disposal of waste is another entirely. We bought an old used porta-john a few years ago for something like $75 and get it pumped every six to eight months, depending on useage. Costs us about $50. My wife has it set out by the pasture for riding students and visitors. The additives for camp toilets keep it smelling clean. Just a thought, but I'd hate to see you run afoul of the Helth Inspector. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poleframer Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 Lived at this backwoods place years ago. There was an old outhouse, listing badly to one side. Someone had written on the wall "you'd have to be somewhat inclined to sh*t here, I'd say" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Thompson Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 There's a lot of useful information in here: http://journeytoforever.org/farm_library/specialist.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 Deb and I bought acherage in the woods for a number of reasons, not the least of them ,on my part anyway, so I could take a whiz whenever, wherever I wanted. For meetings we rent a portacan from the place a mile down the road. Checking with the local health dept. and EPA will tell ya all you need to know. there are lots of things to kno, not the least being legal distance from wells and or property lines. Frosty the Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecelticforge Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 My only response is to make sure that you have a 50 pound bag of masonry lime and a cup with a handle on it! And spray it for black widow spiders! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tzonoqua Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 What about a compost loo?? OK, maybe not traditional like a long drop. Friend of mine has one on her land for times when she has gatherings... quite effective. Although, the men are supposed to pee on a bale of straw, and not in the compost toilet... and then the straw gets put onto the compost heap to help it break down... http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-global/w-news/w-news-outdoor-peeing-could-activate-a-composting-revolution.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twcoffey Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 An outhouse today would be considered by most counties as a septic system and would normally require a tank and distribution field and applications and inspection. Very few counties would allow the old conventional outhouse. I have an old outhouse on the property from the 1950s that hasn't been used since the 1980s. At another location on the property there is an indoor toilet that uses two buried 55 gallon drums as a septic system with no drain field for a summer type cottage(very little usage). This system was put in in the 1950s and is covered by the grandfather clause. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swamptroll Posted September 19, 2010 Share Posted September 19, 2010 got to watch out for the porcupines eating the seats, I don't like splinters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
divermike Posted September 19, 2010 Author Share Posted September 19, 2010 Thanks all, I checked with the building inspector prior to doing anything and he has no problems with it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 19, 2010 Share Posted September 19, 2010 Thanks all, I checked with the building inspector prior to doing anything and he has no problems with it!! Would he be an upwind neighbor then? Good enough. My Grandmother used to tell us about keeping the toilet seat (Each person in the family had their own fabric covered toilet seat) behind the kitchen stove in winter so it'd be nice and warm in the outhouse. It wasn't till I enjoyed my first visit to an outhouse in sub zero weather I truly appreciated the tradition and made one for myself. Styrofoam makes a really warm outhouse toilet seat too. Up north of here a ways near the Chase siding, ARR MP 236 some friends and I dug and built our first outhouse. The very BEST piece of advice locals gave us was to put it somewhere with a nice view. We put it on a ridge facing sort of WNW with a great view of Mt McKinley. If we'd been on the other side of the lake we could've sold tickets. Frosty the Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Farrar Posted September 19, 2010 Share Posted September 19, 2010 I gotta say that the rental unit is my preferred outhouse - 3 tours in Iraq and I have deposited my opinion of the country in/on every imaginable type of place out there in every imaginable type of weather. Next on the list is a chemical camping toilet then the wonderful portable folding toilet seat with a pack of trash bags... Good luck to ya whatever you choose! Note to self: when I build the new shop, include a bathroom... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim McCoy Posted September 19, 2010 Share Posted September 19, 2010 Try this link ... seems to have all you need ... http://www.jldr.com/ohlieb.html :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted September 19, 2010 Share Posted September 19, 2010 I would also say to investigate the composting toilets. They are very simple units. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chyancarrek Posted September 19, 2010 Share Posted September 19, 2010 You haven't mentioned whether you're going to put an anvil shaped cutout in the door or if it'll be a one or two holer. . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted September 19, 2010 Share Posted September 19, 2010 You haven't mentioned whether you're going to put an anvil shaped cutout in the door or if it'll be a one or two holer. . . Some people think a 2 hole unit is for 2 people, while in fact it is good for those that get sick and have it "coming out both ends", a problem that is hard to address with modern toilet facilities. Many times the only option is to also use the bath tub, making me wonder: have we really progressed. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fe-Wood Posted September 20, 2010 Share Posted September 20, 2010 Mike- If you have acreage and need fertilizer, a composting toilet IS the way to go. I have used one for 10 years and my roses have never been happier. It don't smell either. I use pete as the mulch, let it sit for 1 year at least and distribute. Its worth looking into. No cost and no pooping in the water supply. Now thats good xxxx :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
divermike Posted September 20, 2010 Author Share Posted September 20, 2010 Thanks to all, I don't need fertilizer, I have chickens, and it's going to be a one holer, but the idea of a seat warmer is a good one frosty!! The idea of a view had occurred to me so I put a big window about chin height, so you can watch the deer and turkeys stroll down the path, we plan to have al oil lamp in there, that will take the edge off the heat, it will be used once a month for our meets, and likely no more, so stench wont get too bad, and the lyme should take care of the rest. I'll take pics when I get a chance, we have it framed and ready to sheath. We managed to get a demo in on a cool trivet done by John Rausch as well, a good meet all in all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
divermike Posted October 22, 2010 Author Share Posted October 22, 2010 well it's finished, and just in time for the all hands meet!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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