[AT] Was: Shop ceiling, now mosquito control

John Dunlap jsdunlap at roadkill.org
Wed Sep 28 08:44:10 PDT 2011 

I always wanted a bat-cave, but my neighbors, the Wayne's, say they already have one ....

Sent from my iPhone

On Sep 28, 2011, at 10:26 AM, robbrut at aol.com wrote:

> 
> Ken-
> 
> On every weekend I am at my cabin that I built on a ten acre plot that is heavily wooded, has two streams, two ponds, and countless mud holes, springs, and swampy areas.
> 
> In short, it is an IDEAL honeymoon resort for mosquitos and a great spot for them to raise a family, too.
> 
> Despite this, I and my family/friends have only been bitten a few times in the 25 years since I built it, even though some of us sleep out on the second story porch, which is roofed, but not screened-in.
> 
> If we go down on the ground level it's a different bug story, but on the first deck (4 1/2 to 5' above ground level) there are very few bugs seen, and on the upper level none (unless I leave a light on and moths are attracted) to it).
> 
> A naturalist I spoke to said "Sure, the tastey bugs are staying close to the ground due to the bats keeping the upper altitudes policed for you." so I have kept certain pieces of siding on the cabin and the barn that I built unfastened at the bottom with gaps for them to use for sleeping during the day. 
> 
> I also got the plans for a bathouse, painted it the recommended color, and mounted it on the proper compass point of my cabin outside wall and after a bit I could tell by seeing the droppings below it that it was occupied.
> 
> There are several bat-friendly resourses on the internet that will give you a lot more info on their beneficial aspects, as well as how to invite them to coexist with you without any negative aspects.
> 
> And on the subject of coexisiting, while I was standing in a pool of light uunder my spotlight one night, I had one of them repeatedly fly right past me at shoulder level to get particularly tasty moths, I remained still the whole while and it felt almost like being touched (and not unpleasantly at all).
> 
> -Bruce
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ken Knierim <ken.knierim at gmail.com>
> To: Antique tractor email discussion group <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
> Sent: Wed, Sep 28, 2011 8:18 am
> Subject: [AT] Was: Shop ceiling, now mosquito control
> 
> 
> Bruce,
>   Sorry to take things off-topic but tell me more about the bats and how
> ou use them for mosquito control. This sounds quite interesting. With West
> ile Virus making the rounds, natural suppression of those little
> loodsuckers sounds like a great idea. I'd like to find more information on
> his; where did you find out about bat houses?
>   My wife gets eaten up by mosquitoes. They fly right by me and leave her
> ith itchy red welts. I tell her I'm too old and crusty for them but I
> eally have no idea why they prefer her. Maybe it's the gear lube cologne I
> se?
> Ken in AZ
> On Wed, Sep 28, 2011 at 3:52 AM, <robbrut at aol.com> wrote:
>> 
> I agree with Mike's blown-in insulation recommendation, and for another
> reason other than the obvious ones like its ease of installation, R value
> and filling cavities well.
> Mine has to do with critters' (mice, squirrels, bats, flying squirrels)
> aversion to the blow-in stuff.
> When I built my house in the woods, i used fiberglas batt insulation
> (itchy) an really built up the attic ceiling.
> Within a year it was a condo for mice, two years later tha squirrels
> discovered it. and within ten years, all of the insualtion over the main
> area was gone, having been pulled to the eaves for huge nests.
> I had all of the FG removed, along with the mummified remains of former
> residents who didn't like the TomCat diet, and replaced it all with
> loose-fill cellulose (blow-in type).
> That was 5 years ago, and I still don't see any disturbance of the
> cellulose material, nor is there any mouse/squirrel poop to be seen anywhere
> up there.
> I have been told that there are two factors that make vermin dislike it,
> one is the fireproofing treatment (boric acid) done to the cellulose, and
> the other is that it sticks to the critters fur and resists tunneling.
> By the way, I built a bathouse/condo for my bats who are enjoying their new
> digs and are still keeping us mosquito-free.
> Bruce Thompson
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mike 1countryguy <mdo_1 at hotmail.com>
> To: Antique tractor email discussion group <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
> Sent: Wed, Sep 28, 2011 12:38 am
> Subject: Re: [AT] Shop ceiling
> 
> 
> 
> teel roofing when nailed or screwed in will be strong on 4 ft centers.
>  Blown
> nsulation is the easy way to get a lot of r values.  Mine has been on ten
> years
> nd no problem.  Why go to the time and expense of the waifer board.
>> Date: Tue, 27 Sep 2011 22:51:03 -0400
>  From: rlgoss at insightbb.com
>  To: at at lists.antique-tractor.com
>  Subject: Re: [AT] Shop ceiling
> 
>  I think I would want something a little more substantial to support the
> nsulation than just the tin that's used for ceilings.  When I built my
> shop, I
> sed OSB for the bottom four feet (laid horizontally.) and TEMPERED peg
> board
> or the top four feet.  That lets me hang shelving and tools anywhere above
> the
> our-foot level, and work benches and storage cabinets fill in over the OSB.
>  I
> sed standard gypsum drywall for the ceiling.  I rented a drywall lift from
> Home
> epot, and installed the whole ceiling in less than half a day all by
> myself.  I
> ear you loud and clear on needing to raise and lower whole panels to make
> sure
> he cut outs are in the right location.  That's why I rented one that was
> made
> or the job at Home Depot.  Just put the panel on the carrier, cut it to
> shape,
> dd the cut outs, flip it to horizontal, and turn the big wheel to clamp the
> hole panel to the ceiling.
> 
>  Larry
> 
>  ----- Original Message -----
>  From: "Don Bowen" <don.bowen at earthlink.net>
>  To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <
> at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
>  Sent: Tuesday, September 27, 2011 9:17:28 PM
>  Subject: [AT] Shop ceiling
> 
>  I was talking with my builder friend this evening about the next step in
>  my shop.  It is a pole building that I put up false walls between the 5
>  by 5 poles.  The walls are 2X4 on 24" centers with roll insulation
>  between then covered with 7/16" OSB.  For the ceiling I put 2X6 joists
>  between the trusses and was planning on covering with the same OSB.  THe
>  problem soon became obvious.  The building is not square, I have 6
>  lighting outlets, 4 switched plugs for task lighting, and 4 hanging
>  outlets, all would need holes through the OSB so each sheet may be
>  lifted two or three times to a 9' 6" ceiling.  I had designed a panel
>  lift for my engine hoist.
> 
>  Then my friend said that many here use tin.  He said I could get No 2
>  tin and he and I could put it in place in an afternoon.  Then I will use
>  blown in cellulose insulation.  It will make a nice warm shop for these
>  mild Ozark winters.
> 
>  Any comments on this idea?
> 
>  --
>  Don Bowen           KI6DIU
>  http://www.braingarage.com/Dons/Travels/journal/Journal.html
> 
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